Thailand Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery in Thailand You Choose A New Nose Or A New Gender

2008-01-30T23:32:00.000+07:00

Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery in Thailand You Choose A New Nose Or A New Gender In Bangkok "everything goes" From the top of the head to the tip of the toes Bangkok Surgeons can make those subtle or not so subtle changes to your body that you always dreamed about but never dreamed that you could afford.

Bangkok, Thailand and its shiny new clinics have become the new capital for medical tourism, particularly for plastic surgery - and sex change surgery Wether you are looking for larger breasts, smaller breasts, larger buttocks, smaller buttocks, a new nose or even a new gender there is a Thai surgeon whose skills are fo hire.

In a huge ground floor room with panoramic windows, English patients and Saudi nobility sit back in comfortable sofas with Starbucks coffee in their hands. Welcome to ‘Bumrungrad International’, the largest private hospital in south east Asia, nestled right in the heart of Bangkok. Here, you feel a long way from the operating tables. The atmosphere is more akin to a luxury hotel or a shopping centre, with escalators leading straight to a MacDonald’s and a book shop, as well as to boutiques on the second floor.

This is exactly what the management of this new generation hospital intended. The nurses are recruited on appearance as well as their qualifications. Appointments can be made from abroad via email after consulting their detailed website, complete with a photo of your surgeon.

It is thanks to establishments like the Bumrungrad, listed on the stock market, with its 400, 000 foreign patients a year – equal to 40% of its clientele – that Thailand has become a favourite destination in less than a decade.

The combination of ‘sea, sex and scalpel attracts more than a million tourists each year, almost one tourist in ten, and this seems unlikely to change. Tourism in Asia is currently seeing 20-30% growth per year. South America, Singapore, India and Malaysia are finding it hard to compete with their smaller Thai neighbours in terms of the quality of treatments, prices and the local tourism infrastructure, which are widely advertised abroad by a governmental organisation, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)

Although most clients involved in this kind of tourism are American, Australian or from Asia and the Middle East, more and more Europeans are turning to the Thai scalpel, frustrated by long waiting lists and the price of operations in their home countries.

The focus of this enthusiasm is plastic surgery. Operations of an aesthetic nature are developing extremely quickly in Thailand in response to growing national and international demand. More and more Europeans are therefore coming to visit Siamese soil for long enough that

She can fix her nose (2, 300 Euros) enlarge or reduce her bust, get rid of her winkles and remove her fat with liposuction. While his other half is getting a waistline worth putting on the cover of Elle

He can take the opportunity to make his baldness a bad memory (1, 400 Euros minimum), remove his tattoos and enlarge his pectorals.

Bumrungrad international’ admits between 300 - 500 patients of this calibre each year, predominantly from Britain, France and Germany. After a few days of recovery, the hospital recommends, among other things, recuperation suites near the beaches of Phuket and Pattaya before returning to Europe.

Medical Travel agencies are onto a good deal, working with local clinics to specialise in all inclusive packages, combining ‘operation + hotel + beach’ for their patients, who are still primarily tourists just like any other. Bumrungrad even has an agreement with Thai airways where patients can exchange air miles for a medical check-up at the hospital.

Of course all of this comes at a high price. A facelift by Dr Pichet, director of the Bangkok plastic surgery clinic, will cost 3, 500 dollars. You can have full lips for the same amount. European patients make up 30% of their clients and are mostly women. However, Dr Pichet has more than one scalpel up his sleeve because he is primarily an SRS specialist, a mysterious abbreviation referring to sex reassignment surgery.

There is no shortage of patients in this group either. '30% of my operations are linked to sex changes, mainly from male to female, and are usually combined with operations to feminise the chest and face,' continues the Doctor. 'A full sex change needs to be approved by a psychologist and must include pre and post operative check-ups. The embassy also has to be informed of their legal change of identity or the patient may be unable to cross the border'

The situation is the same at BNH hospital in Bangkok, which admits about fifty European clients per year for similar operations, with the Italians and the English at the top of the list. Although there is no such thing as risk free plastic surgery, the doctors state that side affects for their procedures are minimal and that their clients are completely satisfied. Judging by the patients’ bright new smiles and the thank you cards sent to their doctors, it is almost convincing.

NORWAY IS SEEKING TO ESTABLISH LINKS WITH THAILAND ON HEALTHCARE SERVICES

2007-04-23T23:50:00.000+07:00

Thai trade representative KANTATHI SUPHAMONGKHON (กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล) has indicated that the Norwegian government plans to establish connections with Thai hospitals, to provide healthcare services for more than 7,000 Norwegian patients who annually seek quality treatment abroad.

He said further that doctor shortages are a major problem for Norway, as well as many other European countries. As a result, Norway’s National Insurance Administration will pay for Norwegian citizens who have their medical treatment overseas, to avoid long waiting lists at home.

During a two-week tour of Scandinavia, Mr. KANTATHI, head of a 40-member Thai trade delegation to Norway, was proposed by a senior Norwegian official to establish more cooperation between Norway and Thai hospitals, in order to serve the needs of the Norwegian patients.
Mr. KANTATHI confirmed that Norway has a high-quality public healthcare system, but patients, who need non-emergency treatment, including orthopaedic surgery, often have to wait a long time.

Andaman News TV11 Phuket

Thailand Tourism Minister & TAT Governor discuss Medical Tourism in Phuket

2007-04-23T23:46:00.000+07:00

On Monday 8 January, the Bangkok Hospital Phuket, held a meeting with the visiting Tourism and Sports Minister, Dr Suvit Yodmani, and new Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, Pornsiri Mano-harn, about how to firmly establish Phuket as a Health Tourism hub of South East Asia.

The increasing cost of medical treatment has driven many western patients towards developing countries to look for more alternative options, so the Bangkok group of 15 hospitals in Thailand, including the Bangkok Hospital Phuket, being part of the biggest health care provider in South East Asia, is well qualified to offer various special treatments and care for foreign patients, and give an insight to the government and tourism industry on the need to better promote the new trends of “Health Tourism”, especially in Phuket.

Dr. Kongkiat Kespechara, Hospital Director, of Bangkok Hospital, Phuket, gave a presentation illustrating the point that Phuket has a ratio of 1 doctor for every 1,694 people much better than countrywide ratio of 7,270 people, and 1 Phuket dentist for 7,048 people, compared to 26,165.

He said the Phuket doctors and dentists are internationally trained, while Thai & Phuket health costs are among the lowest in Asia. The annual revenue from health tourists is rising from 247million baht in 2002, to an estimated 1700million baht in 2010, so the benefits to the local tourism are obvious.

Their research shows that there are 4 factors that make Thailand a desirable place for international medical services: the quality of medical personnel, advance of technology, international standard and its service.

The most popular treatments consists of dental care, cosmetic-Plastic surgery, heart surgery, back and spine pain relief, and physical check ups.

Dr. Krittavith Lertutsahakul, CEO of Bangkok Hospital group, told us how important they view the health tourism segment here.

The new Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, Pornsiri Mano-harn, told us how she thinks the government can help promote health tourism in Phuket.

Health care in Phuket has been well accepted by tourists as it has equal standards compared to aboard and is even cheaper. Phuket should be a win-win situation for both health tourists and hospitals.

Andaman News TV11 Phuket

Medical tourism, health tourism seminar by Prince of Songkhla University, Phuket Thailand

2007-04-23T20:31:00.000+07:00

Last week a health tourism seminar was held by the Prince of Songkhla University or PSU’s Phuket campus, with the support of the Sumitomo Foundation of Japan, for around 50 participants at the Metropole Hotel in Phuket.

The discussion aimed to gather stakeholders from different industries in particular from the travel business & health care providers to further develop and promote medical tourism in Thailand.

Thailand has emerged as a leader in the health tourism industry and also the most popular
destination for holiday travelers seeking medical attention. They pointed out the growth of health tourism in Thailand is stimulated by several factors such as the high cost of healthcare in developed countries, increasing demand due to the aging of population, problems meeting this demand in developed countries, the emergence of the third world countries that combine well-educated medical staff with costs well below those in developed countries, the trend of increasing international travel, and development of cheap and fast communication channels.

Assistant Executive Director, for the Product Promotion Division of the Tourism Authority of
Thailand, Mrs Yearayong Chairut, stressed the advantages that make Thai health tourism better than others: "I would say that there are three advantages that make us better than others. First is quality of doctors that are specialists in particular field. Second is price which is considered cheaper than aboard. Third is queuing as patients don’t have to wait for long to see a good doctor like in some countries; when the patient makes an appointment, he can come on the next day.”

This was confirmed by the Assistant Hospital Director of Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Prakin Ruktae-ngam, who revealed the targets of the health tourism market and reaffirmed the quality of the Thai doctors.

Meanwhile the Hospital Director Dr. Kongkiat Kespechara, explained about the present situation or trend of health tourism in Phuket. "The most popular is dental care because in their country they can’t reimburse with their social security and if they go and do it themselves the price is very high so they come to use our facilities to correct their dental problem, second is about the plastic surgery because a lot of foreigners are overweight, or they feel they are not good looking so they like to make it better!"

The seminar on Friday in Phuket also provided knowledge about a frame work of linkages between the tourism and health sectors. In the medical tourism industry, there are several health packages combining medical and travel treatment with fun and relaxing activities, which is easy to arrange in the Andaman region.

The seminar concluded that by the end of the year 2010 the total number of foreign patients in
Thailand is expected to reach two million, so the Andaman region should also receive a positive bill of health from medical health tourism.

Andaman News TV11 Phuket

Dental tourists escape Aussie fees

2007-04-12T10:14:00.000+07:00

Dentists have conceded costs in Australia are contributing to an exodus to Thailand and other countries offering dental treatment at half the price.

The Australian Dental Association yesterday warned "buyer beware" in the wake of the dental tourism trend. But the ADA said that, apart from anecdotal tales of botched surgery overseas, there was insufficient evidence to advise Australians not to go.

Thailand has long enjoyed a reputation as a cheap holiday destination. It now attracts thousands of Australians who combine a holiday with a cheap trip to the dentist.

More than 1.8million foreigners visited Thailand in 2005 for medical treatment ranging from sex changes to minor cosmetic surgery. The influx, up from 630,000 in 2002, has generated a multi-million-dollar industry.

Bangkok Dental Spa is one of a growing number of specialist dental centres in the Thai capital catering mostly to foreigners.

