Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download PDF - Medical Tourism Magazine
Document related concepts
no text concepts found
Transcript
Yo u r G u i d e t o I n t e r n a t i o n a l M e d i c i n e Medical Tourism ISSUE 14 Are You Forfeiting Millions in Revenue? Pg 52 Medellin ~ The Spirit of Latin America Pg 27 Portable Medical Records~ Bumrungrad and Microsoft Team Up Pg 20 Medical Tourism in the Ashes of Healthcare Reform Pg 44 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 1 THESE HOSPITALS ARE AMONG THE BEST INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALS ALL HOSPITALS ARE MEMBERS OF THE MTA IN THE WORLD AFRICA THE NAIROBI HOSPITAL www.nairobihospital.org AUSTRALIA JORDAN JORDAN HOSPITAL www.jordan-hospital.com THE SPECIALTY HOSPITAL www.specialty-hospital.com HEALTHSCOPE www.healthscope.com.au ISTISHARI HOSPITAL BRAZIL MALAYSIA HOSPITAL ALEMAO OSWALDO CRUZ www.hospitalalemao.org.br PRINCE COURT MEDICAL CENTRE SDN. BHD. www.princecourt.com COSTA RICA INSTITUTE JANTUNG NEGARA NATIONAL HEART INSTITUE www.ijn.com.my HOSPITAL CLINICA BIBLICA www.hcbinternational.com HOSPITAL – HOTEL LA CATOLICA www.hospitallacatolica.com GERMANY DRK KLINIKEN BERLIN www.drk-kliniken-berlin.de INDIA FORTIS HEALTHCARE www.fortishealthcare.com MEXICO HOSPITAL CIMA CHIHUAHUA www.hospitalcima.com.mx AMERIMED www.amerimed-hospitals.com GRUPO ANGELES/ANGELES HEALTH INTERNATIONAL www.angeleshealth.com NICARAGUA HOSPITAL METROPOLITANO VIVIAN PELLAS WOCKHARDT HOSPITALS www.metropolitanomedicaltourism.com ASSOCIATED HARVARD MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL www.wockhardthospitals.net COLUMBIA ASIA HOSPITAL PVT. LTD. www.columbiaasia.com MOOLCHAND HEALTHCARE GROUP www.moolchandhealthcare.com ISRAEL ASSAF HAROFEH MEDICAL CENTER www.assafh.org PANAMA HOSPITAL PUNTA PACIFICA www.hospitalpuntapacifica.com SPAIN USP INSTITUTO UNIVERSITARIO DEXEUS www.dexeus.es SOUTH KOREA SEVERENCE HOSPITAL YONSEI UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM www.yuhs.or.kr/en SEOUL WOORIDUL SPINE HOSPITAL www.wooridul.com THAILAND BANGKOK HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER www.bgh.com.th BUMRUNGRAD INTERNATIONAL www.bumrungrad.com TURKEY ANADOLU MEDICAL CENTRE www.anadolumedicalcentre.co.uk UNITED STATES BAPTIST HOSPITAL www.baptisthealth.net HCA EAST FLORIDA www.hcaeastflorida.com JACKSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL www.jhsmiami.org BRAIN TUMOR CENTER, JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE AT SAINT JOHN’S HEALTH CENTER www.brain-tumor.org MEMORIAL HERMANN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM www.memorialhermann.org VIETNAM FV HOSPITAL – FAR EAST VIETNAM LIMITED www.fvhospital.com SINGAPORE MOH HOLDINGS www.mohh.com.sg 2 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine in Motion Editorial PROGRESS T hese are very exciting times in the Medical Tourism Industry. The industry has matured and changed so much over the past few years. We have seen it develop from a fragmented and disjointed industry to extremely organized, much more educated, sophisticated and stronger, thus headed in the right direction. Deloitte has estimated a 35% growth in medical tourism each year and we are seeing this growth already. More governments are getting involved in supporting and growing medical tourism in their country or region, and hospitals are putting aside differences in competition to promote their region and country. This will all result in growth for the industry. In 2010, the Medical Tourism Association is spreading its wings in the area of global healthcare and working towards the improvement of healthcare in the public and private sectors to provide high quality of care for local populations as well as international ones. The MTA is also expanding its educational objectives beyond the Medical Tourism Magazine and the Health Tourism Magazine with the publication of several instructional guides about Medical Tourism and regional educational workshops. With our partnership with several academic institutions, the MTA will also be involved in several research projects for 2010. We are also excited to announce that at this year’s 3rd annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress in Los Angeles, September 20-22nd, 2010, we have allocated a large budget to bring in up to 200 “sponsored buyers” to the conference. And the theme of this year’s congress will be “Progress in Motion” to celebrate the development and continued growth in the industry. This year’s conference will have dedicated networking times two times per day, where there is no general session and the focus will be on networking. Networking meetings will be held in the Grand Ballroom for maximum space and noise reduction. Exhibitors will also be able to have their meetings at their exhibit booth for maximum exposure plus convenience. I am particularly looking forward to the upcoming Asia Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism Conference in Seoul, Korea, April 13-15th, 2010. This Asia medical tourism conference is a partnership between the MTA, KHIDI and the Korean government. The MTA and KHIDI have worked together to create a budget to bring in international buyers from insurance companies, employers and foreign governments to educate them on the high quality of healthcare in Asia and Korea. We have a great line up of speakers and some really high profile attendees. www.asiamedicalcongress.com. KHIDI will be handling the registration and sponsorship of this event so be sure to check out their website http://www.medical-korea.org/ home/. I hope to see all of you in Seoul in April! n Renée-Marie Stephano is a Founder and President of the Medical Tourism Association, also known as MTA, the first international non-profit trade association for the medical tourism industry. Ms. Stephano also serves as general counsel for the MTA and is Editor of the Medical Tourism Magazine. Ms. Stephano received her Juris Doctorate degree in Law in Pennsylvania. She has a background in international marketing and health law and then went on to open her own law firm, spending six years serving as general counsel for a US national healthcare administrator which was the first US healthcare administrator to implement medical tourism into both self-funded and fully insured health plans in the United States. Ms. Stephano works full time for the Medical Tourism Association and is considered an expert in medical tourism. In her role at the Medical Tourism Association, Ms. Stephano helps countries and hospitals create strategic marketing plans and helps identify target markets. She has helped many countries and hospitals achieve their goals of attracting foreign patients and international insurance companies. Ms. Stephano works with global health care providers to maintain transparency with respect to quality of care as they increase their flow of patients and she also works with medical travel facilitators to establish best practices to ultimately ensure patient safety. She may be reached at [email protected] © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 3 MEDICAL TOURISM EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Renée-Marie Stephano, Esq. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Jonathan S. Edelheit Vivian Ho Gabriella Vicuña Chelsea D’Ariano Sarah Martin Dr. Prem Jagyasi ONLINE MAGAZINE EDITORS: Jonathan S. Edelheit Gabriella Vicuña Chelsea D’Ariano Sarah Martin REGULAR AUTHORS: Jonathan S. Edelheit Alex Piper Michael Bina Gabriella Vicuña Dr. Prem Jagyasi David G. Vequist Jessica Johnson Stephanie Falcone Bill Cook Dan Cormany Vivian Ho Chelsea D’Ariano Sarah Martin CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Susie Ellis James McCormick Ayushi Gummadi Lic. Michael Quiros Kenneth Mays Nathalie Steiner Jeffrey Apton Robin Apton Dr. Enes Hodzic ART DIRECTOR: Renée-Marie Stephano, Esq. ART DEPARTMENT: Dinier Quirós MAIN OFFICES: 10130 Northlake Blvd. Suite 214-315 West Palm Beach, Florida 33412 USA Tel:561-791-2000 Fax: 866-756-0811 [email protected] www.MedicalTourismMag.com REGIONAL OFFICES: San Jose, Costa Rica Dubai, United Arab Emirates Istanbul, Turkey Seoul, Korea Tel Aviv, Israel Buenos Aires, Argentina Copyright © 2009 by Medical Tourism Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 4 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Relax... we’ll set it all up for you! Your international medical network with savings of up to 90%. Exclusively specializing in implementation of Medical Tourism with US health insurance companies and US employers. Our Experience Over 15 years of experience thousands of patients coordinated from North America to overseas. Our Network Top JCI accredited hospitals around the world Our Doctors The top expert surgeons Our Services Door to door pickup and drop off of Patients VIP Travel Assistance Coordination of Medical Records Coordination of Claims Payments Coordination of Aftercare © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine www.SurgicalTrip.com January/February 2010 [email protected] 5 January/February 2010 Medical Tourism AT A GLANCE Editorial Progress in Motion 3 These are very exciting times in the Medical Tourism Industry. The industry has matured and changed so much over the past few years. We have seen it develop from a fragmented and disjointed industry to extremely organized, much more educated, sophisticated and stronger, thus headed in the right direction. BY RENEE-MARIE STEPHANO Features FAM Trip to Chihuahua, Mexico ~ The Lady of the Desert 12 Chihuahua has the support, infrastructure and dedication to become one of the top Medical Tourism Destinations of Latin America. The Medical Tourism Association was delighted to participate in the Familiarization “FAM” Tour in the beautiful country of Chihuahua, Mexico. Facilitators, Consultants and Insurance Companies from Canada and United States of America were in attendance. BY JESSICA JOHNSON Singapore ~ Destination Health: Outstanding Clinical Outcomes and World Class Patient Focused Care 18 Singapore is home to over 4 million residents; all of whom benefit from a thriving biomedical industry, an integrated healthcare structure, a large base of skilled medical professionals, the latest in medical technology and an international standard judiciary system. While all of these attributes are commendable, and places Singapore on the medical tourism, health and wellness map, there is one aspect that places them on the forefront as a world-class destination ~ that of the patient experience. Stem Cells Technologies in Medicine of the 21st Century 8 In general, human tissues have a very limited potential to regenerate. However, recent progress in stem cell research and tissue engineering promises novel prospects for tissue regeneration in the nearest future. The 21st Century is a century of biomedicine, cell biology, molecular medicine and stem cells. BY DR. ENES HODZIC Medellín ~ The Spirit of Latin America 27 The Medical Tourism Association hosted a Familiarization Tour to the everlasting place of spring time, Medellín, Colombia December 8th-12th 2009. Nine medical tourism facilitators, insurance companies and agents from the United States, Canada and the Caribbean explored the high quality of the healthcare system, accreditation, warmth and hospitality Medellín has to offer their patients. Patient Survey ~ Bumrungrad International 22 BY STEPHANIE FALCONE Portable Medical Records ~ Bumrungrad Hospital and Microsoft Team Up To Help Medical Travelers Get Continuity of Care 20 Bumrungrad was the first JCI-accredited hospital in Asia and is one of the world’s most popular medical destinations. The hospital’s introduction of HealthVault is the latest in a series of innovations for medical travelers— innovations that include online appointments, hotel-like amenities and services, international medical coordinators and information about what patients paid for procedures on its website. BY KENNETH MAYS 6 January/February 2010 The Medical Tourism Association joined forces with Bumrungrad International to conduct a survey on international patients who sought treatment at Bumrungrad Hospital in 2009, covering patient research patterns, the most important factors for patients when traveling and the types of procedures patients travel internationally for. Korean Health Care for US Corporations 36 The country of Korea has developed into a modern, industrialized and technologically advanced economy that exports its products to consumers across the world. Medical care in Korea has developed alongside the other high-tech industries here and currently the medical establishment provides care that is among the best in the world. As a natural extension of the export-driven economy and the outcome-oriented medical care industries that exist here today, people from around the globe have begun to travel to Korea for quality, affordable care. BY JEFF CARTER © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 Medical Tourism AT A GLANCE Promoting the Korean Global Healthcare Industry 38 “Global healthcare” refers to the growing international trend towards the greater utilization of medical services overseas rather than in home countries. It has been reported that in 2005 alone, over 19 million people worldwide traveled overseas to access medical services. In fact, The McKinsey & Company projects that the annual market volume of global healthcare will reach 100 billion US dollars in 2010. BY KYUNG-WON JANG The Global Spa & Medical Tourism Industries ~ Part II Evolving Models & Ways to Work Together 46 The history of spas, defined as destinations people visit for renewal of body, mind and spirit, and medical tourism, the practice of people traveling across borders for medical treatment, can be traced back thousands of years. Yet each sector has a distinctly modern and rapidly evolving incarnation that can be measured in mere decades and years. While there are striking parallels between these ancient, yet young industries, each brings vastly different core competencies to the table. BY SUSIE ELLIS Economics Mental Well-Being ~ A Discovery Into The Mind 65 Are You Forfeiting Millions in Revenue? 52 While the distribution of healthcare as a global service is a reality in many countries, the US lags in development because there are gaps in industry rules, ill-defined dispute resolution mechanisms, billing transparency concerns, and other significant issues that create unknown business risks. As a result of these structural issues, national reputations and international business brands are unnecessarily jeopardized. BY LIC. MICHAEL QUIROS Medical Care ~ Israel’s Newest Tourist Attraction 63 BY DR. JAMES MCCORMICK Medical Tourism in the Ashes of Healthcare Reform 44 Healthcare Reform is dead in the United States. For some of you who may not have been aware, it was all because of the election of Senator Brown, a Republican, in Massachusetts who by all rights shouldn’t have been elected and whose election is being called the American people’s desire to kill healthcare reform in its current state. BY JONATHAN EDELHEIT Medical Tourism Meets Volunteering Hands~ A Student’s Journey to Honduras 56 The Role of the Facilitator ~ Making Dental Tourism Easier 40 BY JEFFREY APTON AND ROBIN APTON © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine The American religious communities have always maintained a strong spiritual connection to Israel. Now there is one more reason to visit this country: unequaled medical care. Israel’s advanced medical treatments, some of the best in the world, cost only a fraction of the U.S. equivalent, while being the leading edge of medicine. This makes it possible to receive quality care while also experiencing the healing qualities of the Holy Land, all at a substantial savings. BY NATHALIE STEINER News and Insights In the world of medical care, treatment for even a minor illness frequently runs into thousands of dollars. Medical insurance is virtually essential to gaining access to medical care. Compare that to the world of dental care. About half of all Americans have no dental insurance (for seniors that’s about 80%). The fortunate ones with insurance are covered for basic twice-a-year cleanings, exams and x-rays. It’s amazing how the world around us is in constant change, from a cultural point of view to an environmental perspective. It’s even more interesting how mankind reacts to its surroundings in different ways, each time with gradually increasing mental and physical consequences including diseases to all kinds of stress-related affections. Driving through the hills of rural Honduras, I experienced my first wave of fearing for my life. I was crammed in the back of a van, driving in the rain along dirt roads that looked over the edge of cliffs. But when the van first dropped us off in the rural community of Las Joyas, my emotions instantly changed and the surroundings took my breath away. BY AYUSHI GUMMADI An Interview with Brad Cook ~ Hospital Clinica Biblica 58 Hospital Clinica Biblica is one of the most well known hospitals in Latin America. Brad Cook is one of the major reasons why the hospital has been receiving the lion’s share of international patients to Costa Rica. BY SARAH MARTIN January/February 2010 7 MEDICAL TOURISM Stem Cells Technologies in Medicine of the 21st Century By DR. ENES HODZIC In general, human tissues have a very limited potential to regenerate. However, recent progress in stem cell research and tissue engineering promises novel prospects for tissue regeneration in the nearest future. The 21st Century is a century of biomedicine, cell biology, molecular medicine and stem cells. D iseased, degenerating or damaged organs and tissues give rise to a wide range of chronic illnesses. Patients suffering from such illnesses are currently faced with a relatively short list of options including: • Long-term drug therapy, which may allow a disease to be managed but rarely cured • Organ transplant, which there is a shortage of • Medical devices such as pacemakers 8 January/February 2010 Stem cell research offers enormous potential for major advances in clinical therapy and could be used to replace missing or damaged cells in important diseases.(2) Stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat life-threatening diseases including genetic disorder, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (Table 1). © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine TABLE 1. Potential US Populations for Stem Cell-Based Therapies The conditions listed below occur in many forms and thus not every person with these diseases could potentially benefit from stem cell-based therapies. Nonetheless, the widespread incidence of these conditions suggests that stem cell research could help millions of patients. Conditions Number of patients Cardiovascular diseases 58 million Autoimmune diseases 30 million Diabetes 16 million Osteoporosis 10 million Cancers 8.2 million Alzheimer’s disease 5.5 million Parkinson’s disease 5.5 million Burns (severe) 0.3 million Spinal-cord injuries 0.25 million Birth defects 0.15 million /year Source: Perry D. Patients’ voices: the powerful sound in the stem cell debate. Science 2000; 287:1423. What are Stem Cells? The term “stem cell” was proposed for scientific use and has three defining features on which all can agree.(4) 1. A stem cell “self-renews”. When a stem cell is called into action, it undergoes cell division. One daughter cell remains a stem cell, while the other becomes more committed to forming a particular cell type by a process called “asymmetric division”. 2. A stem cell forms multiple cell types, making it multipotent. 3. A single stem cell completely re-forms a particular tissue when it is transplanted within the body. Prospective Clinical Applications of Different Stem Cells Embryonic Stem Cells (ES) refer to the cells of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst during embryonic development (Figure 1). ES are particularly notable for their ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body and the ability to self replicate for numerous generations. (5) Krebsbach PH, Robey PG. Dental and skeletal stem cells: potential cellular therapeutics for craniofacial regeneration. J Dent Educ. 2002 Jun; 66(6):766-73). However, at least two large obstacles stand in the way of this goal. The first technical hurdle is difficulty in manipulating the cells to reproducibly and predictably differentiate into the desired tissue, and no other, clearly indicates the many basic questions regarding the biology of stem cells that must be answered. Another equally challenging question that must be resolved is one of the law and ethics of stem cell technologies. To date, little attempt has been made towards the use of ES in dental, oral and craniofacial regeneration. (6) Stem cell research offers enormous potential for major advances in clinical therapy and could be used to replace missing or damaged cells in important diseases. Amniotic Fluid-Derived Stem Cells (AFS) can be isolated from aspirates of amniocentesis during genetic screening. While the potential therapeutic value of AFS remains to be discovered, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that AFS have the capacity for remarkable proliferation and differentiation into multiple lineages, such as chondrocytes, adipocytes, osteoblasts, myocytes, endothelial cells, neuronlike cells and live cells. (7) Umbilical Cord Stem Cells (UCS) derive from the blood of the umbilical cord and there is growing interest in their capacity for self-replication and multi-lineage differentiation. (8) UCS have been differentiated into several cell types, such as cells of the liver, skeletal muscle, neural tissue and immune cells. Although UCS are viewed as neither embryonic stem cells nor adult stem cells, their high capacity for multi-lineage differentiation is likely attributed to the possibility that UCS are chronologically closer derivatives of embryonic stem cells than adult stem cells. Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells can selfreplicate and have been differentiated, under experimental conditions, into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myoblasts, adipocytes and other cell types, such as neuron-like cells, pancreatic islet beta cells, etc. When bone marrow is aspirated and cultured, a subset of adherent and mononuclear cells are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). To date, the majority of work in this area has focused on the ability of bone marrow-derived MSCs to differentiate into bone. Thus, in vitro expanded bone marrow-derived MSCs may be a rich source of osteogenic progenitor cells that are capable of promoting the repair or regeneration of skeletal defects (Figure 2). Figure 1. Stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of blastocyst stage human embryos have been shown to differentiate into several different cell types and have the potential to one day replace or regenerate tissues. (Source: © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 9 MEDICAL TOURISM Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (AS) are typically isolated from lipectomy or liposuction aspirates. AS have been differentiated into adipocytes, chondrocytes, myocytes, neuronal and osteoblast lineages. AS can self-replicate for many passages without losing the ability to further differentiate, however, the ability to reconstitute tissues and organs by AS versus other adult stem cells has yet to be comprehensively documented. (11) A great deal of progress has been made in a relatively short time as researchers and clinicians throughout the world are exploring the promise of stem cell transplants for patients with debilitating diseases and degenerative conditions. Despite all enthusiasm about the discovery of stem cells and their great potential, there also is no doubt that in many cases, the applications of and the cures related to stem cells are not just around the corner, as media would lead one to think. n REFERENCES Figure 2. Adult stem cells can be harvested from the bone marrow and expanded in the laboratory. When loaded onto appropriate scaffolds and transplanted back into a deficient site, stem cells have the potential to regenerate bone structures. (Source: Krebsbach PH, Robey PG. Dental and skeletal stem cells: potential cellular therapeutics for craniofacial regeneration. J Dent Educ. 2002 Jun; 66(6):766-73). Although bone marrow-derived MSCs are inherently heterogeneous, the “plasticity” of this population provides unique scientific opportunities for investigating the role of BMSCs in skeletal homeostasis, genetically modifying potential stem cells, and the potential clinical utility of using autogenous cell therapies to increase the rate and extent of bone formation Tooth-Derived Stem Cells (TS) are isolated from the dental pulp, periodontal ligament ~ including the apical region ~ and other tooth structures. (10) Transplanted skeletal or dental stem cells may one day be used to repair craniofacial bone or even repair or regenerate teeth, (Figure 3). 1. Virchow R. Die Cellularpathologie in ihrer Begründung auf physiol. und pathol. Gewebslehre. 1858. 2. Perry D. Patients’ voices: the powerful sound in the stem cell debate. Science 2000; 287:1423. 3. Maximov A. Ueber experimentelle Erzeugung Knochenmarkgewebe. Anat Anz 1906; 28:609–12. 4. Lakshmipathy U, Verfaillie C. Stem cell plasticity. Blood Rev 2005; 19(1):29-38. 