Indian Hospitals, Wellness and Medical Tourism players join forces to make India the Global Healthcare Destination - Indian Medical Travel Associatio

Leading Indian Hospitals, Healthcare providers (both Modern Medicine and Traditional Indian Medicine), Travel and Medical Tourism Industry providers have come together to form an industry association - Indian Medical Travel Association (IMTA) that aims to work together to make India the leading global healthcare destination.

The phenomenon now popularly known as Medical Tourism is often cited as the next big opportunity for India after the IT outsourcing to earn billions of dollars in forex earnings and create jobs in the healthcare sector. So far only a select group of Indian hospitals have been making valiant attempts to market their services in international arena. More than a million overseas patients already treated at top Indian corporate hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Wockhardt, Max, Manipal and many others have already proved to the world that the clinical quality, technology and cost proposition offered by India is unmatched. The capacity in super specialty segment Indian hospitals is expanding fast and there is no waiting period for local or overseas patients.

CII Mc'Kinsey study first reported on medical tourism as the billion dollar opportunity for India way back in 2002 and the steady growth in overseas patient arrivals has validated the potential. With a large number of new private super specialty hospitals and even integrated health cities coming up in India's top ten cities, India has the potential to become the global leader in the Medical Travel/ Outsourcing industry. Indian doctors and professionals are world renowned for their skills and the country has abundance of all the inputs like talented young manpower, local high quality manufacturing base for pharmaceuticals, technology hardware and software that makes the Indian costs for high end surgical procedures so attractive. The challenge really is on the non medical side, primarily on the marketing front and also to create infrastructure and services to support the growth of medical tourism.

Indian Medical Travel Association (IMTA) - a non profit body and a unified voice of the Indian healthcare (modern medicine as well as traditional Indian medicine) and travel industry is aimed at preparing India for facing the challenges of global competition and actualise the tremendous opportunity for India to become a leading global healthcare destination. Modern medicine as well as India's 5000 year old traditional therapies like Ayurveda, Siddha and Yoga can offer to the world an unbeatable healing package.

"IMTA would strive to help its members reach out in a cost effective manner to millions of our potential global consumers who reside on the other side of the globe in a different time and cultural zone and make them aware of the tremendous value that Indian healthcare offers. The fact is that prior to choosing a hospital, the international patients first decide on the country or the destination. Therefore we all must join hands to aggressively promote INDIA as a preferred global healthcare destination," Says Pradeep Thukral, Executive Director, Indian Medical Travel Association (IMTA)

The Government of India and its various arms are actively supporting the growth of medical tourism to India. In a message to IMTA, the Union Tourism Minister, Kumar Shailaja conveyed “This is indeed a commendable initiative and we all know the tremendous opportunity  that Medical Tourism presents for India. On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, I would like to provide all possible support this industry initiative  and would like to wish IMTA and its members great success in their efforts.

Two years ago the Government of India introduced a special category of Visa called M Visa for foreigners desirous of coming to India for medical treatment. India's Ministry of Tourism has achieved phenomenal success in last five years with its much acclaimed "Incredible India "campaign that has multiplied the arrival of foreign tourists to India. The current year 2009 is being promoted by Indian Ministry of Tourism as "Visit India'" year and the ministry is keen to promote Medical Tourism. It has recently notified the Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme to eligible Medical Tourism players which enables them to get financial support for participation in overseas promotional events.

VEIOVIS LAUNCHES MEDICAL TRAVEL WEB PORTAL

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — Veiovis, a global leader in overseas health care facilitation, launches its online presence with a medical travel web portal.

The exclusive website is custom-built for existing and potential Veiovis partners: patients, employers and health insurers from around the world seeking accessible and affordable first-rate health care solutions.

“Harnessing the Internet to make medical travel more reachable and viable for consumers underlies the intuitive design of www.veiovis.com,” says Gina Ramos, Director of Business Development for Veiovis. “The crisis of affordability and access in American health care, coupled with the crisis in the global economy, continue to push in on American households. These pressures are radically changing the way Americans spend their money, cultivating a new consumerism and appetite for high quality, cost-efficient medical solutions beyond our shores, ushering a new age of ‘globalization’ in health care that is best fostered on the Web.”

Veiovis charts its territory as a health care management expert. Its inherited legacy - TakeCare Insurance Company 35-year experience in health insurance, clinic operations and overseas patient care facilitation - safeguards prime medical resources and services and assures positive results for all partners.

As a global network administrator and travel supervisor, Veiovis connects patients to advanced medical facilities in Asia, Hawaii, the continental United States and the Pacific Northwest. The website is an intuitive exploration into ‘Veiovis Territory’. It illustrates the reach of the Veiovis global network and the key areas of strength and expertise of each internationally accredited provider.

Visitors to the site will be pleased to discover a host of services and medical treatments offered at state-of-the-art facilities abroad, each employing highly credentialed physicians and specialists. Centers of Excellence boast modern equipment and strong research foundations, some with professional affiliations to Harvard and Stanford Medical in the United States. International offices with English-speaking staff and language translators assure ease of communication, while Veiovis Personal Case Managers manage the entire medical travel process from a local and global perspective.

Veiovis’ brand of seamless, integrated care provides superior value to patients, employers and health insurers. It facilitates safe, convenient and guaranteed travel for overseas medical care.

The benefits of medical tourism and why medical travel is recommended

Medical tourism is a booming industry. Medical travel essentially means traveling to a different location, generally a different country for getting medical aid. Medical tourism is not a new concept. The Greeks and Egyptians traveled to hot springs and other such salubrious places in order to get health benefits. This age old practice of medical travel has now become a blossoming industry.

Medical aid in the US is a highly expensive proposition. There are millions of Americans today who are either uninsured or are only partly insured. This lack of proper health insurance coverage makes it very difficult for the ordinary man to get medical treatment in the US due to the exorbitant costs. This is the reason many Asian and Middle East countries are proving to be great places for the medical travel industry. The inconvenience which a medical traveler faces as he has to travel to a new country fades into insignificance when weighed against the various benefits that he enjoys.

Countries like India and some other Asian and Middle Eastern countries are coming up with amazing facilities which they offer for medical tourism.

In order to cater to the demands of people coming from US, UK, Canada and other European countries, the nations offering medical travel are coming up with highly luxurious hospitals with the best health care anywhere in the world. The medical facilities available in these countries are in no way inferior to those available in the European countries. The medical cost is almost 75 to 90 percent lower than US and UK in these Asian countries which offer medical tourism.

There are several reasons which attribute to the success of the medical travel concept. The most common reason for undertaking medical tourism is the money which can be saved by getting oneself treated in an Asian country as opposed to a European. Although this is an important factor, it is by no means the only one.

Many people who undertake medical travel find the doctors much more approachable in the Asian and Middle Eastern countries. It is easier to get answers to your questions from a doctor who takes a personal interest in you and gives you his undivided time and attention rather than from a doctor who is so bogged down by so many patients that personalized attention and care is alien to him. Such overloaded doctors are generally very common in the western countries, while the health facilities which offer medical tourism ensure that they have more patient and caring doctors.

The countries offering medical tourism take a lot of pains to ensure smooth transition for the medical travelers into the new place. There are several businesses which exist in these countries whose sole purpose is taking care of every comfort of a medical traveler. Right from picking them from the airport to providing them with a local translator, everything is taken care of by these businesses.

 

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Medical Tourism Author by : Patrick W. Marsek We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism for Overseas Surgery - Medical Travel Industry Surges Despite Recession

In these recessionary times, almost every industry is seeing significant losses.

