The Philippines in the fray

The medical tourism industry is a sure winner. Thailand, India and Singapore, countries currently who lead the field in the medical tourism industry have more rivals to contend with every day.

The Philippines which has already made its entry in medical tourism is targeting to get for itself a share of the $390 billion spent annually for healthcare in Asia.

Philippines has the advantages of cost, skilled medical practitioners trained in developed countries and an array of elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery, liposuction and dental surgery, and life-saving procedures like coronary bypass surgery, kidney transplants and cancer treatment.


Great Deals

Health care Crisis in the US promotes Medical Tourism

The health care crisis in the US is giving a great fillip to The medical tourism industry–in Asian countries like India Thailand and Singapore, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica.

The increasingly growing costs of medical care and medical insurance has made medical treatment prohibitively expensive in the US, with the result that more people are looking elsewhere for treatment that is as good but only 10% of what it might cost in the Us with the added bonus of a vacation in a foreign country.


medical insurance out of reach

Medical Tourism in Taiwan

Taiwan is all set to grow in the medical tourism industry. Its focus will be on special medical treatment in the areas of liver transplant, craniofacial surgery, cardiovascular surgery, artificial insemination and joint replacement surgery. The Medical Tourism industry in Taiwan will be stiff competition for India, Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea, in terms of service quality and service charges which are reasonable and cheaper. But Taiwan is at a disadvantage due to the inadequacy in the English-speaking skills of its medical workers, a lack of platforms for the medical sector to cooperate with other service industries, and legal restrictions.

It is envisaged that a US $ 212million business will be created by Taiwan’s medical globalization project which will by 2017 generate 1550 $ million by providing medical services to 930,000 foreign patients annually; with the majority being Southeast Asian and ethnic Chinese people.

The private investment is targeted at 200 million dollars. The immediate outcome will be the generation of at least 3500 jobs plus a boost in its international image.


Looking Ahead

Accountability

The lack of accountability in the International Medical Tourism industry is a matter of grave concern. The US$60 billion a year industry is growing very fast at 20% a year. Patients from the west are travelling to Asian countries for medical treatment which is as good, but cheaper than at home. The Asian currency crisis and 9/11 have contributed to this trend. But repairing botched procedures ultimately becomes extremely expensive for the patient.
Considering the pace at which medical tourism is growing the setting up of a regulatory board has become a crying need.

Medical Tourism Soaring

Why Choose Hip Replacement Surgery in India?

Why Choose Hip Replacement Surgery in India?





All around the world patients are considering undertaking their medical treatment abroad, both to save costs and also to experience better clinical skill and more experienced surgeons. This trend is most pronounced in terms of India which seems to offer outstanding medical packages combined with very low prices.

There are a number of very compelling reasons to select India's hospitals over those of other destinations such as Thailand or the Philippines which are competing for the same patients.

First, the cost of treatment in India is extremely competitive. For example, a hip replacement package in India costs about $6500 compared to a typical US cost of $40000 to $50000. Even after flights which are typically $2000 per person the saving is very substantial.

Indian hospitals also sell the hip replacement surgery as part of a larger package that usually includes 14 days in hospital, food, pre-op checks and daily physiotherapy programme. This is a much more holistic approach to medicine and offers patients a much more rounded experience. Typically a western hospital would return patients home after five days and require the patients to plan their own physiotherapy.

The quality of clinical staff is very high in India. Indian doctors are renowned throughout the world for their dedication and the quality of their training. Almost all senior doctors have extended their local training with periods of study and practice in Europe and the United States. Frequently, Indian surgeons are also Fellows of the Royal of Surgeons in Edinburgh which is probably the world's leading association of surgeons. Patients are assured of excellent treatment at the hands of highly experienced surgeons. In a similar vein, nursing care is very high. The numbers of nurses on the wards is typically double the number now found in in wards in the west.

Medical Tourism in Western Europe

The Medical Tourism industry is making inroads in countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. In fact a 20% increase is foreseen in the number of medical tourists visiting Poland this year. Medical treatments costing 60% less than in the home countries and the low cost budget airlines coupled with quality treatment facilities are considered to be the factors that encourage this trend.
Does this mean that medical tourism will make medical procedures more expensive for the people living in in these countries so that they travel elsewhere for cheaper treatment?


Poland