5. McCloskey KE, Lyons I, Rao RR, Stice SL, Nerem RM. Purified and proliferating endothelial cells derived and expanded in vitro from embryonic stem cells. Endothelium. 2003; 10(6):329-36. 6. Krebsbach PH, Robey PG. Dental and skeletal stem cells: potential cellular therapeutics for craniofacial regeneration. J Dent Educ. 2002 Jun; 66(6):766-73. 7. Prusa AR, Hengstschlager M. Amniotic fluid cells and human stem cell research: a new connection. Med Sci Monit 2002; 8:RA253-257. 8. Laughlin MJ, Barker J, Bambach B, et al. Hematopoietic engraftment and survival in adult recipients of umbilical-cord blood from unrelated donors. N Engl J Med 2001; 344:1815-1822. 9. Alhadlaq A., Mao J.J. Mesenchymal stem cells: isolation and therapeutics. Stem Cells Dev 2004. 13, 436–448 von 10. Marion NW, Mao J.J. Mesenchymal stem cells and tissue engineering. Methods Enzymol 2006.420:339-361. 11. Moseley TA, Zhu M, Hedrick MH. Adipose-derived stem and progenitor cells as fillers in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006. 118:121-128. About the Author Figure 3. Adult stem cells can be harvested from the dental tissues such as the dental pulp and expanded in the laboratory. When loaded onto appropriate scaffolds and transplanted back into a deficient site, stem cells have the potential to regenerate tooth structures. (Source: Krebsbach PH, Robey PG. Dental and skeletal stem cells: potential cellular therapeutics for craniofacial regeneration. J Dent Educ. 2002 Jun; 66(6):766-73). 10 January/February 2010 Dr. Enes Hodzic graduated from the Dentistry Faculty in Belgrade in 1971. He specialized in Maxillofacial Surgery at Military Medical Academy of Belgrade where he also gained experience in plastic surgery. In 1986 he was trained in the plastic surgery ward at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo, Norway. After returning from Oslo he worked in Mostar’s hospital as a maxillofacial surgeon. Dr. Hodžić opened the Private Dental Policlynic Dr. Hodžić in Metković and its subsidiary in Rovinj and In 2009 he founded the Center for Regenerative Medicine in Rovinj. You may reach him by email at dr.eneshodzic@yahoo. com and his website www.poliklinika-dr-hodzic.com. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine 50 million americans need your healthcare services. the healthcare crisis in the u.s. presents opportunities to those ready to offer solutions through medical tourism. our services include: • Consulting - Governments, Hospitals, Clinics and Medical Tourism Companies • Media/Public Relations - Communications plans targeting specific audiences and markets • Marketing Assistance - Brand building services that speak to your target markets • Marketing Workshops - Customized assistance for specific market penetration goals To find out how OneWorld Global Healthcare Solutions can benefit your organization, please call 248-250-3221 or visit www.OneWorldGlobalHealthcareSolutions.com. January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine 11 MEDICAL TOURISM FAM Trip to Chihuahua, Mexico~ The Lady of the Desert By JESSICA JOHNSON Chihuahua has the support, infrastructure and dedication to become one of the top Medical Tourism Destinations of Latin America. Derrell Connor from M3 insurance sums up this destination up by stating, “I was very impressed with both the medical facilities, as well as the historical sites that we visited in Chihuahua. From the Cima Hospital to the Oncology Center to Copper Canyon, the entire experience was excellent. The doctors, nurses and staff were very professional and accommodating. It would certainly be a place that I would go to receive care, and feel comfortable doing so. I would recommend Chihuahua and Cima Hospital as a destination to my clients.” T he Medical Tourism Association was delighted to participate in the Familiarization “FAM” Tour in the beautiful country of Chihuahua, Mexico. Facilitators, Consultants and Insurance Companies from Canada and United States of America were in attendance. The broker companies in attendance included: Surgical Trip M3 Insurance Solutions Medical Tourism Company Debson Medical Tourism MedVoy, Inc. Global Benefit Options ACCESS Global Healthcare 12 January/February 2010 The trip included meetings with the Mayor, and Secretary of Tourism and Commerce, hospital tours and a day of tourism into Copper Canyon. Kemal Canlar from Global Benefit Options states, “The facilities we toured were immaculate and have an added benefit of geographical convenience to the US.” The Secretary of Tourism and Commerce, Lic. Hector Valles Alvelais, along with all the sectors of government and The facilities we toured were immaculate and have an added benefit of geographical convenience to the US. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine tourism are in full support of the Medical Tourism Industry. As Mr. Valles quotes, “Medical Tourism is a priority.” The government has a strong interest and commitment in supporting Chihuahua in this industry. They understand the need to remain sensitive to international patients to help them adjust to the new culture. They are also working with American Airlines and Continental on more direct flights into Chihuahua, including one from Phoenix, Arizona, among other initiatives for tourism. Chihuahua, Mexico Chihuahua, located in Mexico, is the state’s capital. Its name derives from the Tarahumara language meaning “between two waters” or “dry and sandy place.” Founded on October 12, 1709, Chihuahua now has a population of almost 1 million. Chihuahua lies on the western side of the Chihuahuan Desert and has a semi-arid climate, making it cooler than other portions of the desert at lower elevations. The average temperature is 18 degrees Celsius. Highly Impressive, Chihuahua Medical City is truly a cutting edge high quality affordable Healthcare cluster… It is the twelfth largest city in Mexico and one of the most industrialized, complete with companies such as Ford Motor Company, Sumitomo Electrical and John Deere. The city is the leading producer in minerals and zinc, and second in extracting silver. Chihuahua is also the main producer of apples and nuts in the country and a front runner in raising cattle and sheep. The city’s commercial sector has been boosted by the growth of the middle class. The nightlife in the city is lively, especially in the City Centre, where some of the pre-revolutionary estates have been turned into night spots and restaurants. The culture in Chihuahua can still be found in some of its preserved monuments from the 19th and 20th centuries. The Temple of San Francisco, Federal Palace of Chihuahua (now a museum) and Museo Casa Juarez are among some of the most interesting places to visit. The city is noted for its charming colonial architecture, integrated into a modern setting. Places of interest include the Metropolitan Cathedral, the resting place of St. Peter of Jesus Maldonado and the City Hall. If you want to see the city in its entirety, Trolley el Tarahumara, a bus that goes around to all the main museums and monuments in the City Centre, is offered. In 1922, 20,000 Mennonites came to Mexico from Canada to settle on 247,000 acres of land in Chihuahua’s San Antonio Valley. The city of Cuauhtemoc, which is located 65 miles west of Chihuahua, is occupied by 50,000 Mennonites today. They are best known for their fine cheeses and apple orchards. There is a great variety of regional and international cuisine throughout Chihuahua full of new and familiar flavors. Medical City Chihuahua Medical City is a strategy that brings together the top hospitals and clinics in the city of Chihuahua Mexico. Their mission is “to provide high-quality healthcare and travel services to both the domestic and international market, integrating the value chain sectors.” Their hospitals offer the latest state-of-the-art technology available in order guarantee service and quality. Their domestic © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 13 MEDICAL TOURISM and international accreditation certifies their medical staff and the hospital services they provide. Helen Cosburn from ACCESS Global Health states, “Not only does Chihuahua Medical City have state-of-the-art infrastructure and highly skilled medical staff, they have also developed a comprehensive medical tourism program with a strong focus on the details. This attention to detail has created a patient-centered model that focuses on the patient’s overall experience. This strategic focus will drive Chihuahua Medical City to build a very successful and sustainable medical tourism program that will attract patients from around the world. Chihuahua puts the hospitality in healthcare!” CIMA Chihuahua CIMA is an international healthcare center that uses technologically advanced equipment, providing prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for the well-being of the regional, national and international communities in an environment of excellence, dignified treatment, ethics and efficiency that meets the needs of our patients while pursuing competitiveness, profitability and organizational permanence. CIMA is in the process of JCI Accreditation and expect to be accredited by the summer of 2010. They currently have certification of the ISO9001:2000, amongst others. Today, they have 158 physicians in their medical staff towers, specializing in 40 different areas of medicine. CIMA has grown to 75 hospital beds, 6 intensive care beds, 2 additional ORs, a 126-office tower, heliport and plans to expand with the addition of 25 beds and 20 medical offices this year. Tracy Nicholas from Medvoy states, “Overall, I was extremely impressed with the quality of doctors and facilities in Chihuahua. The fact that there are 150 physicians who are business partners in CIMA Chihuahua and also practice medicine at that hospital underscores the cluster’s overall dedication to providing high-quality medicine.” Clinca Cumbres Clinica Cumbres healthcare organization specializes in high quality, safe outpatient services for patients at competitive prices with the support of advanced technology, the latest management systems and maintaining international operating standards recognized by international certification entities. They have 11 patient beds and specialize in Plastic Surgery, Obesity, Assisted Reproduction, Angiology, Orthopedics and more. They are certified by the Mexican General Health Board and by the Joint Commission International. Centro Oncologico de Chihuahua The Chihuahua Oncology Center started operations in November 2008, bringing together the experience of CIMA and the Southwest Oncology Center, one of the most prestigious cancer centers in the United States. TomoTherapy is an accurate, fast, safe and comfortable technology for cancer patients. It’s an image-guided radiation therapy that allows physicians to see the exact position and size of the tumor in real time before starting treatment. The core values of The Chihuahua Oncology Center include Medical and Professional ethics, respect for the patient, human quality and teamwork. Traveling to Mexico for Medical Tourism Chihuahua City is a quiet cosmopolitan town, but has preserved the atmosphere and safety of a small community. In recent years, Mexico has become a popular destination for Medical Tourism, especially for American citizens, due to its close and convenient proximity to the US. With their formation of the cluster, Chihuahua provides creditability, accountability and dedication to providing high quality of healthcare to patients. There is a high rate of fluency of both English and Spanish, and like most Latin American countries, Mexico has 14 January/February 2010 an overall friendly and family oriented culture. Flights are offered in abundance from the US and airfares are reasonable. If you live in Texas you even have the option to drive, as it is about a 3-hour drive from El Paso. One of the delegates on the FAM Tour, Deepak Datta, from Medical Tourism Company stated, “Highly impressive, Chihuahua Medical City is truly a cutting-edge, high quality affordable Healthcare cluster conveniently located two hours flight from Dallas, TX.” Copper Canyon Copper Canyon is one of the most popular tourism destinations when traveling to Chihuahua. About a 3-hour ride, Copper Canyon is made up of a group of six distinct canyons located in the Sierra Tarahumara part of the state. Home to 290 species of birds, 3,500 plants species and 400 wild medicinal plants, these exquisite canyons are longer and deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States. The most popular way to explore the canyon is by a 6-hour scenic train ride, via the Chihuahua Al Pacifico Railroad. Copper Canyon can also be explored by way of hiking, biking, driving or even by horseback. The government is in the beginning phases of planning an international airport in Copper Canyon; a project taking an estimated 18 months to complete. This will allow access by train, plane or automobile. The traditional inhabitants are the Tarahumara people, who sell their handicrafts and unique homemade foods to visitors. Chihuahua has the support, infrastructure and dedication to becoming one of the top Medical Tourism Destinations of Latin America. Derrell Connor from M3 insurance sums this destination up by stating, “I was very impressed with both the medical facilities, as well as the historical sites that we visited in Chihuahua. From the Cima Hospital to the Oncology Center to Copper Canyon, the entire experience was excellent. The doctors, nurses and staff were very professional and accommodating. It would certainly be a place that I would go to receive care, and feel comfortable doing so. I would recommend Chihuahua and Cima Hospital as a destination to my clients.” n About the Author: Jessica Johnson is Director of Operations f o r t h e M e d i c a l To u r i s m A s s o c i a t i o n . Jessica provides operational support for the MTA. Her responsibilities span the range of administrative, financial, operational and I/T support systems. She may be reached at [email protected] or www. medicaltourismassociation.com. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Get Noticed! www.MedicalTourism.com >> Visibility >> Credibility Advertisi ng packages starting a only $39 t per month >> Value >> No.1 internet resource for patients, hospitals, facilitators, insurance companies and employers © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 15 For a free advertising kit call: 305•600•5763 Or email: [email protected] Fun facts Chihuahua In 2001, while in search of silver and zinc, miners in Chihuahua discovered mineral crystals far larger than any previously encountered. Some of these monstrous Selenite crystals were nearly six meters (20 feet) long. FAM Trip Snapshots From the Tour MTA Delegation with Mayor, Lic. Alvaro Guillermo Madero Muñoz. From Left to Right (starting from top): Eduardo Villa, Tom O’hara, Kemal Canlar, Armando Portillo, Mayor Lic. Alvaro Guillermo Madero Muñoz, Dr. Zoumanan Debe, Derrell Connor, Lic. Luis Armando Peinado Machuca, Deepak Data, Dr. Romeo Ornelas Woessner, Lic. Roberto Braham Velasco, Jessica Johnson, Tracy Nicholas, Helen Cosburn, Cristina Matan, Gabriela Garcia Manjarrez “Chihuahua has excellent hospitals which are JCI accredited or on their way to be with top notch technologies. I found the people warm and ready to welcome overseas patients to benefit from their knowledge. The physicians met have all excellent credentials from the scientific view point with excellent surgical outcomes. Debson Medical Tourism will not hesitate to promote and work with Chihuahua healthcare cluster easily. I do believe that what Chihuahua has to offer fit well our goal and objectives. Visiting the Canyon was impressive and the team chosen by the MTA was good overall and professional.” – Dr. Zoumanan Debe, Debson Medical Tourism Fun facts The Copper Canyons are often compared to the majesty of the Grand Canyon in the United States, although the Copper Canyons are over seven times the size. 16 January/February 2010 MTA Group with the Secretary of Tourism and © Copyright Medical Commerce, Lic. Hector VallesTourism Alvelais Magazine Dr. Jesus Arguelles Sarmiento, Helen Cosburn, Dr. Zoumanan Debe Operating Room at CIMA Chihuahua Downtown Historical Chihuahua City Kemal Canlar, Tracy Nicholas, Jessica Johnson, Tom O’hara Train Station in Copper Canyon Kemal Canlar, Jessica Johnson, Helen Cosburn, Tracy Nicholas, L.A.E.T. Javier Alejandro Mesta Ruiz de la Pena, Lic. Armando Portillo Estrada, Derrell Connor From the Tour “The hospitals and facilities in Chihuahua were excellent. Its quality, proximity and direct access from the southwest US will make Chihuahua a great choice for US patients.” – Tom O’hara, Surgical Trip Clínica Cumbres Tour TomoTherapy Radiation Machine at Centro © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Oncológico de Chihuahua Lobby of JCI Accreditated Clínica Cumbres January/February 2010 17 MEDICAL TOURISM Singapore ~ Destination Health: Outstanding Clinical Outcomes and World Class Patient Focused Care Singapore is home to over 4 million residents; all of whom benefit from a thriving biomedical industry, an integrated healthcare structure, a large base of skilled medical professionals, the latest in medical technology and an international standard judiciary system. These foundational elements, among others, have contributed significantly to Singapore’s longstanding reputation and healthcare capabilities as a bio-health hub and medical marvel destination in Asia. While all of these attributes are commendable, and places Singapore on the medical tourism, health and wellness map, there is one aspect that places them on the forefront as a world-class destination ~ that of the patient experience. 70-year-old Canadian resident, Marguerite, had a history of scoliosis since her teens. Although she had undergone two successful surgeries in the past, she still had recurrent back pain that flared up occasionally. Over the years, her pain ebbed and flowed, but became increasingly debilitating to the point where she could no longer work full-time as a layout editor. Finally in September 2008, Marguerite made her decision to travel to Singapore for her back problem upon hearing of Parkway Health’s excellent medical capabilities and healthcare facilities in Singapore. Upon receiving the necessary clinical care and pain management protocols she has been able to benefit from an overall higher quality of life since treatment. Another international patient, U.S. resident Annie Bujakowski from Big Bear City, California flew over 9,000 18 January/February 2010 miles for knee replacement surgery at Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore instead of pursuing surgical treatment options in the US. The surgery was performed successfully and achieved its desired clinical outcome, while resulting in significant savings to her employer as well. Global agencies such as the World Health Organization have rated Singapore the best in Asia and top ten in the world. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Patient-focused Care Upon traveling to Singapore for medical treatment, it is evident that patient-focused care is a core value. Medical service teams throughout Singapore’s healthcare institutions are well versed in serving international patients; providing excellent clinical care, and highly effective customer care, all in a delivery quotient that achieves the highest possible outcomes in overall patient experience. They are guided by principles of providing seamless and effective care; working to ensure that the patient and their loved ones have a pleasant and comfortable experience from pre-arrival to follow-up care. It is Singapore’s high standards of medical care and patient-centric culture in their hospitals that draw international patients. Dallas, a 20-year-old Orlando native and four-time X-games champion was a recipient of attentive care and medical expertise while at Changi General Hospital (CGH) in Singapore. Known for her daredevil aerial stunts, Dallas fractured her left femur when attempting a `whirlybird’ - a back flip with an overhead 360-degree turn. She was brought to CGH where she underwent surgery for her fracture. Prior to her operation, Dallas developed breathlessness and was diagnosed with acute Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due to aspirating water. She was then warded in the ICU of CGH. As a result, it was discovered that Mr. Robin Friday, Dallas’s father, was highly impressed with the coordinated care and integrated diagnosis of medical disciplines at CGH. “An outstanding medical team was assigned to oversee Dallas’s care 24-hours a day, along with dedicated nursing staff, dieticians, therapy specialists, room attendants and administrative personnel who went above and beyond their call of duty to address Dallas’s needs,” according to Mr. Friday. “Upon her return home, her vascular surgeon in Orlando was very impressed with Dallas’s records and her recovery. We are very grateful to all the CGH staff for what and all they have done for us.” World-Class Medical Destination It is Singapore’s high standards of medical care and patientcentric culture in their hospitals that draw international patients. The experience by Dallas and her father - prompt service and attention to customized healthcare needs, such as dietary requirements, is a testament to why thousands of international patients from around the world select Singapore as their healthcare destination of choice. From basic health screening to complex heart procedures, patients come to Singapore, assured of world-class healthcare. Global agencies such as the World Health Organization have rated Singapore among the best regional healthcare centers in Asia and among the top ten in the world. And again, at its core, it is this combination of a thriving biomedical industry, an integrated healthcare structure, base of skilled medical professionals, the latest medical technology and an international standard judiciary system that have contributed to building and expanding Singapore’s reputation and capabilities as a leading-edge healthcare delivery hub and medical marvel of Asia. n Global Benefit Options (GBO) is a Medical Tourism Consulting firm that specializes in developing strategic Medical Tourism Benefit solutions for the US Health insurance market. GBO’s main focus is US Health insurance carriers, Self Funded Employers, TPA’s, Health Insurance Agents and other US health insurance “buyers” to develop, design, implement, and enroll a tailored Medical Tourism Benefit into the US health insurance plan for employees. GBO also works with International Hospitals and healthcare providers and Government organizations in helping them implement a medical tourism initiative aimed at US buyers. Global Benefit Options is the only consulting firm in medical tourism with over 10 years of direct experiencein the US Corporate Health Insurance Benefits Market. By working exclusively within the United States insurance industry GBO’s marketing strategy, and custom solutions produce efficient and effective resultsfor clients. Global Benefit Options partners with a select few clients per year interested in penetrating the US marketplace and having business relationships with US health insurance companies, employers or healthinsurance agents. For more information go to: www.GlobalBenefitOptions.com [email protected] PHONE:201-433-2222 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 19 MEDICAL TOURISM Portable Medical Records~ Bumrungrad Hospital and Microsoft Team Up to Help Medical Travelers Get Continuity of Care By KENNETH MAYS Bumrungrad was the first JCI-accredited hospital in Asia and is one of the world’s most popular medical destinations. The hospital offers over a thousand specialists, 230 of which have been American board-certified. English is widely spoken and over 120 interpreters are available for other languages. The hospital’s introduction of HealthVault is the latest in a series of innovations for medical travelers—innovations that include online appointments, hotel-like amenities and services, international medical coordinators and information about what patients paid for procedures on its website. S mart medical travelers and experienced international hospitals know that treatment abroad is seldom complete without follow-up back home. Effective recovery may be as simple as changing dressings or as demanding as physical rehabilitation. In any case, doctors need records of diagnoses, tests, and treatment. The patient is mobile, but is the information? Electronic medical records that can be shared among providers are a key to more efficient healthcare in the US and other countries. Such portable medical records will be just as valuable to medical travelers. Microsoft and Thailand’s Bumrungrad International hospital announced at the Medical Tourism Association’s Global Health Congress last October that they have begun a phased rollout of a new service using Microsoft’s HealthVault, 20 January/February 2010 an online personal health application platform. They plan to offer the service to medical travelers at Bumrungrad beginning early this year. By connecting HealthVault to its Microsoft Amalga hospital information system (HIS), Bumrungrad will empower patients to access their Bumrungrad medical records online and maintain continuity with doctors back home. Patients will be able to receive a copy of their medical information generated at Bumrungrad—including test results, medications and discharge summaries—into their individual HealthVault accounts. Once their personal health information is stored in HealthVault, the patient can provide it, as desired, to other clinicians and caregivers, or use it with a wide range of personal health applications. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine “I think it’s a wonderful next step,” said Jack Taylor, a 63-year-old private pilot who lives in California and has traveled to Bumrungrad for treatment. Taylor was enlisted to test Bumrungrad’s implementation of HealthVault using information from visits he made to the hospital last summer and is excited about the prospect of easily tracking his treatments. “At Bumrungrad, patients can get excellent care at a fraction of the American cost,” said Curtis Schroeder, the hospital’s group CEO. “And with HealthVault, they can share their medical records with doctors on both sides of the ocean — things like medical history, lab results and procedure details. We see it as a great innovation supporting continuity of care.” The hospital’s introduction of HealthVault is the latest in a series of innovations for medical travelers… Amalga HIS also can pull a patient’s medication lists, allergies and vital signs such as blood pressure and blood glucose from the patient’s HealthVault record into Amalga HIS, saving time for the patient and improving the completeness and accuracy of patient information delivered to Bumrungrad clinicians. Bumrungrad will be the first international hospital to offer connectivity to HealthVault; an innovation medical travelers have been waiting for. “It’ll make it easier for all parties concerned, for me, for my doctor, to access the details online,” said Taylor. “I’m really looking forward to this. Whether it’s for Bumrungrad doctors to look at, or any other specialists, that’s a good thing.” The world-famous Thai hospital is a natural early-adopter of HealthVault for another reason: its long experience using Microsoft’s Amalga HIS. Amalga is a comprehensive hospital information system that provides rich integration of a patient’s critical information, including registration, clinical systems, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, allergies and vital signs, giving clinicians and administrators access to information within and across departments. Once authorized by the patient, Amalga HIS uses the ASTM Continuity of Care Record (CCR) industry-standard specification to push medical information into the patient’s HealthVault account. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine “We believe empowering consumers with a copy of their personal health data and facilitating continuity of care among health care providers is critically important,” said Nate McLemore, general manager, Microsoft Health Solutions Group. “We’re pleased to be working with Bumrungrad, a leader in international medicine, to offer these capabilities to patients and providers.” n About the Author Bumrungrad International was the first Joint Commission accredited hospital in Asia, and has served over 3 million international patients during the past decade. In 2008 it was recognized by the American Medical Directors of Iinformation Systems (AMDIS) in its annual awards for hospital information technology. Kenneth Mays is Bumrungrad’s head of Marketing and Business Development. January/February 2010 21 MEDICAL TOURISM Patient Survey ~ Bumrungrad International Bumrungrad Patient Survey 1.) !" & " '$ ! % #% " )2 +,2 +/2 ,2 -2 --2 The Medical Tourism Association joined forces with Bumrungrad International to conduct a survey on international patients who sought treatment at Bumrungrad Hospital in 2009, covering patient research patterns, the most important factors for patients when traveling and the types of procedures patients travel internationally for. Bumrungrad Patient Survey 2.) !" " " 1.) !" tourism " '$ $ How did you research your information for medical Q1. How did you find& out about medical (traveling Q2. internationally for medical care)? tourism on country destinations and hospitals? ! % #% " % # )2 +)2 +,2 +/2 *2 .+2 +.2 ,2 -2 --2 +2 22 January/February 2010 2.) !" " " © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine $(-, % 4.) " " Q3. What type of procedure did you travel for? 5.) 5.) # 5.) # Q4. Did you travel alone or with a companion? !& ')1 ')1 ,1,1 !& !& +1+1 +1 +1 +.1 +.1 "!& "!& "!& *1 *1 )1 '1 *1 *1 '1 )1 7.) ! would you rate the hospital you received medical Q6. How Q5. Did you or your companion do any tourism such as site 6.) seeing, shopping, eating dinner or a lunch out of 6.) the care at? &. &.thelocal culture? 6.) hospitalor hotel orenjoying 7.) ! (. &. &. '(. !& (. !& !& '(. )*. )*. #!& #!& #!& Q7. Did you use a medical tourism facilitator (a company 8.) " Q8. How helpful did you find the medical tourism facilitator? 9.) that was an intermediary and helped coordinate your #! care)? 8.) " #! +. %* !!* #* !* +. ' * +&. +&. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 23 E D I C A L T O U!R I S M M ''#$ 10.) ''#$ Q10. or Q9. Would you recommend a future patient to use a medical language barrier communication ''#$ Was there a !! facilitator? " tourism problem at the hospital? " (. " " " " ((. (. (. "&* ((. ((. $'* +*. !%* +*. +*. ! * %'!" Q11. Did you feel safe overseas? '(#$ ! &$- '(#$ ! '(#$ ! &. &$- +. *$- )'. service received %'!"Q12. Do you feel the you was more personalized that in the US? &. +. &. +. )'. *(. *$- )'. *(. *(. Q13. Would you recommend a friend, relative or acquaintance Q14. Would you travel internationally again for medical " %(!" to internationally for care? travel medical care? ' %- %(!" ' %)- %- %)- *&- $$' *&- 24 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine '+$% ! ! !# '+$% ! ! !# Q15. Did you have health insurance when you traveled Q16. Did hospital accreditation play a role in your choice to ,/ '+$% travel internationally? ! ! !# ,/ medical # internationally for care? (,/ (,/ ,/ (,/ *(/ !#' *(/ "!' *(/ ).%&"" ! # was Q17. How important the hospitals accreditation in your Q18. Do you feel your overall experience was? # '+$ ! ).%&"" ! medical # ! # '+$ ! #).%&"" decision to gooverseas? -2 ',/ ',/ ((/ ((/ +/ '*/ '+$ +*2 +/ -*2 ! # -2 -2 +*2 +*2 ',/ '*/ )*/ -*2 -*2 ((/ )*/ +/ '*/ )/%& " medical " Q19. Were you concerned about malpractice and the possibility of having to sue in a foreign country in " # the event of an adverse result? )/%& " )/%& " $ " " )/2 *,2 )*/ { " " # # $ $ 88% *,2 *,2 Said they will travel )/2 )/2 internationally again for medical care ,-2 ,-2 ,-2 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 25 26 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine MEDICAL TOURISM Medellín~ The Spirit of Latin America By STEPHANIE FALCONE The Medical Tourism Association hosted a Familiarization Tour to the everlasting place of spring time, Medellín, Colombia December 8th-12th 2009. Nine medical tourism facilitators, insurance companies and agents from the United States, Canada and the Caribbean explored the high quality of the healthcare system, accreditation, warmth and hospitality Medellín has to offer their patients. U pon our arrival, after only a 3-hour flight from Miami we were immediately welcomed with open arms by representatives of the Medellín Healthcare Cluster. From the moment we stepped outside there was a sense of freedom and relaxation in the air. We came down through the forested locale to a breathtaking opening, where we were met by the astonishing view of the entire city of Medellín, revealing the radiant lights from the hillsides to the mountain tops. As we drove down the light-encrusted mountain it was easy to imagine how one might fall in love with this city. The familiarization tour was sponsored by the Medellín Healthcare Cluster, organized with the goal of promoting Medellín as a competitive medical tourism destination. The Medellín Healthcare Cluster has set exceptionally high principles for applicants seeking Healthcare Cluster membership. All amenities must go through an intense application process and avowal to go through or apply for the Joint Commission International accreditation within the next two years to be accepted. The Familiarization Tour included visits to some of the top hospitals in Colombia such as: Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl, Hospital General de Medellín, Clínica El Rosario, Centro Odontológico Congregacion Maríana, Clínica Odontológica Promta, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Clínica © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Cardiovascular, and Clínica Oftalmológica de AntioquiaColfan. In addition, participants had the opportunity to visit State of the Art air-ambulance company SARPA. The City of Lights Colombia is located in South America bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama. Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and is persistently growing given the on-going development in domestic security since 2002. Medellín is the second largest city in Colombia, and Capital City of the State of Antioquia. With countless tourism activities for visitors, Medellín serves as a popular destination for international travelers. Medellín has breathtaking views of this magnificent city from every angle you may choose to look. During this time of year the city of Medellín hires 2,000 employees to string lights throughout the neighborhoods and countryside giving the city a magical feeling. The city gathers local traditions such as dancers, instrument players and multicolored characters as lights. Medellín created this project to attract international travelers, since most foreigners enjoy seeing unique places, January/February 2010 27 MEDICAL TOURISM food, and attractions while in another country. These lights are a tribute to the country demonstrating the most significant landscapes and icons from the region. Shortly after, the project was then implemented by other Latin American countries such as: Venezuela, Honduras, and Ecuador. Medellín began the renovation process in 2002, altering the aesthetic appearance of this beautiful city. Medellín is committed to position itself as one of the major players in the Health and Wellness sector of the Medical Tourism Industry. Between the years of 2005 and 2006, the number of foreigners visiting Medellín grew by 33.4%, from approximately 71,000 to approximately 95,000 visitors, and grew another 20% half way through 2007. Local Cuisine To start, one must sample the baked corn arepas (flat corn pancake) with butter and cheese alongside Colombian coffee. Colombian coffee is the ultimate desired beverage and is said to be the best in the world. Colombian coffee is primarily grown in Medellín, neighboring towns, and more mountainous areas such as Bogotá giving coffee a rich balanced flavor. Next, empanadas are a must have while in Colombia. Empanadas are typically made with shredded chicken, pork, beef, and ground meat but can be found filled with potato and vegetables; served with aji (hot sauce) and lime wedges on the side. In Colombia, empanadas are sold essentially everywhere in the city. Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl Hospital Universitario San Vincente de Paúl is a nonprofit private institution with 96 years of experience and great national and international recognition. Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl offers 648 beds to the public and is a Colombian Leader in healthcare generating health research, specialists in high complexity care, and experienced leadership in transplants. The hospital has alliances with the main universities in Medellín for education and research purposes in the training of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and social workers, management engineering and social communication schools. Some of the hospital specialties include Cardiovascular and Thoracic Unit, Oncology Unit, Bone Marrow Transplants and Orthopedics. Oral Home Oral Home is a 24/7 dental clinic catering to emergency cases and general services to the community. Oral Home is not only a dental clinic, but has integrated the wellness sector even into their basic services. Oral Home has a 24/7 emergency mobile service which assists many international patients in comfort and satisfaction. Oral Home is equipped with the most advanced technology providing excellent results. Hospital General de Medellín Hospital General de Medellín is the only public hospital in the entire Medellín Healthcare cluster. Hospital General de 28 January/February 2010 Medellín is equipped with 423 beds, which provides intermediate and adult critical care and pediatrics services. Among its many achievements Hospital General de Medellín has become the first public hospital of third level to achieve National Accreditation (accredited by ISQUA) by the Social Protection Ministry of Colombia. Hospital General Medellín was also ranked in the 20 best hospital and clinics of Latin-America, ranked by America Econmicas, and is also participating in the first phase for the International Accreditation with JCI Standards that was organized with International Quality Resources Health Accreditation. The mission of Hospital de General Medellín is a social enterprise of the state that provides health services up to high complexity levels. Such services focus on patient safety and provide affection, confidence and satisfaction while promoting high-quality and good environmental practices. Clínica El Rosario Clínica El Rosario is a prestigious non-profit institution of religious nature that belongs to the society of Dominican Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin of Tour. Clínica El Rosario is a 240 bed multi-functioning hospital with two headquarters in Medellín. Clínica El Rosario is a pioneer in healthcare with a mission to contribute to life and health recovery through a comprehensive secure, humane and differentiated service with specialized personal and excellent management that ensures value creation for the target social groups, economic sustainability and performance in time. Clínica El Rosario’s international specialty services consist of Hip Replacement, Knee Replacement, Heart Value Surgery, and Radiology. Centro Odontólogo Congregación Maríana Centro Odontológico Congregacion Maríana is a nonprofit institution, with offices in the south and downtown areas of Medellín to provide general and specialized oral health to the public. Centro Odontológico Congregacion Maríana has a total of 16 rooms and three operating rooms. Aesthetic Dentistry, Oral Rehabilitation, and Dental Implants are the most sought after by international patients. Centro Odontológico Congregacion Maríana has a vision to consolidate in 2015 as the renowned oral health institution in the city for its technical quality and competitive pricing. Clínica Odontológica Promta Clínica Odontológica Promta has 21 years of experience providing the highest quality in comprehensive oral health services offering all dental specialties, with four clinics located strategically throughout Medellín. Clínica Odontológica Promta serves 10,000 patients a month and has the capacity to treat 150 international patients, with 50 % of international patients being treated from the US and 35 % from Spain. Clínica Odontológica is conveniently positioned only steps away from downtown hotels and only two blocks from popular international lodging. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe is a non-profit institution with a mission to provide an incomparable complexity in the healthcare industry while contributing the most current scientific knowledge within a structure of Christian humanism. Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe is the first and only hospital in Colombia to be both ISQUA accredited and receive the excellence institution certification of high complexity level of health in Colombia. Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe is a 255bed hospital specializing in Transplants, Advance Oncology, Palliative Care, Orthopedics, and Cosmetic Surgery. Centro Cardiovascular Colombiano Cliníca Santa María Since 1966, Centro Cardiovascular Colombiano Cliníca Santa María has treated patients with cardiovascular diseases in areas of prevention, diagnosis, invasive and surgical treatment. Centro Cardiovascular Colombiano Cliníca Santa María is another leader in Colombia healthcare, completing the first heart and lung transplant in Colombia and is a national and international reference center. Centro Cardiovascular Colombiano Cliníca Santa María is committed to offering specialized services to its patients specializing in areas such as Angioplasty without Stent, Cardiac Value Replacement, Coronary Bypass Surgery, Cardiac Transplants and Hemodynamics. Centro Cardiovascular Colombiano Cliníca Santa María offers a total of 140 beds, 73 specialists, and has proven to be a leader with the highest quality standards in medicine. Clínica Oftalmológica de Antioquia-Colfan Clínica Oftalmológica de Antioquia-Colfan is modernly designed for all patients to receive the most proficient care and specializes in Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery, Refractive Surgery and Corneal Surgery for international patients. Clínica Oftalmológica de Antioquia-Colfan has a total of 59 specialist physicians, allowing this innovative facility to receive additional international patients. Servicios Aereos Panamericanos “SARPA” Sarpa is a charter airline company with offices in both Medellín and Bogotá that offers charter services, air ambulance services, domestic and international flights including load and passenger transportation. Sarpa is the first and only Colombian entity certified by the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority. Sarpa has attended to international patients in countries such as Aruba, San Marteen, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and many more. This air ambulance group has 25 specialists, five anesthesiologists and 10 emergency specialists for all adult general illness, trauma, pediatric and newborns. Sarpa goes over and beyond expectations with safe and dependable transportation when it is most needed with revolutionary technology and human warmth. n About the Author Stephanie is Membership Coordinator, and involved in managing the Social Media & Marketing Department for the Medical Tourism Association. Stephanie provides recruitment, coordination and retention support for members of the MTA. In addition, she supports the Health Tourism Magazine. She may be reached at [email protected] or www. medicaltourismassociation.com. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 29 Medellín FAM Trip Snapshots To u r e h t F ro m edellín Site Tour in o Rosari t Clínica El olombia a Medellín, C M city of magical incredible e n a th s a g w in “Visit and season serve firsth e holiday during th as I was able to ob ng the city , ari ore experience at goes into prep as even m ve th w e t v a lo h w e t th lo u B d n s. a y a ion olid for the h was the same pass clinics. Like d e n a iv ls ss a re it p sp ns, im their ho destinatio in le sm ib ri is u v to l ns, was a a ic ci si ed ing m d phy other lead as highly skille state of the h nd Medellín ructure a ical outcomes. ss infrast world-cla gy, and great clin feel lo t can only art techno nnot measure bu th and care ca rm What you re there is the wa he Medellín a T u . o ts y en when ition r pati g to thei shed aside compet ing they brin u p in s sh a h m er ra st g Health Clu an innovative pro ality of care u e to becom on the excellent q llaboration, co t uct a spotligh lín. This in Medel ith which they cond e available w om rt ec b ea h to d n n a lí dedication ill surely see Medel sts.” w uri themselves tion for medical to a n ti es d p a to ealthcare , Access H urn Helen Cosb 30 elipad ipants on H Tour Partic Jaramillo, n Santiago rgan Pile, a u J r. D t: Righ , Mo From Left to Dr. Antonia Arnaert eatriz Velásquez r, B la y, n e a C rn l u a T Kem Cárdenas , Jerry Dr. Carlos e Stephano z, e ri n a é -M im e J e n po Re tero Ramón Bo arcía Restre Velásquez, dón, Dr. Alejandro G n Re January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine F ro m t h e To u r “T he cost, a real op quality, and techn o ti consider. on for US patien logy present ts to stro The organ ngly ization of a perfect th b informatio lend of site visit e tour was s, n, tourism education , and netw , orking.” Kemal Canlar, P resident, G lobal Bene Christmas fit Options City of Ligh ts Tom O’Hara ~ From Left to Right: Jerry T , Surgic Options; M al Trip; Kemal Canla urney, US Now; organ Pile , My Partn r, Global Benefit ers Insura nce Meeting be Time in Me fore Site To dellín ur at Hosp ital Genera l de Medellín F ro m t h e To u r “T he Medel impressive lín hospitals and cl in a the Art. M nd the technolog ics were very y was Sta edellín w te ill be a k destinatio ey health of n for Lati care n America .” Tom O’Ha ra, Surgic al Trip Jerry Turn ey, Renée-M © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine arie Steph ano, Steph anie Falcon e January/February 2010 31 Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea 2010 The Conference will feature: • • • • • April 13-15, 2010 Seoul, Korea Up To 800 Attendees US Health Insurance Companies & International Insurance Providers Invited Industry Players From Over 25 countries Highlighting The High Quality Of Care Available In Asia and Korea The Top Medical Tourism Facilitators Invited 011.561.792.6676 (USA) [email protected] www.AsiaMedicalTourismCongress.com Organized By: A Medical Tourism Association 32 January/February 2010 Event Sponsored Global Congress © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea 2010 Dear Delegate, Asia is one of the first regions in the world to promote medical tourism and create a brand name for itself for having affordable and high quality healthcare and receives a majority of the medical tourism patients traveling throughout the world. Seoul, Korea is one the emerging leading destinations for medical tourism and global healthcare in the world. The 1st Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea will take place April, 13-15th, 2010 in Seoul, Korea as a joint initiative between the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) and Korean Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI). The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) is funded by the Korean government and was established to support the Korean health industry. KHIDI develops the national strategies and policies on global healthcare industry as well as promotes Korean healthcare brand “Medical Korea” to the world. The 1st Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea will feature up to 800 attendees from over 25 countries and will focus on the high quality of healthcare available in Asia. It will also bring together the stakeholders involved in Asian medical tourism for intense networking event and educational opportunities. Conference Highlights • Up To 800 Attendees • US Health Insurance Companies and International Insurance Providers Invited • Industry Players From Over 25 countries • Highlighting The High Quality Of Care Available In Asia and Korea • The Top Medical Tourism Facilitators Invited Buyers VIP Program Fill out the simple application online to enroll in the aBuyers VIP Program. The Buyer VIP Program will be offering a predetermined number of discount registrations, free registrations, hotel room nights, and flights to those who qualify. Application available online at www.AsiaMedicalTourismCongress.com or call and/or email for additional information! Register Today! $399 ~ Early Bird $499 ~ After March 15th www.AsiaMedicalTourismCongress.com 011.561.792.6676 (USA) www.AsiaMedicalTourismCongress.com [email protected] © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 33 Speakers Ms. Jaehee Jeon Minister of Health Korea Health Ministry Dr. Bupwan Kim President KHIDI Ori Karev Chief Executive Officer UnitedHealth International Laila Al Jassmi CEO, Clinical Support Services Dubai Health Authority Renee-Marie Stephano President Medical Tourism Association Rosanna Moreno Executive Director Scott Simmons Director of TeleHealth University of Miami David Morgan Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD Jonathan Edelheit CEO Medical Tourism Association Brad Cook Intl Department Director Clinica Biblica Hospital Dr. Prem Jagyasi CEO Exhealth, Dubai Jeff Carter CEO Patients Without Borders Todd Fitz HOK Cagri Kanver Senior Associate/Sr Consultant HOK Alex Piper President Dr. Bongsik Woo CEO Docs Tour Hwang Lee Manager Intl Patient Department Wooridul Spine Hospital Hee Tae Suk Dispute Resolution in Medical Malpractice in Korea Tom O’Hara CEO Surgical Trip Zahid Hamid EuroMedical Tours David Vequist President, Scott Edelstein Partner Squire, Sanders,& Dempsey Jim McCormick President Premiere Medical Travel JP Bos Founder and CEO Wellness Travel Company Dr. Bernard J Park, M.D President Korean-American Medical Association (KAMA) Dr. Chul S. Hyun President Elect 2011 Korean-American Medical Association (KAMA) Dr. Rick van Pelt, MD, MBA Director, Global Programs Director of Healthcare Consulting www.AsiaMedicalTourismCongress.com [email protected] 34 January/February 2010 Memorial HermannTexas Medical Center One World Global Healthcare Solutions Center for Medical Tourism Research Partners Harvard Medical International © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 35 MEDICAL TOURISM Korean Health Care for US Corporations By JEFF CARTER The country of Korea has developed into a modern, industrialized and technologically advanced economy that exports its products to consumers across the world. Medical care in Korea has developed alongside the other high-tech industries here and currently the medical establishment provides care that is among the best in the world. As a natural extension of the export-driven economy and the outcome-oriented medical care industries that exist here today, people from around the globe have begun to travel to Korea for quality, affordable care. T he government of Korea, specifically the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), has taken a leading role in creating a global awareness of Korea’s standing in the medical community. They have completed several initiatives that, taken together, create a platform for international customer satisfaction in the medical industry and a delivery framework within which medical providers must manage. This has created a standardized offering of great medical care whose message has begun to resonate with consumers in the US. As the Medical Travel industry has matured over the past several years, many experts agree that we are on the cusp of a large scale adoption of medical travel by corporations in the form of modified or expanded employee benefit options. Patients Without Borders has worked closely with KHIDI to develop several offerings that create an easy way to integrate a Korea Medical Travel Benefit Option into any ERISA-based self-funded group health plan. Among the offerings that have been developed is an association plan for Korean companies. In this article we will explore the self-funded group health 36 January/February 2010 plan model, the increasing trend of adoption of medical travel benefits by group health plans and what differentiates an association plan model from a standalone plan design. It is important to point out that the plan designs discussed in this article have been adopted by several employers already, including large multinational corporations, and are in the process of being implemented by several more self-funded groups at this time. This experience in the industry has resulted in an offering that has been developed and then iteratively refined over time to enhance its relevance to the corporate buyer. The ongoing work with employers from many different industry groups continues to bring innovative change to this platform creating an evolving offering that is ultimately designed by the consumer, not the supplier. When an employer or other group that provides health care coverage to its members (union, government, etc.) evaluates its alternatives for funding that health care, they have several options. In a very general sense, the two ends of the spectrum are a “fully insured” health care plan and a “self-funded” plan. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Using a fully insured plan design means that the employer pays a fixed premium to an insurance company to cover their group and that any claims made against the group are paid by the insurance company. Electing a self-funded plan design, for all intents and purposes, means that the employer will assume the role of the insurance company and will pay any claims made against the group. This is a spectrum so there is a theoretically infinite number of ways of designing a plan that uses some aspects of both of the above, and a wide range of commercial products that use partial insurance and partial self-funding to optimize cost containment for the employer. The government of Korea, specifically the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), has taken a leading role in creating a global awareness of Korea’s standing in the medical community. While insurance products are subject to state-by-state regulation, when employers elect a self-funded plan design they are subject to the federal regulations known as ERISA. This alone can make a good argument for self-funding for employers with facilities or employees located in many different states because it enables them to create a single plan to cover all of their US employees without needing to stay up-to-date, or pay a national insurance company to stay up-to-date, with the regulations of each state in which they operate. Using a self-funded platform for providing employee benefits also allows the employer a far greater degree of control over what benefits are offered and exactly how they are offered, as well as the ability to change the availability and coverage levels of specific benefits within the plan at any time they see fit. It is for these reasons and many more that most large employers (those with more than 1000 employees) choose to self-fund their health benefit plans. In fact, some groups as small as 30 members can comfortably self-fund their benefit plans so long as the demographics and claim history of the group make it financially attractive. With an entire spectrum of plan designs available to employers, the development of the Korea Medical Travel Benefit Option needed to create a flexible, component-based product that was capable of being integrated into any funding platform in order to create a deliverable that would be appealing to the largest possible number of employers. Patients Without Borders has worked closely with KHIDI to design, sell, integrate and deploy a component that has been shown to cleanly integrate into health care plans both at renewal and during the in-force plan year. This has been done without any impact or necessary change to the employer’s current broker, stop-loss carrier, TPA, claims process or any other part of the standard workflow for the employer. As work has progressed there has been substantial effort put forth to develop products that bring maximum value to the table for the corporate client. This has led to the introduction of an association product for the Korean market. Developed in exclusive collaboration with two of the nation’s largest TPAs and with support from several of the leading reinsurance carriers, the plan has been developed to include Medical Travel as an integral component. The plan also carries some of the most aggressive underwriting guidelines in use in the industry today, many of which are simply unavailable in a standalone plan. This association is open to any Korean company and the sponsoring nationally-recognized TPA partners can handle groups of any size. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine As Korea becomes an increasingly desirable destination for employers looking to reduce their health care expenses and for employees in search of world-class medical outcomes we plan to continue to develop and market innovative products that maximize value for everyone in the complex health care equation. What really matters, though, once a medical travel benefit has been adopted and made available to an employer group, is that it is utilized by the individual employees. In our view any medical travel benefit with which the employer does not enjoy significant savings has served only as a false promise and a failed experiment. It is for this reason that a proprietary program for incentivizing and reaching out to the employees in the group has been developed in order to generate and then maximize utilization of the medical travel benefit. Though there has been limited use of our medical travel benefits by employees, as we deploy these new programs to our current and future groups our aim is to generate considerable savings for the employer clients. As the global medical travel, insurance and group health benefits communities learn more about Korea and the leading medical care available here, it can be said with confidence that a considerable number of patients will seek out Korea as their destination. The collaborative efforts between Patients Without Borders and KHIDI to educate some of the major industry stakeholders with which we work have been met with extremely positive feedback and as these efforts continue we expect Korea to continue to positively surprise not only the corporate buyer but also the traveling patient. n About the Author: With nearly 15 years of experience in corporate management, Mr. Carter has experience building international business relationships and in building global teams spanning several industries including pharmaceutical research and development, commercial software and online retail. Using his background in analytical sciences and his experience as a global business executive, he has helped bring the value of global staffing strategies to large and mid-sized companies. As the head of the medical travel facilitator Patients Without Borders, Mr. Carter has built a worldwide team of experts and continues to build a strong global network of hospitals and physicians. January/February 2010 37 MEDICAL TOURISM Promoting the Korean Global Healthcare Industry By KYUNG-WON JANG “Global healthcare” refers to the growing international trend towards the greater utilization of medical services overseas rather than in home countries. It has been reported that in 2005 alone, over 19 million people worldwide traveled overseas to access medical services. In fact, The McKinsey & Company projects that the annual market volume of global healthcare will reach 100 billion US dollars in 2010. I n the Republic of Korea, according to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), the number of traveling patients using the nation’s medical services grew dramatically from 7,901 in 2007 to 55,000 in 2009. Number of Foreign Patients in Korea (Years 2007~2009) Patients (No.) Year 2007 Year 2008 Year 2009 (e) 7,901 27,480 55,000 1. No. of Foreign Patients (2007~2008) sourced by healthcare provider members of Korea International Medical Association (KIMA) 2. No. of Foreign Patients(2009) sourced by 616 medical institutes 3. Foreign patients who are not eligible for National Health Insurance (NHI) Since 2005, the Korean government has strived to create an environment that can facilitate a promising future for the overall global healthcare industry, as well as to elevate the domestic industry into a key national strategic field. In 2009, the government further strengthened its active political support and promotion of its global healthcare industry – designated as one of Korea’s next growth engines – by investing in an overseas campaign to promote, market, and raise awareness about Korea’s advanced healthcare system, as well as by building an international network so that more and more traveling patients decide to come to Korea. In contrast with other knowledge-based and value-added industries, such as the IT industry, global healthcare is directly concerned with the health of its patients. As a result, the Korean 38 January/February 2010 Figure 1: Annual Projection of International Patients traveling to Korea government aims to provide high-quality medical services that can be differentiated from others by its improved healthcare infrastructure and its commitment to the safety of foreign patients. On May 1st, 2009, a new medical act was passed, introducing stricter safety measures to protect the growing number of foreign patients seeking healthcare services in Korea. According to this new law, medical institutes and facilitators that wish to attract and treat overseas patients must have a minimum of one medical specialist in each clinical department in order for that department to qualify for registration. In addition, facilitators must now have at least KRW 100 million in capital, guarantee insurance coverage of KRW 100 million or more, and have at least one office in Korea in order to meet the new regulations. Influenced by the industry practice of legal safety nets that are commonly used to compensate for losses, these requisites are intended to limit entry to medium and large-scale companies that can be more easily monitored, as well © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine as to indemnify international patients for the intentional and accidental property damages in the process of medical tourism to Korea. In order to ensure a truly safe and high level of medical care for international patients, the Korean government issued an amendment to the Medical Service Act this year, inducing all facilitators to employ at least one medical or nursing staff or global healthcare coordinator, helping guarantee a minimum level of specialization. Additionally, the Government is in the process of developing a series of policies to encourage healthcare providers to purchase “liability insurance against medical malpractice” to create a more efficient settlement system. Medical Call Center Management In order to increase customer satisfaction and enhance service reliability, the Medical Call Center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the country to deal with any concerns international patients may have about the medical services being provided to them in Korea. In addition to monitoring complaints by foreign patients, the center offers general medical information, provides referrals to multinational providers and medical tourism facilitators (as well as to legal counsel in the event of disputes or medical appeals), offers an emergency hotline service with emergency medical centers all over the country, and manages the comprehensive website for Medical Korea: www.medicalkorea.or.kr. Medical Call Center services are available in five languages: English, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Japanese. Resolution of Medical Disputes in Korea Like Germany and Japan, the issue of liability in Korea is settled based on the detailed jurisdiction underwritten law and various precedents. As it involves a lot of time and money, the Korean Government is evaluating the merits of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which can resolve medical disputes more effectively—improving methods of mediation and/or arbitration. Currently, the Central Medical Assessment and Mediation Commission, established by the Medical Service Act, takes charge of disputes with international patients. However, the Korean government is making efforts to improve the speed, fairness, and transparency of the resolution process by conducting advanced ADRs as well as by accelerating new legislation associated with medical disputes. The legislative bill ‘Act on Malpractice-related Damage Relief and Medical Dispute Resolution’ was initiated by the Health and Welfare committee under the National Assembly in 2009, and is now pending in the Judicial Committee to be passed. Once this legislative bill is enacted, the National Commission for Settlement of Medical Disputes (controlled by an Expert Review Panel composed of respected experts) will be established by law, and can be utilized by both domestic and international patients. As long as the patients seeking damages for malpracticerelated issues request mediation and/or arbitration, the National Commission for Settlement of Medical Disputes can use its office to investigate in regards to the cause of damage, negligence, and establish any causal relationships. This change would be viewed as a highly progressive move, as well as a way to significantly reduce legal expenses. Furthermore, this new legislation would introduce an innovative approach to the processing of medical dispute settlements that would ease any apprehension a patient may feel about taking advantage of medical services in Korea. Promotion & Marketing of Korea’s Medical Services Korea is recognized as one of the most advanced countries in regard to medical human resources, medical technology and medical facilities. Recently, medical doctors from the United States traveled to Korea to take part in training courses within specialized areas such as spine surgery, robotic surgery, and organ transplantation, a role reversal that affirms Korea’s growing status as a high quality medical service provider. To © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine further enhance our brand of medical care around the world, we hope to promote Korea’s medical services so that its reputation matches its evaluation. In December 2009, the Korean government launched the “Medical Korea” brand of medical service in Korea and is leading an active promotional and marketing campaign by holding a global conference and road shows, as well as advertising abroad on television, the radio, and in newspapers. Currently, Medical Korea plans to provide information about the medical services in Korea overall and offer enhanced interactive communication services for international patients in five languages (English, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Japanese) on its official home page, which will be launched in May 2010. Until then, the website www.medicalkorea.or.kr stands apart as a symbol of things to come. The Korean Government is dedicated to building a network among the government, medical providers and medical tourism facilitators so that international patients can better understand, access, and utilize medical services in Korea. For example, this was the objective of the recent familiarization tour inviting relevant parties such as insurance companies, medical doctors and medical tourism facilitators from the Middle East, the United States, and Russia to Korean healthcare providers. The international medical training program for medical doctors in other countries is another effort to strengthen relationships with the medical workforce overseas in order to strengthen our credibility. In the case of the United States, the Korean government has started to develop a Korean medical travel benefit plan for the self insured that brings significant cost savings and increasing employee satisfaction. Also, the government is promoting its marketing activities which will create new medical insurance plans in other countries than the US providing the healthcare option in Korea. We are committed to becoming a leader in medical tourism and a role model in the international market to better serve international patients in need. It is our firm promise that we will contribute to improving our readiness to serve patients all around the world through our advanced medical technology and the infrastructure providing the best service for the international patients traveling to Korea. n About the Author: Kyung-won Jang is currently the Director General of the Global Healthcare Business Center in Korea Health Industry Development Institute, which is a national research institute under the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs of Korea. Starting his career in 1995, he is known as an expert in international affairs and global trades in the bio-health industry. He was a Korean representative of Codex General Principle & Food Safety Committee until 2005. Currently, he is actively involved in a lot of international activities including serving as the Secretary General for the APEC Harmonization Center, Korean government delegate for APEC LSIF, Pacific Health Summit Secretary for Korean Delegation, KoreaUS FTA Working Group Director, Korea-China FTA Pre-Negotiation Representative, STS Kyoto Forum Secretary for Korean Delegation, and Korea Health Forum Secretary. Since 2008, he has been in charge of developing Korea Global Healthcare Industry including national policy and law development, international marketing, and internal domestic infrastructure development. Recently, he was in charge of developing the national medical brand, “Medical Korea” in order to promote Korean healthcare service around the world. For his expertise in global healthcare industry, he was appointed as the executive director of Korea International Medical Association (KIMA) as well as the general director of MTA Asia. He achieved a doctorate degree in Engineering of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice). January/February 2010 39 MEDICAL TOURISM The Role of the Facilitator~ Dental Tourism By JEFFREY APTON and ROBIN APTON In the world of medical care, treatment for even a minor illness frequently runs into thousands of dollars. Medical insurance is virtually essential to gaining access to medical care. Compare that to the world of dental care. About half of all Americans have no dental insurance (for seniors that’s about 80%). The fortunate ones with insurance are covered for basic twice-a-year cleanings, exams and x-rays. F or those who need extensive dentistry either as a result of aging, genetics, or lifestyle, fees ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 and beyond are not uncommon. These out-of-pocket expenses can be devastating whether you are working and raising a family or just trying to enjoy the Golden Years. The truth is that no one should ever avoid needed dental care due to lack of dental insurance. The current Health Reform Bill, to the extent it focuses on dentistry, will not likely offer any relief. When all is settled, seniors may find their already minimal Medicare Advantage dental benefits entirely eliminated. According to the National Coalition on Health Care, an alliance of more than 70 organizations, about 40% of Americans who sought healthcare abroad did so for dental procedures. Despite the current economic climate’s negative 40 January/February 2010 effect on dentistry both in the US and abroad, even the American Dental Association (ADA) expects dental tourism to grow once the recession ends. For those who need extensive dentistry either as a result of aging, genetics, or lifestyle, fees ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 and beyond are not uncommon. In spite of the numbers of dental tourists, dentistry also receives less attention in the world of Medical Tourism. It’s a jungle out there, and not in the eco-tourism sense. A GoogleTM © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine search for “dental tourism” came up with over a million hits. Dentistry is usually treated as one of many healthcare procedures thrown into the potpourri of treatments offered by medical tourism companies. A possible reason for this: the cost-per-procedure (and profit) of dentistry is much less than for other medical treatments. Patients may feel comfortable being “Do-It-Yourselfers” (DIY) when seeking dental care abroad. After all, dentistry is not at the life-threatening level of, say, a cardiac bypass, so they may feel they don’t need any assistance. However, given the number of dental tourists and their specialized requirements, there is a necessary role for qualified Dental Tourism Facilitators who can help patients navigate the world of international dentistry and locate quality care abroad. An effective Dental Facilitator can help patients in all aspects of their experience, from choosing the right dentist at the right price, to helping arrange lodging and tours within both the budget and time constraints of the patient’s dental visit. When The Four Ps of Dental Facilitation come together (Figure 1) they offer the optimal dental experience for the patient. A patient who believes that they can evaluate a dentist with phone calls and email may be in for a surprise when they arrive for treatment. Many people will not know the right questions to ask, or the answers they should be hoping for. This is where the Facilitator can make all the difference, if they have the right set of professional skills. Professionalism Fig 1 ~ Four Ps of Dental Facilitation A patient working with a Facilitator has the right to expect that their guide to choosing dental treatment abroad would have skills that match the task. Qualified Facilitators should have backgrounds in dentistry and healthcare. They “talk” dentistry and know the questions to ask dentists, including procedural codes, names of materials used, etc. Such knowledge would seem to be a given, but this is not always the case. FACTORS RESULTING IN BEST PATIENT CARE Product Quality Facilitators meet the dentists they recommend in person. Face-to-face meetings provide the most information. On site, Facilitators with dental background check several things: general condition of the office, equipment used, sterilization procedures followed, staff members, training courses taken, level of English fluency, and even the neighborhood location of the offices. The Dental Facilitator offers their knowledge to help patients save time and avoid potential missteps. Anyone who has ever put together his or her own vacation knows how easy it is to make mistakes in a foreign place. The DIY patient risks the increased chance of mistakes not only in their basic travel choices of where to stay or what to see, but in the most important decisions--those they are least prepared to evaluate, “Who will treat me? Do I understand what they are offering me?” According to the National Coalition on Health Care, an alliance of more than 70 organizations, about 40% of Americans who sought healthcare abroad did so for dental procedures. The medical tourist may rely on Joint Commission (JC) or other hospital accreditation to gain a sense of security about their place of treatment. Dental tourists do not have that same advantage. Dentists, generally work in solo practice or in clinics. They are small business people, and formalized accreditation of businesses of the size and quantity of dental practices may present unique challenges. When Pan American Dental Tours built its provider network, we met practitioners with fine credentials and skills whose offices or locations in town would have been unacceptable for many patients. That vital piece of information would have never been received through a phone call or e-mail. Simply defined, the Dental Tourism Facilitator is a person or company offering a service to prospective dental patients: to help them navigate the world of international dentistry and find the best quality care abroad, at the same time helping them to realize major cost-savings. With serious medical procedures, the “tourism” part of medical tourism may be a misnomer. The dental tourist, however, is likely to be ready, willing and able to sightsee right before or even after his or her procedures. So in addition to quality dentistry, the Facilitator may also offer lodging and tour services on the ground. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine While it is obvious that Do-It-Yourselfers cannot have this depth of information, it may also be true that Facilitators offering laundry lists of providers in multiple countries may never meet their dental “partners.” Meetings with local tour guides to establish their sensitivity to patient’s needs, willingness to provide excellent travel help and English proficiency is best done in person as well. January/February 2010 41 MEDICAL TOURISM Knowledge carries a price, which is why the next “P” may be the best for the Dental Tourism shopper. Price Dental tourists are by nature, and by the very act they engage in, price sensitive. So the dental tourist will want to know that not only can they work with a Facilitator to maximize their experience, but they could potentially save money by doing so. And again, Facilitators working with tour partners may provide much the same service for clients with their travel partners. Tour experts in the same city as the dentist, who understand the special time needs of treatment will be the patient’s eyes and ears on the ground. A patient who believes that they can evaluate a dentist with phone calls and email may be in for a surprise when they arrive for treatment. Why would a patient not work with a Facilitator? Place There are many countries where the motivated dental patient can go for quality treatment. An informed Facilitator will (or should) have been in the country(ies) they recommend to clients and will be able to share the important non-treatment factors. Safety, access by air and ease of travel inside a country are things to consider. Having traveled around Central America, Panama can be seen as the “go-to” location for dental work. Comparable to Miami, Panama City is sophisticated, with tall buildings balanced by picturesque historical sections and even an intown rain forest. Travelers from the States may feel more comfortable in Panama than other destinations in Central America. For the patient who wants to tour, there is a diversity of nature unsurpassed in the hemisphere, whether for island getaways or eco-tourism in the jungle. The icing on the cake is that they accept the US dollar: travelers will have no bothersome conversions of money and credit card surcharges for the money they spend. n About the Author: Jeffrey Apton, President. As owner of two successful Medical Education agencies working in the US and Internationally, Jeff created numerous programs to deliver better health care information to professionals and consumers. Many of these programs were featured in industry and national media, including Pharmaceutical Executive, Newsweek, CNN, BBC, etc. His clients were major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Pfizer, Merck and Novartis, as well as non-profit patient advocacy groups. Jeff serves as ViceChairman and counselor for a Connecticut Chapter of SCORE, a non-profit association that has helped over 8.5 million small businesses owners across the US since its founding in 1964. Jeff can be reached at [email protected] Robin Apton RDH, MS, Clinical Coordinator. Robin holds both BS and MS degrees from Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery, Division of Dental Hygiene. She has thirty years of experience practicing as a registered dental hygienist (RDH) in a number of busy periodontal and prosthodontic practices. In addition to teaching at the University level at Columbia and the University of Bridgeport, Robin has owned and operated a dental employment agency that placed professionals in offices throughout the New York region. Robin can be reached at [email protected] 42 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine WHY SHOULD YOU ADVERTISE ON AN ONLINE MAGAZINE? Did you know that... >> Almost 70% of Americans search for medical information online. >> Over 113 million Americans search for health information online. >> Most Americans now gather information online through search engines such as Google, Yahoo & Bing. >> Keeps business flowing by advertising online in the Health Tourism Magazine. >> Advertise to your target audience and get more “bang” for your buck, because of the reduced costs of advertising online. >> Reach thousands of potential clients, employees, industry © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine participants and other important publics. >> Generate inquiries and sales leads from healthcare professionals, buyers and sellers. >> Increase your “Brand Name” reputation throughout the country in Health Tourism Magazine. >> Educate the world on your organization, what you provide, and why it is unique. >> Use the Health Tourism Magazine to communicate the vision of positive improving the health and wellness of people today. Please Contact: 10130 Northlake Boulevard, Suite 214-315 West Palm Beach, FL 33412 USA Tel (561) 791-2000 Fax (866) 756-0811 January/February 2010 Email: [email protected] 43 MEDICAL TOURISM Medical Tourism in the Ashes of Healthcare Reform By JONATHAN EDELHEIT H ealthcare Reform was dead in the United States and now it’s back and it looks like it’s going to pass. What is amazing about healthcare reform in the US is that it is actually not going to lower healthcare or health insurance costs as initially promised, but will effectively significantly increase the costs. By some research it is estimated that the cost of health insurance for young people could be raised by almost 70% each year. Even more amazing is that healthcare reform legislation in the US will do nothing to actually deal with the real reasons why healthcare costs are so high and definitely is not going to have the major effect that has been promised to the American people. Healthcare reform is mainly going to try to force every American to buy healthcare, waive pre-existing conditions and create healthcare purchasing entities and strongly go after and regulate health insurance carriers. The Medical Tourism Association Board agreed with Deloitte that Healthcare reform in the US would increase healthcare costs tremendously and therefore grow medical tourism faster. Everyone in the US would like to see healthcare reform, but in a meaningful way, that actually addresses the fundamental reasons why healthcare costs are so high, which current healthcare reform doesn’t. 44 January/February 2010 Some Interesting Research on Healthcare Reform: 19 million Number of people predicted to lose their employer plan (Lewin Group) 8 to 9 million Number of people predicted to lose their employer plan (CBO) $11,543 Employer incentive to drop coverage for a $30,000 a year worker with family [Tax subsidy in the exchange minus tax subsidy at work minus $2,000 fine] (IRET) 33 million Number of people in traditional Medicare at risk of losing access to care because of $523 billion in cuts in Medicare spending (Medicare Chief Actuary) 20% Fraction of hospitals that would become unprofitable after Medicare spending cuts (Medicare Chief Actuary) $100 million Cost of Healthcare Reform mandates for Caterpillar, Inc. in the first year alone (Caterpillar, Inc.) © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine What does it mean? What does healthcare reform passing in the US mean for medical tourism? It is extremely positive. Healthcare reform will increase the cost of health insurance for younger Americans because healthcare reform artificially lowers the cost of health insurance for elderly Americans and makes younger Americans bear that burden. Healthcare reform does nothing to really address actual healthcare costs, such as hospital stays, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and medical malpractice reform. One of the most important aspects of healthcare reform is that it waives pre-existing conditions for Americans and that all Americans must be treated fairly in regards to costs, which means that under healthcare reform sick Americans should be paying the same amount for health insurance as healthy Americans. This means millions of sick Americans who previously were denied insurance or couldn’t afford it now will have access to it and that in order for the prices for sick and healthy Americans to be the same, health insurance prices have to rise. This means healthy Americans will be subsidizing sick Americans health insurance costs. We have seen in several states in the US, this type of group healthcare reform and how it increases the cost of health insurance for everyone. What does healthcare reform passing in the US mean for medical tourism? It is extremely positive. Many US health insurance companies and employers had put off their plans to implement medical tourism because they were waiting to see if healthcare reform passed and if it did pass what it actually meant. Health Insurance Companies have been in a huge defensive position cutting all new initiatives and projects, and fighting healthcare reform because healthcare reform was going to cripple the insurance carriers and for some threaten their very existence by putting them out of business. Also, employers didn’t want to implement anything new, because they didn’t know if the government was taking over health insurance or certain things under healthcare reform would be allowed or not allowed. Now that it looks like healthcare reform is going to pass, we will see a new and excited interest in medical tourism as employers and insurers look for creative ways to stop what will be a very rapid increase in the costs of health insurance in the US under healthcare reform. It will be very exciting to see the renewed interest in medical tourism from insurance companies and employers in the US and to see this industry start to grow! Ethnic Employers, the New Emerging Market Another huge sector of medical tourism is “ethnic employers.” Ethnic employers are employers who have operations in multiple countries. We are in a global world and business has no borders. Many companies are conglomerates that operate all over the world. I predicted several years ago that these ethnic employers would start leading the charge in medical tourism and I have been encouraging governments ever since to support it. A perfect example is Daewoo and Woori Bank of Korea who this past year implemented medical tourism for their US based employees to travel back to Korea for surgeries under medical tourism. The Korean government used its influence to open the doors for this to happen and this will be an example to countries around the world to work with local companies who have international offices to adopt medical tourism programs. This could open the door to millions more patients traveling in the future as international companies allow medical tourism to their company’s headquarters in their © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine home country. Korea has a huge initiative in this area and in 2010 we will see more Korean conglomerates offering medical tourism to their employees in different parts of the world. This type of initiative should be taken up by other countries and governments. Projections for 2010 My projection for 2010 is that we will not only see more growth in the medical tourism industry, but we will see a solid foundation being built for massive growth of medical tourism in the future. In 2010 we will see more US insurance companies and employers will implement medical tourism. Also, we will see more international insurance companies developing more “global healthcare” policies allowing patients to travel anywhere in the world for their healthcare needs. Also, we will see some international health insurance companies wake up while some continue living in the dark. Some international insurers companies simply don’t put two and two together. They are involved in medical tourism on a constant basis but simply don’t realize that what they are doing is medical tourism and don’t embrace it. Other international health insurance companies simply put their head in the sand like an ostrich and don’t want to be involved in medical tourism or global healthcare. But times have changed and you either change with the times or you fade away. Just like companies said they would not outsource administrative and customer service to overseas countries some o f these insurers are saying they won’t outsource healthcare. But, we are in a global world. If an employer wants to do it and that international insurer won’t do it, they will find another insurance carrier. This is actually happening right now. Sometimes insurance companies get stuck in a rut of the way they have always done things, and they need to get slapped around a little to wake up and realize times have changed. This is going to happen in the next few years and I firmly believe that we will see “global health insurance policies” versus “domestic health insurance policies becoming one of the fastest growing policies throughout the developing world and even in the developing world. n About the Author Jonathan Edelheit is CEO of the Medical Tourism Association with a long history in the healthcare industry, providing third party administration services for fully insured, self-funded and mini-medical plans to large employers groups. He may be reached at [email protected] January/February 2010 45 MEDICAL TOURISM Part II The Global Spa & Medical Tourism Industries By SUSIE ELLIS The history of spas, defined as destinations people visit for renewal of body, mind and spirit, and medical tourism, the practice of people traveling across borders for medical treatment, can be traced back thousands of years. Yet each sector has a distinctly modern and rapidly evolving incarnation that can be measured in mere decades and years. While there are striking parallels between these ancient, yet young industries, each brings vastly different core competencies to the table. I n the first installment of my discussion of the spa industry and the medical tourism industry, we focused on some of their similarities including their histories, yearly revenue figures, terminology challenges, the need for more research, and the valuable role of facilitators. In this second installment I will suggest some ways these industries might be able to work together productively - as well as outline a few pitfalls that I feel should be avoided. WHAT SPAS DO BEST The core strength of spas is providing relaxation and destressing, as well as preventative health and wellness offerings. They are destinations where people in fundamentally good health focus on getting healthier, via fitness, nutrition, body therapies and beauty treatments, sleep, mind-body modalities, and at times complementary and alternative practices, etc. Consumers associate spas and their staffs with care and 46 January/February 2010 nurturing, and the spa environment is thoughtfully designed to address and soothe all five senses – that is why you will often find soft music, beautiful lighting, relaxing aromas, subtle flavors and a healing touch. Every element is dedicated to facilitate physical, emotional and spiritual rejuvenation. While spa personnel may have expertise and credentials in areas like massage therapy, beauty services, fitness training, hotel management or spa management, and some are practioners in yoga, acupuncture or ayurveda, licensed medical doctors are not routinely part of the equation. Spa-goers are usually called ‘clients’ or ‘guests.’ WHAT MEDICINE DOES BEST A medical establishment’s overriding mission is providing serious medical services in a safe, regulated environment by © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine highly trained, reputable doctors and staff. Medical tourism, by definition, involves licensed medical facilities and professionals to administer procedures the traveler is seeking. Hence, the process is infinitely more complex and includes diagnoses, preoperation, surgical procedures and expert aftercare. The emphasis is, first and foremost on safety and positive medical outcomes, not necessarily on creating a relaxing ambiance, nurturing environment or providing complementary non-medical services. Medical personnel are expected to be appropriately licensed and there is a great deal of emphasis on high levels of education as well as extensive experience. Medical tourists are usually called ‘patients.’ CULTURES While spas and medical establishments have differing core competencies (which theoretically should make working together quite synergistic), the greatest challenges are often symptomatic of their differing cultures. A study by SpaFinder Research revealed that consumers overwhelmingly prefer “the expertise of medical professionals combined with the ambiance and caring touch of a spa. With medical facilities’ laser-like focus on efficiency, the fallout can be cold, sparse waiting rooms and short-tempered staff behind sliding-glass windows separating the medical experts from the patients. Spas on the other hand specialize in customer-centric healing environments ~ the kind of milieu that welcomes clients with a foot ritual and relaxing tea. On the other hand, spa professionals are not required to achieve a ‘medical level’ of expertise, and their often unsubstantiated claims that spa treatments do such things as ‘pull out toxins,’ ‘eliminate cellulite’ or ‘balance chakras’ runs counter to the medical establishment’s adherence to largely evidenced-based medicine. This often precludes some medical professionals from wanting to have anything to do with the spa world. CONSUMER DEMAND Increasingly, as more people seek integrative approaches to medicine as well as meaningful alternatives to current healthcare models, it’s the consumer who is clearly articulating a desire for a blend of both. A study by SpaFinder Research revealed that consumers overwhelmingly prefer “the expertise of medical professionals combined with the ambiance and caring touch of a spa.” So it’s no surprise that we’re beginning to see efforts to combine these distinct core competencies into offerings that satisfy consumer demand. While initially it may be this consumer demand that drives the early intersections of medical tourism and spas, it is my belief that, over time, it will be the improved medical outcomes and satisfying experiences as a result of a blended model that will be the more powerful adoption driver. To that end, here are some suggested ways I see that spas and medical tourism might be able to begin working together: © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine 1. Spas As ‘Bookends’ For Medical Tourism One of the easiest-to-implement ways for spa and medicine to work together is to co-ordinate spa stays as an option on either end of the medical travel experience. This ‘bookend approach’ is a natural fit when there isn’t serious and complex surgery involved, and indeed, pre and post medical-stay spa visits are something that is already beginning to happen and proving successful. For instance, the medical tourist’s pre-procedure accommodations can be booked at a hotel or resort with a spa, or at a destination spa where all guests are emerged in the spa experience. Alternately a pre or post stay at a facility that doesn’t have a spa could be ‘paired’ with services from a local day spa. This offers numerous benefits in terms of both adjusting from travel and preparing for the upcoming check up, test or medical procedure. Relaxing spa treatments, anti-jet lag management, healthy food, and mild exercise are examples of spa aspects that physically, emotionally and/or spiritually prepare patients for what lies ahead. Likewise, these same beneficial offerings, along with the nurturing staff and 24-hour service at the spa, are an attractive plus for the post-procedure experience. In some cases, spa treatments and supervised movement can accelerate recovery, especially if coordinated between doctors and spa staff. Additionally, beauty services prepare a patient to look and feel their best before heading home. Typically, only minor adjustments need to be made in spa facilities or in their programming in order to accommodate medical tourists. Another benefit of incorporating spa treatments into the medical tourism experience is the value for the medical traveler’s companion(s). Companions serve as valuable support and assistance to the medical traveler and a spa setting, which may include some respite for them between their obligations, would no doubt be very appealing. Examples: • A stay at the Chiva Som Destination Spa in Thailand before and after checking into Bumrungrad International Hospital for a medical procedure • Staying at the Makati Shangri-La Manila Resort in the Philippines, and using their Chi spa for pre-and post hospital stays thus book-ending procedures performed at Medical City Hospital January/February 2010 47 MEDICAL TOURISM • Using S Medical Spa in Bangkok before and after a Lasik procedure while staying at a hotel or in an apartment without a spa 2. Medical Establishments Adding Spas Or Spa Services Because of the powerful, universal popularity of the spa experience, as well as mounting evidence that many of the services they offer do indeed have health-enhancing benefits, medical consumers have begun to actively seek out hospitals/ healthcare facilities which have more of a ‘spa feel’ - or those that formally offer spa services. Increasingly, whether it’s a hospital, a clinic, a doctor or dentist’s office, facilities that incorporate elements of spa are gaining an edge. Welcome to the epoch of the ‘spa-spital,’ the ‘hospa,’ the ‘dental spa,’ the ‘medi-spa,’ and such. Examples: • Beyond, a day spa at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey was one of the first examples of this hospital spa trend. • Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland began as a clinic/ hospital and recently added a full spa facility complete with swimming pool, hydrotherapy, massage, beauty services and the like. • Dr. Renee Dell’Acqua is the pioneer of ‘spa dentistry’. At her Dental Studio in California she uses custom made aromatherapy to help patients relax, has a massage therapist on staff that offers foot and hand massages during treatment, and uses many spa amenities such as neck and eye pillows, chenille blankets and spa music to create a most comfortable setting. 3. Spas Adding Medical Components In some spas (especially in Europe) there has been a history of medical doctor involvement from the beginning. Many of those models have been changing from a government-run operation to a private for-profit business in the past years. In addition, spas without prior medical offerings have broadened their offerings to include medical components whether oriented toward wellness and prevention or cosmetics and aesthetic enhancement. Terms such as medical spa, ‘medi spa’ (a term trademarked by Dr. Bruce Katz, New York) and SpaRx (trademarked by SpaFinder, Inc.) resulted. Examples: • Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Arizona, which opened in 1979 as a sprawling full service fitness retreat, subsequently added medical services. Today they have what they refer to as ‘The Life Enhancement Program’ which is its own facility and has almost 20 full- time medical doctors on staff. • La Costa Resort and Spa, a world-renowned golf and spa destination popular in California for half a century, added a medical component more recently when Dr. Deepak Chopra opened his first Ayurvedic-focused ‘Chopra Center’ on their premises. • Harrods in London originally opened a traditional spa, Urban Retreat. Later they added a medi spa, Renew Medica, making the space now a huge and popular wellbeing haven. 4. Both Spa & Medical Blended From The Onset As the synergies between medical and spas become more evident, we are seeing newer projects that endeavor to integrate both aspects right from the beginning. These hybrids are taking a variety of forms. Examples: • The Malo Clinic Spa at The Venetian Macao-ResortHotel is an integrative wellness center which offers 48 January/February 2010 both comprehensive medical treatments (six operating theaters, a staff of 50 doctors, executive health checkups, cutting-edge dental medicine/surgery, cardiology, plastic surgery, etc.) and full spa services (30 luxurious spa rooms; wet and hydro facilities; a hair salon, ‘The Beauty Lab;’ 100 spa therapists). • The Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital in Michigan was designed with advanced technology throughout rooms and medical facilities, space for families to stay overnight, organic healthy food and a culinary school emphasizing healthy cuisine (they have plans for an onsite greenhouse). The hospital’s wellness center features a full menu of integrative medicine and spa features that include acupuncture, massage, yoga and relaxation classes. • The Sha Wellness Clinic in Alicanta, Spain blends traditional medicine and western approaches with a macrobiotic diet. The medical team and professional therapeutic consultants work together. They don’t claim to be either a ‘medical center’ or a ‘spa’ – rather they prefer the language ‘devoted to wellbeing.’ • Other interesting hybrids include The California Health & Longevity Institute at The Four Seasons Hotel at Westlake Village in California and Mexico’s Sanoviv Medical Institute located on a picturesque spot on the Pacific coastline. The facility has at times been referred to as a “Ritz Carlton-like Hospital” 5. Wellness Or Health Tourism Models ‘Wellness tourism’ (or ‘health tourism’) is an emerging category increasingly being discussed in both the spa and medical tourism arenas. In fact it will be one of the key themes at the upcoming 2010 Global Spa Summit May 17-19 in © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine One of the easiest-to-implement ways for spa and medicine to work together is to coordinate spa stays as an option on either end of the medical travel experience. Spa in Thailand, United Kingdom’s Champneys resorts, Lanserhof in Austria, Rancho La Puerta in Mexico and Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia. • Traveling to medical establishments for examinations, testing and preventative or recovery services also logically falls under the rubric of ‘wellness or health tourism.’ Examples include getting a full physical examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, banking your own stem cells at hospitals in Kuala Lumpur or the Philippines, or attending the post-partum recovery program at Kurotel Longevity Center and Spa in Brazil. • The creation of entire islands, cities and eventually even countries dedicated to ‘wellness or health tourism’ seems right around the corner. Dilmunia Development – a healthcare and leisure real estate project scheduled to open soon in Bahrain will be called ‘Health Island.’ Offering state-of-the-art health care services in a resort environment, it will feature clinics, spas, wellness facilities, residential and leisure areas, hotels and shopping centers, a sports medicine center, an alternative medicine center, and a ‘wellness hospital’ and diagnostic center. POTENTIAL PITFALLS Although facing a future of exciting possibilities, there are also impediments to the successful collaboration of the spa and medical tourism industries to look out for. One major concern that simmers below the surface is that both are somehow bent on invading each other’s businesses ~ that medical tourism wants to get into the spa business, and spas want to get into the medical arena. This is not only largely unfounded, but also ill advised. Istanbul, Turkey. While clear definitions or a consensus on which term to use remain elusive, the overall concept is gaining momentum. Generally, ‘wellness tourism’ incorporates the idea of diagnostics and testing, as well as a preventive focus, and often includes consumer education. Working together successfully necessitates that both the spa and medical professionals acknowledge the core competencies of the other. One significant plus for the ‘wellness or health tourism’ model is that the concept is more expansive and tends to have a more positive connotation than ‘medical tourism,’ which can suffer from a narrow association with cosmetic surgery abroad. Also, as the idea of ‘clusters’ develops (when clinics, hospitals, medical institutions, spas, and related industries work together), the wider net of ‘wellness or health tourism’ can prove more inclusion, an advantage for tourism associations as well as countries or regions around the world. Examples: • Destination spas around the world visited by people crossing borders are a clear example or this model. While these establishments are already properly engaged in ‘wellness or health tourism,’ their target audience remains largely unaware of the moniker. Some of the best known destination spas that regularly welcome international guests include the Six Senses Destination © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine With very different cultures and varying expertise in spas and medicine, there is, in fact, evidence that prior attempts to simply move into the other’s space can prove a very costly error. Examples include the Sona MedSpa and Radiance franchises in the U.S. which were both built by people with non-medical backgrounds and subsequently went out of business. Other examples include hospitals whose attempt to add a spa resulted not so much in an integrated program with medical staff collaboration assuring improved patient outcomes, but rather functioning more like a small spa/salon in the hospital lobby operating totally separate from the medical professionals and more on par with a gift shop kiosk. Another potential pitfall is that of not respecting each other’s expertise. Working together successfully necessitates that both the spa and medical professionals acknowledge the core competencies of the other. For example, people from the medical side should not fool themselves into thinking that running a successful spa is easy. Equally important, spa professionals should not imagine that simply engaging a medical doctor to perform services in a spa will provide a meaningful medical alternative for consumers. Based on what we have seen so far in terms of successful collaborations, it appears that maintaining some autonomy between the spa and medical aspects in the design, operation and management might be the best way to begin, with some functions such as marketing, being integrated. What is needed however is a sincere commitment on everyone’s part to work together in such a way that the goal of improved patient/guest outcomes and experiences serves as the guiding force and can trump the historically unique culture friction which can result. In time, it is reasonable to assume that there will be people who have developed expertise in the new spa/medicine genre which will make additional integration possible and easier. January/February 2010 49 MEDICAL TOURISM Doing it alone is another potential pitfall. Twenty five years ago few hotels had spas and almost no cruise ships had spas. Today most 4 and 5 star properties have spas as do almost all cruise ships. Over the past couple of decades, various models evolved: some cruise lines set up their own teams to design, build and manage their spas; others brought in consultants for part of the process and decided to run the spa themselves. Still others outsourced the entire operation from beginning to end. It is worth noting that almost every single cruise ship with a spa on board today has outsourced the operation and management of their spa to a company with spa expertise. Steiner Leisure has become the dominant player managing over 50% of all cruise ships at sea today with Canyon Ranch becoming a growing player in this market more recently. It appears as if the economies of scale and vast experience a seasoned spa company has to offer makes for a smoother operation and better bottom lines for all involved. In essence, spa enthusiasts are likely to be prime medical tourism candidates as they already have one foot firmly on the first rung of the ‘seeking health improvement ladder’ so-to-speak. Hotels and resorts have integrated spas in a variety of ways. For decades there have been debates regarding the pros and cons of branded spas and who runs them. While some hotel or resort brands have developed their own spa brand (Shangri La’s Chi Spa, Fairmont’s Willow Stream, or Hyatt Pure) there are also many who have outsourced either the building of and/ or operation of their spas to companies such as ESPA, Mandara or Six Senses to name a few. Some hospitality brands, most notably Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental, are doing it alone by managing their own spas quite successfully. While a variety of models will likely result, my prediction is that in the end we will see more medical establishments bringing in branded spa expertise and spas bringing in branded medical programs with both working hard to collaborate and grow together. MARKET EXPANSION While good opportunities are emerging for spas and medical tourism to work together enhancing the offerings and outcomes for each, the more exciting opportunity might be in the growth potential of each market and the development of an entirely new market that attracts new consumers who hadn’t previously been involved in either medical tourism or the world of spas. In essence, spa enthusiasts are likely to be prime medical tourism candidates as they already have one foot firmly on the first rung of the ‘seeking health improvement ladder’ so-tospeak. Alternately, if medical travelers are introduced to the benefits of spa experiences while abroad, they are probably more likely to engage in spa activities both at home and on future vacations. Marketing is another area of opportunity. Spas can add ‘sizzle’ to medical tourism marketing. The popularity of spas with global consumers (97% report a positive association with the term ‘spa’ - see chart) can make the medical tourism ‘package’ that much more appealing – adding a unique and attractive experience (the ‘tourism’) that is often missing in the current ‘medical tourism’ equation. Spas are pretty good at 50 January/February 2010 showcasing ‘wow’ factors – consider the underwater massage rooms in the Maldives, 24-karat gold facials in Dubai, and four- or even six-hand massages in Tahiti to name a few – each regular media magnets. Medical offerings can add credibility – and a whole new dimension – for the spa consumer. From the lifesaving and life-giving possibilities of stem cell banking, to relatively minor procedures like Lasik or dental work – the concept of incorporating medical diagnostics, procedures and even surgery may become increasingly appealing for those who travel to spas, rendering their time away from home even more productive. In addition, the medical cost savings possible when traveling to places where medicine is less expensive as well as the possibility that some medical procedures are covered by insurance can help offset the price of a spa vacation. IN CONCLUSION It’s early in the lifecycle of both the modern medical tourism and the spa industries (and clearly we’re in the infant phase of the two collaborating together). We can assume that even more innovative models will evolve, more pitfalls identified and more synergies will emerge. As global collaboration heats up, and especially if patient outcomes and both sectors’ bottom lines are positively impacted, I think it’s safe to predict that the shared future of spas and medical tourism will be an unusually bright one. n About the Author: As president of SpaFinder, Inc. and Editorin-Chief of its leading consumer website SpaFinder.com, Susie Ellis is one of the most respected analysts and commentators on the global spa and wellness industries. Recognized worldwide as a leading authority on the evolving spa consumer, and sparelated health, wellness, beauty, fitness and lifestyle trends, she heads up the most prominent spa media, marketing, and research company and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Ms. Ellis began her career in spa at the Golden Door, California, and later became the first spa director of the Greenhouse Spa at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. She has also served on the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, chaired by Arnold Schwarzenegger. She may be reached at [email protected]. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine MedicalTourismCity.com It’s Your Social Network The Internet is overflowing with an assortment of social networking sites to suit every individual’s needs. From Friendster, Myspace, Facebook and Twitter, the increased usage of networking sites has been duly noted and a new form of social networking for the Medical Tourism industry has come forth in the form of MedicalTourismCity. com. MedicalTourismCity.com is a social networking forum created by the Medical Tourism Association to connect thousands around the globe that are involved in global healthcare, medical tourism, medical travel and health tourism so that they can interact, network and share ideas and thoughts, that will all work together to grow the industry. Launching its first network site, the Medical Tourism Association created Medical Tourism City as a global healthcare community whose users would consist of international hospitals, governments, medical tourism facilitators, ministries of health and tourism, governmental economic development entities, insurance companies, employers, consultants, health insurance agents, patients and others who participate or are interested in the industry. The role of the site is to promote and encourage communication amongst all of these different parties and elements behind medical tourism and healthcare. “The MTA launched the social network as a way for people to find a common place to communicate and grow the medical tourism industry in a positive direction,” said RenéeMarie Stephano, editor of the Medical Tourism Magazine and President of Medical Tourism Association. “Anyone, anywhere in the world can use the site freely. The most important part is that users of the medical tourism city social © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine network will have access to meet business people and colleagues online that otherwise they would never be able to meet,” she added. “You can blog, carry on discussions, live chat and more.” Just as in the format of other popular social networking sites, MedicalTourismCity.com allows its users to create personal profiles to reflect their individual personalities to other users in their network. By becoming a member of Medical Tourism City, you can create your own group or forum, related to the industry, and write blogs and post messages. Another feature is the ability to create a list of contacts that could include international doctors, hospitals and other participants in the global medical tourism industry, all with a purpose to network or exchange information. A multimedia facet of the site is the ability to post photos and video on the site as part of a forum, group or personal profile. Finally, the biggest feature of the site is to share information. Whether you are a hospital, facilitator, government entity or someone just interested in the industry, this site has something for everyone. Medical Tourism City is projected to have thousands of active users from all over the globe before the end of the year. With its growth, the site is expected to expand beyond issues of medical tourism and reach out internationally to encompass global healthcare. To get started and to learn more information about this groundbreaking site, visit www. MedicalTourismCity.com and log in and create an account today. Try out of all its features and add a photo to your profile or post a message on a forum and share the information. January/February 2010 51 MEDICAL TOURISM Are You Forfeiting Millions in Revenue? By DR. JAMES MCCORMICK While the distribution of healthcare as a global service is a reality in many countries, the US lags in development because there are gaps in industry rules, ill-defined dispute resolution mechanisms, billing transparency concerns, and other significant issues that create unknown business risks. As a result of these structural issues, national reputations and international business brands are unnecessarily jeopardized. T he case study below highlights critical issues for businesses and countries exporting healthcare to consumers. It is a real case. The events occur commonly, but to varying degrees, during the normal delivery of medical care. They are not unique to medical tourism patients. What is unique in the case is the risk and powerful consequences assumed by businesses and countries attempting to build brands within the US. The Case The fictitious patient, Tom, seeks the best price possible online for a medical procedure. Tom accepts care in Country ‘Z’ after email exchanges and an online interview. No local facilitator assists him. Tom arrives without a complete assessment. The receiving doctor requires additional tests costing Tom more than planned. He has a complication at home and is dissatisfied. His medical care options at home are limited. Unable to find a solution, he goes to a radio station 52 January/February 2010 and presents a biased story to a large audience undermining the destination country’s brand, the hospital’s reputation and value provided to patients seeking international healthcare. From a business perspective, any country lacking an organized market approach will collect a few hundred dollars in tax receipts and forfeit millions of dollars in revenue. In 2007 the US spent $2.26 trillion dollars on healthcare, while $4.1 trillion was spent worldwide1,2,3. The construction of an orderly, process-driven, and seamless Global Healthcare Services Distribution market could favorably shift the consumer’s spending patterns. A movement of 0.01% in market share represents a tremendous revenue opportunity. Countries bear the greatest risk to the brand(s) they are building. International companies and hospital brands entering the global healthcare services market carry a significant 1 WHO Data / 2 OECD Data / 3 http://www.cms.hhs.gov/proj2007.pdf © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine amount of risk as well. Decades have been spent building premium brands in corporate portfolios. Entering a relatively unstructured industry and marketplace carries undefined and potentially unmanageable risk. Brand damage can propagate to other businesses units. Process, Structure and Policies Reduce Risk to Country and Corporate Brands in the new Global Healthcare Services Market. Proactive coordination, development, and management of these healthcare export services are in the best interests of all the participating countries and their domestic companies. The exportation of healthcare deserves, the same, if not more attention, than other export industries. There is greater oversight, quality assurance, process control, and compatibility standards established in semiconductor chip manufacturing. The standards in that industry developed with the realization that the size of the organized market grew larger with collaboration and shrunk with parochial disorder. The shared collaborative reward of a Global Healthcare Services Distribution market exceeds any singular market share acquisition. Requirements to Stabilize and Ensure Market Growth >> National standards to define how facilities accept patients >> Patient care delivery and control systems >> Dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms >> Billing transparency processes credentialed position: International Provider can be revoked locally or at a national level for legitimate practice pattern concerns, licensure lapses, or quality issues. A systematic categorization of problems and complaints can create an organized quality improvement approach. As problems arise, categorize and track them under different subject headings and the types of events. Over time as undesirable events occur, patterns will emerge, problems will be identified and solutions developed. These events may be classified within, but separate from, routine quality improvement systems. This separation allows for relatively rapid and accurate risk identification, mitigation and quality improvement specific to this industry and its collective development. Dispute Prevention and Resolution Mechanisms These systems should be initiated and managed locally. Valuable customer service tools designed for healthcare providers can improve doctor-patient relationships. There are techniques with proven results that can reduce the likelihood of a poor medical outcome from becoming a negative customer service experience. Some costumer satisfaction issues will not be resolved with these techniques. These cases can be addressed by hospital leadership, or by local ombudsmen, to reduce the negative impact. Extraordinary customer service is one of the key differentiators offered by international service providers to US consumers. It merits the same protections that all essential brand components deserve. From a business perspective, any country lacking an organized market approach will collect a few hundred dollars in tax receipts and forfeit millions of dollars in revenue. National Standards for Patient Entry and Exit Countries with businesses sending and accepting patients should consider having a locally managed authorized list of facilitators, physicians, and insurers. There is a compelling interest in limiting the number and types of businesses allowed to send and receive patients. Specific entry and exit processes for patients should be defined and agreed upon. From both a national and a medical facility brand perspective, the risk is greatest when there are few or no controls to access facilities. When a poorly managed case occurs, the outcome reflects most heavily on the country and the facilities within that country. The provider(s) typically fade out of the story line. Unknown business risk exists to both country and facility brands when there are no controlled access and exits points for the provision of services. Patient Care Delivery and Control Systems We do not advocate for the imposition of a US-centric patient care system. But a reasonable sense of comparable and enforceable quality across borders protects everyone’s interests. Medical centers and national certification bodies can use existing processes to qualify their doctors and related licensed providers. Existing credentialing processes typically include a specific scope of practice with limits and definitions. A new scope of practice: International Provider can organize efforts in an aligned manner. A physician interested in providing elective care to international patients can select that credentialing option. Existing credentialing systems can be vertically integrated to a national level in order to build a manageable, enforceable equitable process that allows medical centers and nations to allow participation, but protect their brand(s). The © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Avenues to arbitration already exist and may be preferred to control costs. Contractual language can help to control risk and reduce disputes, but jurisdictional issues are difficult to overcome leading to enforcement issues. Initially, it may not appear to be in the interest of an individual facility or country to yield power and authority to outside parties. But, a collaborative standardized consensus based agreement and mechanism for dispute resolution is essential. Sharing best practices here makes tremendous sense as it encourages the overall market to learn and grow. Billing Transparency Processes Before the patient arrives there should be a clear bill set out for the services to be rendered. Hidden and undeclared additional fees and charges are a bad practice. There is a valid reason to charge for additional mandatory or unexpected legitimate services. Infections, complications and operative recovery issues are all legitimate services to bill for when rendered. This point helps explain why the limitation of access points is important to your reputation. Message consistency begins and ends with your ability to enforce how the message is delivered. Accepting referrals through resources unfamiliar with your terms, conditions and charges allows for the potential patient to misunderstand what the obligations are and where additional charges may be added on. When qualified referral services are in place, the business and medical risk to the patient, facility and country can be controlled or minimized. The entire process assures the consumer receives a clearly defined fee structure and the potential for additional charges. These issues can be addressed prior to departure to receive the January/February 2010 53 MEDICAL TOURISM care. Options for aftercare insurance and other gaps can be closed prior to departing for services. Conclusion The days of the “gold rush” approach to medical tourism will end. There is room for more participants, additional talent and new entrepreneurs, but a more structured mature industry lies ahead. Competing for healthcare consumers across borders and into domestic territories is a complex and challenging goal, but appears rewarding and worthwhile in the end. International Centers of Excellence that are worth traveling to for health care can exist in the consumers’ minds. To establish them, we must move away from unmanaged participants, underdeveloped policies and ill-defined rules. A comprehensive strategic approach is necessary to accomplish these goals. Each dissatisfied person that leaves a country carries a powerfully negative brand message. Domestic advocates, lobbyists, providers and insurers who characterize this industry as a threat will actively publicize these cases. They seize the stories like Tom above and use their negative value. The physician(s) and the facility involved are almost unimportant. A systematic categorization of problems and complaints can create an organized quality improvement approach. The strategic use of a bad outcome and/or dissatisfied customer is to broadly paint the country negatively. This simple stroke destroys the quality and pricing power that exists in the collective