Medical Tourism Articles on Medical Tourism in India

India is hoping to expand its tourist industry – to include visitors with heart conditions and cataracts. Indeed, medical tourism, where foreigners travel abroad in search of low cost, world-class medical treatment, is gaining popularity in countries like India. The field has such lucrative potential that Indian finance minister Jaswant Singh called for India to become a “global health destination.” And, with prices at a fraction of those in the US or Britain, the concept will likely have broad consumer appeal – if people can overcome their prejudices about health care in developing countries. Though the quality of health care for the poor in countries like India is undeniably low, private facilities offer advanced technology and procedures on par with hospitals in developed nations. One Indian hospital director maintains, "In a corporate hospital, once the door is closed you could be in a hospital in America.” – YaleGlobal ............

Health and medical tourism is perceived as one of the fastest growing segments in marketing ‘Destination India’ today. While this area has so far been relatively unexplored, we now find that not only the ministry of tourism, government of India, but also the various state tourism boards and even the private sector consisting of travel agents, tour operators, hotel companies and other accommodation providers are all eying health and medical tourism as a segment with tremendous potential for future growth.

With an increasing number of foreign patients flocking to India for treatment, the country could earn Rs 100 billion (US$2.3 billion) through 'Medical Tourism' by 2012, a study has indicated.

According to the study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and McKinsey consultants, last year some 150,000 foreigners visited India for treatment, with the number rising by 15 per cent a year.

With a large pool of highly trained doctors and low treatment cost, healthcare aims to replicate the Indian software sector's success. Built on acres of land the new sleek medical centres of excellence offer developed world treatment at developing world prices, a report in 'The Guardian' said Tuesday. .........

India could earn more than $1 billion annually and create 40 million new jobs by sub-contracting work from the British National Health Service, the head of India's largest chain of private hospitals told rediff.com.

Houston-trained Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals, also said he was waiting for a reply to his proposal to carry out operations at a fraction of what they would cost in the United Kingdom.

Details of the multi-million dollar package are also carried in this week's edition of India Abroad.

They include surgery for hip and knee replacements and coronary bypass that would slash waiting times dramatically, reducing the queues of British patients waiting to see their doctors.

"We have well equipped, state-of-the-art hospitals and we can offer the same level of care as anywhere else in the world," Dr Reddy said.

"There is no reason why we should not become the healthcare destination of the world."...

A worldwide market

What's called medical tourism – patients going to a different country for either urgent or elective medical procedures – is fast becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry.

The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the patient can't wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a physician in private practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery.

And more patients are coming from poorer countries such as Bangladesh where treatment may not be available.

Medical tourism is actually thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that continued for 2,000 years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from Germany to the Nile. In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry beyond the wealthy and desperate.

Countries that actively promote medical tourism include Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now entering the field. South Africa specializes in medical safaris-visit the country for a safari, with a stopover for plastic surgery, a nose job and a chance to see lions and elephants.

India

India is considered the leading country promoting medical tourism-and now it is moving into a new area of "medical outsourcing," where subcontractors provide services to the overburdened medical care systems in western countries.

India's National Health Policy declares that treatment of foreign patients is legally an "export" and deemed "eligible for all fiscal incentives extended to export earnings." Government and private sector studies in India estimate that medical tourism could bring between $1 billion and $2 billion US into the country by 2012. The reports estimate that medical tourism to India is growing by 30 per cent a year.

India's top-rated education system is not only churning out computer programmers and engineers, but an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 doctors and nurses each year. ...

With an increasing number of foreign patients flocking to India for treatment, India could earn Rs.100 billion through 'Medical Tourism' by 2012, a study has indicated.

According to the study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and McKinsey consultants, last year some 150,000 foreigners visited India for treatment, with the number rising by 15 per cent a year.

With a large pool of highly trained doctors and low treatment cost, healthcare aims to replicate the Indian software sector's success. Built on acres of land the new sleek medical centres of excellence offer developed world treatment at developing world prices, a report in 'The Guardian' said today.

A number of private hospitals also offer packages designed to attract wealthy foreign patients, with airport-to-hospital bed car service, in-room internet access and private chefs. Another trend is to combine surgery in India with a yoga holiday or trip to the world famous Taj Mahal.

The report said it is not just cost but competency that is India's selling point. Naresh Trehan, who worked as a heart surgeon in Manhattan but returned to start Escorts hospital group in India, was quoted as saying that his hospital in Delhi completed 4,200 heart operations last year.