Not so with medical tourism.

Hospitals specializing in medical tourism report seeing a 30 percent increase in business from international patients last year.

Discounting other nationalities, The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions estimated the number of Americans that traveled abroad for healthcare in 2007 at 750,000.  As money gets tighter, more people are opting to travel long distances to save on their healthcare bills. Current research indicates that more than one million Americans are traveling overseas to receive medical treatment.

While traveling abroad for medical care is not a new concept, it is only in the past few years that the medical tourism industry has exploded.  International hospitals in foreign countries began focusing their marketing efforts on global clientele and medical tourism companies like MedTrava were created to help fill the gap between the patient’s need for information, support, and assistance and the hospital’s ability to devote its valuable resources to this area.

With the current state of the U.S. healthcare system, it’s no wonder that many uninsured Americans are eschewing medical care in their home country in favor of medical tourism. More than 47 million Americans are uninsured and nearly 120 million Americans are underinsured. The statistics for certain states are appalling. Only 76.1 percent of Texans and 79.9 percent of New Mexicans were insured as of 2007.  Worse still, only 81 percent of Mississippians and 81.5 percent of Texans could get medical care when they needed it.  
President Obama recognizes the problems inherent in the U.S. system of healthcare, saying "Fixing what's wrong with our health care system is no longer a luxury we hope to achieve -- it's a necessity we cannot postpone any longer."

But with no clear idea of how the administration will pay for the estimated $630 billion price tag for its proposed reform, and with Republicans remaining vehemently opposed to nationalized healthcare, it could be a long while until Obama can make good on his promise of “It’s time to deliver.”

In the meantime, more and more Americans will continue to feel the pinch of healthcare bills.  A recent Harvard University study reveals that medical bills play a factor in more than 62 percent of all bankruptcies.

And it’s not only the uninsured that are affected by hefty medical bills; 78 percent of those citing medical bills as a reason for filing bankruptcy were actually insured.

Part of this reason is the ever-increasing share of the medical bill insured consumers are expected to pay. According to a survey by the National Opinion Research Center and Watson Wyatt Worldwide, the annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for an insured worker increased 34 percent between 2004 and 2007.

The researchers recognized this problem and stated in their report, "in the United States, if you are sick and earn a modest income, then you are probably underinsured -- even if you have employer-based health coverage."

Health Insurance premiums have risen 73 percent since 2000, according to the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC).  Employers and insurance companies are forced to more closely scrutinize their health plans to contain the high costs. Employers are now covering fewer employees, reducing the number of covered procedures and increasing co-pays and co-premiums. In fact, the NCHC states that employee contributions have increased 145 percent since 2000.

Many insured individuals in this situation find that they can save more money by traveling abroad for their treatment than they can by paying these hefty co-pays. Some have been pleasantly surprised to find that their insurance company will reimburse them for part of their medical travel.

While many medical travelers take advantage of cost savings for dental treatments, facelifts and liposuction, a growing number are opting for open heart surgery and orthopedic procedures like hip or knee replacements overseas. Medical tourism can also allow a patient to take advantage of procedures difficult to receive in the U.S.  Surgeries such as Birmingham hip resurfacing and cervical disc replacement were only recently approved by the FDA, so overseas surgeons can have years more experience than U.S. surgeons on these techniques. Procedures like stem cell treatment are also available in some foreign countries.

However, the bulk of the treatments medical tourists are seeking include orthopedics, cardiology, and dental.  Patients are able to save up to 80 percent in these fields and receive superior treatment over what they would probably have been able to afford in the U.S. Quality of care at  hospitals is comparable in quality to those in the United States. The Joint Commission International, an arm of the organization that accredits American hospitals has accredited nearly 200 hospitals overseas. Many doctors and surgeons are English-speaking and have trained at Western medical schools and teaching hospitals.

Medical travel companies can help expedite and facilitate a patient’s treatment. Once a patient contacts a medical tourism facilitator like MedTrava, it can connect them to carefully selected, pre-qualified providers and fast-track the sending of the patient’s medical records and set up a conference call with an overseas surgeon in days.

Surgery can be scheduled in as quickly as two weeks, and the medical travel facilitator can assist the patient with every aspect of their medical travels, from visa and passport assistance to arranging for a patient care manager, driver, cell phone, and hotel in the destination country.

While traveling abroad for surgery is not usually a person’s first choice, the quality of medical treatment available abroad is at an all time high—in some cases, superior to what is available in the United States. And in these days of a recession with no end in sight, being able to save 80 percent on anything without sacrificing any quality is a much-needed reprieve.

 

Patients Beyond Borders Taiwan Edition: Everybody's Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Care Abroad (Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody's Guide to Affordable, World-) Author by : Josef Woodman We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Cervical Cancer Surgery in India at Low Cost Facilitated by Medical

Cancer surgeons in Indian hospitals are certified and have more than five to ten years of experience. Cervical Cancer surgery hospitals in India at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore have English speaking and well trained medical staff that cares for its patients. The doctors and cancer surgeons in India at these hospitals are adept in dealing with complicated and emergency situations The advanced and cutting edge medical facilities available at Cervical cancer surgery hospitals in India makes them a reliable global destination for patients who are seeking a suitable and less cost option for recovery from Cervical cancer. Medical Tourism Company in India can be broadly defined as health holiday along with a provision for cost effective medical and surgical treatment according to the patient need. It also combines the wellness and healthcare along with the leisure and relaxation of the rejuvenating the person in all aspects.

Cervical Cancer Causes

Cervical cancer begins with abnormal changes in the cervical tissue. The risk of developing these abnormal changes has been associated with certain factors, including previous infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), early sexual contact, multiple sexual partners, cigarette smoking, and taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills).

Forms of HPV, a virus whose different types cause skin warts, genital warts, and other abnormal skin and body surface disorders, have been shown to lead to many of the changes in cervical cells that may eventually lead to cancer.

Genetic material that comes from certain forms of HPV has been found in cervical tissues that show cancerous or precancerous changes.

In addition, women who have been diagnosed with HPV are more likely to develop a cervical cancer that has genetic material matching the strain of virus that caused the infection.

These findings demonstrate a strong link between the virus and cervical cancer.

Because HPV can be transmitted by sexual contact, early sexual contact and having multiple sexual partners have been identified as strong risk factors for the development of cervical lesions that may progress to cancer.

Cigarette smoking is another risk factor for the development of cervical cancer. The chemicals in cigarette smoke interact with the cells of the cervix, causing precancerous changes that may over time progress to cancer.

Oral contraceptives ("the pill") may increase the risk for cervical cancer, especially in women who use oral contraceptives for longer than 5 years.

Cervical Cancer Treatment

Treatment of cervical cancer is directed at preventing precancerous cells from becoming cancerous cells.

• This is usually a step-by-step process, involving the removal of cells or tissue to diagnose cancer and to find out how far it has invaded.
• If the deepest cells removed by biopsy were normal, no further treatment may be needed.
• If the deepest cells removed by biopsy were cancerous or precancerous, this means the cancer has invaded farther than the biopsy. In these cases, treatment generally starts with removal of additional tissues. As these tissues are removed, they are checked for dysplastic change to be sure all the precancerous or cancerous cells have been removed from the body or are otherwise destroyed.