Patients pay $400 to $500 for a new crown, compared with $1500 in Australia. Implant work ranges from $2800 for surgery and a titanium prosthetic, compared with $4000 locally.
Bangkok Dental Spa chief executive Lily Porncharoen said she treated hundreds of Australians each year. Treatment in Thailand was cheap with high clinical and professional standards, she said.

"Australia is a very good market for us," Dr Porncharoen said. "It's not too far and they know Thailand well.

"What we (Thai dentists) need is our Government to promote us to Australian people so they understand better our standards. I think more and more Australians will come."

With only anecdotal evidence of pitfalls, the ADA's John Matthews said it was hard to challenge Dr Porncharoen's claims.

"I don't think we (ADA) have enough evidence to say: don't do it," he said.
Thai dentists were cheaper than Australian counterparts because of lower salaries, lower laboratory costs and a "less regulated" environment, he said.

Labor health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon said dental costs under the Howard Government had soared and more than 650,000 people were on public waiting lists for treatment.

Mark Dodd

Medical Leave - Medical and Health Tourism to Thailand

2007-04-12T09:49:00.000+07:00

Robert "Coop" Copper is by all accounts a well-traveled man. Beginning in 1976, the house painter decided to spend the winter months to traveling, visiting Europe, South America, Africa and much of Asia.

"If you put it all together I've spent years traveling," Cooper said. "I've spent at least a month in all the places I've visited. It has been a great experience."

Cooper has found a particular fondness for Southeast Asia, in particular Thailand.

"I've always enjoyed it," Cooper said. "There is a misconception about it in America. It is hard when all you see is movies and things like that. But it isn't the third world place that it is portrayed as. I've always enjoyed myself, the people, the culture; it has always been a good place to visit."

And through his travels, Cooper found that Thailand was more than just a place with relaxing beaches, warm sunshine and good food - he found it also was a place with top-notch medical care.

With the costs of medical care and health insurance mounting in the states, Cooper found himself, like so many Americans, without medical insurance when he was abruptly dropped from his insurance carrier in 1998, after years of paying without filing a claim.
"It is expensive," Cooper said. "
Most the time insurance only covers a small part of procedures and you are left paying the deductible."

With this in mind, Cooper hit on an idea that has become an increasing trend in the U.S. - leaving the country for medical procedures."From traveling other places, I'd seen that medical care at least as good as what we have here was available other places," Cooper said. "And ... ultimately it would be less expensive to get as good, if not better, care."Cooper said during the past few years he has traveled extensively for medical and dental care."I've never received such good care," Cooper said.

"I've traveled to have my teeth worked on, blood work, other procedures that would cost thousands of dollars here, but in Thailand I've been able to receive the same care for a lot less."

In particular, Cooper points to the care he received at Bumrungrad hospital in Thailand when he went in for shoulder surgery after having a bad break in his clavicle.
"My day job is painting houses," Cooper said. "I was worried about losing the use of my arm. After having my surgery I got most my strength back in about nine months and was back to 100 percent in about 10 to 11 months.
"It was a very serious operation, and I got great care and attention."

Cooper estimates that for much of his care he has spent anywhere from 60 to 90 percent less than he would have in the states.

On his recently launched Web site, Cooper has a cost breakdown of some common procedures such as a complete physical, which in the states can cost anywhere from $1,800 to $3,000, where as in Thailand it is around $250 U.S. dollars and root canals, which can cost between $700 and $1,400 in the U.S., where as in Thailand they are closer to $100 to $340 U.S. dollars.

Even with the cost of travel factored in, Cooper said in the long run, traveling is a money saving endeavor."When a procedure can cost $10,000 dollars here, and you can go somewhere else and have the same procedure done for $3,000, that is money in my pocket so far as I'm concerned," Cooper said. "That is the way I look at it, in the long run it is saving money."

From his own personal experience, Cooper thought this might be a service that other Americans could take advantage of if they had the opportunity to be made aware of what was available in other countries.This led Cooper to create Patient Vacation LLC, with the intention to make people more aware of the quality medical care available in the rest of the world, with a particular focus on Thailand.

Part of Cooper's work has been to dispel the third-world myths often associated with Thailand and the difficulties of being an American traveling for medical care. According to Cooper, Bumrungrad and Samitivej hospitals combine the best of both the world of medicine and the world of travel."These are very modern facilities," Cooper said. "You can find anything you need, any kind of care, any kind of specialist. Many of the doctors speak very good English and many of them have been educated in America or in Europe."

Cooper also pointed out that a stay in many of these facilities is much like a four star hotel."There is great care," Cooper said. "These are great places that you can afford to stay. After my shoulder surgery I wouldn't have been able to stay in the hospital. But there I was able to stay for as long as I needed. It costs about $55 a night and there is excellent care and you are always getting checked on and you at the same time you are in a beautiful place with sun and beaches to recuperate. It is a win-win situation."

Through Patient Vacation, Cooper is offering both consultation services and personalized travel."I can help people find out what is available," Cooper said. "And make contacts and arrangements. And I can also travel with them if that makes them more comfortable and be there to answer questions and help them get around and learn about what is going on and what is available, so that there is a familiar face there for them."

Cooper's newly launched venture has already had one client that Cooper said was overwhelmingly impressed by the care that she received as well as the beauty of Thailand."All around I think it is a win-win situation," Cooper said. "You are going to get great medical care and it is going to cost less and at the same time you are going to be able to visit a beautiful place and have a vacation at the same time and relax and get better. To me that is a win-win situation."

By Jason Gabak

Medical Tourism in India

2007-04-11T21:58:00.000+07:00

Many countries have now developed official partnerships for speedy treatments in India for their residents most of whom have to wait for extended periods of time to undergo operations. In India, medical treatment is not only fast but would also costs a fraction of what it would costs in USA or Europe.

Tummy tucks and a visit to the Taj Mahal is not unusual, what with the escalating medical costs the world over, patients are flocking Eastwards to countries like India, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The quality of medical services is often found better than some of the care centre in the United States and the UK.

Many countries have now developed official partnerships for speedy treatments in India for their residents most of whom have to wait for extended periods of time to undergo operations. In India, medical treatment is not only fast but would also costs a fraction of what it would costs in USA or Europe.

So, scale or whiten your tooth at $ 300 in the US, or do so at $75 in India. A smile designed at US$ 8000 can be yours at one eighth the cost in India.

Forget, cosmetic surgery, a dialysis in the US will shortchange you for $ 300 as against $50 for the same procedure in Chennai. Bone marrow transplant, surgical oncology, cord blood transplants, transplants of the heart, lung, liver are all possible at lower costs in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and India than most developed countries where health insurance continues to shoot up in a heavily taxed public health-care system.

A chance to visit India and the Far East while healing and treating ailments at affordable costs has led patients from the developed nations to utilize health services in India at a fraction of the costs in the West. Five to seven per cent of Escorts' patients are understood to be from abroad.

Most patient traffic is from West Asia, South East Asia and Africa. International health insurance companies abroad are looking to forge partnerships with renowned specialty hospitals for Non Resident Indians (NRIs) to combine their treatment in India with their annual family visits.Most Indian states have either established themselves as destinations for health care and tourism or are building medical brand images.

Add to this, Yogic healing, Transcendental Meditation (TM) along with alternate therapies of ayurveda in India has been repackaged and redefined and goes hand in hand with India’s rise in ‘Health Tourism “also called Medical Tourism.

Further, impetus has come from corporate such as the Tatas, Fortis, Max, Wockhardt, Piramal, and the Escorts group who are investing in setting up of modern hospitals in major cities. Many have in fact built health packages designed for patients, including airport pickups, visa assistance, boarding and lodging.

With advanced medical and biotechnological progress, India along with Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are leaders in selling healthcare the world over. With India’s infrastructure and technology quite at par with those in the USA, UK and Europe, also boasts of some of the best hospitals and treatment centers in the world.

A favourite world getaway, India as a health and tourism destination is here to stay. A joint report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) -McKinsey study on Health tourism says that at its current pace of growth, healthcare tourism alone can rake over US$ 1.7 billion additional revenues by 2012. Medical tourism is now a US$ 299 million industry, as about 100,000 patients come each year.The biggest driver for healthcare tourism is the disparity in costs, nearly one fifth of the cost in the developed world.

India is definitely capitalizing on its low medical costs and the expertise of its highly skilled medical fraternity. • A heart surgery in the US costs US$ 30,000 as compared to US$ 6,000 in India. • A bone marrow transplant in the US costs US$ 250,000 and US$ 26,000 in India.

Lately, the Indian Government launched the six month medical Visa in 2005. The Visa allows a foreigner to stay for a year for medical treatment in India. In addition, the Government has also introduced policy measures such as the National Health Policy which recognizes the treatment of international patients as an export, allowing private hospitals treating international patients to enjoy the benefits of lower import duties, an increase in the rate of depreciation (from 25 per cent to 40 per cent) for life-saving medical equipment and several tax sops.

The ease in international travel, the improvement of technology and standards of care in many of the Far Eastern countries and in India score a point with patients in Britain or Canada who have to rely on the heavily taxed public health-care system for routine heart surgery, a hip resurfacing or a hip replacement which sometimes take years to be treated.

Patients Beyond Borders - Introduction

2007-04-09T09:02:00.000+07:00

The seeds of this book were sown nearly five years ago, when my father, age 72 at the time, traveled to Mexico for extensive dental work.I well remember my first reaction upon hearing his plans: a mixture of bewilderment and fear, then resignation, knowing that despite my protestations, he was going anyway.

In spite of my concerns—some of them quite real—I’m pleased to report a happy ending. Dad and his wife Alinda selected a US-trained dentist in Puerto Vallarta and paid around $11,000—including two weeks noodling around the Pacific Coast. They returned tanned and smiling, Dad with new pearly whites and Alinda with an impromptu skin resurfacing. The same procedure would have cost them $24,000 in the United States.

After his treatment, when I told the story of my father’s trip, most friends responded with the same shock and disbelief that I had felt initially. Then, when I explained the quality of care and the savings, more often than not, those same folks followed me out the door, asking for Dad’s email address.I even had an airport customs agent abandon his post and follow me to the boarding gate, seeking additional information for his son, who he had just learned required heart surgery.

Late in 2005, I contracted an infected root canal and found myself following my father’s example.My research led me to Costa Rica for extraction and implant work. While pleasantly surprised at the quality of the care, the prices, and the all-around good experience of the trip, I nonetheless made a number of mistakes and created unnecessary difficulties and discomforts for myself. Had I done some simple things differently, my trip would have been more successful and more economical.

