Medical Tourism
Complex surgery is the latest service to move offshore – and clever businesses are helping cost-conscious patients go under the knife overseas.
This year alone, upwards of 500,000 Americans are expected to travel overseas to get their bodies fixed, at prices 30 to 80 percent less than at home.
Medical tourism, as the practice is known, is rapidly becoming the top choice for consumers who grapple with hefty medical bills.
With places like Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, India, the Philippines, and Thailand pitching their low-cost care, Americans are expected to help turn global medical tourism into a $40 billion-a-year industry by 2010.
The overseas stampede is already spawning a brand-new business opportunity: medical tourism agencies. Not only do these companies act as middlemen between patients and foreign physicians, but they also find hospitals, schedule surgeries, buy airline tickets, reserve hotel rooms, and, yes, even plan sightseeing tours for recovering patients.
Most important, they aim to reassure customers that cheap does not equal poor quality.
Photo by adamci.
Sparrow Mahoney on September 7th, 2006 12:34 pm
This is a great piece addressing the emerging industry of global healthcare (medical tourism) in a succint way. It highlights some of the countries that are not as well known yet but which make sense logistically for patients from North America and Europe.
There are a series of other articles on the industry available on our website at http://www.medicaltourism.com/news.html
Dr K M Kapoor on October 5th, 2006 11:26 pm
I fully agree with the last comment that cheap treatment is not poor quality. The difference in value of Dollar/ Euro/ Pounds vs-a-vis Indian rupee make the cost very attractive for foreigners but actually the private hospitals in India are of top quality. I myself have successfully treated many patients from abroad at Fortis Hospital, Mohali,India. More details can be seen on my site http://www.indiaplasticsurgery.com .
Dr K M Kapoor
Vivek Sharma on October 16th, 2006 11:52 am
I am looking into taking this on full swing. I have all the resources in New Delhi India in a state of the art hospital. I was wondering if there would be interested parties that would like to team up in the states to develop this program and work on it.
Lauren on October 17th, 2006 3:01 pm
I foresee a huge future for medical tourism. It is important to provide sources of information to those who are seeking medical tourism for themselves.
Here are some excellent resources for medical tourism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism
CBS News did a very informative story on medical tourism in 2005:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/21/60minutes/main689998.shtml
Another great article was from the University of Delaware’s UDaily:
http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2005/mar/tourism072505.html
Time Magazine wrote an article just this year:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1196429,00.html
This page answers many common questions potential medical tourists would have: http://www.globalsurgicalsolutions.com/surgery-india-faqs.htm
Cheers!
Dr.Manoj Khanna on March 13th, 2007 5:50 pm
I feel it is very important to be able to give quality treatment at affordable costs. As there is a significant difference in value of U.S.Dollar and Euro and British Pound sterling in comparison to the Indian rupee, it may make the cost very attractive for foreigners but the truth is that there are numerous surgeons in India doing international quality work. I myself have operated at Kolkata,India on many patients coming in from USA, Europe,Austalia and South Africa besides the middle-east, and have given them a lot of happiness . More details can be seen on my site http://www.cosmeticsurgery-india.com and its extensive photo gallery.
Dr.Manoj Khanna
Victor Korosi on March 27th, 2007 9:46 am
You may start consider the eastern European countries as a great opportunity to get high quality medical services at very attractive prices. Check this website and think about it.
http://www.romanianhealth.com
umagoms RN RM on January 10th, 2008 10:38 pm
Hi
I fully agree with your view about medical tourism and it is very obvious that it is a booming industry. India has one of the largest pools of medical talent available in the world. India offers a wide range of exceptional medical facilities at a cost effective price. Making use of the same technology and medical knowledge, Indian hospitals and doctors offer health care at a substantially lower price. This is one of the primary advantages of medical tourism/travel in India. India has technologically advanced diagnostic equipments and provides excellent infrastructure which makes it a particularly popular destination for tourists interested in medical tourism in India. Major surgeries and other medical procedures in India cost between 1/5th and 1/10th of the cost anywhere in the world. As an example, a cardiac surgery that typically costs US$ 30,000 would cost only US$ 6,000 in India. But the quality of treatment in India is equally good and in many cases better undoubtedly.
Umagoms.RN
NCLEX Trainer
http://www.gs3india.com
http://www.bestmedjourneys.com
Satya on June 23rd, 2008 9:20 pm
I totally authority with your vision regarding medical tourism and it is extremely clear that it is a booming industry. India has one of the prime pools of medical talent obtainable in the world. India offers a extensive range of excellent medical facilities at a cost effective price. Making use of the similar technology and medical knowledge, Indian hospitals and doctors recommend health care at a significantly lower price. This is one of the primary advantages of medical tourism/travel in India. India has technically advanced diagnostic equipments and provides excellent infrastructure, which makes it a particularly popular objective for tourists interested in medical tourism in India. Major surgeries and other medical procedures in India cost between 1/5th and 1/10th of the cost anywhere in the world. As an example, a cardiac surgery that typically costs US$ 35,000 would cost only US$ 6,000 to US$7,000 in India. However, the quality of treatment in India is equally good and in many cases better definitely.