India the home of tradition has now named as a developing country. New innovations are implemented in various fields. Medical advancement in India has developed so vast that attracts even the abroad patients for health in India. Cervical cancer surgery in India has got the name of best performance and India so called a right destination for cervical cancer surgery. Cervical cancer is one of the life threatening diseases that kill the person livingly. The study of cancer is called Oncology derived from the Greek word called study of mass or tumor. Cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease if detected earlier.

 

The Rough Guide to South India 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) Author by : David Abram We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Facts about medical travel and the effect of recession on medical tourism

The current recession has hit people hard. In these troubled economic times most of us have had to tighten our money belts. A number of compromises, right from entertainment to accommodation have been forced on us due to lack of adequate funds. The one thing which cannot be compromised upon is health. Scarcity of funds might lead us to cut down on those shopping sprees or even on the caviar, but delaying a cardiac surgery or even a dental operation due to financial reasons is not an option. However, medical travel , also referred as medical tourism is most definitely a viable option.

Medical travel refers to people traveling across the globe for getting medical treatment. Medical tourism is by no means a modern concept, traveling for health gains has been done since centuries. However, only recently has medical travel been converted to a highly lucrative industry.

Several Asian and Middle Eastern countries are profiting by the medical tourism concept. The cost of medical treatments in these countries is almost ninety percent lower than that in European and other western countries. Offering low cost medical aid to a western traveler seems a great idea for these countries to make considerable profits.

Medical tourism is a boon to the people in the western countries. Health cannot be compromised but with medical travel it can be achieved at a lower cost. The facilities which are offered by the health care centers offering medical travel are just as good if not better than the ones found in European countries. The medical capabilities of doctors are impeccable and the medical treatments, techniques and equipments are all top notch.

Medical travel is generally not undertaken for cosmetic or any other voluntary treatment. Medical tourism is undertaken by westerners with real health problems, right from a bum knee to a weak heart. In this phase of economic recession medical tourism is blooming as it offers a low price health solution to westerners. The disparity in medical costs between US and India (a nation offering medical tourism) are colossal. Cardiac surgery which costs up to $24000 in US is performed in India for a paltry $6000. Knee surgery which is very common amongst the aged if undertaken in US costs around $17000 while in India the same is performed for $1000.

This huge disparity in cost explains why medical tourism has become so popular. Traveling to a new country might be an inconvenience to some, but compared to the benefits that medical travel offers this inconvenience pales into insignificance. Medical travel also provides the opportunity for people to club their medical trip with a vacation. Asian and Middle Eastern countries are very popular tourist attractions apart from being nations which support medical travel.

Medical tourism has led to the booming of some other related businesses as well. There are companies whose sole responsibility is to cater to the demands of a medical traveler.

Medical travel has always been a booming business but in these financially troubled times the significance of medical tourism has increased manifold.

Facts about medical travel and the effect of recession on medical tourism

The current recession has hit people hard. In these troubled economic times most of us have had to tighten our money belts. A number of compromises, right from entertainment to accommodation have been forced on us due to lack of adequate funds. The one thing which cannot be compromised upon is health. Scarcity of funds might lead us to cut down on those shopping sprees or even on the caviar, but delaying a cardiac surgery or even a dental operation due to financial reasons is not an option. However, medical travel, also referred as medical tourism is most definitely a viable option.

Medical travel refers to people traveling across the globe for getting medical treatment. Medical tourism is by no means a modern concept, traveling for health gains has been done since centuries. However, only recently has medical travel been converted to a highly lucrative industry.

Several Asian and Middle Eastern countries are profiting by the medical tourism concept. The cost of medical treatments in these countries is almost ninety percent lower than that in European and other western countries. Offering low cost medical aid to a western traveler seems a great idea for these countries to make considerable profits.

Medical tourism is a boon to the people in the western countries. Health cannot be compromised but with medical travel it can be achieved at a lower cost. The facilities which are offered by the health care centers offering medical travel are just as good if not better than the ones found in European countries. The medical capabilities of doctors are impeccable and the medical treatments, techniques and equipments are all top notch.

Medical travel is generally not undertaken for cosmetic or any other voluntary treatment. Medical tourism is undertaken by westerners with real health problems, right from a bum knee to a weak heart. In this phase of economic recession medical tourism is blooming as it offers a low price health solution to westerners. The disparity in medical costs between US and India (a nation offering medical tourism) are colossal. Cardiac surgery which costs up to $24000 in US is performed in India for a paltry $6000. Knee surgery which is very common amongst the aged if undertaken in US costs around $17000 while in India the same is performed for $1000.

This huge disparity in cost explains why medical tourism has become so popular. Traveling to a new country might be an inconvenience to some, but compared to the benefits that medical travel offers this inconvenience pales into insignificance. Medical travel also provides the opportunity for people to club their medical trip with a vacation. Asian and Middle Eastern countries are very popular tourist attractions apart from being nations which support medical travel.

Medical tourism has led to the booming of some other related businesses as well. There are companies whose sole responsibility is to cater to the demands of a medical traveler.

Medical travel has always been a booming business but in these financially troubled times the significance of medical tourism has increased manifold.

International medical travel made easy by firms offering a number of health travel facilities

International medical travel or health travel as it is commonly called is a flourishing industry in today’s health conscious times. International medical travel refers to traveling abroad in order to get some medical treatments. These treatments range from the cosmetic ones to something as important as cardiac surgery. Dental treatments are also commonly undertaken in health travel.

There are several Asian and Middle Eastern countries in the world which offer world class facilities and the best of medical techniques, know how and equipment for a fraction of the costs that are incurred in western countries. International medical travel sounds like a costly affair, as it would involve traveling and lodging in a different country altogether. However, these expenses pale into insignificance when compared with the fact that countries offering health travel often have medical costs which are up to ninety percent less than the western countries.

A study shows that a staggering 16% of the US population is ‘Uninsured’. Such people with no medical insurance to cover their treatment costs can be greatly benefited by international medical travel. A knee surgery which might cost as much as $17000 in US can be undertaken for $1000 in another country. A staggering difference in costs indeed and it certainly explains the popularity of health travel. Insurance companies have decreased their coverage in these economically troubled times and this has led to millions of people being underinsured. Only a fraction of the total cost incurred can be retrieved through insurance and so more and more people are also resorting to health travel.

These health care facilities are highly luxurious ones. These ensure that the western patients coming in for health care are offered the same amenities that they might have in a western hospital. There are several health travel facilitators which have tie ups with these health care centers and also with the travel industry. They arrange for everything, right from travel and lodging to a local translator for the people traveling to a new country to avail the health care benefits. Even visa and passports are taken care of by these companies, international medical travel might sound daunting; traveling to a new country to get treated is not a walk in the park after all, but these firms catering to the medical traveler needs make health travel very easy indeed.

The medical knowledge of doctors employed by the health travel offering centers are extensive. Only the best are hired by them. The medical professionals also come with the added benefit of being able to offer more personalized care and attention as opposed to the generally overloaded western doctors. The wait time in these health travel centers is also much less than what you can expect in US or UK. Patients feel happier as their questions are answered by the doctors and any concerns personally put to rest. Such direct contact with the doctors is very rare in western countries. Couple such individualized care to the best medical facilities possible and you get a great reason to undertake international medical travel.

Medical Tourism - How to Pick a Medical Travel Company

Google any of the most-searched terms for medical tourism industry – medical tourism, medical travel, and overseas health care – and you’re going to find a lot of links to medical travel facilitators.