In seeking additional data on medical travel, I found no reliable source of information. Everybody had something to sell or a political axe to grind. Books, magazine articles, and newspaper reports seemed more like tourists’ brochures than health-travel references. Thus the idea for Patients Beyond Borders was born: a well-researched guide, written in plain English, which would offer an impartial look at contemporary medical travel, while helping prospective patients ask the right questions and make informed choices.

As we contemplate our options in an increasingly expensive, complex, insurance-weak society, nearly all of us will eventually find ourselves seeking alternatives to costly treatments—either for ourselves or for our loved ones. My dad was a health travel pioneer. When he became a health traveler, finding quality care abroad was a far more groundbreaking task than it is today.In a few short years, big government investment, corporate partnerships, and increased media attention have spawned a new industry—medical travel—which is bringing with it a host of encouraging new choices for patients.Individuals can now choose from a smorgasbord of safe, reliable options for diagnosis and treatment, ranging from dentistry and cosmetic surgery to some of the more dramatic and expensive procedures, such as hip replacement or heart valve surgery.

There is no single type of health traveler.In researching and writing Patients Beyond Borders, I’ve talked with wealthy women from Beverly Hills who, despite their affluence, prefer the quality of treatment and attention they receive in Brazil or South Africa to medical care California-style.I’ve met a hard-working couple from Wisconsin who, facing the prospect of refinancing their home to get a $65,000 hip operation here in the US, headed to India instead. I interviewed a Vietnam vet who became weary of long waits and red tape. Repulsed by this country’s ever-deteriorating healthcare system, he said bon voyage and headed overseas for treatment.

From these patients’ experiences, and many more like them, you’ll learn when and how health travel abroad might meet your medical and financial needs.

You Deserve an Impartial PerspectiveThis new phenomenon of medical travel—or international health travel—has received a good deal of wide-eyed attention of late.While one newspaper or blog giddily touts the fun ‘n sun travel side of treatment abroad, another issues dire Code Blue warnings about filthy hospitals, shady treatment practices, and procedures gone bad.As with most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in between.In short, I’ve found the term medical tourism is something of a misnomer, sometimes leading patients to emphasize the recreational more than the procedural in their quest for medical care abroad. Unlike much of the hype that surrounds contemporary health travel, Patients Beyond Borders focuses more on your health than on your travel preferences. Thus, throughout this book, you won’t see many references to the popular terms “medical tourism” or “health tourism.” In the same way business travelers don’t normally consider themselves tourists, you’ll begin to think more in terms of medical travel and health travel.

My research, including countless interviews, has convinced me:with diligence, perseverance, and good information, patients considering traveling abroad for treatment indeed have legitimate, safe choices, notto mention an opportunity to save thousands of dollars over the same treatment here in the US.Hundreds of patients who have returned from successful treatment overseas provide overwhelmingly positive feedback. They convinced me that I should write this impartial, scrutinizing guide to becoming a savvy, informed international patient. I designed it to help readers reach their own conclusions about whether and when to seek treatment abroad.

What Exactly Is Medical Tourism?Last year, more than 150,000 Americans, Canadians, and Europeans packed their bags and headed overseas for nearly every imaginable type of medical treatment: tummy tucks in Brazil, heart valve replacement procedures in Thailand, hip resurfacing surgeries in India, addiction recovery in Antigua, fertility diagnosis and treatments in South Africa, thalassotherapy in Hungary, or restorative oral dentistry in Mexico.
Currently, at least 28 countries on four continents cater to the international health traveler, with more than a million patients visiting hospitals and clinics each year in countries other than their own.The roster of treatments is as varied as the travelers.

If the notion of complex medical procedures in far-flung lands seems intimidating, don’t feel alone.That’s why we wrote this book, drawing from the varied experiences of hundreds of patients who, for dozens of reasons, have beaten a well-worn path to successful treatments abroad.

Why Go Abroad for Medical Care?Cost SavingsMost people like to get the most for their dollar.The single biggest reason Americans travel to other countries for medical treatment is the opportunity to save money. Depending upon the country and type of treatment, uninsured and underinsured patients, as well as those seeking elective care, can realize 15-85 percent savings over the cost of treatment in the US.Or, as one successful health traveler put it, “I took out my credit card instead of a second mortgage on my home.”

As baby boomers become senior boomers, costs of healthcare and prescriptions are devouring nearly 30 percent of retirement and pre-retirement incomes.With the word getting out about top-quality treatments at deep discounts overseas, informed patients are finding creative alternatives abroad.

Margaret S., a patient from Santa Ana, California, was quoted $6,600 for a tooth extraction, two implants, and two crowns.One of the 120 million Americans without dental insurance, Margaret had heard of less expensive dental care abroad.Through a friend, she learned about Escazu, Costa Rica, known for its excellent dental and cosmetic surgery clinics. Margaret got the same treatment in Costa Rica for $2,600. Her dentist was a US-trained oral surgeon who used state-of-the-art instrumentation and top-quality materials.Add in airfare, lodging, meals, and other travel costs, and this savvy global patient still came out way ahead.

Doug S., a small business owner from Wisconsin, journeyed with his wife, Anne, to Chennai, India, for a double hip resurfacing procedure that would have cost more than $55,000 in the US. The total bill, including travel for him and his wife, lodging, meals, and two-week recuperation in a five-star beach hotel was $14,000.“We were treated like royalty,” said Doug, “and I'm riding a bicycle for the first time in six years.We could not have afforded this operation in the US.”

Better quality careVeteran health travelers know that facilities, instrumentation, and customer service in treatment centers abroad often equal or exceed those found in the US.In fact, governments of countries like India and Thailand have poured billions of dollars into improving their healthcare systems, which are now aggressively catering to the international health traveler.VIP waiting lounges, deluxe hospital suites, and staffed recuperation resorts are common amenities, along with free transportation to and from airports, low-cost meal plans for companions, and discounted hotels affiliated with the hospital.

Moreover, physicians and staff in treatment centers abroad are often far more accessible than their US counterparts.“My surgeon gave me his cell phone number, and I spoke directly with him at least a dozen times during my stay,” said David P., who traveled to Bangkok for a heart valve replacement procedure.

Excluded treatmentsEven the most robust health insurance plans exclude a variety of conditions and treatments.You, the policyholder, must pay these expenses out-of-pocket.Although health insurance policies vary according to the underwriter and individual, your plan probably excludes a variety of treatments, such as cosmetic surgeries; dental care, vision treatments, reproductive/infertility procedures; certain non-emergency cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeries; weight loss and substance abuse rehabilitation programs; and prosthetics—to name only a few.

In addition, many policies place restrictions on prescriptions (some quite expensive), post-operative care, congenital disorders, and pre-existing conditions.

Rich or cash-challenged, young or not-so-young, heavily or only lightly insured—folks who get sick or desire a treatment (even one recommended by their physician) often find their insurance won’t cover it.Confronting increasingly expensive choices at home, nearly 40 percent of American health travelers hit the road for elective treatments.In countries such as Costa Rica, Singapore, Dubai, and Thailand, this trend has spawned entire industries, offering excellent treatment and ancillary facilities at costs far lower than US prices.

Specialty treatmentsSome procedures and prescriptions are simply not allowed in this country.Either Congress or the FDA has specifically disallowed a certain procedure, or perhaps it’s still in the testing and clinical trials stage, or was only recently approved. Such treatments are often offered abroad. One example is an orthopedic procedure known as hip resurfacing, for most patients a far superior, longer-lasting, and less expensive alternative to the traditional hip replacement still practiced in the US. While this procedure has been performed for more than a decade throughout Europe and Asia, it was only recently approved in the US and the procedur’s availability here remains spotty and unproven.

Hundreds of forward-thinking Americans, many having suffered years of chronic pain, have found relief in India, where hip resurfacing techniques, materials, and instrumentation have been perfected, and the procedure is routine.

Shorter waiting periods For decades, thousands of Canadian and British subscribers to universal, “free” healthcare plans have endured waits as long as two years for established procedures.“Some of us die before we get to the operating table,” commented one exasperated patient, who journeyed to India for an open-heart procedure.

Here in the US, long waits are a growing problem, particularly among war veterans covered under the Veterans Administration Act, where long queues are becoming far too common. Some patients figure it’s better to pay out-of-pocket to get out of pain or to halt a deteriorating condition than to suffer the anxiety and frustration of waiting for a far-future appointment and other medical uncertainties.

The lure of the new and differentAlthough traveling abroad for medical care can often be challenging, many patients welcome the chance to blaze a trail, and they find the creature comforts often offered abroad a welcome relief from the sterile, impersonal hospital environments so often encountered in US treatment centers.For others, simply being in a new and interesting culture lends distraction to an otherwise worrisome, tedious process.And getting away from the myriad obligations of home and professional life can yield healthful effects at a stressful time.

What’s more, travel—and particularly international travel—can be a life-changing experience. You might be humbled by the limousine ride from Indira Gandhi International Airport to a hotel in central New Delhi, struck by the simple, elegant graciousness of professionals and ordinary people in a foreign land, or wowed by the sheer beauty of the mountain range outside a dental office window. As one veteran medical traveler put it, “I brought back far more from this trip than a new set of teeth.”

Who Should Read Patients Beyond BordersYou’ll benefit from reading this book if
you’re one of 43 million uninsured or underinsured individuals who wish to explore less expensive options for a treatment often covered by health insurance. you’re one of 120 million Americans without a dental plan who wish to take advantage of the full range of affordable dental procedures in other countries. you wish to pursue an elective treatment (such as cosmetic surgery, in vitro fertilization, or homeopathy) not normally covered by health insurance policies. you’re exploring one of many treatments either not offered or not approved in the US. you feel a friend or family member might benefit from learning more about health travel, yet that person might lack the confidence or focus to launch an inquiry. you plan to join a family member or friend for treatment abroad (see Chapter Seven, “For Companions”).

What Patients Beyond Borders Will (and Won’t) Do for YouPatients Beyond Borders isn’t a guide to medical diagnosis and treatment, nor does it provide medical advice on specific treatments or caregiver referrals.Your condition, diagnosis, treatment options, and travel preferences are unique, and only you—in consultation with your physician and loved ones—can determine the best course of action.

Should you decide to investigate traveling abroad for treatment, we do provide you with all the resources and tools necessary to become an informed medical traveler, so that you’ll have the best possible travel experience and treatment your money can buy.