Many people from the developed world come to India for the rejuvenation promised by yoga and ayurvedic massage, but few consider it a destination for hip replacements or brain surgery.

Yet that's exactly what the government in the Indian state of Maharashtra hopes will happen soon.

Together with the state's business sector and private health-care providers it recently launched the Medical Tourism Council (MTC) of Maharashtra.

Its aim: to make India a prime destination for medical tourists.

At its swish offices in central Bombay, also known as Mumbai, members of the council explain the concept.

Bombay, they argue, has private hospitals on a par with the best in the world.

Many of the surgeons at hospitals such as the Hinduja are leaders in their field, working with the best equipment available.

But they can provide their expertise at a fraction of the price that comparable surgery would cost in Europe or the United States.

A NICE blend of top-class medical expertise at attractive prices is helping a growing number of Indian corporate hospitals lure foreign patients, including from developed nations such as the UK and the US.

If a liver transplant costs in the range of Rs 60 lakh-70 lakh in Europe and double that in the US, a few Indian hospitals, such as Global in Hyderabad, have the wherewithal to do it in around Rs 15 lakh-20 lakh. Similarly, if a heart surgery in the US costs about Rs 20 lakh, the Chennai-headquartered Apollo Hospitals Group does it in roughly Rs 2 lakh.

As more and more patients from Europe, the US and other affluent nations with high medicare costs look for effective options, India is pitted against Thailand, Singapore and some other Asian countries, which have good hospitals, salubrious climate and tourist destinations.

While Thailand and Singapore with their advanced medical facilities and built-in medical tourism options have been drawing foreign patients of the order of a couple of lakhs per annum, the rapidly expanding Indian corporate hospital sector has been able to get a few thousands for treatment.

But, things are going to change drastically in favour of India, especially in view of the high quality expertise of medical professionals, backed by the fast improving equipment and nursing facilities, and above all, the cost-effectiveness of the package, said some of the hospitals Business Line spoke to.

Medical tourism is likely to be the next major foreign exchange earner for India as an increasing number of patients, unwilling to accept long queues in Europe or high costs in the US, are travelling to the country to undergo surgery, according to a media report.

Medical tourism is on the rise with more people from the United States, Europe and the Middle East seeking Indian hospitals as a cheap and safe alternative, says an article in an upcoming issue of Bloomberg Markets magazine.

The report says Indian doctors are setting up what could be a medical renaissance in their country and the next great boom for the Indian economy.

Many Indian hospitals are coming together to improve the quality of health care, boost first impressions and aiming for $2.3 billion in annual revenue by 2012, it says.

Instead of paying $2,00,000 for a mitral valve surgery in the US, a patient could travel to India and receive the same treatment for $6,700.

Similarly, rather than paying 15,000 pounds Sterling for hip resurfacing in the UK, a patient can get the same procedure for 5,000 pounds in India, including surgery, airfare and hotel stay, the magazine says.

Would you do it? Has a cheaper workforce enabled India to compete in a field many thought could never flourish in that country? These are the questions many people throughout the world have been asking themselves, and increasingly the answer is yes, Bloomberg Markets says. ...

Medical insurance is seen as the fastest growing segment in the Indian economy, says Supriya Saxena

A recent outcome of the privatisation of health services in India has been the growth of medical tourism to the extent that this sector is perceived as a fast-growing segment of the economy. India is a recent entrant into this industry and is expected to become a $2-billion business by 2012.

The driving force behind medical tourism is its cost effectiveness and the possibility of attracting substantial tourism revenue. Medical care, packaged with traditional therapies like yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other traditional systems of medicines, attract high-end tourists especially from European countries and the Middle East.

Kerala has pioneered health and medical tourism in India. But low- cost treatment is the ultimate factor weighing in favour of India. Medical care costs only one-fifth of the costs in the West. So if a particular surgery costs $30,000 in the West, it would cost only $6,000 in India.

India has gained acceptance in areas of medical care such as organ transplant, knee replacement, open-heart surgery and others because of the efforts of the corporate sector in the medical as well as tourism industry. The state-of-the-art equipment and well-qualified practitioners at these hospitals is what attract patients from other countries.

It is estimated that foreigners account for about 12 per cent of all patients in top hospitalsof Mumbai, like Lilavati, Jaslok, Breach Candy, Bombay Hospital, Hinduja Hospital, Apollo and Wockhardt.

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