I came across this article in the Wall Street Journal today - dated but still relevant, given the persistent high costs of healthcare and the demand for inexpensive medical treatment. "Traveling Cure: India's New Coup In Outsourcing..." examines India's capitalization of these very costs to emerge as a "global health care provider". To quote the journal,
"...The Indian government sees health care as a growth industry. Public and private Indian universities are churning out 20,000 doctors and 30,000 nurses a year, some of them destined for jobs in western countries. That is roughly triple the pace at which nurses were trained during the 1990s.
In the so-called medical-tourism business, the focus is on big-ticket surgical procedures from face-lifts to liver transplants. Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have taken the lead in this field. Promoting health-care services alongside tourist destinations, the countries attracted more than 600,000 patients in 2003 alone, according to officials in Thailand and Malaysia.
(India-based) Apollo Hospitals offers cardiac surgery for about $4,000, compared with at least $30,000 in the U.S. Apollo's orthopedic surgeries cost $4,500, less than one-fourth the U.S. price. Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. says medical tourism could become a $2 billion-a-year business in India alone by 2012; the category is so new it previously wasn't measured..."
I can think of a lot more factors that make this a more lucrative proposition - read fewer malpractice/ litigation costs, allied recovery costs and overheads, etc. What if insurance companies agree to fund travel costs for offshore treatment, and even promote incentives that propel such decisions? Well, the issue is not unexplored - you can find comprehensive information on the possibilities of medical tourism at medical-tourist.org. Another example of a truth poser that raises the debate between efficient markets and government intervention.
Article comments
1 - Deepa
Yes, but remember, trusting a developing cuntry more than 12000 miles away with your customer data and support was pretty inconceivable 10 years ago - even GE started with a captive unit and last year transformed into a third party solutions provider. Perhaps, not counter-intuitive couple'a years from now. Looks like the future is boundaryless and converging to a dot.
And oh, this is a Ms. :)
2 - Shawn
Perception has changed since years. The distances today are computed in terms of times. Instead of 12000 miles we can say its 20 hours (distance between US - India). There's hardly any difference left in quality of service. And some of the countries like India, have the best professionals, most of them trained in specific specialty in US.
Indeed the future is boudryless!
We at http://www.xsgrowth.com are accumulating data and artifacts to carry an indepth research on Medical Tourism. Please feel free to share any relevant information with us.
3 - Tushar
we have some examples of people who have benefited from medical tourism
4 - Neal R. Yerkes, RN
Just as the bean counters screwed up the American healthcare system in the 1990s, the bean counters at the Wall Street Journal probably have this one wrong as well. McKinsey, another group of bean counters frequently quoted when speaking of medical tourism has a less than pristine reputation. Remember ENRON? McKinsey took it on the chin for that one and rightly so. In the present instance, these bean counters fail to take into account the conditions outside the hospital in India. They only look at the bottom line and, just as the economic experts failed to do in the US in the 1990s, failed to look at patient safety.
While there are some world class physicians in India, the lack of appropriate sanitation and infrastructure is likely to doom India's medical tourism aspirations for the present. India will continue to attract, as she does now, patients from sub-Saharan Africa, neighboring countries and persons of Indian ancestry. People from more developed countries are likely to shun India's offering as more people become aware of the serious sanitation issues. Some hospitals in India may offer a safe environment for the patient. But one the patient is discharged into the community for additional treatment and follow up the risk of infection increases dramatically. While some physicians in India believe a patient can be sheltered from contact with the outside community, I suspect this is unlikely. Currently there are reports of medical tourists from developed countries returning immediately to their country of origin after a brief exit from the Delhi airport. This trend will likely grow as more people from developed countries are lured to India by promises of low cost healthcare. As the number of potential medical tourists who witness India's lack of adequate sanitation grows so will mainstream news reports on the subject.
India is not without competition. Several Southeast Asian countries offer good value for the medical tourist. Singapore has one of the best transplant programs in the world. It is reported in the Indian press that wealthy Indians travel to Singapore for liver transplants rather. That alone should be telling.