Our job is to help you become a knowledgeable, confident health traveler; assist you in planning and budgeting your trip and treatment; provide you up-to-date information about the most popular, widely used treatment centers; make your in-country visit as comfortable and hassle-free as possible; recommend good lodging and travel leisure options; provide tips, tricks, and advice for a successful medical travel experience—before, during, and after treatment. Your job is toconsult with your US doctor(s) to ensure you’ve reached a satisfactory diagnosis and recommended course of treatment; decide, based on your research and the material featured in this book, whether you wish to travel abroad for treatment; and if so, select a travel destination, treatment center, and physician based on the information you find in this book and elsewhere. It’s a truism: Every journey begins with the first step.Health travel is no exception; yet once you’ve taken that first step toward learning more, you’ll find your friends, family, this book, and a trusty Internet connection will speed you on your way.

How to Use This BookBefore you dive into Part Two, “The Most-Traveled Health Destinations,” you’ll want to carefully read Part One, “How to Become a Savvy, Informed Medical Traveler.” It provides you the basic resources and tools you’ll need to do your research and make an informed decision.

Chapter One, “What Am I Getting Into? Some Quick Answers for Health Travelers,” addresses the questions and concerns most often voiced by patients and their loved ones considering a medical journey abroad.

Chapter Two, “Planning Your Health Journey,”helps you create your trip step-by-step.The chapter provides data and advice culled from interviews with hundreds of patients and treatment centers.You’ll learn how to cut through the chaff quickly to find the right clinics, determine physician accreditation, narrow your destination choices, choose the right companion, and more.

Chapter Three, “Budgeting Your Treatment and Trip,” walks you through the financial basics of a medical trip and gives you the tools you need to prepare an estimated budget. Our “Patients Beyond Borders Budget Planner” helps you determine specific cost-savings and avoid financial surprises.

Chapter Four, “Choosing and Working with a Health Travel Planner,” shows you how to avoid hassles and save money by finding and engaging the right health travel agent.

Chapter Five, “While You’re There,” provides valuable information on what to expect from your treatment center and physician, plus general tips for dealing with local cultures, language barriers, and more.A section on communicating while on the road will help you use cell phones and computers to communicate with physicians in-country, as well as loved ones back home.

Chapter Six, “Home Again, Home Again,”helps you get settled in post-treatment, offering practical advice on working with your hometown doctor, shaking off the “post-treatment blues,”coping with discomforts and complications, and getting back on your feet.

Chapter Seven, “For Companions,” is written especially for those caring folks who accompany patients on health journeys.

Chapter Eight, “Dos and Don’ts for the Smart Health Traveler,”helps you avoid common speed bumps and potholes on the health travel road.

Part Two, “The Most-Traveled Health Destinations,” features 22 destinations in 14 countries, with up-to-date information on hospitals and clinics, specialties, accreditation, recovery centers and recuperation resorts, transportation, communication, and more.You’ll use the information in this section to get a good idea about where to travel for your particular procedure and about what to expect for the costs of common treatments.

Part Three:“Resources and References,” features exclusive planning aids and worksheets. It’s one-stop shopping for a wealth of helpful tools.

As you work your way through decision-making and subsequent planning, remember that you’re following in the footsteps of tens of thousands of health travelers who have made the journey before you.The overwhelming majority have returned home successfully treated, with money to spare in their savings accounts.

Still, the process—particularly in the early planning—can be daunting, frustrating, even a little scary.That’s normal, and every health traveler we interviewed experienced “The Big Fear” at one time or another.Healthcare abroad is not for everyone, and part of being a smart consumer is evaluating all the impartial data available before making an informed decision.If you accomplished that in reading Patients Beyond Borders, we’ve achieved our mission.

Josef Woodman, Author, Patients Beyond Borders

Patients Beyond Borders - Chapter Excerpts

2007-04-09T08:58:00.000+07:00

Dear Reader: On this page, we’ll frequently post a new excerpt from Patients Beyond Borders,” either an informative chunk from one of the eight chapters in the book, or a peek at one of the 22 destinations featured in Part Two. Check back for new posts, or go to Amazon and click the “Search Inside” link.

From Chapter Two: Planning Your Health JourneyThe Twelvefold Path to Enlightened Health Travel PlanningThe following is culled from hundreds of interviews with patients and treatment center staff members around the world. Follow the steps and advice outlined here and you’ll streamline your planning, organize your trip well, select the best physician(s), communicate effectively with staff and agents, save money, and prepare to pack your bags with confidence.
Step 1: Confirm Your Treatment OptionsDoctors often recommend a range of choices for a given condition and then leave the choice up to patients and their families. That’s wise, because your body is your own, and no one except you can or should make such vital decisions. Most physicians respect their patient’s autonomy. That’s why they usually stop short of advising you on a specific course of treatment.

If you have doubts about your diagnosis or feel dissatisfaction with your relationship with your physician or specialist, don’t be timid about seeking a second—or even third—opinion. At the very least, a second opinion expands your knowledge base about your condition. The more you and your hometown health team learn about—and discuss—your condition, diagnosis, and treatment options, the more precisely and confidently you’ll communicate with your overseas practitioners.

As you sort through your treatment options and consider courses of action, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about your condition. You’ll get better care from your overseas practitioners if you are a knowledgeable and responsive patient.
It works both ways: your experiences and challenges as an informed medical traveler will sharpen your skills on the home front, better equipping you and your loved ones to survive and flourish in the increasingly complex morass that has become our contemporary healthcare system.

Step 2: Narrow Your DestinationsOnce you’ve resolved what treatment you’re seeking, refer to the Patients Beyond Borders “Treatment and Country Finder” found at the beginning of Part Two. This handy reference will help you locate the destinations cited throughout the book that offer the care you’re seeking. In addition, you may also want to consult the Web or other trusted sources you may know.

Your searches will likely produce a dozen or so places that offer, for example, excellent dental care. Great! Choice is good. You will now want to narrow your search based on your circumstance and personal preferences. For example, if you have a choice in travel times, you may prefer a cooler climate in Eastern Europe over the coastal humid heat of Cape Town, South Africa. Or perhaps you speak a little Spanish and are more comfortable conversing with Costa Ricans than Croatians. For sheer travel convenience, a patient living in California or Oregon may prefer Mexico as a destination for dental treatment, while Costa Rica makes more sense to a Florida or Georgia resident.

The point is to narrow your options based on your travel preferences, geography, budget, time requirements, and other variables. Part Two, “The Most-Traveled Health Destinations,” provides a wealth of information on the most widely visited regions and treatment centers.
To help you narrow your options, ask yourself these questions:

When do I want—or need—to travel? If I’m taking a companion, when can he or she travel? How much do I mind a ten-hour flight? An 18-hour flight? Do I have a preference for a hotter or cooler climate? If I’m planning on leisure activities while abroad, what types most interest me? Hiking? Museum-hopping? Shopping? Beaches? Night Life? How much cultural diversity can I tolerate?

Step 3: Engage a Great Health Travel AgentGood news: if you don’t want to do all the planning, research, and booking work yourself, you don’t have to. The medical travel industry has recently given rise to the specialty services of the health travel planner. A qualified agent is usually a specialist in a given region or treatment, with the best doctors, accommodations, and in-country contacts at their fingertips.

Once you’ve settled on your health travel destination, it pays to seek out the services of that locale’s best health travel agent. Agents usually pay for themselves and are well worth the relatively modest additional fees they typically charge.

The better health travel agents do all the work of a traditional travel agent and more, including some or all of the following:

Match you with the appropriate clinic and physician(s)By far the most important service a health travel agent provides is that of matchmaker. The best agents have years of experience with treatment centers, physicians, and staffs, and are in a position to find the best fit among a variety of choices, in addition to weeding out bad apples. Because the agency’s success depends on references from satisfied customers, top agents work hard to make the physician-patient relationship a good match from the start.

Arrange and confirm appointmentsOnce you’ve selected or approved a physician, the agent can handle the details of making appointments for consultations, tests, and treatment. Agents know all the assistants and aides; they can push the right buttons to fast track your arrangements.
Expedite the transfer of your medical information Your agent can work with you and your physicians at home and abroad to relay medical data, including history, x-rays, test results, recommendations, and other documentation. Agents can help you get data into the right format for emailing or help you determine the best way to ship documents.

Book air travelAgents sometimes have arrangements with airlines for good deals on airfares, and booking international flights is usually a standard part of an agent’s service offering.
Obtain visasFor a relatively modest fee, a health travel agent can help you avoid the hassles of purchasing a visa (if required), updating your passport, procuring tourist cards, and hounding the appropriate embassy for service.

Reserve lodging and other accommodationsThese folks can work with your budget and lifestyle preferences to put you in touch with hotels closest to your treatment center; they’ll often book reservations and arrange amenities such as private nursing care. Many agents have forged partnerships with hotels for discounted rates.

Arrange in-country transportation Most agencies either provide transportation from the airport to your hotel or treatment center, or they work directly with the hotel or hospital to arrange transport. If transport is required between your hotel and treatment center, they’ll also help with arrangements.

Help manage post-reatment proceduresAgents can be hugely helpful at the point of discharge from your treatment center, ensuring that your exit paperwork and other documentation are in order.

Help with recovery and recuperation Little publicized and often overlooked are the recovery resorts, surgical retreats, and recuperation hotels that can make a week or two of post-treatment more bearable—sometimes even enjoyable. Agents know all about facilities in their area and work in close partnership with the better ones. The international travel services coordinator at your hospital can also help on this front.

Help with leisure activity planningIf you and your companion are up for a pre- or post-treatment trip, most agents offer assistance with side trips, car rentals, hotels, restaurants, and other travel amenities.

For more information on health travel agents in your preferred destinations, see Chapter Four, “Choosing and Working with a Health Travel Agent.” For information on specific agents, see the “Health Travel Agent” sections in Part Two.

Josef Woodman, Author, Patients Beyond Borders

Patients Beyond Borders - The book that’s changing the way Americans think about traveling abroad for healthcare

2007-04-09T08:57:00.000+07:00

Patients Beyond Borders is the first comprehensive guide for Americans considering medical tourism. Less about travel and all about healthcare choices, this consumer guidebook provides practical answers for the increasing numbers of Americans facing long-term financial insecurity due to challenging medical conditions.

Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand Lobby and soothing music, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand Typical ward, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand. Fluent English spoken. ATMs, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand Entrance to operating room, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand Patient suite, around $200/night, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand In-room VoIP fone, call anywhere worldwide, free. Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand. Gym and physical therapy center Waiting and reception area, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand Starbucks, Bangkok International Hospital, Thailand
Easy-to-understand, impartial, extensively researched, and filled with authoritative and accessible advice, Patients Beyond Borders gives you detailed information on the best hospitals and treatment centers in 22 destinations worldwide; data on American and regional accreditation; health travel planners; accommodations and more.