With all of these medical tourism companies out there, how can you differentiate between the reputable companies that have done their due diligence about their network partners and who have a proven track record of putting their patients’ first, and the fly-by-the-night companies looking to make a quick buck off of you?
Here are a few key points to look at when considering which medical travel company to use:

Transparent pricing – Before you sign any commitment, you should receive a detailed account of the price you can expect to pay. Some companies break down the price, so you know how much each aspect of your medical journey will cost. Others lump it all into a package price. However they price it, you should be aware of exactly what costs will be covered. Most reputable companies will at the minimum cover the following in the price they charge you:
-Transmittal of your medical records to the surgeon for review
-Assistance in arranging any passports or visas you may need (although the fee to acquire these documents will generally be extra)
-Procedure price (inclusive of doctors’ fees, hospital fees, and medications associated with surgery)

-Hospital Room and three meals a day for you and a companion for a specified number of days after surgery -Flight arrangements

-Hotel costs

-Transportation to and from the airport

-Transportation to and from the hospital for pre- and post-operative care

You may also pay extra for additional amenities such as a cell phone, but this should be clearly stated in your contract.

Communication with your surgeon – A good medical travel company should offer you a free conference call with a surgeon before you have made any financial obligation to go. This benefits you by letting you discuss the different treatment plans available based on your condition. You will be able to determine whether you feel comfortable with the surgeon and with the surgeon’s medical philosophy.

Some medical tourism companies will require a certain degree of commitment before scheduling the conference call. MedTrava, for example, prefers to have patients submit any medical records they have and fill out a medical evaluation form. This allows the surgeon to review your records and to direct his comments specifically tailored to your case, making the call much more valuable for you.

Having a conference call with a prospective surgeon does not indicate any obligation on your end. With a reputable medical travel company, if you do not feel comfortable with the surgeon you should be able to ask for a conference call with a different surgeon, or if you choose to seek care elsewhere you can request the return or destruction of your medical records. Complimentary conference calls are a service provided by good medical tourism companies to help you-the patient-feel comfortable about your decision to go abroad for medical care.

References: In addition to setting up a call with a surgeon, your medical tourism facilitator should offer to put you in touch with one of their former patients. Not only will it reassure you that the company has successfully arranged medical tourism packages before, but it will give you a first-hand account of what to expect from your overseas surgery.

Money-back guarantee – If at any point during your medical travel journey - prior to actually having the surgery - you decide not to go through your planned surgery, a good medical travel facilitator will refund you all of the money you have paid, except for the expenses you have already incurred (airfare, hotel, etc.) Your medical tourism company should have enough faith in the doctors and hospitals in their network that they should be willing to offer you this guarantee. It’s in our best interest to make sure our patients return home satisfied – even if that means allowing you the option of bowing out of surgery if you don’t feel comfortable.

In-country patient care manager – One of the benefits of using a medical travel company for your overseas surgery is the reassurance that you will have someone to rely on for any issues or questions you have. All medical travel facilitators will have a patient care manager to answer your questions and help you out before you set off on your journey. But you should choose a company that can offer you a patient care manager in the country you’re traveling to. That way, you’ll have a point-of-contact, someone you already know in your destination country. If you ever have any communication issues, you can give them a call and ask them to translate and advocate for you, and they should also visit you in the hospital to check up on you.

Post-operative care – Some medical tourism companies consider their job done once you’ve returned to your home country after surgery abroad. The distinguishing factor of a really good medical travel company is one that promises to follow up with you after you’ve returned and who will assist you as much as possible with any questions or issues you have afterwards.

International Medical travel: A highly affordable way of getting health travel benefits

The ever rising medical costs and the long wait which generally precedes any medical treatment are major contributing factors to the success of International Medical travel. Health travel is not a really modern concept. The erstwhile kings and emperors have been known to have traveled to retreats which were salubrious to their health. The same principle has now been embraced in international medical travel.

Several Asian and Middle Eastern countries are offering health travel to the western patients to whom traveling across nations is preferable to spending exorbitant amounts on treatments in their native country. US, UK Canada and some other European country residents are benefited immensely by international medical travel. The medical costs in these countries were always astronomical and are now soaring further. Add this to the fact that quite a few westerners are underinsured or even uninsured and you will get a perfect recipe for health travel.

Despite the added traveling and lodging costs that international medical travel entails, it is still much cheaper as opposed to getting treated in US or UK. The medical cost in the health travel offering countries is as much as 80 percent lower than in western countries. The low medical cost in no way reflects the quality of medical treatment offered in these countries. The centers offering international medical travel employ the best of medical professionals with extensive knowledge. All the modern techniques and equipment are present in these centers. The reason for the lower costs is much less labour charge in these countries. Very high labour charges and exorbitant insurance charges are what make medical treatment so expensive in the US and UK.

It is a testimony to the benefits of international medical travel that almost 20 million people traveled to Health travel offering countries last year. This number is predicted to shoot to 40 million in the next few years. Apart from the amazing monetary benefits health travel also offers quality treatments and personalized attention. Long waiting queues and a mere two minutes spent with the doctor post the long wait is not a common scenario in centers offering international medical travel. These ensure a more personalized attention to all their patients, with doctors actually going to the trouble of putting their doubts and concerns to rest and also answering any questions that they might have. Such a caring attitude is one more factor in the favor of health travel.

Traveling to a new country for getting medical treatment might seem a rather inconvenient prospect to begin with. There are several firms catering to all the requirements of health travel. The sole basis of the existence is to make life simpler and more comfortable for those undertaking international medical travel. They take care of all the traveling details, right from the tickets to visa. They also book comfortable lodging in the country offering health travel. Such health travel is no longer a daunting prospect. Infact, quite a few people are now clubbing health travel with their vacation. Considering the fact that many of the countries offering international health travel are major tourist attractions as well, this seems like a great idea.

 

THE TOURISM SYSTEM Author by : MILL ROBERT C We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Holistic Medicine Options Available Via Medical Travel

As consumers learn more and more about their health care options, people are increasingly turning to holistic medicine to aid the healing process. Homeopathic and holistic treatments take a big-picture approach that looks at the dynamics of the entire body rather than focusing on a single issue.

Unfortunately, most standard American health care providers consider homeopathic treatments out-of-scope and require costly out-of-pocket payments.

Now, with new medical travel options, you have access to a different kind of health care--world-class homeopathic treatments performed by extensively trained doctors who appreciate the combined benefits of traditional medicine and holistic health.

Mexico has become a premier location for American medical tourism, with holistic practitioners versed in the following types of treatments:

Ozone therapy for back pain--a revolutionary treatment for disc herniation. In this therapy, a highly beneficial molecule, Ozone (O3), is injected inside the diseased intervertebral disk in trouble. Ozone reduces the production of pain-causing substances that are produced by a diseased or injured disc. It sets off production of antioxidant enzyme system that works on injured tissues that have been subject to long standing oxygen injury, releasing chemicals that oppose inflammation and indirectly relieve pain.

Colon hydrotherapy-- a gentle internal massage and bath using warm, purified water for safe, painless, and effective of cleansing your body's accumulated waste and toxins.

Cell therapy rejuvenation--a cutting-edge technology to transplant healthy cells into damaged tissue or cells. This process of biocellular rejuvenation stimulates healing, joint cartilage rebuilding, and a stronger immune system.

Chelation- the use of chelating agents to detoxify poisonous metal agents such as mercury, arsenic, and lead by converting them to a chemically inert form that can be excreted without further interaction with the body.