Thailand, the current leader in Asian medical tourism currently attracts six times as many patients as India. Many of these patients are from developed countries. Thailand's medical system was built on the US model. In the 1920s the King's father made it his life's work to improve medical care in Thailand. He entered Harvard University and earned an MD degree with honors. He was also inducted into the medical honor society in the US. During his stay at Harvard he convinced the Rockefeller Foundation to fund a US medical education for a group of Thai men and women. These men and women returned to Thailand and were the seed of modern Thai medical system. Today a significant number of Thai physicians are at least partially educated abroad. Many hold US professional certification. You seldom see Thai physicians practicing abroad because most honor their King and return home to practice. Despite claims by the CII, Thailand and Singapore's physicians have a long track record of successfully performing complex medical procedures. Thailand was almost 10 years ahead of India in performing transplant surgery. Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok for instance sees a significant number of patients from the US and Canada seeking total disc replacement spinal surgery, hardly a "simple" procedure. Later this year, the Medical Sciences Department, Mahidol University and the Cardiac Institute of Thailand will be conducting additional clinical trials on a cutting edge stem cell procedure that has shown promise in restoring cardiac function in damaged hearts again, hardly a simple procedure.
In summation, India has potential as a medical tourism destination however, if the sanitation and other infrastructure problems are not addressed and soon, that potential will not likely be realized. Other countries in the region may cost more but will likely remain the primary destinations. Patients from developed countries expect a clean safe environment both in the hospital and out. At present, India cannot deliver on those expectations.
Neal R. Yerkes, RN
By Neal R. Yerkes, RN
5 - ntom
Always good to find others interested in the same topic! Impressed by Neal's article comparing India and Thailand - wish you could post the same comment on my site (address below).
Recently I started my own website and a blog about the topic of medical tourism. Has been a great learning experience so far, but I still have a long way to go. If you want to have a look, please drop by for my medical tourism blog if you are more into some background info on medical services in Thailand.
6 - RM
Get unbiased information on all of the alternative countries in one place for Medical Tourism, whether India, Thailand, Central America, or Europe
7 - Amar Khan
I have been reading for quite some time on these medical tourism companies. It did not catch my attention at first but it did when one of my uncle was diagnosed for a heart problem. I live in Malaysia but not many companies are involved in medical tourism. Malaysians are quite skeptical about going to India for medical treatment after all the bad press about India and its general outlook. There is no doubt on their medical expertise but its the people and the place which puts off people from going to India.
Malaysia is promoting medical tourism abroad to entice patients to come for medical treatment but the cost is still much cheaper in India. My uncle approached a company called Banyan Hope based in Kuala Lumpur which was introduced by one of my friends. I was not too keen having to see my uncle going to India for an operation but my perception changed when he came back looking happier and living his life to the fullest these days. Banyan Hope is different from the other ones as they seem to using both Malaysia and India as their medical tourism destinations based of the patients' preference to be treated.
So to those who are in search of a medical tourism company in this region check these guys out at www.banyanhope.com. I definitely have an different opinion of this industry everytime I meet my uncle!
Amar Khan
8 - Mark George
Neal R. Yerkes, RN, is right on with his comments about Thailand as the leader. Bumrungrad Hospital is well known and often called the "gold standard" of medical tourism destinations. But there are many other hospitals and medical centers in Thailand (see www.medicaltravelsite.com for some) that are world class, some offering services not yet available in the U.S., like adult stem cell therapy for untreatable heart disease (Google for Don Ho heart treatment to read about his experience). And the prices are always substantially lower than in the west. Combine that with Thai hospitality and it makes the experience of having to go to the hospital almost pleasant.
9 - Lauren
I foresee a huge future for medical tourism. It is important to provide sources of information to those who are seeking medical tourism for themselves.
Here are some excellent resources for medical tourism.
