How many patients are really traveling internationally.
I believe millions of patients travel all around the world every year for cosmetic surgery, orthopedics, hearts, transplants, general surgeries, dental, stem cell therapy, cancer and alternative treatments. Deloitte estimates that as many as over 3 million Americans could travel internationally this year alone. Everywhere I turn I meet people who traveled for medical care or know someone who did. What's your thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Medical Tourism City on -
Jack, You are absolutely correct. Many of the patients are doing it themselves. This is the reason why some are coming back with bad outcomes. They are finding a nice website of a healthcare provider, and making their own arrangements without really knowing the quality or having aftercare setup. as an industry not only do we have to educate people, but show them WHERE they need to get their information in the future. Facilitators play a vital role and patients should not travel without one. Facilitators can also play a critical role in being an advocate for the patient.
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Permalink Reply by Hashem Irshaid on -
With my respect to the all comments. Travel outside the country to receive a safe treatment is governed by several considerations, including the availability of internationally accredited medical institutions, the existence of medical experiences and qualifications, the quality of services, clean environment, security and safety, and tourist attractions. And there is nothing to prevent any person to travel from one country to another for treatment under these conditions if the costs were lower than in the patient's country.
Quality of service, qualifications and experience, a clean environment and security are not confined to one country in the world, because we found all these conditions in many countries of the world, even in some "third world countries", with my reservation to this classification.
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Permalink Reply by hulya ozgun on -
With my greetings to all from Turkey,
Turkey is fast gaining a reputation of providing superlative medical and health care in many fields, including cosmetic and plastic surgery. With state-of-the-art facilities. Turkish physicians and surgeons offer high class care and expertise to natives and international travelers for cosmetic and plastic Surgery.
JCI accredited hospitals are offering extensive health care services with state-of-the-art technology...
HMTA provides complete services for patients visiting the hospital from countries outside Turkey. HMTA Group staffs meet the needs and expectations of international patients within 48 hours of their request by acknowledging them on the treatment plan, length of stay, average package pricing that includes all medical, social and accommodation costs.
Best regards...
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Permalink Reply by Jack Schafer on -
Wow..... we've generated a lot of opinions here, and as with most discussions groups, everyone has their own dog in the fight. First of all, let me address North American Surgery. The rest of us have an actual name and face behind our discussion, but based on the nature of your attack, and self-serving tone of your comments, I can clearly understand why you would hide behind a logo. If legitimate qualified surgeons were performing these surgeries consistently at these prices, and providing equal quality and services to offshore facilities, this industry would never exist... would have never started... would have no future... and neither would yours. You would be absolutely right. We have an RN and 2 staff Physicians, and a good 35% of our clients are sent to us BY their USA based P C Physicians. Some to have procedures performed that can not be done here (thank the Insurance companies for disqualifying experimental life saving procedures, and the FDA for working so close with them...) But set that aside... our own highly qualified staff Physicians, who actually sign off on our International patients, clearly understand ALL of the REAL reasons that these procedures can not be performed properly, or on a large scale, in USA hospitals, or through properly accredited and insured Physicians and Surgeons. Certainly, as is the nature of our business, one can find a few out there (anywhere) who are willing to do something cheaper - anyone can do cheaper when they can't fill their time with better. Are there USA Hospitals and chop- shops that will do "cheap Surgery" - you bet-ya'. Dollar Stores are also one of the fastest growing chains in America, but when I'm buying something where quality is more important than cheap, I'm not sure I want to shop there. These offshore facilities, run by institutions like JOHNS HOPKINS, THE MAYO CLINIC, HARVARD, are not DISCOUNT STORES. They provide International Travelers with their 1st class services an their NORMAL (and sometimes even somewhat inflated) price, and STILL save those willing to travel 60 - 70%.
Please screw you head on right... The Medical Tourism industry is a lot bigger than you or me... we're just participating in such a way as to try to make it better - you ??? Maybe not do much, but it is fun to have you here to compare ourselves to !
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Permalink Reply by North American Surgery on -
If you pull up our website, www.northamericansurgery.com, you will get my name and contact information. My name is Richard Baker. We send our clients to U.S. hospitals which are rated as 5 stars by HealthGrades.com. Two of these hospitals are rated by Forbes Magazine as being amongst the safest hospitals in America.