 

Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies Author by : Charles R. Goeldner We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism: Its Emergence, Growth and Potential

Healthcare expenses have always been a major cause of concern for the general public. No matter how consciously a person builds up his savings from the earnings, it takes one major bout of illness to drain out a large portion of the accumulated savings. Health disorders are unforeseen and thus many people opt to cover such sudden medical expenses with some medical insurance. However, a health insurance policy sometimes falls a way short in covering up the costs involved in some medical procedures. Even if a person has a health insurance, it still takes a considerable amount of time for the medical procedure to get started. The waiting period for a hip replacement could be more than a year in countries like Britain and Canada. Under such adverse scenario, the general public had to look for other alternatives outside their countries. If they are looking for a cost effective alternative for similar medical procedure, then medical tourism definitely is the way to go for.

Medical tourism is a service extended to the people all over the world to travel to other countries that provide similar medical treatments at comparatively lower costs than their own country. The health care providers of such countries have tie ups with various travel agencies. People desirous of seeking such treatments need to contact either the medical centers of such countries or the travel agencies who work in conjunction with some medical centers to provide healthcare tourism services. Among the various healthcare tourism destinations, India, Singapore and Thailand have emerged as most the popular ones.

If estimates are to be believed at, the medical tourism industry will be worth US $2 billion by 2012. Since the emergence of this industry, people from most of the developed nations have continually flocked to the medical tourism destinations to avail quicker as well as good medical treatments at low cost. A heart-valve replacement that costs around $200,000 in US can be done for a mere $10,000 in a country like India inclusive of the air fare and even a brief vacation package. A knee-replacement procedure costs a lot less in Thailand as compared to that of the United States. Most medical procedures cost around one-tenth of what it costs in countries like United States and Britain. Affordable and prompt medical care has made healthcare tourism a major draw among patients from all over the world.

The immense potential of the medical tourism industry has resulted in more healthcare investments in such countries offering the service. The Indian government is leaving no stones unturned to make it a global healthcare destination. The concerned authorities in Singapore has organized conferences and gained accreditations to attract more medical tourists. Similarly the other countries venturing into medical tourism are also taking necessary steps to popularize themselves. In the next few years medical tourism industry will continue to grow bigger and serve people all over the world with cost effective and superior medical treatments.

Medical Tourism – Getting Well Just Got a Whole Lot Cheaper!

Medical tourism, even a decade back, was largely unheard of. However, in recent years, medical tourism has become an industry on its own. It is a phenomenon that has taken the world of healthcare by storm. Its impact can be felt strongly in the tourism industry as well. Everyday we get to hear about how medical tourism has helped, and continuing to do so, countless people get better at affordable costs. So, what is medical tourism? Why is everybody talking about it these days? Let’s take a closer look.

Medical tourism, as the name itself suggests, is a combination of medical services with tourism. In other words, it’s tourism with a purpose. The practice of visiting new places in search of favorable climate or on just being advised by a doctor to go ‘on a change’ is not new. Medical tourism is just an evolved form of this age old habit of humanity.

The primary reason behind its surging popularity is better healthcare services at an affordable budget. When one’s health is one’s concern, it is natural to look for the best treatment options within one’s budget. Countries such as India, Malaysia and Dubai are fast coming to the forefront as provider of world-class healthcare facilities. These include a wide array of highly skilled healthcare professionals, trained in various specialized disciplines, state-of-the-art equipment and modern amenities, impeccable service and personal attention to every need of the patient, and all these at a cost that’s surprisingly affordable.

Let’s face it, medical services in the west are expensive by most standards. Most people in need of specialized healthcare services feel daunted by the high cost associated with them. Countries such as US, Canada or some European nations, offer the same high standard healthcare facilities as India, Malaysia or Dubai, at a cost that’s substantially greater. Frankly, not everybody can afford the high cost associated with healthcare services in his or her own country.

All this naturally necessitates the need to look for similar healthcare services elsewhere, where the cost is significantly lower. Healthcare tourism makes it possible to save up to 80% (as compared to US/UK) on medical costs by opting for countries like India. Healthcare tourism in India is fast gaining in popularity because of this simple reason.
Medical tourism also gives you other advantages such as reduced waiting periods for your treatment. If there is a critical treatment involved, or an operation that needs to be done quickly, you can initiate the process almost immediately after contacting the healthcare professionals in these countries. Most hospitals or medical establishments in the US or UK have lengthy waiting lists and necessitate wait for a substantially longer period of time.

Medical tourism does not mean that you have to compromise on anything just because you are not in your own country. Smart and well-informed professionals, speaking fluent English and attending to every detail with meticulous attention, only add to the overall experience. You can rest assured knowing that the task of caring for your health is in good, able hands.

In the final analysis, the reasons that contribute to the ever increasing popularity of medical tourism are not difficult to understand. Exorbitant cost of healthcare and medical facilities in advanced countries, ease and affordability of international travel, favorable currency exchange rates in the global economy, rapidly improving technology and high standards of medical care in the developing countries - all of these have contributed to the rapid development of medical tourism.

Low Cost Appendectomy in India With Medical Tourism

India is benefiting in a big way from globalization. It has become the latest hub for medical outsourcing, with patients from all over the world flocking to Indian hospitals for appendectomy. They are the new medical tourists and India is flaunted, as a medical tourism destination India's tourism industry is thriving due to an increase in foreign tourist’s arrivals and greater than before travel by Indians to domestic and abroad destinations. The visitors are pouring to have their appendectomy in India from all over the world: Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. At the same time, the number of Indians traveling has also increased. India is probably the only country that offers various categories of tourism. These include history tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism (ayurveda and other forms of Indian medications), spiritual tourism, beach tourism (India has the longest coastline in the East)

What is an appendectomy?

An appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix, a tube about six inches long or less that branches off the large intestine. The procedure is performed to treat appendicitis, an inflammation of the appendix caused by infection.
Acute appendicitis is the most common condition of the abdomen to require emergency surgery. Because of the likelihood of the appendix rupturing and causing a severe, life-threatening infection, the usual recommendation is that the appendix be removed as soon as possible.

What causes appendicitis?
Appendicitis occurs when the interior of the appendix becomes filled with something that causes it to swell, such as mucus, stool, or parasites. The appendix then becomes irritated and inflamed. Rupture (or perforation) occurs as holes develop in the walls of the appendix, allowing stool, mucus, and other substances to leak through and get inside the abdomen. An infection inside the abdomen known as peritonitis occurs when the appendix perforates.

Because of the risk of rupture, which may occur as soon as 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin, appendicitis is considered an emergency and anyone with symptoms needs to see a physician immediately.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

Appendicitis may cause pain in the abdomen which may be described as follows:

• may start in the area around the belly button, and move over to the lower right-hand side of the abdomen, but may also start in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen
• usually increases in severity as time passes
• may become more severe with moving, taking deep breaths, being touched, and coughing or sneezing
• may spread throughout the abdomen if the appendix ruptures

India has one of the best pools of qualified professionals in every field of health care domain combined with world class Medical Facilities comparable with any of the western countries. India has state of the art hospitals and the best-qualified doctors for appendectomy. There is no doubt that the Indian medical industry's main appeal is low-cost appendectomy. Most estimates claim appendectomy costs in India start at around a tenth of the price of comparable treatment in America or Britain. Foreign patients can get package deals including flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and post-operative vacation for their medical visits to India. Many foreign patients prefer to combine their leisure and relaxation visits to India with healthcare. Medical tourism companies have tie-ups with the best hospitals of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore in India to provide world class medical facilities to international patients.