Jigar Mehta on June 23rd, 2008 9:57 pm
I totally authority with your vision regarding medical tourism and it is extremely clear that it is a booming industry. India has one of the prime pools of medical talent obtainable in the world. India offers a extensive range of excellent medical facilities at a cost effective price. Making use of the similar technology and medical knowledge, Indian hospitals and doctors recommend health care at a significantly lower price. This is one of the primary advantages of medical tourism/travel in India. India has technically advanced diagnostic equipments and provides excellent infrastructure, which makes it a particularly popular objective for tourists interested in medical tourism in India. Major surgeries and other medical procedures in India cost between 1/5th and 1/10th of the cost anywhere in the world. As an example, a cardiac surgery that typically costs US$ 35,000 would cost only US$ 6,000 to US$7,000 in India. However, the quality of treatment in India is equally good and in many cases better definitely.
Visit for more information : http://medicaltourismingujarat.com/medicaltourismindiaarticle.php
Rob Zachariah on July 5th, 2008 12:34 pm
Medical Tourism has been pooly marketed in the U.S., However, it is now starting to make waves in the media and more people are becoming aware of other options.
I just returned from a trip abroad and it is amazing how far international hospitals have come. Some even have more advanced facililites than hospitals in the U.S.
J Vargas on February 2nd, 2009 1:09 pm
Medical Tourism is a welcome and much needed
service for a large segment of the US population who are either uninsured, underinsured or are not covered by their current insurance for a pre-existing medical condition. Not only is good from the point of view of competition, which might help drive health care costs down but also is a good idea from the public health point of view as it is a life saving, quality of life improving
proposition.
Asif on April 6th, 2009 7:11 am
I would like to form strategic relationships with Indian doctors and service provides for USA patients. Please reply.
Jose T. Vargas on April 6th, 2009 8:02 am
Hi Asif;
Contact me at the above e-mail address. I am the president & CEO of a Medical Tourism company.
Asif on April 6th, 2009 9:17 am
Jose,
I did not find an email address for you above. What type of mutually beneficial business relationship do you have in mind? You can email me at asifgill@gmail.com.
Harjot Singh on April 22nd, 2009 6:03 am
Hi All!!
I couldnt help but notice the tremendous interest in Medical Tourism as a future business prospect.I have launched a Medical Tourism company in New Delhi ,India with my own experience ranging about 10-12 years in Orthopaedic Surgeries and Travel field.
Harjot Singh
Aakashdeep Rathod on May 5th, 2009 12:59 am
Dear Sirs/Madam
I want to start Medical Tourism Business in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Kindly suggest me how to start it? email me gayatri.overseas@yahoo.com
Jo Stone on May 9th, 2009 1:36 pm
I have been a health insurance agent in US for 30 years and am exploring whether this would be an area to segway into. Any comments or suggestions?
jstone3836@bellsouth.net
Asim on May 25th, 2009 10:52 am
I am located in Dallas-Fort Worth are of Texas area and interested in forming a mutually beneficial business relationship to offer healthcare travel. Please contact me at the e-mail:- Kissana@aol.com for further discussion.
Zaib on August 10th, 2009 7:10 pm
Hi I am based in the UK and planning to set up an agency. Established medical tourism facilitators/agencies in India and elsewhere please contact to discuss mutual business relatinship: greatzaib007@hotmail.com.
Thanks!
Anurag on August 17th, 2009 12:11 pm
Hi Zaib,
We are a medical tourism company based out of New Delhi. Tell me how can we work together. I can be reached at nihalchandani@gmail.com.
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Sanjeev Mehta on August 22nd, 2009 4:51 am
Dear Friend,
I anybody has business plan to work for Medical Tourism. I am Dr.Sanjeev Mehta and soon launching a company for same in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. If you are interested for some kind of mutually benefiting tie up, pl do writ me your plans.
Thanking you
Yours
Dr.Sanjeev Mehta
NCLEX nurse on September 11th, 2009 8:34 am
As a nurse student in the philippines, I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank you
Nazem Ahmad on October 27th, 2009 11:49 pm
Hello,
We are in the preliminary stages of developing an agency here in Los Angeles, CA. We have a group of working professionals (medical doctor, dentist, and chiropractor) that are looking for surgeons abroad in different fields that we can create a business relationship with. Please contact myself at nazem.ahmad@nomaholdings.com to further discuss the opportunity.
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