With regard to the favorable pricing we have negotiated for our clients at these hospitals, the wonder isn't that these top rated hospitals are able to provide these surgeries so inexpensively, the real question is "why do other hospitals charge so much?". To paraphrase your own question, Jack, "are there U.S. hospitals that charge more than they should, in order to make obscene profits? You bet-ya".
Now, much as I have enjoyed our back and forth discussion, I think that we have beaten this subject to death.
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Permalink Reply by S. Shai Gold on -
While quite a few people do travel for medical treatment, and the trend will continue to grow, these numbers seem to be substantially higher then reality. I just don't see this level of traffic in any channel.
Shai Gold,
Managing Partner & CEO
Global-Triage
gold@globaltriage.com
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Permalink Reply by Medical Destinations Christine on -
I too believe millions of people tavel abroad for many types of sugeries, Due to prices being much lower than their own home country. The thing to remember is that these patients comming to our destinations for Surgery need to feel safe and that they will be taken care of in every way. We sometimes forget that people comming to a new country may have never left their own country so are not prepared for the cultural and customer service changes that they they are faced with, not to mention language barriors.
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Permalink Reply by David P. Kalin MD MPH on -
In the overall scheme of things in the USA, really not that many. Certainly we hear of a friend or a friend or acquaintance of a friend, especially when the person has a dream/or specific need and lacks the resources to reach that dream in the USA. That is how it should be as the world is a big place with many specialized and uptodate services provided globally, less expensively and oftentimes more graciously. When thought of in the context of the entire world, the number of international interactions must be "alot" due to the logarithmic growth in human communication and travel.
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Permalink Reply by Swati Das Jadhav on -
In India, although the environment seems to be untidy, warm and humid, the environment within the private hospitals promoting Medical Tourism is very clean and hygeinic. I have seen hospitals in the UK. Hospitals in India are equally clean. When a patient is selecting a surgeon, he or she must select seeing his overseas experience in UK, US, Canada, Europe. The systems and ethics that they learn is appreciable. When patients from the US, UK, UAE, Africa, Canada have to trust a surgeon, trusting such a surgeon becomes easier. It is easier to interact. All people in the developed countries cannot afford costly treatments or as in UAE, although hospitals are there sometimes trained doctors are not there. So, in India a patient would get a doctor trained in the western manner, be associated ( do not always go by full time surgeons in Hospitals, there are a lot of self-practicing surgeons in India, who are much better skilled) with a hospital with a modern and clean infrastructure at an affordable price. I feel, even if there is a patient who can afford a costly surgery, he/she must consider before spending that amount in the US, UK or other costly countries. He can very well save the money ( after doing his surgery in India) for other pleasures and comforts in life. If anynody has the fear of getting DVT soon after a surgery, probably, he/she can be in a resort in India for a few weeks after the treatment till he feels healthy. Winter is the best time to travel to India for surgeries, if one is coming from the cold countries.
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Permalink Reply by Siby Markose on -
Yes I agree with that... there are many people are going abroad for their Medical Treatment. But many people’s are still unaware that actually where should they go for the Treatment. I think International Medical Tourism Association can help them for the mentioned matter. And Medical Tourism Association should have the knowledge of rules and regulations for Treatment like organ transplant surgeries in other Countries.
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Permalink Reply by S. Shai Gold on
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Richard Baker runs a legitimate business and has a good business model. By keeping away from large cities and big name facilities, one can find lower cost facilities with reasonable quality outcomes. After all, quality outcomes in select clinical services lines do not have a huge variance across the board. Having said this, NO hospital in the USA can compete with the costs basis of a hospital in an emerging economy. If a patient wants the predictable safety and outcomes of a US hospital, Jack's solution is clearly feasible.
In my view, we are seeing the emergence of "segmentation" on the supply side of the industry. It seems that there is a solution for every pocket and NorthAmerican Surgery represents one type solution.
Let's make an honest effort to respect all points of view.
Have a good weekend,
Shai Gold, Managing Partner
Global-Triage
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Permalink Reply by Medical Tourism City on
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I think that North American Surgery does present a very viable option and that a certain type of patient will prefer to engage in that versus traveling internationally.
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