 

State of the Heart: A Medical Tourist's True Story of Lifesaving Surgery in India Author by : Maggi Ann Grace We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Healthcare Tourism In Kerala

the southernmost state of India is renowned world wide for its scenic beauty, picturesque beaches and tranquil backwaters. All these things very well attracts the both national and international tourists. But a new added feather to Kerala's crown is the booming of health care facilities in the state. Both Government and private enterprises collaborated to enhance the health care sector.

The state government has prepared some ambitious planning to merged the tourism industry of the state with the medical facilities. The term given to this collaboration is Health Care Tourism or Medical tourism.

From the ancient times, Kerala is synonymous with the magical world of Ayurveda known as to be the "mantra or science of life". But with the rapid changing world scenario, Kerala now emerges as a modern health care provider. To attract the foreign tourists and projects itself as a international destination for health care tourism, Kerala government has established some world class hospitals equipped with all modern technologies and well qualified doctors. Even the State government organizes some road shows in some South Asian countries like Sri lanka, Maldives and also in some West Asian countries to showcases the possibilities and major attractions of Kerala's health care tourism.

Thanks to the scenic beauty of verdant valleys, sandy beaches and placid backwaters, every year more than 15000 tourists from across the globe, choses Kerala over other tourists locales as a destination for health vacation. And the state government is hoping that by the year 2010 this number could be rises to 100,000. Most of the foreign tourists who throngs to Kerala for health care belongs to the U.S, the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the Maldives. Even the NRI's who stays in other countries prefer India especially kerala for treatment. Due to the excessive health care cost and long queues for medical treatments, these bulk of tourists opt for Kerala as because here in Kerala the medical expanses like cost of surgery and hospital charges are very cheap in compare to other countries.

Kerala government is offering various kinds of medical tourism packages which includes various services that come in affordable prices. This kind of tour package provides facilities like –

? at first the medical history of the patient is emailed and discussed with the related doctors.

? on receiving airport the patient is received by the representatives.

 
? he is than escorted to the hospital for treatment.

? on being discharge, a recuperative holiday at a resort is offered to the patient.

? before the final departure, a post treatment check up is done.

This are the inclusive facilities which are included in the package for the patient and the accompanying person.

In the coming years, it is for sure that India especially Kerala which has immense potential may attain the top slot in the country as well as in the world i n terms of health care sector.

 

Managing Foodservice Operations: A Systems Approach for Healthcare and Institutions Author by : John Barton Knight We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

India - the Global Hub of Healthcare Tourism

The Indian healthcare sector has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the past few years. This phenomenal success is largely due to the increasing global demand for world-class healthcare facilities. India not only boasts of a huge pool of talented and experienced doctors but also is equipped with the latest technologies that aids in quality diagnosis and treatment of the illnesses. Apart from that, the medical services in India are relatively affordable as compared to that of the developed nations. Superior medical facilities at low cost is the prime factor that has been inducing patients all across the world to seek medical treatment in India. The growth of medical tourism in India has tempted many other countries to introduce packages offering similar facilities, but despite this, India still has an upper hand on them and is moving at a rapid pace towards its objective of becoming the global healthcare destination. Though the services provided by the other countries are good enough, India still continues to have an edge over the others due to a variety of underlying factors.

Some time back, the healthcare tourism industry in India comprised of a handful of big private healthcare providers promoting themselves through tie-ups with various insurance companies and travel agencies. Over the period of time, the Indian government realized the immense potential of the Indian healthcare industry as a major source of employment and foreign exchange revenue generator. It then started collaborating with the smaller as well as the bigger medical service providers and worked together towards the common objective of making India a global hub for world-class healthcare solutions.

Over 5 lakh surgeries, more than a million other successful surgical procedures, a success rate of 98.5% in cardiac surgeries till 2002, 80% success rate in bone marrow transplants and 95% successful renal transplants… statistics can’t get any better than this. India produces the largest number of doctors in the world. Most of these doctors have completed their specializations from premier institutions across the world. India too has some world-class institutions that train these doctors. The presence of some of the best hospitals and medical institutions equipped with good doctors makes India a global choice among the patients worldwide.

Medical research in India has experienced remarkable success in the recent years. There has been substantial investment in the field of biotechnology research. Apart from that India has emerged as a leader in stem cell research. The superior healthcare infrastructure available in India has led her being considered as the preferred location for low cost medical research. Similar research costs a lot more in the developed countries. Several bodies such as the DCGI and ICMR have worked out guidelines to promote medical research in India. The growth and achievements in the field of medical research in India adds further solidity to its global image of a preferred healthcare destination.

The advantages of opting for healthcare tourism in India are manifold. It is not only the cost advantage that works in favor of India in making it an upcoming global healthcare destination; the growing government intervention, private sector investments, country specific marketing strategies, overseas facilitation centers and the unmatched credibility of Indian specialists has played an even bigger role in making India a stronger choice among the patients worldwide.

Medical Tourism: the Next Big Thing in Healthcare Industry

Medical tourism is the act of touring different countries or nations around the world to receive medications like dental, neurosurgery or surgical care and various other forms of specialized treatments. Medical tourism or healthcare facilitation is very cost effective and has grown to become very popular with time. Due to much technological advancement and improvement, standards of care and the affordability of international travel have become the primary factors leading to the popularity of medical tourism.

In the past few years, the costs of medical treatment or health care have soared high in industrialized nations and developed countries. And with this rise in health care costs, people from USA, Europe, Canada and Australia are seeking alternatives to reduce their expenses and build financial savings. This has prompted the people of developed countries serve as medical tourists.

Among all the nations where people are going for low cost medical treatments, India has emerged as a significantly favorable destination or a top hot spot. India is, now, one of the leading countries promoting medical tourism. With an increasing number of outside patients flocking to India for low cost medical treatments, India's medical tourism industry is doing pretty fine.

The focal attraction for the medical tourists is the price factor or medical costs. Medical tourists believe that, in India, the cost of surgery or other treatments is one tenth of what it is in European countries or in developed nations. The concept of medical tourism is new to many people and it is up to them whether or not they will find the desired medical treatment at a minimum cost. Medical technology has improved drastically in Indian hospitals and their standards have increased too, being at par with American and European countries.

Among all the various treatments that are done in India, the commonest are heart surgery, Lasik eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery and dental care. India has some of the best hospitals and treatment centers in the world with the best facilities. Infrastructure, technology advancement, outstanding doctors and medical staffs, world-class hospitals, all these have made India the prime location or the top choice for medical tourists seeking overseas health care.

The highlights of medical tourism in India are as follows:

·India has world-class medical facilities, with excellent staff in all areas of medical care
·Consultation with leading doctors or specialists
·Indian hospitals are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipments
·Low cost medical treatment or health checkups
·Luxurious rooms within affordable ranges
·Accommodation for attendants or accompanying family members are provided
·Ayurveda Therapy and Spa resorts available for relaxing and refreshing
·Exclusive Indian cuisines, Indian movies, Indian music and Indian dance
·Diversified cultural heritage in the different states
·Some top tourist destination spots like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutab Minar etc.
·Holidaying, family reunions, festive occasions and medical checkups—all in one tour to India

Although there are many countries giving world-class medical assistance to the medical tourists who are seeking overseas healthcare or low cost healthcare, India attracts the most. Since it offers a beautiful holiday destination, apart from having a wide variety of low cost medical treatments, good hospitals and medical staffs, it is the foremost choice among people. Medical tourism India or health tourism India is an emerging concept whereby people from all over the world visit India for their medical and relaxation needs.