CBS News did a very informative story on medical tourism in 2005:CBS News. This Frequently Asked Questions page answers many common questions potential medical tourists would have:FAQ
Time Magazine wrote an article just this year:Time
Cheers,
Lauren
10 - NMHInc
We are doing a series of interviews with experts in the medical tourism industry, including authors and acclaimed economists, to judge the impact of medical tourism on both the US healthcare system and the growth of the healthcare infrastructure in countries like India and Thailand. Visit our site to read the full interviews and post your comments.
11 - DWH
Please be very, very careful when it comes to medical tourism! Please! In a life or death situation, I dare say few of us would not take advantage of whatever medical service we could find. However, having helped my father-in-law get cardiac surgery at the Asian Heart Institute, I can say that it was the worst experience of my life. First, my father-in-law is well, thank God. But it is very misleading to suggest that India is a place where one can receive medical treatment in a "professional" setting. And what remains conspicuously ignored is the lack of basic rights, recourse, and the respect for human life in India. India cannot even take care of its own citizens, nor is there much concern over the abysmal state of affairs for the average Indian. So what makes American lives any more valuable than the lives of Indian citizens? Hard currency. These hospitals are money-making machines, not places committed to treating the sick. At least in the U.S., hospitals MUST treat you. In India, you are completely at the mercy of the hospitals. I witnessed this first hand; and I would not wish the same experience on anyone else! As I said, in a life or death situation, do what you have to do. But go in with your eyes opened.
12 - DWH
Here's an excerpt from a complaint filed against a medical tourism company, Global Surgical Solutions, and its president, Medhavi Balachandran.
In September 2006, I entered into a contract with Global Surgical Solutions LLC (GSS) and Mrs. Medhavi Balachandran (president of GSS) whereby GSS and Mrs. Balachandran were to provide services to me and my family during our trip to India, where my father-in-law had coronary bypass surgery. As per our contract, GSS stated the following: “A GSS Relationship Manager will be with you every step of the way; from meeting you at the airport when you land in India, to the moment you leave to fly back home. Their sole function is to provide you with any assistance that you may need. They will ensure that transportation is arranged to and from your accommodation to the hospital for all of your appointments.” GSS breached our contract by failing to provide this service.
GSS and Mrs. Balachandran were also negligent by failing to provide a relationship manager or a suitable replacement when the original relationship manager failed to perform his duties as promised. This lapse resulted in considerable hardship for my family and myself, as (1) we were not given the services promised; (2) I was forced to reschedule my flight to a later date so I could sort out the confusion created by the misinformation provided by GSS and Mrs. Balachandran; and (3) I subsequently missed one day of work.
GSS and Mrs. Balachandran also misrepresented their services, as well as the services of the Asian Heart Institute so they could enjoy commissions from the hospital (an estimated $3,600) because we used their services. I was told that the Asian Heart Institute deals largely with international patients " which it does not. I was also told that my sister-in-law would have sleeping accommodations in the deluxe room (as part of our 10-day package) for the duration of my father-in-law’s stay at the Asian Heart Institute " which she was not. In addition, I was told by Mrs. Balachandran and the Asian Heart Institute that the hospital required a “deposit” before any procedure, with the balance to be paid upon discharge. However, the fact was that the Asian Heart Institute demanded full payment, plus anticipated costs, prior to surgery " totaling approximately $14,000. When we explained that this is not what we were told and that we could provide them with $10,000 at that moment and the remaining $4,000 in two days, they threatened to discharge my father-in-law at that exact moment " despite the fact that (1) we flew all the way to India for this treatment, (2) he was in ICU, and (3) he was anticipated to be in that hospital for at least 10 days after the surgery. When faced with the very real likelihood that my father-in-law would be discharged and die, I had no other choice but to call relatives in the United States at 6:00 a.m. (EST) and beg for $4,000 to be deposited in my banking account within three hours.