Whether it’s dental work, heart surgery, orthopedics, fertilization clinics, neurosurgery, cosmetic surgery or LASIK? eye repair, you can’t afford to ignore the safest, most affordable options when considering your treatment choices. Patients Beyond Borders is the best way to determine if heath travel is right for you, and to plan and budget your journey.

Amidst an increasingly bleak US healthcare landscape, informed Americans now have financial leverage when considering expensive medical procedures. With more than 100 American-accredited hospitals now offering hundreds of treatment procedures and super-specialties, it pays the healthcare consumer to be informed—the savings often far outweigh the rigors of travel abroad.

Josef Woodman, Author, Patients Beyond Borders

The Arguments for Medical Tourism and Dental Tourism

2007-04-09T08:49:00.000+07:00

For a travel writer, there is no surer way to attract a barrage of hate mail than to suggest foreign travel for the purpose of obtaining medical or dental treatment. Immediately, dozens of U.S. doctors and dentists accuse you of putting people's lives at risk, since only U.S. doctors and dentists are able to safely treat us. And U.S. medical and dental treatments, as we all know, are the absolute best.

If the United States had universal medical and dental insurance, and every American was able to afford treatment here at home, I would not be disposed to argue the matter. But more than 40 million Americans are without such insurance and are unable to afford many elective treatments here at home.

The proposed remedy will, therefore, not go away. Outside the United States are medical facilities and myriads of doctors and dentists willing to charge modest sums within the financial reach of nearly everyone. And more and more observers are claiming such care to be impressive and safe, the frequent equivalent of what many wealthier or insured Americans are able to obtain at home.

The latest publication to advocate the use of foreign doctors and dentists is a 324-page book, Patients Beyond Borders, by Josef D. Woodman (Healthy Travel Media 2007, $22.95). It is available directly from Healthy Travel Media, P.O. Box 17057, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, or from www.patientsbeyondborders.com, or from Amazon.com or numerous bookstores.

Woodman points out that "at least 28 countries on four continents cater to the international health traveler, with more than a million patients visiting hospitals and clinics each year in countries other than their own."

Let's assume that the arguments for medical tourism or dental tourism — namely, going overseas to obtain such treatment — aren't completely established. Let's assume that an operation costing a fraction of what you'd spend in the U.S. is not always guaranteed to be the equivalent of what you'd obtain at home. What do you say to the American who can't afford such treatment at home? What do you say to the person who is able to afford medical or dental treatments only if he or she can go overseas to obtain them? Do you advise such Americans simply to pass them up and do nothing about their health?

In Patients Beyond Borders, Woodman claims that the quality of the foreign facilities he describes is impressively high. He makes that claim for, among others, several leading hospitals in Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand (cardiovascular treatments, orthopedics and ophthalmology, neurology, dental care and oncology); for hospitals in Cape Town and Mossel Bay, South Africa (including the famous Christiaan Barnard Hospital, which is noted for heart- and kidney-transplant surgeries); for several highly accredited clinics in Singapore; for hospitals and clinics of every sort in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, India; for low-cost dentistry in Budapest and northwest Hungary (where thousands of residents of Vienna go each year for their dental work); for cosmetic and dental care in Prague; for cosmetic surgery in Brazil (including the clinic and institute of Ivo Pitanguy, the world's most renowned plastic surgeon); for the addiction recovery and fertility clinics of Antigua and Barbados. These facilities are discussed in detail, as are the methods of traveling and staying there, the anticipated costs and the accreditation they possess.

Medical and dental tourism are obviously part of an increasing globalization of life. Just as numerous high-quality commercial and manufacturing processes are now found overseas, it is becoming fairly obvious that the medical and dental professions of numerous foreign countries also are gaining fame. They also are gaining American patients who travel there for affordable treatment.

By ARTHUR FROMMER

Medical Tourism Boosted by Long Wait Times in Canada

2007-03-29T00:50:00.000+07:00

Going abroad for surgery is becoming an affordable option for Canadians, with many firms turning operations and recovery periods into high-end exotic holidays.Four years ago when Suzanne Aucoin was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, she had to travel every week to the United States to buy life-saving cancer drugs at expensive rates. Ms. Aucoin, who lives in St. Catharines, Ont., said she was lucky because she lived in a border town and she was able to buy drugs that were not available in Canada.
"We are renowned for our health care system, and when I am in the deepest need as a cancer patient, and they don't have what I need to save my life, that's very sad," she said in a recent interview.
But Ms. Aucoin is not alone. Whether it is to get life-saving medication for cancer or a hip replacement, an increasing number of Canadians are travelling abroad for medical purposes. Long hospital wait times–it can take more than a year to get a hip replacement–have been identified as the reason most Canadians seek treatment overseas.
Leigh Turner, an associate professor of biomedical ethics at McGill University in Montreal, says that governments in Canada do not know how many Canadians are seeking expensive treatment abroad.
"There is very little reliable statistics on numbers, and sometimes they are inflated for marketing purposes," he says.
Part of the problem in keeping track of the number of Canadians seeking medical treatment abroad is because their journeys are facilitated by private entities, and the information is considered private.
"Medical tourism is an individual issue and these are independent private corporations, and they don't have any connection to the ministry," says A.G. Klei, a spokesman for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.
"There's no way that we can track that," he says.
Medical Tourists Increasing
Yasmeen Sayeed, president and CEO of Surgical Tourism Canada, a Vancouver-based firm that facilitates travel and treatment of Canadian patients in hospitals in India, says since she started operations two years ago, she has noticed that the numbers are increasing.
"When we started, we only did three cases. Then it went up to 30–then 50 in the next year," she says.
"This year, since January, we have already done 20 cases."
While the number of patients is increases, so too are the number of corporations involved in medical tourism. Mr. Turner says that this started in 2002. He estimates that about half of these corporations are based in British Columbia, and "maybe a quarter in Quebec, three in Ontario and one is about to set up shop in Manitoba."
While travelling abroad for treatment is expensive, the notion that only those with high incomes can afford it is a myth. Ms. Sayeed says her clients come from all walks of life because of the availability of medical finance companies giving affordable loans to any working individual.
So far, the favourite medical destination for Canadians seems to be India, but Mr. Turner says some companies are promoting Cuba. Worldwide, Singapore and Thailand rank high.
In India, patients can expect top-notch treatment from private high-tech facilities.
"It's almost like going to a top-end tourist resort," says Mr. Turner.
But behind the veneer of high-tech facilities, there are still questions about the care patients receive. Mr. Turner says it's hard to measure the rate of success in operations, and other treatment because finding reliable information is hard to come by.
"There's certainly a risk out there," he says, adding that in the U.S., the Center for Disease Control has published a report about patients who got infections after undergoing surgery in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.
Ms. Sayeed says in her years of facilitating treatment in India, she has not received complaints from any patients.
But while Canadians are opting to travel to India to avoid chronic long wait times at home, the other compelling reason is the low cost of treatment. Ms. Sayeed says in Canada, the average cost for a hip replacement is $18,000.
"If you went across the border to the U.S., you could be paying anything from $26,000 to $40,000 (US)," she says.
"If you went to India, our total package costs $14,500, out of which only $8,500 is the surgery cost."
No Solution to Wait Time Situation
Surgical Tourism Canada also arranges travel and visa requirements, insurance, hospital stay and post-hospital recuperation in rehabilitation facilities where doctors can check on patients until they are fit enough to travel back to Canada.
On arrival in Canada, the medical reports from India are transferred to family physicians. However, patients are encouraged to stay in touch with their doctors in India by email and phone contacts so that their medical histories are monitored.
But even though they received treatment abroad, patients could still face problems in Canada because doctors may be unaware of the procedures and methods used in India, says Mr. Turner. In cases of botched-up operations, patients may encounter problems seeking legal recourse, though Mr. Turner says he hasn't heard of any such situation.
Ms. Sayeed says all the hospitals her company partners with in India have medical malpractice insurance coverage.
While travelling abroad raises questions about the kind of health care Canadians receive, it also raises questions about whether the government should step in to rectify the situation, says Mr. Turner.
"If Canadians face the choice of going on a waiting list for an orthopedic procedure for a year and a half, or going out of the country, do they end up getting inferior care?
"And if so, are there things we can do in Canada to reduce that from happening?"
As for Ms. Aucoin, she launched a campaign to have the Ontario Ministry of Health solve part of her problem. In February, the ministry reimbursed her medical and legal costs by giving her $52,000 for her medical bills and $19,000 for legal costs.
By Brian Adeba

Diethelm Travel and Bamrungrad International Hospital Promote Medical Tourism

2007-03-17T13:45:00.000+07:00

Bumrungrad International hospital and Diethelm Travel Thailand (DTT) have signed a partnership agreement

to develop and market new products and services to meet the needs of Thailand’s booming medical tourism

industry.
Under the agreement, DTT will act as Bumrungrad International’s exclusive ground service agent, providing

support services for inbound patients coming to Bangkok for treatment. DTT will also market Bumrungrad

medical tourism packages to the travel and tour industry.

This unique partnership brings together the resources and strengths of Thailand’s number one hospital and

tour operator, and provides each with access to new market segments. “This is truly a natural fit,”

comments John Watson, Diethelm Travel Asia’s CEO. “Bumrungrad’s international patients need and want

seamless door-to-door service from the moment they arrive, and that’s precisely what DTT provides.”

Bumrungrad and DTT explored opportunities to work together in the past, but it wasn’t until DTT Managing

Director, Richard Brouwer, heard a presentation by Bumrungrad Group CEO, Curtis Schroeder, did the

company decide to actively pursue a strategic partnership with Bumrungrad.

“I was floored by the presentation,” says Brouwer. “I had no idea the hospital was attracting so many

patients from all over the world.” Bumrungrad International is the world’s number one medical tourism

destination, attracting over 400,000 international patients in 2005 from over 150 countries. The hospital has

been featured extensively in international media, like CBS’ 60 Minutes, for its quality care and affordable

prices.

Bumrungrad Group CEO, Curtis Schroeder, also saw the benefits in associating with a strong travel partner.

“Our business is medicine, not travel. The partnership with Diethelm Travel allows us to focus on our core

business, and provide our patients with expert ground handling services.”

Diethelm Travel Thailand will have a coordination office inside Bumrungrad International hospital and will

have a presence on the Bumrungrad International website to facilitate ground service coordination activities.