 

Technorati : Tourism,Medical Tourism

 

The 2009-2014 Outlook for Medical Tourism in India Author by : Icon Group International We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism – Getting Well Away From Home!

Medical tourism, according to the simplest of definitions, combines healthcare with international tourism. Disparate as the two entities may seem, medical tourism, nonetheless, offers the excellent prospect of receiving high quality medical treatment in the lap of foreign hospitality. In the ever-changing world of international healthcare, medical tourism is a rising trend. In fact, medical tourism is a phenomenon that has taken the world of healthcare by storm in recent years. It remains a unique proposition that no only involves the healthcare industry but also has a significant impact on the tourism industry.

There used to be time when going abroad for improving one’s health, or on being advised by one’s physician, was in vogue. Such a practice of going ‘on a change’ is still prevalent in many parts of the world. Medical tourism is just an evolved form of this age old habit practice of humanity. The primary reason behind its surging popularity is that it enables the common man to get access to high quality healthcare services on an affordable budget. Countries such as India, Dubai and Malaysia are fast emerging as the forerunners in providing world-class healthcare facilities. These include a wide array of highly skilled healthcare professionals, trained in various specialized disciplines, state-of-the-art equipment and modern amenities, impeccable service and personal attention to every need of the patient and all these, at a cost that’s surprisingly affordable.

The cost is a major consideration almost always. Most people in need of specialized healthcare services feel daunted by the high cost associated with them. Countries such as US, Canada or some European nations, offer the same high standard healthcare facilities as India, Malaysia or Dubai, but at a cost that’s substantially greater. All this naturally necessitates the need to look for similar healthcare services elsewhere, where the cost is significantly lower. Medical tourism makes it possible to save up to 80% (as compared to US/UK) on medical costs by opting for countries like India.

Medical tourism also gives you other advantages such as reduced waiting periods for your treatment. If there is a critical treatment involved, or an operation that needs to be done quickly, you can initiate the process almost immediately after contacting the healthcare professionals in these countries. Most hospitals or medical establishments in the US or UK have lengthy waiting lists and necessitate wait for a substantially longer period of time.

So what can you look forward to after landing in the lap of foreign hospitality? Nothing less than what you would in your own country. Smart and well-informed professionals, speaking fluent English and attending to every detail with meticulous attention, only add to the overall experience. You can rest assured knowing that the task of caring for your health is in good, able hands.

The reasons that contribute to the ever increasing popularity of medical tourism are not difficult to understand. Exorbitant cost of healthcare and medical facilities in advanced countries, ease and affordability of international travel, favorable currency exchange rates in the global economy, rapidly improving technology and high standards of medical care in the developing countries - all of these have contributed to the rapid development of medical tourism. Online agencies like Recover-Discover are offering excellent packages in medical tourism. Such online agencies are a great starting point to find out how medical tourism can help you.

 

The Medical Tourism Travel Guide: Your Complete Reference to Top-Quality, Low-Cost Dental, Cosmetic, Medical Care & Surgery Overseas Author by : Paul Gahlinger We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Consumer Guide to Medical Tourism

When buying a new car or even a small inexpensive object, you probably refer to a buying guide or try to find out what others who have bought the product in the past are saying about it to make smart shopping decisions. But when it comes to buying healthcare, do you do the same? You must.

Healthcare has gone global today. The rising cost of healthcare in the US has led many Americans to seek health-related services in other countries. There are sellers all around the globe selling health care packaged in attractive and appealing packages on the Internet. And people are shopping for health on the Internet just like they shop for products. In such a market, it becomes all the more important that you go through the medical tourism consumer guide before setting out for your medical travel trip.

Here is a quick consumer guide for your reference when buying medical tourism services.

Can medical tourism solve your problem?
Firstly, find out the problems that you want medical tourism to solve. For most people it’s either the high price that their local hospital is asking for because of lack of insurance or the long wait for surgery. You might have another problem but will medical tourism help you solve that? Find out if medical tourism is right for you by reading facts and frequently asked questions about it.

What are your expectations with the medical procedure you are seeking?
Is the procedure that you are seeking elective or medically indicated? Find out all you can about the medical procedure in question. This will help you answer a few questions: is the treatment right for your condition; are you the right candidate for this treatment; should you obtain this treatment abroad; what physical therapy and follow-up care you will need; do you need the procedure urgently or can it wait, or in other words, when is the right time to obtain care; how much time will you need to take off from work (which will include not only the time that you are overseas for surgery but also recovery time upon your return); and so on.

What all countries are out there where you can obtain treatment?
Check out the various international destinations that offer the treatment that you require. Some countries are known for offering good orthopedic treatments, some for their cardiac surgery, some for cosmetic treatments and others for their dental works. Travel and lodging costs add to your final bill so consider those costs not only when calculating the expected savings but also when choosing the international destination for your treatment.

How do you sniff the good provider from the bad?
The Internet has given anybody and everybody the liberty to sell their service making it all too easy for the consumer to land into a wrong place. When studying about a particular hospital or clinic don’t fall for slick websites offering services on sale. That, of course, doesn’t mean that slick websites offering healthcare services on sale are not genuine. The point is that you should do your proper research about the hospital or the clinic you are considering. Ask people around who have used their services in the past. Read their customer testimonials. Inquire about their doctors’ certifications, qualifications, training and experience. Call them up and find out what equipment and technology they use. All these will give you a fair idea of the quality of the healthcare provider. Ask for quotes from different providers and compare them. As you will notice, costs vary from country to country and from provider to provider. You shouldn’t automatically select the one that offers the lowest price but should base your decision on the quality of care offered.

Are your medical records in place?
Get all your medical records in order. At the time of pre-consultation, your foreign doctor may ask for your digitized medical records so he may evaluate your condition and prescribe a treatment course.

Do you have your passport and visa yet?
Next, acquire your passport if you don’t have it yet. Any companions traveling with you will also need to acquire theirs. Depending upon the destination you are heading to, you may require entry visa and therefore need to apply for that as well for both you and any companions.

Booking your transportation and accommodation
Book your tickets and hotel rooms in advance. After your surgery you can choose to recuperate in a hotel or a resort setting or go traveling in the foreign country if allowed by your doctor. But travel or tourism should always take a back seat on your medical trip abroad.

Taking proper follow-up care
Finally, remember that your treatment doesn’t finish with your surgery. How you follow the aftercare rituals as important as your surgery. If needed, prepare your home for recovery prior to leaving for surgery, like rearranging furniture. Also, in case you have even limited insurance coverage, find out if your insurer will reimburse you and how much they will reimburse. Even a small amount may help.
The above medical tourism consumer guide will help you make good decisions when purchasing overseas medical care. To ease your job you may want to use a medical tourism service provider to help you research, plan, arrange, schedule and book your medical travel trip. Medical tourism providers like Healthbase connect you with the hospital of your choice and provide you with many other related services while saving you valuable time, resources and money.
You can learn more about medical tourism, international healthcare providers, and the details of the medical tourism process by logging on to http://www.healthbase.com. Healthbase is a medical tourism facilitator committed to providing low cost high quality medical travel services to the global medical consumer.

 

Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody's Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Tourism Author by : Josef Woodman We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism in Mexico and Panama

The term “Medical Tourism” also known as health tourism is becoming very popular in these days. It means to travel across different countries to find health care. These health care or treatments include common problems and complex treatments such as cardiac surgery, joint replacement, cosmetic surgery and dental surgery.