Since GSS and Mrs. Balachandran failed to honor their contract, were negligent in failing to provide agreed-upon services, misrepresented the services of their partner in India, and earned this commission through fraudulent means, I am asking that I be reimbursed $3,600. I am also asking to be compensated $200 for rescheduling my flight, $346 for missing one day of work, and $854 for travel expenses to Dallas, TX for a court appearance " for a total of $5,000.
13 - Medical Tourism
Ya nice post man. I agree India is a less expensive place for medical tourism but i don't know much about medical facilities in India( quality wise).
14 - shareen
Today, people travel to distant locales like Singapore, Thailand and India for cosmetic, heart and orthopedic surgeries. They choose Brazil, Argentina, Mexico or South Africa for dental or cosmetic treatments. Many countries in the Far East are also beginning to tap the potential of this business proposition and are jumping onto the medical tourism bandwagon.
To cut a long story short, medical tourism is the in thing today. And it's a win-win situation for the patients as well as for two industries in the host countries, namely, the health industry and the tourism industry.
15 - roger nowosielski
Silas, are you of Polish extraction? Come on!
16 - Ruvy
Hah! Nice Silas!
"Poland is not yet dead
While we still live!"
The reason I recognize this at all is that a fellow I know originally from Canada, a fellow named Dambrowski (the way Dąbrowski is pronounced in English) mentioned that a relative of his was mentioned in the Polish national anthem.
17 - roger nowosielski
Dabrowski - damn, I don't want to use the markers - was one of the popular military leaders against the Russian oppression, if my memory serves.
18 - Christopher Rose
Just FYI, guys, the original comment about Polish medical services was spam and got deleted. Silas' response was deleted on account of us being an English language site and I had no idea what he might be saying. Sorry for any potential confusion.
19 - Ruvy
Chris, what Silas wrote was the Polish national anthem, "Poland is Not Yet Dead". You should have read my comment beneath and you would have seen that.
The giveaway (for me, anyway) was the line "Marsz marsz Dąbrowski".
Be a good chap and restore that comment if you can, Chris.
20 - Christopher Rose
Sorry, mate, we need to stick to one language really, it's close enough to the Tower of Babel in here anyway!
21 - roger nowosielski
Well, Chris. I suggest then that we strike out all the Spanish phrases, too, that so many here I fond of using. The Tower of Babel remark is well taken, though.
22 - Ruvy
we need to stick to one language
Well, in that case, Chris, this is for Silas (and for Roger as well). My people lived a long time in Poland before being murdered off there, and for many years life was good for Jews living in the four lands of the Kingdom of Poland.
The Polish National Anthem
Here is a translation of the Mazurek Dąbrowskiego, the Polish national anthem. It was written by J. Wybicki in 1797 and has been translated into English by Magdalena Pospieszna:
Poland is not yet lost
while we live
What foreign force has taken from us
We shall take back with the sword.
March, march Dąbrowski*
From Italy to Poland
Under your command
We will reunite with the nation.
We will cross the Vistula and Warta Rivers,
We will be Poles, Bonaparte showed us how to win.
March, march Dąbrowski*
From Italy to Poland
Under your command
We will reunite with the nation.
Like Czarniecki to Poznan, after Swedish annexation,
We will come back across the sea to save our motherland
March, march Dąbrowski*
From Italy to Poland
Under your command
We will reunite with the nation.
Father, in tears, says to his Basia: "Just listen,
It seems that our people are beating the drums."
March, march Dąbrowski*
From Italy to Poland
Under your command
We will reunite with the nation.
*General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski is regarded as a Polish national hero for his part in Tadeusz Kosciuszko's rebellion against Russia in 1794; he later organized and commanded the Polish legions in Napoleon's army.
23 - roger nowosielski
Well, you know of course, Ruvy, that Poland was one of the first countries in Europe to welcome Jews during Polish Renaissance - was it during the reign of Casimir the Great?
24 - Fabian
What are you general opinions on getting Cosmetic Surgery done say in Mexico?