The two companies will also collaborate to market medical tourism packages at major international trade

shows like ITB in Berlin and ATM in Dubai.

DTT is part of Diethelm Travel Asia, the leading inbound tourism agency in South East Asia with further

official licensed offices in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam, employing

some 700 staff, designing itineraries for tourists from more than 95 countries.

DTT books annually more than 420,000 hotel room night and handles in excess of 250,000 tourists.

Bumrungrad International is Thailand’s premier medical centre, a regional referral centre for acute care and

the world’s premier medical tourism destination. Founded in 1980 as a one stop centre for healthcare,

Bumrungrad offers five-star facilities, over 700 internationally trained and board certified doctors, and a

complete range of medical services from check-ups to cardiac surgery. The hospital attracts over 1 million

patients annually, and is the first hospital in Asia and the only one in Thailand awarded Joint Commission

International Accreditation (JCIA).

DIETHELM TRAVEL (THAILAND) LTD.
Kian Gwan II Bldg., 140/1 Wireless Road
Bangkok 10330
Thailand
Tel: + 662 255 9150-70
Fax: +662 256 0248-49
E-mail: updates@dtregional.com
Web site: www.diethelmtravel.com

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Medical Tourism: A Chance to Address Many Ills

2007-03-17T00:51:00.000+07:00

Many of the state owned and operated hospitals in the Caribbean are in poor condition. Notwithstanding competent doctors and nurses, the physical condition of many of the hospitals is bad and their equipment and technology are inadequate.

Against this background, it may seem odd that I am suggesting in this commentary that Caribbean governments, financial institutions and tourist resorts should invest in health tourism.

Nonetheless, I do suggest it as a chance not only to add a lucrative string to the bow of Caribbean tourism, but also as an opportunity to provide local people with better hospitals and improved health care for a wide range of illnesses.

A huge market is rapidly developing in the United States, Canada and Europe of people who are going abroad to seek urgent medical attention, cosmetic surgery and rehabilitation in salubrious climes.

And, there is a massive drive by several developing countries to corner a significant portion of this growing industry.

During this month alone there are two events at which alliances will be built to take advantage of the opportunities that health tourism is opening.

The Department of Tourism in Kerala, a state in the South of India, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organising a show and an international conference on health tourism which will be attended by prominent medical tourism hospitals, medical insurance companies and the travel trade.

The state minister for tourism Kodiveri Balakrishnan said: "As a state, Kerala is leading in the area of medical tourism… We are planning to announce a Medical Tourism Policy during the inaugural session” of the show.

Then, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation is sponsoring a World Health Tourism Congress, targeting Corporate Buyers in the HealthCare Tourism Industry, Medical and Wellbeing tourism, Ministries of Health, Corporations and Travel Agencies.

There is good reason for this keen interest in medical tourism.

Some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, which operate public health-care systems, are so overburdened that it can take a year or more to get needed medical treatment including surgery for hip replacements. In some cases, even surgery for heart conditions can take months to schedule. Consequently, people are opting to go abroad to places like India and Singapore to be treated immediately in private hospitals.

The cost of treatment in private hospitals in North America and Europe is much higher than it is in developing countries that have dedicated resources to medical tourism.

A study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and McKinsey consultants estimated "medical tourism" could be worth over US$2 billion by 2012. The study revealed that last year over 150,000 foreigners visited India alone for treatment, with the number rising by 15% a year.

A similar number of Americans, dissatisfied with the escalating costs of health care, sought surgery abroad in 2006 and the number is growing.

This is a reality recognised by US health insurance companies who see a benefit to their profits by offering their subscribers treatment at, for instance, Bumrungrad hospital in Thailand, if their policies do not cover the costs of US hospitals for procedures they need.

Increasingly, more private insurance providers will be doing the same.

The middle-east is also a growing market for medical tourism.

Many wealthy Arabs, who used to travel to Britain and the United States for medical treatment, have discovered that they can receive as good medical attention in better climates and at better prices in India, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia – all of whom are hustling to develop the market still further.

And, the private hospitals in these developing countries have extremely healthy bank accounts. For instance, Mr. Chai Sophonpanich, the Chairman of the Thai hospital, Bumrungrad, which is a publicly traded company, reported at the end of 2005 that the hospital served more than a million patients from over 190 countries paying an impressive dividend to its shareholders.

Both at home and in the Diaspora, the Caribbean has highly trained and skilled doctors ranging from general practitioners to surgeons and specialists. Caribbean nurses are also poached every day for work in the UK, the US and Canada.

Undoubtedly, they can provide as good a service and perhaps better to the growing market for medical tourism. It would keep their talent at home, and bring home many of them. And, while they serve a lucrative foreign market at home, they could also give their skills to the local population whose costs could be subsidised by the foreign clientele.

But, such a development will require precisely what the state of Kerala is about to announce: a medical tourism policy by governments that includes incentives for private companies to invest in modern, well-equipped, well-paying hospitals and a strong marketing effort to promote the Caribbean as a health tourism destination.

It will also need visionary companies and financial backers who recognise the opportunity that medical tourism presents and seize the moment to invest in it.

By Sir Ronald Sanders
Huntington News Network

Soaring health-care costs in the rich world offer Asian firms an opportunity

2007-03-12T20:37:00.000+07:00

AMERICA'S soaring health-care costs, already $2 trillion a year, are predicted to double in the coming decade. Dissatisfaction with the rocketing price of care will only get worse as demanding and health-conscious “baby-boomers” hit retirement and start to suffer the costly ailments of old age. In countries like Britain and Canada, with supposedly universal coverage, state spending is not keeping up with growing demand, so patients face long and agonising waits for operations. And in the prosperous bits of Asia and the Middle East growing numbers of people are rich enough to demand high-quality medical care that they cannot get locally.

AP

Now that's what I call room serviceAll this presents a fantastic business opportunity for those Asian countries, principally Thailand, Singapore and India, which have excellent private hospitals that are used to treating foreigners and where costs are a fraction of those in rich countries. “Medical tourism” is booming as patients look abroad for cheap, fast treatment, often combined with a holiday afterwards. Josef Woodman, the author of “Patients Beyond Borders”, a new guide for those seeking surgery abroad, reckons that 150,000 Americans did so last year, and predicts the numbers will double this year.

Booming demand is encouraging rapid expansion at big stockmarket-listed hospital operators such as Thailand's Bumrungrad and Bangkok Dusit, Singapore's Parkway and Pacific Healthcare and India's Apollo Hospitals. This week Pacific Healthcare said it would build seven medical centres across Asia. Bumrungrad, which treated 430,000 non-Thais last year, has just expanded its Bangkok hospital and is setting up in the Philippines and Dubai.

Singapore is more expensive than Thailand, but still far cheaper than America. Goh Jin Hian, the head of Parkway's Gleneagles Hospital, says Singapore should try to compete for the most complex treatments, leaving cosmetic surgery and other price-sensitive operations to lower-cost rivals such as Thailand. Nevertheless, like the Thai hospital operators, he is sure the medical-travel boom will provide plenty of foreign patients for them all.

Mr Woodman reckons that today's boom is just the start. So far, most medical tourists pay their own way. But the Asian hospital operators are now courting American health insurers and employers desperate to rein in soaring costs. Bumrungrad's marketing chief, Ruben Toral, who was in America this week for talks with insurers and big employers, says they were very keen. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina already offers Bumrungrad's cut-price treatments to members whose policies do not cover the surgery they need.

To reassure foreign patients, many hospitals are seeking accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI), the international arm of the body that accredits American hospitals. Thailand's Bumrungrad and nine Singaporean hospitals already have JCI certificates. Raymond Chong, the boss of Bangkok Dusit's Samitivej Hospital, reckons it will be only a year or two before big American insurers and employers routinely offer patients lower premiums if they are prepared to travel to a foreign JCI-accredited hospital for surgery.

For patients, employers and insurers the benefits are clear. But the hospital operators are bracing themselves for a backlash from the rich countries' medical vested interests whose jobs are, in effect, being outsourced. Expect much shroud-waving from doctors' associations and health-care unions as they highlight the few cases of foreign surgery that go wrong—as though such a thing never happens back home.
The Economist

Overseas Cosmetic Surgery Booms

2007-03-12T20:23:00.000+07:00

A growing number of Korean women are flying to Southeast Asia to have breast augmentation surgery as operation costs are much less there than here. The takes about one and a half hours on average after a five-minute-long consultation and basic health tests like taking the weight and blood pressure of clients, according to a broker and local hospitals in Thailand. Also, they say the recovery period is less than four days.

``It took less than 3.4 million won in total for me to have breast augmentation surgery in Thailand. The cost included 2.2 million won for the actual surgery, 700,000 won for a round trip ticket and 400,000 won for a Korean guide,’’ said a woman who had the breast augmentation surgery in Thailand last month, on condition of anonymity. The operation cost is about half of that in South Korea, which is about 6 million won on average.

In Seoul there are two broker organizations that introduce women consumers to hospitals in Southeast Asia. Last month, more than 30 women visited Bangkok on a so-called ``surgery tour’’ with a Korean guide, organized by one of the broker organizations. It is estimated that more than 100 people go on such tourist packages, incorporating cosmetic surgery, a month. Such tours offer massage services, and shopping and travel excursions for the women during their recovery period.

However, when complications arise as a result of surgery there is no way to get proper compensation as it is not easy to return to the surgeon involved pain.

Lee, 26, who received breast augmentation surgery in Bangkok last month visited a hospital in Seoul on her arrival due to serious pain.``I just can’t stand my breast pain,’’ Lee said. ``Although the broker organizations initially told me they would take responsibility for side effects, they just gave me painkillers when I complained of pain in my breasts.’’

To find out the cause of the pain, there is not alternative but to be operated on again as she does know what was inserted into the breast during the surgery.
``I heard that many hospitals in Southeast Asia use substances of low quality imported from China for surgery.

During surgery we have often found unidentified alien substances that have never seen before,’’ said Yoo Sang-wook, a cosmetic surgeon in Seoul.

By Park Chung-a Staff Reporter Korea Times

A SEX SWAP OP..AT 18 EXCLUSIVE BRITAIN'S YOUNGEST-EVER TRANSSEXUAL

2007-03-11T17:25:00.000+07:00

IN her low-cut dress Lucy Parker smiles confidently at the camera. She couldn't be more different than the picture of the 11-year-old boy in his school uniform with the pudding-basin haircut.