The customer and provider communicate through reliable sources to assure quality of service and making contract. Such medical tours need leisure aspects of tourism and travel. Health tourism patients should know the extra cost in traveling, health care and accommodations on treatment locations. The popularity of medical tourism is increased by many factors such as long waits for certain procedures, high costs, affordability of travel, standard and quality of health and care services. Medical tourists travel to Europe, United States, UK, Canada, Middle East, Canada and Japan to obtain quality health care services at reasonable prices.

 

Mexico

Medical Tourism in Mexico
The specialists of plastic surgery and dentistry are very popular in Mexico. Medical tourism patients travel to Mexico from all over the world to obtain quality medical care in dentistry and plastic surgery. Americans also move to Mexico for dental health care because the charges of dentist in America are very high as compare to the charges of Mexican dentist. Mexican dentists charge one fourth to one fifth of US dentists price. This trend of medical tourism to Mexico is very alarming for American dentists so they have spread many rumors of infections, oral cancer and poor treatments against Mexican dentists.

In Texas, it is explored that health organizations can operate on both sides of the border but physicians of south Texas argue that they cannot compete with the lower costs of Mexican dentists. Legal system of Mexico doesn’t allow any kind of sue against Mexican doctors. Medical tourists are satisfied with the quality of health services in Mexico and according to an advocacy group of health care issues 90 percent care they received in Mexico is excellent. Mexican hospitals are not popular only for dental and plastic surgery but they provide quality services for bar iatric surgery for weight loss. Lap band surgery, a popular bar iatric surgery is approved by FDA in 2001 in US is also performed by the surgeons of Mexico. The hospitals of Mexico are well equipped with latest technology and medical equipments for all medical tourism requirements.

Medical Tourism in Panama
Panama is also a popular place for medical tourism due to its tourist appeal, position and use of dollar as the official currency. The medical specialists of Panama are very popular all over the world and use latest technology and equipment to treat patients. Doctors of Panama are bilingual and can operate on the same technology and medical equipment which are used in Europe and America. The charges of health care in Panama are 50% less than the charges of US. In addition to dental implants, assisted reproduction, plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, cardialogy, eye surgery orthopedics and pulmonology are the popular treatments in the hospitals of Panama for people in medical tourism to this country.

 

The equipment and technology used in the hospitals of Panama is up-to-date and the hospitals are affiliated with international organizations such as Cleveland Clinic, Baptist Health International of Miami, Johns Hopkins International, Miami Children's Hospital, Tulane Health Science Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Harvard Medical Faculty and Physicians at Beth Israel, The Kendall Medical Center in Florida and Deaconess Medical Center in US. The doctors of these hospitals have latest information about the diseases and medicines.

US trained physicians of Panama provide high quality medical services at reasonable prices. The techniuqes used in health care, facilities and medications are not less than USA. Panama is rich with beautiful tourism destinations such as mountains, beaches and natural places which affect medical tourists pleasantly.

 

Technorati : Medical Tourism,Tourism

Panama (Country Guide) Author by : Matthew Firestone We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism

Medical tourism is the process of traveling abroad in order to receive medical care, be it cosmetic surgery, heart surgery, breast implants, a hip replacement, or dental work.

Rising health care costs and longer waiting times in the western countries like United States, Canada, and UK etc. are inducing patients to seek treatment overseas. While U.S. consumers are concerned mainly with the exorbitant cost of health care, Canadians are more troubled by wait-times for certain treatments. Indeed, approximately 1 million Canadians claim to be experiencing difficulties in access to care. As for UK, it is believed that more than 50,000 people from the UK travel for treatment abroad because of high medical care costs in UK.

 

Medical Tourism in South Korea
South Korea has been growing as a tourist destination of choice for health and vacation because of their world class physicians, modern technology, and unique caring and compassion at great values for money at a fraction of the cost in the west. The country is home to some of the best hospitals and stand alone Specialty clinics in the world, offering world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, http://www.koreahealthtour.co.kr and the warmth of hospitality. Also, some of the world's best spa retreat resorts and tour destinations can be found in this part of the earth. Additionally, it's not unusual to find plus accommodations, foreign language translators, and other amenities at some of the major facilities.
South Korea has made its initial foray into the lucrative market of medical tourism by launching the Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion. Funded by the Government and 28 private hospitals, this organization will market medical packages to foreign patients seeking affordable health care. The Council has initiated a set of measures to promote the medical vacation industry by aiding hospitals in their marketing strategies. In this way, South Korea can generate greater overseas awareness of the country's medical and tourism offerings. According to a Council official:
The average charge for an in-patient visit in a US hospital is dollar3,762, which is 13 times higher than in South Korea.
The average charge for outpatients in the US is dollar13,000 which is 9 times higher than in South Korea.

South Korea's affordable health care system has seen the number of foreign patients rise from 10,000 to 13,000 in just 2 years. With all these added measures in place, South Korea is on its way to claim its share in the prosperous medical vacation business

Benefits of Medical Tourism
Health care costs are constantly on the rise in countless Western countries. In the US alone, it is already a multi-billion dollar industry that shows no sign of stopping (worldwide it is over dollar3 trillion US). But why pay exorbitant prices at home when you can travel abroad and receive the same treatment (if not better) from a fully certified medical facility for a fraction of the price?

The following are some of the benefits of medical tourism:
Affordable
For many procedures, it's often more expensive to receive treatment at home than it is to purchase a plane ticket, book a hotel, and pay for all medical expenses out of pocket in a foreign country. This is especially true in popular medical tourism destinations such as India, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.

No wait times
Because popular medical destinations actively recruit patients from abroad, they do everything they can to eliminate wait times, provide patients with options, and ensure optimal care.

Many Options are Available
Some countries heavily regulate (or even ban) certain elective procedures or complicated surgeries. Hip resurfacing, for example, was only recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, despite its widespread use and success rate at many popular medical tourism destinations around the world. With medical tourism, you can travel to parts of the world where hospitals specialize in the aforementioned procedures.

More personalized care
Many providers offer more personalized care--i.e., a higher physician-to-patient ratio--than is commonly available in the United States or Canada.

Enjoy the Medical Vacations
The fact of the matter is, most of us need medical treatment from time to time, and most of us plan vacations every year or so. Combine the two into an all-out medical vacation and enjoy! Recuperating after surgery on a white sand beach while sipping island drinks and receiving full-body massages.

Important Tips
Besides doing a thorough research on the procedure, hospital, surgeon and the destination country, keep the following contact information handy when you go abroad for any medical treatment:
Emergency contacts like relatives and friends

Destination embassy
Hospital
Hotel
Local surgeon / doctor
Employer
Conclusion

Depending on the location and procedure, a medical vacation can cost 50%, 30%, or even 10% of what you would pay at home. The appeal of this phenomenon is driven by cost savings as high as 90%, depending on the procedure and the country in which it is performed, and virtually no wait times. Even when you factor in air fare, hotels, travel insurance, car rentals, shopping, and dining, many medical vacations are substantially more affordable than domestic health care is. This means that those who choose medical tourism are able to utilize the services of some of the top surgeons in the world, all while enjoying exotic locales and accommodations. Patients can put the money they are saving on the procedure into turning their journey into a magnificent, world-class retreat. For millions of patients, it is the only way to get the needed or desired medical treatment, without wiping out their entire life-savings.

 

Technorati : South Korea,Tourism,Medical Tourism