Does medical tourism affect healthcare for local citizens?
What do you think? Will emphasis on medical tourism in certain countries mean that resources will be used to encourage international patients? Or will the emphasis on medical tourism create better facilities, etc for the local citizens through international competition?
Here's what Malaysia thinks:
Medical Tourism Will Not Affect Local Healthcare, D-G Assures
PUTRAJAYA, July 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's efforts to promote its medical tourism amongst foreigners will not affect the quality of healthcare now being enjoyed by locals, the Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican assured on Tuesday.
He said the main provider for the healthcare tourism services was the private sector and many private hospitals were already attracting considerable numbers of foreigners seeking quality healthcare at affordable price.
Ismail assured that the government would be very careful in implementing the initiative and conditions would be imposed on those providing healthcare services for foreigners.
He was commenting on reservations by doctors and non-governmental organisations that overemphasis on medical tourism by the government would result in poor healthcare for the locals as resources would be diluted.
--BERNAMA
Here's what Malaysia thinks:
Medical Tourism Will Not Affect Local Healthcare, D-G Assures
PUTRAJAYA, July 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's efforts to promote its medical tourism amongst foreigners will not affect the quality of healthcare now being enjoyed by locals, the Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican assured on Tuesday.
He said the main provider for the healthcare tourism services was the private sector and many private hospitals were already attracting considerable numbers of foreigners seeking quality healthcare at affordable price.
Ismail assured that the government would be very careful in implementing the initiative and conditions would be imposed on those providing healthcare services for foreigners.
He was commenting on reservations by doctors and non-governmental organisations that overemphasis on medical tourism by the government would result in poor healthcare for the locals as resources would be diluted.
--BERNAMA
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dina F. Kattan on -
Hello,
We dont have to forget that Medical Tourism might effect citizens negatively.
Thailand is an example:
According to recent reports out of Thailand, doctors in the country have become so busy treating Medical Tourists that Thai patients are now having trouble getting quality care.
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Permalink Reply by Sean Bang on -
As far as this topic I have no concern about Korea where the government provides world's best medical programs to the people with sufficient number of medical centers and clinics. Furthermore, Taegu City, the fourth largest city with its nick name as "Medi-City", is constructing a gigantic medical complex in the territory for local and foreign medical travelers.
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Permalink Reply by Dheeraj Dagliya on -
There are both positives and negatives of it.
Local patients are benefited as hospitals tend to acquire best and latest medical infrastructure to serve the patients. Hence latest treatment is available to patients locally.
Acquiring latest technologies does need investment and hence this rises the cost of treatment. The tourist patients are treated on priority as hospitals tend to charge more from the tourist patient for the same treatments. Which make sense to their higher investments for better Return on Investments (RoI).
In India, there are several small and big hospitals, many are dedicated to serve patients from abroad. Medical treatment is generally available to suite the local pockets, expertise and experienced medical resources are spread throughout the geographical region.
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Permalink Reply by Roshan Shah on -
I personally think its both - create better facilities and bring in more patients. On the flip side, one must be wary that the health care costs in countries providing medical tourism will continue to rise as well as the malpractices that happen because of cross referrals.
1) Accreditation process has to be very tightly managed
2) Government must regulate price for medical procedures so that locals don't get into a state where they can't afford medical care from their savings
3) Governments in Asian countries must open new Medical Colleges so that fresh graduates can take up medicine as a profession.
There is clearly pressure seen in India with patients inflow and prices are moving northwards. And we are not even considering the fact that this industry is going to see an exponential growth in coming years.
Roshan
http://www.kosansh.com
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