Yet the pictures taken seven years apart are of the same person. Richard Parker, schoolboy, has become Lucy Parker, the teenage girl who loves make-up and wearing the highest of high heels.

At 18 Lucy is the youngest transsexual in Britain. She started hormone treatment at 16 and has had an operation to give her breasts. In a few months her transformation will be complete after a final operation.

"Some people will say I am too young to have made this decision, but for me becoming a true woman can't come soon enough," says Lucy. "I have spent 16 years trapped in a man's body, but my soul is a woman's."

At the beginning of the year Lucy, who's a Size 8 and 5ft 10in tall, had 34C breast implants - an 18th birthday present from her mum Allison, 41.

In the next few months Lucy will undergo ?10,000 sex reassignment surgery, possibly in Thailand, to remove her manhood and build a vagina. "After the operation I will be finally who I was meant to be," says Lucy who lives in Middlesbrough on Teesside.

Sarah Arnold Sundaymirror.Co.Uk

Philippines Touts High-Quality But Cheap Medical Tourism

2007-03-08T23:27:00.000+07:00

SAN FRANCISCO – Since December last year, Marita Regaldia of Fairfield, Calif., has needed some dental work – three fillings, two crowns and complete cleaning.
Her dental insurance only covers so much, and the best quote she got from an accredited dentist would require her to co-pay $570. She could only afford the steep price if she foregoes her scheduled visit to the Philippines middle of this month, but that is the last thing she would do.
With a little patience and a lot of due diligence, she mulled over the numbers and came to a decision. Next week, Marita is off to visit her folks in Manila, as well as her family dentist ,who would be charging her for the entire dental treatment a package cost of no more than P6,500 or $132.
Marita and the thousands of other Filipino Americans reeling under the impact of rising health care costs in the United States are the targets of the medical tourism program the Philippine government officially launched last year.
Following the successes of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India, the Philippines staged its first Philippine Medical Tourism Congress on Nov. 20-21 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.
The grand launching of the Philippines as a medical travel destination comes under a provision of Executive Order No. 372 of October 2004, creating a public-private sector task force for the development of globally competitive Philippine service industries.
Retirement and leisure, information technology and logistics – alongside medical tourism – are the three other sectors now enjoying development support.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco announced it was laying the groundwork for the San Francisco stop of the medical tourism “road show” from the Philippines, tentatively set for the end of April.
Basically a trade mission, the group comprises ranking officials of some of the Philippines’ top hospitals, including the Asian Hospital, Capitol Medical Center, Kidney Institute of the Philippines, Makati Medical Center, Medical City, Philippine Heart Center for Asia, St. Luke’s Medical Center and UST Hospital.
Details of the tour are being finalized, but could include top-level meetings with executives of premier health care institutions in New York and San Francisco.
Medical tourism is a burgeoning industry that captures the health and wellness dollar from developed countries. It is touted as a revolution in health care sweeping Asia and some Latin American countries, which is projected to balloon into a $4.4-billion business by 2012.
For a fraction of the cost that hospitals in rich countries charge under their health care systems, routine and complex medical, dental and surgical procedures can be done in Asian countries that offer comparably advanced facilities and services.
The medical travel package invariably includes vacation and sightseeing sorties as a value-added attraction. The U.S. marketing thrust of medical tourism to the Philippines is primarily zeroing in on the Filipino American market, to include would-be retirees and baby boomer professionals.
The general market is likewise in the periscope, as more Americans travel to Manila to take advantage of the world-class medical services and facilities as well as the competence of health care professionals.
The low cost of treatment and surgery, however, remains the biggest attraction for people in the United States where the population of wage earners who cannot afford health insurance continues to swell.
On average, studies show, every sick person in the U.S. spends at least $1,000 in out-of-pocket expenses after obtaining treatment. Average medical insurance premiums have risen 87 percent since 2000; average earnings, on the other hand, have only increased 20 percent.
Philippines Touts High-Quality But Cheap Medical Tourism
Philippine News, News Report, Jun Ilagan, Posted: Mar 08, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO – Since December last year, Marita Regaldia of Fairfield, Calif., has needed some dental work – three fillings, two crowns and complete cleaning.
Her dental insurance only covers so much, and the best quote she got from an accredited dentist would require her to co-pay $570. She could only afford the steep price if she foregoes her scheduled visit to the Philippines middle of this month, but that is the last thing she would do.
With a little patience and a lot of due diligence, she mulled over the numbers and came to a decision. Next week, Marita is off to visit her folks in Manila, as well as her family dentist ,who would be charging her for the entire dental treatment a package cost of no more than P6,500 or $132.
Marita and the thousands of other Filipino Americans reeling under the impact of rising health care costs in the United States are the targets of the medical tourism program the Philippine government officially launched last year.
Following the successes of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India, the Philippines staged its first Philippine Medical Tourism Congress on Nov. 20-21 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.
The grand launching of the Philippines as a medical travel destination comes under a provision of Executive Order No. 372 of October 2004, creating a public-private sector task force for the development of globally competitive Philippine service industries.
Retirement and leisure, information technology and logistics – alongside medical tourism – are the three other sectors now enjoying development support.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco announced it was laying the groundwork for the San Francisco stop of the medical tourism “road show” from the Philippines, tentatively set for the end of April.
Basically a trade mission, the group comprises ranking officials of some of the Philippines’ top hospitals, including the Asian Hospital, Capitol Medical Center, Kidney Institute of the Philippines, Makati Medical Center, Medical City, Philippine Heart Center for Asia, St. Luke’s Medical Center and UST Hospital.
Details of the tour are being finalized, but could include top-level meetings with executives of premier health care institutions in New York and San Francisco.
Medical tourism is a burgeoning industry that captures the health and wellness dollar from developed countries. It is touted as a revolution in health care sweeping Asia and some Latin American countries, which is projected to balloon into a $4.4-billion business by 2012.
For a fraction of the cost that hospitals in rich countries charge under their health care systems, routine and complex medical, dental and surgical procedures can be done in Asian countries that offer comparably advanced facilities and services.
The medical travel package invariably includes vacation and sightseeing sorties as a value-added attraction. The U.S. marketing thrust of medical tourism to the Philippines is primarily zeroing in on the Filipino American market, to include would-be retirees and baby boomer professionals.
The general market is likewise in the periscope, as more Americans travel to Manila to take advantage of the world-class medical services and facilities as well as the competence of health care professionals.
The low cost of treatment and surgery, however, remains the biggest attraction for people in the United States where the population of wage earners who cannot afford health insurance continues to swell.
On average, studies show, every sick person in the U.S. spends at least $1,000 in out-of-pocket expenses after obtaining treatment. Average medical insurance premiums have risen 87 percent since 2000; average earnings, on the other hand, have only increased 20 percent.
http://www.philippinenews.com/news

Trade Exhibition & Conference on Medical Tourism, Spa & Wellness

2007-03-08T23:24:00.000+07:00

Proud Asia 2007, the First International Trade Exhibition & Conference on Medical Tourism, Spa & Wellness Industries which will be held on 27-30 September 2007 at Hall 9, Impact Convention Center, Muangthong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand.
Intending to prove its clear advantages as a medical tourism hub and a leading center for spa and wellness industries in Asia Pacific region by presenting the latest innovations and trendiest technology in the sectors involved, Thailand prepares itself to play host to a large international gathering of exhibitors, buyers and experts in Proud Asia 2007, the First International Trade Exhibition & Conference on Medical Tourism, Spa & Wellness Industries which will be held on 27-30 September 2007 at Hall 9, Impact Convention Center, Muangthong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand.
With Production Management & Services Co., Ltd. and Impact Exhibition Management Co., Ltd. co-organizing this big event, Proud Asia 2007 takes on the challenging role to cater to the needs of medical, spa and wellness industries in the whole region with the participation of some 300 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors from Singapore, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong, as well as participants from the Philippines, Indonesia, Korea, Australia, Japan, USA and Canada.
"Thailand has distinct advantages in several key industries, among which are medical tourism, spa and wellness industries. We are proud to be the first to launch an exhibition catering to these major industries in the international market," said Ms. Natprapa Yokputtaraksa, Managing Director of Production Management & Services Co., Ltd.
The event will feature innovative technologies that promote quality medical, and spa services as well as those related to beauty and wellness. Aside from these, Proud Asia 2007 includes highly informative workshops, seminars and product demonstrations.
“Beauty business will continuously grow as both men and women care about their looks,” President of Thai Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Surgery, Dr. Thada Piamphongsan, said, adding that Thailand has more advantages than other countries in Asia when it comes to offering the best quality medical and beauty services but at cheaper rates.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), at least five million tourists come to the country annually for medical treatment. Various plastic surgery clinics could attest that the number of both Thais and foreigners undergoing dental and plastic surgeries, lasik, and other physical enhancement procedures is increasing. Aside from these, Thailand has earned its reputation as an excellent location for spa services.
Mr. Apichai Jearadisak, President of Thai Spa Association re-affirmed the growing trend of spa service in Thailand, highlighting the growth in Thai spa business and citing in particular the emergence of a number of new spa operators especially those so-called “day spa”.
“The growth of spa business is a good sign that tells us that we can respond to customers’ needs,” Mr. Apichai added pointing to Proud Asia 2007as an excellent venue where the international community can actually see the advancements that Thailand has taken the field of medical tourism.
Proud Asia 2007 offers the maximum exposure to exhibitors and the highest advantage to buyers and visitors in terms of rates and the opportunity to witness cutting-edge technologies and innovative products and services from the world’s leading experts in the fields of medical tourism, spa and wellness. Impact Convention Hall will provide the ideal venue to accommodate all participants who are expecting proof of Thailand’s ability to host such a big international event.
Extending its all-out support in holding Proud Asia 2007 in an effort to make the country, as the region’s MICE hub is Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or (TCEB), through its director for exhibition, Mr. Vithaya Sintharapantorn.
"Proud Asia 2007 is definitely not just the usual exhibition event on beauty and health care products and services we see here and in other countries. What makes this event extraordinary is the fact that we are going to have a grand showcase of the latest innovations of products and services in the field of medical tourism, spa and wellness. Everybody will be here—the expert in medical tourism, the best spa and wellness providers, and the most highly interested buyers.
“The event promises to be a big one for both suppliers and buyers and the most important thing is that it will be held right here in Bangkok. This means that the Kingdom will again have the chance to prove to the international community that Thailand has sufficient MICE infrastructure to be the best venue for this kind of trade exhibition and conference. Proud Asia 2007 is a huge event that will help the country achieve its goal of becoming a regional hub for exhibitions and conventions business and Mice market," said Mr. Vithaya.
Proud Asia 2007 is also supported by key bodies and associations from both government and private sectors, including the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Thai Spa Association, Thai Society of Cosmetic Dermatology & Surgery, The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) and Spa Wellness Association Singapore.
In addition, asiaSpa will be the exclusive publication for Proud Asia 2007 while Beauty Cosmedica and Nation Beauty Magazine have been chosen as supporting publications.
Interested exhibitors please contact Production Management & Services Co., Ltd. at Tel. +662-455-9344, Fax. +662-455-9345 or e-mail us at info@pmsco.org or visit www.proudasiathailand.com for more information about the exhibition and conference.
Media Contact: Natprapa Yokputtaraksa Production Management & Services Co., Ltd. Tel: +662 455 9344 Fax: +662 455 9345 Email: natprapa@pmsco.org
Pornpavee Kullama Penner-Madison & Company Limited Tel: +662 716-5246 ext. 103 Fax: +662 716-5250 Email: pornpavee_k@penner-madison.com

South Korea taps into Asia's health tourism market

2007-03-08T23:23:00.000+07:00

SEOUL: South Korea has made its first moves to join Asia's lucrative health tourism business by setting up an agency to attract foreign patients, officials said on Tuesday.
The organisation, the Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion, will market tourist packages that include treatment at local hospitals, health ministry officials said.
Inaugurated on Monday, the agency will be jointly financed by the government and 28 hospitals taking part in the project.
The government has set aside 570 million won ($601,000) for 2007, with each member hospital to pay 15 million won in fees.
"We need to enhance the overseas awareness of South Korea's medical service which is low-priced but of high quality," said Park Jong-Eok, a ministry official in charge of the project.
Initially, the council's main targets are 440,000 Americans of Korean ancestry who have no health insurance, and Japanese and Chinese patients who want cosmetic surgery or treatments based on Korean Oriental medicine.
As South Korean medical standards improve, more extensive treatments would be offered.
Park said the average daily charge for an in-patient at a US hospital is $3,726, 13 times higher than in South Korea.
The average charge for outpatients comes to $1,300 in the United States, up to nine times more than South Korea, and charges in Japan are two to three times greater than in this country.
The council will act as an integrated marketing network for individual hospitals.
South Korean hospitals are especially advanced in services such as organ transplants, plastic surgery and stomach cancer surgery, Park said.
"Many patients are coming from China and Japan to receive plastic surgery here," Park said.
The popularity of Korean pop culture in the region has also contributed to the growing number of tourist patients, especially from China.
In 2005 South Korea accommodated some 10,000 foreign patients. The country hopes to attract 13,000 health tourists this year just to the 28 hospitals taking part in the project, he said.
Health tourism is big business in other Asian countries such as India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1083235

Hospitals cooperate to lure foreign patients

2007-03-08T23:10:00.000+07:00

The government and private hospitals are joining hands to attract overseas patients as the country is beginning to tap the fast growing medical tourism market. About 30 hospitals launched an association in Seoul yesterday to promote the country as a regional medical travel hub.
The group, tentatively named the Korean International Medical Service Association, plans to form a 1 billion won ($1,060,000) fund this year to finance its overseas marketing activities, mainly targeting patients in Japan, China and the United States.
Each member hospital will contribute 10 to 20 million won annually and the government will grant 570 billion won in subsidies, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry.
The association will set up an English website to introduce Korean hospitals, hold overseas expositions, and develop medical tourism packages in partnership with travel agencies and foreign insurance firms.
"We will first target international patients with mild illnesses, promoting Korea's advanced medical techniques for Lasik operations, Oriental medicine treatment, plastic surgery, artificial fertilization and implant operations," Oh Joo-yeon of the state-run Korea Health Industry Development Institute said.
The institute expects patients with advanced illnesses to visit Korean hospitals as the quality of the country's medical treatment is proven through time, Oh added.
According to the institute, costs of cancer operations in Korea are almost 100 million won cheaper compared to the United States. Lasik treatment and plastic surgery costs are below half the price of those in Japan and the United States.
The Korea Academy of Medical Sciences' research in 2004 showed that Korea's medical technology was improving greatly, with its average quality reaching 76 percent of the United States', 85 percent of Japan's and 87 percent of European countries'.
On average, the quality level of Korean medical care for stomach cancer surgery, Lasik treatment and plastic surgery were proven superior to that of hospitals in countries, such as the United States and Europe, according to the institute.
Amid the boom in Korean pop culture around Asia, a growing number of tourists from Japan and China visited Korea in 2005 for skincare and plastic surgery purposes, hoping to resemble Korean celebrities.
But statistics have shown that Korea's medical tourism business is still meager compared to the massive potential.
Among the over 100,000 foreigners who visited Korea in 2005, only 0.2 percent came for medical treatment purposes, showing almost no increase from past years, the Korean Tourism Organization said.
Due to the small number of visits for medical purposes, Korea faced 46 billion won of deficit in the sector last year. Many pregnant women in Korea still visit obstetricians in the United States for their babies to attain U.S. citizenship.
Experts have been pointing out that Korea must explore its strong potential in the international medical sector, citing high-quality medical workers and advanced medical technology, notably in the field of cosmetics, spine diseases, and major forms of cancer.
Singapore and Thailand have been leading the field in the business with 260,000 overseas patients visiting Singapore for medical purposes as of 2004, the field playing a large role in the country's acquisition of foreign currency.
The government has been initiating various measures to promote medical tourism since 2005, by aiding hospitals in their marketing and easing related regulations.
The government is also pushing to simplify the process of issuing visas for overseas patients, especially from Asian nations.
By Shin Hae-in

Surgery in the sun lures patients to Thailand

2007-03-08T00:51:00.000+07:00

By Rosalind Russell - Reuters
When June Flowers woke up in her small Ohio town one winter's morning, unable to move because of back pain, she never dreamt she would fly to the other side of the world to undergo surgery that she couldn't afford at home.
One of 40 million Americans with no health insurance, the part-time cashier who had never been outside the United States became a "medical tourist" to a hospital with a strange-sounding name in the Thai capital, Bangkok, a city she knew nothing about. "When we think of Asia, we think of run-down huts, poverty and disease," said Flowers, 47.
Few places could dispel that image more forcefully than Bumrungrad International, a luxurious hospital with a Starbucks in the lobby and an Italian restaurant upstairs.
From the graceful receptionists in tailored silk suits to the plush carpets and spacious rooms -- everything is designed to give the hospital the look and feel of a five-star hotel.
Unable to pay the $30,000 that U.S. surgeons would charge to operate on her herniated disc, Flowers had spent more than three years trying to keep the pain at bay with chiropractic treatments and cortisone injections.
Watching the "60 Minutes" television show in 2005, she learned about Bumrungrad, where most of the doctors are Western trained but the cost of treatment is about one eighth of that in the United States. It was a daunting but tempting prospect.
"My son said to me 'Mom, don't you know that's a third world country?'. But the surgery there cost just $3,500. I knew right then I had to go."
OUTSOURCING
Thailand, famous for its beaches, temples and nightlife, is a leading destination for medical tourism.
Bumrungrad offers everything from heart bypass surgery to chemotherapy and breast enlargement procedures. It treated 450,000 foreign patients last year -- more than any other hospital in the world.
Competition is strong from the Apollo Hospitals group in India, which is also courting Americans looking for cost savings and Europeans unhappy with long waiting times at home.
Health care could soon follow the flight of manufacturing, services and software development to the developing world where a lower cost of living translates to cheaper treatment, said Ruben Toral, Bumrungrad's marketing director.
"We believe that medical tourism will eventually lead to medical outsourcing," Toral told Reuters. "Your corporation, your insurer, your government could send you here for surgery and make significant savings." Meanwhile, individuals are already outsourcing their own health care and encouraging friends and family to do the same in a word-of-mouth market.
"This is where all my family will come now. If there is a problem, we will come here," said Mariam Taqi, a 62-year-old Kuwaiti woman receiving treatment for leukemia at Bumrungrad.
Like most patients, Taqi said she was impressed by the service in a country known for its gentle hospitality. "The nurses are so kind and sweet. Nothing is too much trouble."
NEGATIVE REACTION
Unsurprisingly, this potential revolution is not going down well with the medical establishment in the West.
"When I told my doctor we were thinking about going to Thailand, he said he had serious concerns about the cleanliness of the place and the dearth of expertise. He refused to give me handover notes," 61-year-old Sherry Pinckley said.
Pinckley, from an Alaskan fishing village, decided to go anyway, and had both her knees replaced at a cost of $10,000 per knee in February -- less than one fifth of the price for the same surgery at home.
"The joke is that this is the cleanest hospital I've ever seen," said Pinckley, lying in bed in her spotless private room.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons has expressed alarm about the phenomenon it calls "scalpel tourism," often driven by agents who offer a package of flights, hotel accommodation, surgery and sightseeing.
It says its members are seeing more and more patients after botched cosmetic surgery jobs in countries such as Thailand. They say patients are often not told about the risks and have no recourse if things go wrong.
"When I get involved it's usually been an absolute disaster," said Dr Anand Deva, a Sydney plastic surgeon.
One of Deva's patients is a woman in her 50s who went to Bumrungrad for a breast lift and tummy tuck. Five days after the operation and already discharged from hospital, she developed an infection in her abdomen and left breast.
Doctors at Bumrungrad offered to readmit her but she had to foot the bill. Her confidence in the hospital lost, her budget already spent, "She got on an international flight, very sick, with weeping wounds in the tummy and breast," Deva said.
The woman was admitted immediately to a Sydney public hospital to treat the potentially fatal infection. After several rounds of revisional surgery, she still has horrific scarring.
"If you operate on someone and things go wrong you need to deal with the consequences," said Deva, a senior lecturer in plastic surgery at the University of New South Wales.
"It's very convenient if there is a major complication to stick the patient on an aeroplane and send them somewhere else."
But Bumrungrad, Asia's first internationally accredited hospital, denies that patients are "trading down" to a lower quality of care to save money.
"Highlighting an isolated case, like this, misses the point entirely and plays into a stereotype that foreign doctors or hospitals are inferior," Toral said.
June Flowers was so happy with her treatment that a year after her first operation she came back for a hysterectomy. She even made time for a little sightseeing with her sister.
"You don't realize it's a hospital. It's like you're there for vacation," Flowers said from her home in Huron, Ohio. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030700417_2.html