brand. The Toms that return are given the ability to tell their stories to thousands, perhaps more, of empathetic audiences that are more likely to believe his word of mouth story. A priority must be established early on to defuse and disarm the dissatisfied consumers before they vent publically. In the end, each country’s reputation and their domestic corporate brands are also placed in harm’s way. Patients rarely lose public battles. n About the Author Dr. McCormick, originally from New York, is a practicing Emergency Medicine physician in Los Angeles and has remained Board Certified for the last 10 years. Prior to that, he served for over 20 years in pre-hospital emergency services, both ground and air based operations. Dr. McCormick graduated from medical school at the State University of New York Downstate in 1993 and completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the prestigious LAC+USC Medical Center in 1997. Dr McCormick is a founding member and co-inventor of the NuMask IntraOral Mask, a breakthrough medical device for ventilating patients. His next direction is a more strategic solution to the US healthcare challenges with the launch of a medical tourism business called Premier Medical Travel this fall. He is convinced that combining his MD and MBA will help to unleash the tremendous benefits this industry has to offer: our patients, our payers, our country and our future generations. He may be reached at [email protected] 54 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine af ter Care speCialists Providing end-to-end solutions for medical tourism The chances of being readmitted to a hospital after a procedure go down significantly with proper attention and care. Our highly trained caregivers and ClientCare Coordinators bring compassion and expertise to the entire recovery process. As a leader in the caregiving field, we understand exemplary caregiving practices are a critical step to ensure a successful recovery. We promote compliance with your prescribed rehabilitation program, and maintain a stress-free balance in the recovery environment. The key to delivering quality care lies in caregiver education. Homewatch CareGivers University is our professionally developed caregiver training platform designed to train our caregiver employees, family members providing care, and the greater caregiver community. Whether your patients are traveling across town, across country, or around the globe, we deliver premier home care services wherever home may be. Offering the widest array of services for people of all ages since 1980. Franchising opportunities available. Homewatch International, Inc. 1-303-758-5111 • 1-800-777-9770 7100 E. Belleview Ave., #303 • Greenwood Village, CO 80111 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine www.HomewatchCareGivers.com January/February 2010 55 MEDICAL TOURISM Medical Tourism Meets Volunteering Hands~ A Student’s Journey to Honduras By AYUSHI GUMMADI Driving through the hills of rural Honduras, I experienced my first wave of fearing for my life. I was crammed in the back of a van, driving in the rain along dirt roads that looked over the edge of cliffs. But when the van first dropped us off in the rural community of Las Joyas, my emotions instantly changed and the surroundings took my breath away. S et high in the mountains on an agricultural reserve, Las Joyas is surrounded by picturesque views of pure greenery unpolluted by modern day life. Standing in stark contrast to the beautiful scenery is the rural, impoverished community, consisting of shacks assembled with corrugated tin, brick and mud and lacking the basic elements of electricity and running water which I take for granted. I found myself in Honduras as part of Global Brigades, a student-led international service organization designed to improve quality of life in developing countries through various sustainable development projects. My team, composed of 16 students from the University of Southern California, came as part of Public Health Brigades, which focused on redesigning 56 January/February 2010 community infrastructure to decrease the prevalence of easily treatable diseases, like diarrhea. In addition, we also engaged Perhaps the most interesting element of the Public Health brigade was getting to the root of medical problems and creating sustainable solutions that would last many years. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine with the families in public health education and conducted lessons for the community children every morning. Perhaps the most interesting element of the Public Health Brigade was getting to the root of medical problems and creating sustainable solutions that would last many years and make a significant impact in the lives of the families we worked with. To that end, our main goal was engaging in four construction projects: latrines (a type of outhouse connected to a large septic tank), cement floors, clean-burning stoves, and pilas (large water storage tanks). Prior to building the latrine, the families would use the surrounding woods as their restroom, which in turn, contaminated the drinking water and facilitate the spread of parasites. The latrine thus effectively eliminated this issue by creating a system of septic waste storage that would not affect other natural resources. Being able to work in this community put a human face to all the problems I had previously read about, and it was this humanizing of the issues that had such a big effect on me. Similarly, the families often slept on dirt floors, which resulted in many cases of Chaga’s disease; an inflammatory, infectious condition caused by a parasite found in the feces of the reduviid bug. The cement floors that we built were easier to clean, creating a more hygienic environment. The cleanburning stoves were designed to prevent respiratory diseases in women and children, who spent much of their day cooking tortillas over the stovetop and inhaling its toxic fumes. Lastly, the pilas were designed to consolidate the water storage system, which was particularly helpful during droughts or dry spells. The pilas also provided a more efficient system of bathing, washing dishes, and doing laundry, thus increasing the overall hygiene of the family. I never envisaged myself doing construction work, yet I can confidently say that this was the most incredible trip of my life, manual labor included. In my opinion, the best part was working directly alongside local families to complete these projects. Whether we were mixing cement, laying bricks, or huddling together under tarp to keep away from the rain, there was a strong sense of unity—as if class, language, and cultural divides were negligible, and instead of a group of USC college students mixing with local Hondurans, we were just a unique conglomeration of friends. Not only was this my first trip to Latin America, it was also my first direct experience with medical tourism. Being able to work on these public health projects and make a sustainable impact in the lives of these community members, particularly when it comes to dramatically reducing their risk of infection of easily preventable diseases, was incredible and gave me firsthand understanding of the problems which many developing countries face and how medical tourism can aid them. I genuinely believe that it is the smaller projects of students and volunteers from all over the world that make a sustainable difference in the lives of people like those I met in Las Joyas. Being able to work in this community put a human face to all the problems I had previously read about, and it was this humanizing of the issues that had such a big effect on me. Instead of being statistics, the community members were real people. I definitely plan to return and engage in more service trips, and I know without a doubt that my peers feel the same. Visiting Honduras was a life-changing experience, and the best part is that I know my life was not the only one that was changed. n About the Author: Ayushi is a sophomore at the University of Southern California where she is studying Neuroscience, International Relations, and Business Administration. She hopes to enter the medical field in the health policy sector and one day work for the World Health Organization on International Health Issues. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, spending time with friends and family, and exploring Los Angeles. Instead of being statistics, the community members were real people. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 57 MEDICAL TOURISM An Interview with Brad Cook~ Hospital Clínica Bíblica By SARAH MARTIN Hospital Clinica Biblica is one of the most well known hospitals in Latin America. Brad Cook is one of the major reasons why the hospital has been receiving the lion’s share of international patients to Costa Rica. S. Martin: Tell us a little about yourself. Mr. Cook: I was born in Costa Rica at Hospital Clínica Bíblica of US parents. I had quite an adventurous childhood growing up between Costa Rica, the United States and Brazil, never quite knowing where home was. After finishing High School in Costa Rica, I moved to Michigan where I not only managed to survive the harsh winters but received my degree from Calvin College. After graduation I was not quite sure where to call home and finally concluded I would be best served avoiding another Michigan winter and returning to Costa Rica where my parents and siblings had settled down. I spent my first three or four years there running and developing a scuba business with a business partner before finally settling down at Hospital Clínica Bíblica. After a few years of business development, I was able to develop my own company within the hospital running all the International Insurance Billing and developing the Medical Tourism Project for the hospital as the Director of the International Department. S. Martin: Please explain your role at Hospital Clínica Bíblica in Costa Rica. Mr. Cook: My company runs the International Department for the hospital and our duties include assisting foreign patients, 58 January/February 2010 billing all the international insurance claims for the hospital and doctors and coordinating and developing the hospital’s Medical Tourism project. S. Martin: What kind of growth have you seen in Medical Tourism in the last few years? Mr. Cook: We were quite concerned initially that the financial crisis would have a negative impact on the number of patients visiting our hospital and even though there was an initial decrease things quickly returned to normal and are now on the upswing. Overall there seems to be quite a bit of momentum building in regards to medical tourism as we have seen increased interest from insurance companies and employers to research and implement Medical Tourism. I think the financial crisis and health care debate raging in the US have brought heightened awareness to medical tourism and are acting as a catalyst that could catapult the entire industry forward. Our hospital has entered into several contracts with large American health insurance companies specifically for them to send patients to us for medical tourism. We also have had a significant increase in contracts with medical tourism facilitators and our patient flow is great. We are very excited about the future of medical tourism. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine S. Martin: What do you see as one of the biggest growth potentials for medical tourism in the future? Mr. Cook: Due to the high costs for healthcare in the US I see the biggest potential growth coming from US insurance companies and employers as they look to lower costs by taking advantage of the huge savings and high quality available at top hospitals overseas. Gradually, the barriers to traveling overseas have been coming apart at the seams and I believe it is only a matter of time before large insurance carriers and employers include an international component to their plans. S. Martin: Tell us why there is so much potential growth for medical tourism in Latin America. Mr. Cook: The most obvious reason initially is our proximity to the United States and the overall comfort level visitors feel, along with the familiarity with the Latin American culture and its beauty. More important however, is the fact that we truly have some great hospitals and healthcare systems in our region that offer exceptional care at a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere. Add to this the fact that our culture is much more relational which means that doctors, nurses and recovery hotel staffs invest the time and energy necessary to build relationships and trust with patients. S. Martin: HCB has a reputation of treating patients like Royalty. What does HCB do that is different and sets itself apart? Mr. Cook: There is not one thing that sets us apart but a combination of a lot of little things that have a huge overall impact on the patient’s experience. We definitely pride ourselves on making our patients feel special and the key to this has really been having a process in place so every detail is covered and the patient can arrive, relax and focus on their surgery and recovery. We have put together an exceptional International Patient Program that walks the patient through the entire process from their initial email all the way to the follow up that occurs once they return home. Key in all of this is responding to the prospective patient quickly and with the proper information that allows the patient to make an informed decision. Our team includes a phenomenal group of physicians that speak English fluently and are committed to lavishing extra attention on our patients to ensure that they are truly comfortable with the entire experience. On top of this, our patient coordinators support the patient with rapid responses to their emails and phone calls and by ensuring they are available for questions through the entire process. They often become like extended family for the patient during their medical visit. We also have an association of recovery retreats and inns in Costa Rica that provide amazing options and amenities for the patient to recuperate in after their surgery. It is also encouraging to international patients that most of our staff are from the United States or have at the very least resided there at some point in their life, so they not only speak the language but are familiar with the North American culture and the high expectations of American patients. S. Martin: There seems to be a disconnect, where some hospitals are doing really well attracting foreign patients, while other hospitals or clinics are not having the same success. Where are these other hospitals going wrong? Mr. Cook: Obviously there are many internal and external factors that influence whether or not your hospital is successful at attracting foreign patients. As the head of an International Program, you can work to change the perception of your country as an attractive or safe © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine destination; however, you cannot change your location on the map. The greatest disconnect I see occurs when hospitals claim they are committed to attracting foreign patients but then do not follow through and put the necessary internal elements in place to build and sustain a successful program. Often, we hear patients and facilitators comment that they chose our hospital simply because we were able to respond to them quickly and effectively in their native language providing the kind of relevant information they were seeking. This entire process demands time and consistency and requires a considerable amount of commitment on behalf of the hospital. It is vital for any top hospital who wants to be a serious player in medical tourism to have a fullyfunctioning international patient program or department that understands the market they are trying to attract. In essence the International Department is the face of the hospital when it comes to promoting its medical tourism services. In concert with the International Department the hospital must have several other essential elements in place such as a dynamic team of physicians who are truly committed to the program, a website that can easily be translated into other languages for accessibility to international patients, along with information on your hospital, doctors, procedures and packages. The International Department must also be able to coordinate a variety of concierge type services such as transportation, recovery facilities and interesting, local tours for patients and companions. In a nutshell you must deliver the total package to your prospective patients because they become your greatest marketing ally once they return home; word spreads quickly in this industry. n About the Author: Sarah Martin is the Global Communications Director for the Medical Tourism Association and is also a Contributing Editor for both Medical Tourism Magazine and Health Tourism Magazine, as well as a regular author for both publications. Although being new to this industry, she is passionate about the idea of a global network of healthcare facilities and professionals and is excited for the future to unfold in this dynamic environment. She can be contacted at [email protected]. January/February 2010 59 3rd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress Los Angeles, California September 22-24, 2010 Up to 2,000 International Delegates More than 10,000 Pre-Arranged Networking Meetings Up to 500 Buyers of Healthcare Services Over 125 Exhibitors and Sponsors Cocktail Receptions and Entertainment each Night 60 January/February 2010 001.561.792.6676 [email protected] © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine www.MedicalTourismCongress.com Sponsorships Available! ♦ Exhibitor Sponsorship: $5,000 ~ Exhibit Booth + 2 Conference + Workshop Registrations ♦ Bronze Sponsorship: $7,500 ~ Exhibit Booth + 3 Conference + Workshop Registrations ♦ Silver Sponsorship: $15,000 ~ Exhibit Booth + 4 Conference + Workshop Registrations & more ♦ Gold Sponsorship: $40,000 ~ 2 Exhibit Booths + 6 Conference + Workshop Registrations & more Early Bird Registration: $1500 ♦ Platinum Sponsorship: $75,000 ~ 3 Exhibit Booths + 10 Conference+ Workshop Registrations & more Price Valid Until June 1st, 2010 ♦ Diamond Sponsorship: $100,000 ~ 4 Exhibit Booths + 15 Conference+ Workshop Registrations & more Reserved for Diamond Sponsor Reserved for Gold Sponsor Reserved for Bronze Sponsor Reserved for Platinum Sponsor Reserved for Silver Sponsor Reserved for Exhibitor Sponsor Entrance 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 R 7 R 11 12 13 14 15 16 R 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 56 57 58 59 29 60 61 62 63 30 31 32 33 66 64 6 5 34 35 67 68 69 R R 38 39 40 41 70 71 72 73 42 43 44 49 45 46 47 R R 75 76 77 78 79 50 80 81 82 83 84 85 51 52 86 53 54 87 8 8 Food and Beverages Food and Beverages 89 90 91 92 93 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine 55 R 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 January/February 2010 10 4 61 105 Up to 150 Expert Speakers ... Over 125 Exhibitors ... Don’t Forget About … The After Parties! Register Today! The World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress September 22-24th, 2010 Los Angeles, California USA www.MedicalTourismCongress.com 62 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine MEDICAL TOURISM Medical Care~ Israel’s Newest Tourist Attraction By NATHALIE STEINER The American religious communities have always maintained a strong spiritual connection to Israel. Now there is one more reason to visit this country: unequaled medical care. Israel’s advanced medical treatments, some of the best in the world, cost only a fraction of the U.S. equivalent, while being the leading edge of medicine. This makes it possible to receive quality care while also experiencing the healing qualities of the Holy Land, all at a substantial savings. ISRAEL ~ A MAGNET FOR MEDICAL TOURISM Israel has long enjoyed a reputation as a global leader in medical R&D and high-tech applications that save lives and improve the quality of life for millions. The country maintains some of the highest standards of healthcare in the world, available to both Israeli citizens and visitors from abroad. This has given rise to a phenomenon known as medical tourism, which is becoming a sophisticated part of Israel’s tourism industry. Last year, one and a half million Americans went abroad as medical tourists. It’s an attractive option for those whose insurance policies require the insured party to pay a portion of the bill; the entire medical cost in some countries can still result in a net savings. For those who do not have healthcare insurance, traveling internationally is often the only way to receive their necessary treatment. It’s easy to see why Israel is high on the list for many Americans. Israeli hospitals and clinics are offering foreign visitors some of the best healthcare available in any Western country, at costs approximately 65 percent lower than the same treatment in the United States. Furthermore, many Israeli © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine doctors and other medical specialists were trained in the U.S. and are recognized as world renowned authorities in their field, with pioneering techniques and high rates of success. Famous for its unique tourist attractions, Israel contains thousands of years of history, religion, archeology and culture matched by natural wonders and beautiful landscapes. Additionally, high standards of comfort and luxury in hotels, malls and fine dining encompass the experience of visiting Israel as a medical tourist. U.S. COMPANIES ARE TAKING NOTE American businesses, in seeking better healthcare for their work force, have begun offering medical tours to Israel as part of their employee health insurance benefits. Not least among the attractions for employees is the prospect of an all-expensepaid vacation in a beautiful Mediterranean climate as part of the treatment package. Companies are hoping to attract and keep valued workers with such “perks” in the benefits package. For Americans with strong religious beliefs, the combination is compelling. The justifiable pride in Israel’s contributions to the world becomes quite personal when Christians and Jews from January/February 2010 63 MEDICAL TOURISM around the globe benefit first-hand from Israeli achievements. When the expenses are covered by medical insurance, a trip to Israel that “would be nice someday” suddenly becomes a reality. Even for those who finance the trip themselves, the total price for both medical and sightseeing during recovery is so compelling compared with U.S. treatment, it amounts to a vacation that pays for itself – in a place that offers a deeper meaning. One of the most remarkable Israeli Medical Tourism options is IVF treatment (in-vitro fertilization). Couples who are unsuccessful in having children in the United States can expect to pay more than $20,000 for IVF, usually not normally covered by medical insurance. The same treatment is available at 24 different fertility clinics in Israel for around $4,000, with the added value of IVF specialists who have one of the highest success rates in the world – between 35 and 40 percent, compared with the global average of only 20 percent. ISRAEL ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET FOR MEDICAL TOURISTS All of Israel’s hospitals have established Medical Tourism centers, staffed by professional, multilingual personnel. The treatments offered are comprehensive and include Orthopedics, Oncology, Cardiology, Urology, Cosmetic Surgery and rehabilitation from injuries, as well as treatment for obesity and infertility. Moreover, the Israeli medical community is home to some of the latest advances in cancer treatment, stem cell therapy, genetic research and minimally invasive surgical procedures. Medical Tourism is booming in Israel - the numbers this past year were almost double those of the year before. Israel’s pool of quality doctors and surgeons draw from international training and experience, in addition to broad intercultural skills, ensuring patients feel safe and secure during their treatments in Israel. An added advantage for North Americans is that English is one of the official languages and is commonly spoken in Israel. Global Health Israel (GHI) is available to assist with the logistics of navigating through the Israeli medical system and arranging all aspects of travel, including flights and accommodations. ASSISTANCE IN ACCESSING ISRAEL’S MEDICAL TOURISM Global Health Israel is the organization representing the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) in Israel. GHI networks with American companies and religious communities to raise awareness about Israel’s Medical Tourism, enabling patients to take complete advantage of all possible opportunities. GHI’s Vice President of Marketing, Ms. Nathalie Steiner notes: “Medical tourism is booming in Israel - the numbers this past year were almost double those of the year before. Israel is recognized for some of the highest quality healthcare anywhere in the world, with a higher than average success record in certain disciplines. And even with the overseas airfare and hotel accommodations, patients are still spending less than they would for the same medical treatment in the U.S.” 64 January/February 2010 Global Health Israel serves as a medical tourism operator, connecting patients from abroad with the desired medical specialists and government offices in Israel. GHI services cover every aspect of the client’s stay in Israel, handled by a personal representative: flights, visas, accommodations, day tours, nursing attendants, and any other logistical assistance that may be required. The GHI service relationship begins before the patient leaves the U.S., and includes follow-up after the patient has returned home. American companies are beginning to integrate GHI’s Medical Tourism services in their employee medical benefits package, especially the IVF option. The insurance plan typically covers all expenses for fertility treatment in Israel, including flight, accommodations and local travel, for both the patient and a traveling companion. Patients can work with GHI directly to arrange their own medical tour, for fertility treatments or other procedures. They can also ask their employers and/or insurance companies about including the GHI option as part of their health coverage. The clear medical and financial advantages, plus a vacation that pays for itself, guarantee that medical tourism to Israel will soon become the preferred option for every American seeking the leader in healthcare. n About the Author Nathalie Steiner is Vice President of Marketing for Global Health Israel, Ltd. (GHI), a leading Medical Tourism Service Company in Israel working in close contact with top specialists, top medical centers and top service providers in Israel. GHI focuses on US patients who seek high quality medical services for affordable prices. Ms. Steiner also serves as manager of the Israeli office of the Medical Tourism Association (MTA). I n this capacity, Ms. Steiner is in charge of promoting Israel as a prime destination for medical tourism and is in close contact with top management of the leading hospitals in Israel and officials in various governmental offices. Ms. Steiner has funded GHI as a subsidiary of I.H.I. – Israeli Scientific Instruments Ltd., and today it offers a wide range of high quality services in Israel to medical tourists from around the globe. She may be reached at Global Health Israel (GHI), Phone: +972-3-9232202 ext 115, Fax: +972-3-9229750, Cell: +972-54200302 and Email: [email protected]. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine MEDICAL TOURISM Mental Well-Being~ A Discovery Into The Mind By LIC. MICHAEL QUIROS It’s amazing how the world around us is in constant change, from a cultural point of view to an environmental perspective. It’s even more interesting how mankind reacts to its surroundings in different ways, each time with gradually increasing mental and physical consequences including diseases to all kinds of stress-related affections. What I am talking about is psychosomatic conditions that may look completely normal, but upon further review cannot be treated with pills or conventional medicine. W hen this happens, it is often difficult to find the right doctor to heal your illness, especially when it is not meant to be resolved or treated by medication in the first place. It seems as though doctors are on prescription overload and are writing prescriptions left and right without bothering to thoroughly examine the patient. In fact, doctors aren’t even listening to what the patient is telling them; they are simply too busy these days to give individual care. Quick exams will suggest there is nothing wrong with the patient, and yet the patient continues to feel the same symptoms and does not know why or how this is possible. Diagnosing Mental Illness Hereby, the terms of “mental illness” and “mental fitness” play a very important role. Questions arise such as: Why is it hard to understand what happens to us? Why, even when you think you are mentally fit, does it become so hard to fall asleep? You lay there and think of all the things on your to-do list and your mind just keeps on spinning. There is not a start and stop point in the day; everything starts running together. These are common issues mankind eternally faces. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine In most cases, considering the hectic world we live in, people no longer have time for themselves other than business or money-related matters. Therefore over the years, the cost of ignoring our mental health, which is often disguised as a physical problem requiring pills and prescriptions, is that we are not paying attention to the actual cause. Often times, illness starts in the mind and travels and manifests itself in physical ways, producing an outwardly ill individual. The symptoms are treated rather than the causes. Nowadays people are not only traveling overseas for medical care, they are traveling more and more for mental & Often times, illness starts in the mind and travels and manifests itself in physical ways, producing an outwardly ill individual. January/February 2010 65 MEDICAL TOURISM physical wellness, and simply to relax. They are, in essence, enjoying life for a moment, out of their predictable routine. In 1926, Ernest Holmes wrote “The Science of Mind”; the title speaks for itself, and the author’s philosophy was that we create our own reality. Several other authors have based their writings on the paradigm of the mind; the enigma behind our subconscious mind, including the importance of thoughts and the power of suggestion. Once someone feels acts and thinks sick, this tends to exacerbate their condition. As we delve deeper in these waters we realize it is more complex than it seems and the hidden, the repressed, the “forgotten”, comes to affect our daily lives. As time goes by, a chain of events occur related let’s say to a depression that has been chronic and unsuccessfully treated. This depression can be treated with drugs, but after some time, the pills are not doing this individual any good; in fact they are just helping him go through life, confused and in pain, but at least going through the motions. This is a very common clinical case often treated with the same medicine, no matter how different the cases may be. The truth is, no matter how similar depression may present itself in different people, each and every case is unique with different causes and different solutions. Individuals Require Individual Care One case in particular involved an individual with a Major Depressive Disorder, with a markedly diminished interest in life in general, a serious loss of energy, insomnia, feelings of worthlessness with inappropriate guilt, and almost all of the symptoms provided by the American Psychiatric Association for the DSM-IV. Her previous treatments were always related to anti-depressives and drugs, and never treated from a psychological point of view. Besides that, there was no parallel treatment focused on therapy, decoding the past of this person or attempting to identify the root of these symptoms. More and more, people are achieving mental fitness and mental well-being, through alternative therapies. After seven local psychiatrists medicated her with very similar medicines, her depression was actually getting worse over time. She decided to start a different therapy, and after approximately 10 sessions, after it was discovered that the root cause was something she had experienced when she was less than five. She had been sexually abused, and the details are difficult to hear. As is the case with many sexually abused children, she lived in fear and had never told anyone about this. More than likely, she felt shame and guilt and had repressed the memories herself. Upon discovering this was the cause, she was treated with therapy sessions, and her doctor slowly weaned her off the medication until she was completely medication free. The main point is that it can be difficult to pair up with the right doctor these days. Plus, we live in constant change, and the medical practices around the world are so innovative now, that it is common for one technique to get replaced by a quicker and more effective procedure. Therefore, as the medical tourism industry grows, so does the health tourism industry, gaining in popularity as preventative medicine is embraced by doctors and individuals alike. More and more, people are achieving mental fitness and mental well-being, through alternative therapies. 66 January/February 2010 The Cure of the Future It is interesting to look forward and think of all that is going to be different. Perhaps the future holds a very different outcome in medical tourism than we even imagine, but one thing is for sure: it is necessary to understand that times are desperately demanding a change in conscience. The healthcare crisis that begs for a relief that medical tourism may be able to provide. How many people have had life-saving experiences through medical tourism? How many people have received the medical treatment they needed for a fraction of the price? And with a nice vacation in a tropical country alongside their medical treatments or procedures, it is easy to argue the value of medical tourism. Exigent circumstances demand urgent and positive solutions, and with the global economic recession we have faced, increasing number of people are finding their answers abroad, having exhausted possibilities in their own country. They have decided to look elsewhere due to the weak economic reality of several countries and their own economic difficulties, including termination of health insurance, loss of jobs and inability to pay for individual health insurance. These people are joining the ranks of others called medical tourists and are happy to go abroad for medical treatment. Also, another similar yet different concept has developed, called health tourism, as mentioned earlier in the article. Cosmetic surgery, anti-aging surgery and general health and wellness procedures comprise this industry, among others. As more companies start to develop their international profile and gain more exposure, we will also witness people leaving home for psychological therapy, counseling, yoga and spa retreats. In fact, they are being termed destination vacations and tend to be complete with a spa package, including food, drink, room and spa treatments. n About the Author: Lic. Michael Quiros is Director of Membership for Latin America and operates out of the San Jose, Costa Rica Office of the Medical Tourism Association. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology and his role in the MTA includes recruitment, coordination and retention support for members in the Latin America Region. Michael may be reached at [email protected] © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine PRESS RELEASES Homewatch CareGivers Opens New International Office in Guatemala, Adding a Sixth Country to Its Global Network GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) Homewatch CareGivers, the largest and most experienced international franchise provider of full-service home care, has opened its newest international location in Guatemala, the sixth country within the Homewatch CareGivers’ network, joining the 180 locations in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Panama. “The caregiving issues facing families are universal. Guatemalans experience the same struggles and stresses confronting families worldwide,” said Homewatch CareGivers’ President Leann Reynolds. “Helping families by providing the highest quality home care services is our mission, and we’re delighted to expand our mission into Guatemala.” The new office, located in Guatemala City and owned by Juan Carlos and Patricia Lavidalie, will offer Homewatch CareGivers’ hallmark home care services, personalized for each client and focused on services that allow a family and their loved one to have the comfort and security of home while receiving the supporting care they need. Caregiver services are carefully documented for each client in a customized care plan. Every care plan is administered by well-trained, compassionate caregivers who are dedicated to helping families with the care they need, such as 24hour, around-the-clock care for a loved one who is dealing with a chronic illness, assisting an individual with the support needed at home to recover from a recent hospital stay or medical procedure, providing safe and convenient transportation to and from appointments, or stepping in to help with emergency childcare when the unexpected happens. Currently, more than 14 million people reside in Guatemala, with 3.5 million in Guatemala City. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 5 percent of residents are facing health issues that require in-home care. “Opening a new office in Guatemala is another strategic milestone for Homewatch CareGivers,” added Reynolds. “In addition to our presence in the U.S., the new office in Guatemala, along with locations in Canada, New Zealand, Costa Rica and Panama, is part of our global growth plan. This positions our company to serve the needs of the domestic populations, and also those clients who choose to have medical procedures overseas in destination countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, as part of the growing trend in medical tourism.” To learn more about Homewatch CareGivers, visit its Web site at www.homewatchcaregivers.com. © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine January/February 2010 67 M TA M E M B E R HOSPITALS Amerimed Hospitals Rio Mixcoac #36 Office 1002 A Mexico City 03230 Mexico Telephone:52 55 55342411 Fax: 52 55 55342411 Website: www.amerimed-hospitals.com Anadolu Medical Center Anadolu Caddesi No: 1 Bayramoglu Cikisi Cayirova Mevkii, Gebze, Kocaeli 41400 Turkey Telephone: +90 262 678 5203 Fax: +90 262 654 0053 Website: www.anadolumedicalcenter.com Assaf Harofeh Medical Center PO Beer Ya’akov Zerifin 70300 Israel Telephone: 972-8-9779589 Fax: 972-8-9779526 Website: www.assafh.org Bangkok Hospital Medical Center 2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi Road Bangkok 10310 Thailand Telephone: (+66) 320 3000 Fax: (+66) 320 3105 Website: www.bangkokhospital.com Baptist Hospital South Florida 8940 N. Kendall Drive Suite 601E Miami Florida 33176 USA Telephone: 786-596-4643 Fax: 786-596-3648 Website: www.BaptistHealth.net Brain Tumor Center at St. John’s Health Center 2200 Santa Monica Blvd Santa Monica, CA, 90404 USA Telephone: 310-582-7450 Website: www.brain-tumor.org Bumrungrad International 33 Sukhumvit 3 (Soi Nana Nua), Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand Telephone: + 662 667 1000 Website: www.bumrungrad.com Centro Medico Teknon c/Vilana 12 Barcelona 08008 Spain Telephone: (34) 932906310 Website: www.teknon.es Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt. Ltd. The Icon, 2nd Floor, #8, 80 Feet Road, HAL III Stage, Indiranagar Bangalore 560 075 India Telephone: +91 080 4021 1000 Fax: +91 080 4021 1001 Website: www.columbiaasia.com DRK Kliniken Berlin Brabanter Str. 18-20 Berlin 10713 Germany Telephone: 493030355210 Fax: 493030355319 Website: www.drk-kliniken-berlin.de Fortis Healthcare 275-276 Capt Gaur Marg. Sriniwaspuri, New Delhi India 110 065 Telephone: 011-4229522 Fax: 011-41802121 Website: www.fortishealthcare.com 68 DIRECTORY FV Hospital - Far East Medical Vietnam Limited 6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South (Phu My Hung) District 7,Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM Telephone: (84-8) 411-3333 Fax: (84-8) 411-3334 Website: www.fvhospital.com International Patient Services Telephone: (84-8) 411-3420 Email: [email protected] International Guide: http://international. fvhospital.com Grupo Angeles/Angeles Health International 333 H Street Suite 5011 Chula Vista, California 91910 USA Website: www.angeleshealth.com HCA East Florida Division 450 Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 USA Telephone: 954-767-5722 Fax: 954-767-5793 Website: www.saludinternacional.com Hospital Punta Pacifica Boulevard Pacifica and Via Punta Darien, Panama City 0831-01593, Panama Telephone: (507) 204-8024 Fax: (507) 204-8010 Website: www.hospitalpuntapacifica.com Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute) 145, Jalan Tun Razak Kuala Lumpur 50400 Malaysia Telephone: +603-2617-8200 Fax: +603-2698-2824 Website: www.ijn.com.my Istishari Hospital 44 Alkindi Street Amman, 11184 Jordan Telephone: 96 265001000 Fax: 96 265698833 Jackson Memorial Hospital 1500 NW 12th Avenue Suite 829 Miami, FL, 33136 USA Telephone: 305-355-5544 Website: www.jmhi.org Healthscope Ground Floor, 312 St. Kilda Road Melbourne 3004 Australia Telephone:610399267500 Fax:61399267599 Website: www.healthscope.com.au Jordan Hospital Queen Noor Street Amman 11190 Jordan Telephone: +962 6560 8080 Fax: +962 6560 7575 Website: www.jordan-hospital.com Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz Rua Jooo Juliao, 331 Paraiso Sao Paulo, 01323 903 Brazil Telephone: 5511 3549 1000 Fax: 5511 3287 8177 Website: www.hospitalalemao.org.br Memorial Hermann 6411 Fannin C209 Houston, Texas 77030 USA Telephone: 713-704-5515 Fax: 713-704-6493 Website: www.memorialhermann.org Hospital Almater Fco. I Madero No. 1060 Mexicali BC 21100 Mexico Telephone: 686-523-8000 Website: www.almater.com Moolchand Healthcare Group http://moolchandhealthcare.com Hospital Cima Chihuahua Haciendas Del Valle No. 7120 FRACC. Plaza Las Haciendas Chihuahua, Mexico 31217 Telephone: 01152614-439-87-16 Fax: 01152614-439-27-59 Website: www.hospitalcima.com.mx Hospital Clinica Biblica Calle Central y Primera Avenidas 14y16 San Jose, Costa Rica 1037-1000 Toll Free: 1-800-503-5358 Telephone: 506-522-1414 Fax: 506-257-7307 Website: www.hcbinternational.com Hospital - Hotel La Católica Frente a Tribunales de Justicia de Giocoechea San Jose, Costa Rica Telephone: 506-2246 32 46 Fax: 506-2246 31 76 Website: www.hospitallacatolica.com Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas KM 9 3/4 Carretera Masaya, 250 mts. oeste Managua, Nicaragua Telephone: 305-396-2351 Fax: 505 2255-6909 Website: www.metropolitanomedicaltourism.com January/February 2010 Prince Court Medical Centre Sdn. Bhd 39, Jalan Kia Peng Kuala Lumpur 50450 Malaysia Telephone: +603 21600000 Fax: +603 21600110 Website: www.princecourt.com Sanoviv Medical Institute 2606-A Transportation Ave National City, CA, 91950 USA Telephone: 801-954-7600 Website: www.Sanoviv.com Seoul Wooridul Spine Hospital 47-4 Chungdam-dong, Gangnam-gu Seoul 135-100 Korea Telephone: +82-2-513-8157 / 8385 Fax: +82-2-513-8386 / 8454 Website: www.wooridul.com Severence Hospital Yonsei University Health System 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu Seoul, Republic of Korea 120-752 Telephone: +82-2-2228-1482 Fax: +82-2-363-0396 Website: www.yuhs.or.kr/en/ The Nairobi Hospital P.O. Box 30026 Nairobi, 00100 Kenya Telephone: 254 020 2846001 Fax: 254 020 2728003 Website: www.nairobihospital.org The Specialty Hospital Ibn Hayyan St. - Shmeisani /Amman, Jordan P.O. Box: 930186 Amman 11193 Jordan Telephone: (+962-6) 5001111 Website: www.memorialhermann.org USP Instituto Universitario Dexeus c/ Sabino de Arana, 5-19 Barcelona, 08028 Spain Telephone: +34932274747 Toll Free:902-999-400 Fax:+34932274754 Website: www.dexeus.es Wockhardt Hospitals Associate Harvard Medical International Wockhardt Towers, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai 400051 India Telephone: 91-9980266553 Fax: 91-80 66214242 Website: www.wockhardthospitals.net SPECIALTY, COSMETIC, & DENTAL CLINICS Barbados Fertility Centre Inc. Seaston House, Hastings Christ Church Barbados Telephone: 246-435-7467 Fax: 246-436-7467 Website: www.barbadosivf.org Cancun Cosmetic Dentistry Las Americas Shopping Mall, Store 215 Cancun 77500 Quintana Roo, Mexico Telephone: 998 106 8106 Website: www.cancuncosmeticdentistry.com Centro Integral de Cirugia Plastica “RENOVA” 3 Calle “a” 8-38 Zona 10 Guatemala 01010 Guatemala Telephone: 502-2329-6363 Fax: 502-2329-6364 Website: www.renova.net.gt Clinica Zaldivar Dr. Roman Zaldivar Calle El Mirador #4618 Colonia Escalón San Salvador, El Salvador Telephone: (503) 2263-2471 Website: www.clinicazaldivar.com Dental Polyclinic Dr. Hodzic & Center for Regenerative Medicine “MEDENT” 18, Istria Street Rovinj, 52210 Croatia Telephone: +385 52 842 500 Fax: +385 52 842 501 Website: www.poliklinika-dr-hodzic.com El Paso Cosmetic Surgery 651 S. Mesa Hills Drive El Paso, Texas 79912 Telephone: 915-351-1116 Fax:915-351-8790 Website: www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com Integra Medical Center Juarez 239 Nuo Progreso, Tamqulipas 88810 Mexico Telephone: 899-937-0260 Website: www.integramedicalcenter.com La Casa Del Diente Av. Revolucion 3780 Local 1 Col. Terremolinos Monterrey 64858 Mexico Telephone: +8183499466 Website: www.lacasadeldiente.com © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Lorenzana Dental Center Pasaje Sagrado Corazon 826 San Salvador, San Salvador El Salvador Telephone: (503) 2263-4572 Facsimile: (503) 2263-4575 Website: www.doctorlorenzana.com Rehab in Mexico Ave. Alfonso Reyes 143 Norte, Colonia Regina Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico Telephone: 52 81 8331 0911 Fax: 52 81 8331 0911 ext 1004 Website: http://www.rehabinmexico.com/ The Catholic University of Korea Yeson Voice Center The Institute of Performing Art Medicine Hyung-Tae Kim, MD, PhD 638-13 Ssanbong Build. 2nd Fl. Shinsadong, Gangnamgu Seoul, 135-896, South Korea Telephone:82-2-3444-0550 Fax: 82-2-3443-2621 Website: www.yesonvc.com Wintergreen Center for Rehabilitation AB Kyrkovage 13 Nykroppa 680 90 Sweden Telephone: 004659041888 Fax: 004659041889 Website: www.wintergreen.se WorthyMed Virrey del Pino 2530 Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, C1426EGT Argentina Telephone: Toll Free USA 1-866-816-9971 Fax: +54-11-4786-0560 Website: www.worthymed.com MEDICAL TOURISM FACILITATORS Ageless Wonders Panama PO Box 832-0786, Panama city Marbella, Flamenco Bldg., No. 2-B Rep. of Panama Telephone: 507 832 7289 Fax: 507 269 0550 Website: www.agelesswonders-pma.com Alliance of Worldwide Medical Partners, LLC 10800 Biscayne Blvd Suite 201, 1 Miami, FL USA Telephone: 305-891-2199 Fax: 305-892-2595 Website: www.wmpmedical.com Buenos Aires Partners Olga Cossettini 1660, Suite 309 (1107) C.A.B.A. Buenos Aires - Argentina Tel: +1 312-212-3939 Tel: +54 11 5787 7309 Fax: +54 11 5787 7909 Website: www.buenosairespartners.com BYZAlliance Medical Travel & Medical Consulting Hakkiyeten Caddesi. Unimed Center No: 8/10 34349 Fulya - Istanbul Turkey Telephone: 90 212 240 82 99 Fax: 90 212 231 39 56 Website: www.byzalliance.com Debson Medical Tourism Debson Medical Tourism 1200 McGill College Avenue Suite 1100 Montreal QC H3B 4G7 Telephone:1-877-900-DEBS(3327) Website: www.debsonmedicaltourism.com Global Health Israel (GHI) 32 Shaham St., P.O. Box 7790 Petah-Tikva Israel Telephone: 972 3 9232202 Fax: 972 3 9229750 Website: www.globalhealthisrael.com Global Health Travel Cassandra Italia 80A O’Shannassy Street Sunbury, VIC 3429 Australia Telephone: +613-9744-5872 Fax: +613-9740-4243 Website: www.globalhealthtravel.com.au Health & Leisure (H&L) 9th Floor Ayala Life-FGU Center Ayala Avenue, Makati City 1226 Philippines Telephone: + 632 813 4527 US Number: (818) 748-8735 Fax: + 632 840 0719 Website: www.healthandleisure.net International Healthcare & Wellness Crater 503, Pedregal De San Angel Mexico City 01900 Mexico Telephone: +525552560786 Website: www.internationalhealthcare.com Max Global Consulting Services House # 220, Street Charay Hesa Doham-eKartiparwan Kabul Afghanistan Telephone: +93 706 272 491 Medical Services of Costa Rica Hacienda Los Reyes, casa 241 primera etapa, La Guacima, Alajuela Costa Rica Telephone: 00506 22203596 Fax: 00506 22203596 Website: www.medicalservicesofcostarica.com MedicalTour International Co. Ltd. 2-3-9 Sawamura Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0877 Japan Telephone: +81 263-882810 Fax: +81 263-882322 Website: www.medical-tour.jp Medical Tourism Corporation Med Tourism Co, LLC 7000 Occidental Road Plano, TX 75025 USA Telephone: 1-800-661-2126 Fax: 800-661-2126 Website: www.medicaltourismco.com MedTral New Zealand Steve Nichols Mercy Specialist Center 100 Mountain Road Epsom Auckland 1149 New Zealand Telephone: 64-9-623-6588 Fax: 64-9-6236587 Website: www.medtral.com MedVoy Inc. 1917 King Street Denver Colorado 80204 USA Telephone:720-771-6760 Facsimile: +1-866-254-0108 Website: www.medvoy.com © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Pacific Medways, Inc. 101 California Street, Suite 2450 San Francisco, CA 94111 United States of America Telephone: +1 415 839 8005 US/Canada Toll Free: +1 866 598 9410 +1 866 598 9410 Fax: +1 415 839 8005 Website: www.pacificmedways.com Pan American Dental Tours 30 Raymond Road North Salem, NY 10560 United States of America Telephone: 914-485-1026 Fax: 206-984-1889 www.panamdentaltours.com Patients Without Borders, LLC 304 Newbury Street, Suite 364 Boston, MA 02115 United States of America Telephone: 800-290-0197 Fax: 617-437-9655 Website: www.patientswithoutborders.us Philippine Medical Tourism, Inc. Eva Trinidad 2nd Floor, Goodwill Building, 393 Sen, Gil Puyat Ave. Makati, Philippines 1200 Telephone: 632-897-5813 Fax: 632-898-3977 Website: www.philmedtourism.com TRAVEL AGENCIES Millennium Travel 263 Cloverleaf Court Ann Arbor MI 48103 USA Telephone: 734-330-3449 Fax: 734-661-6141 Website: www.millennium-travel.com Well-Being Travel Anne Marie Moebes 71 Audrey Avenue Oyster Bay, NY 11771 United States of America Telephone: (516) 624-0500 X2312 Fax: (516) 624-6024 Website: www.travelsavers.com GOVERNMENT/ HEALTHCARE CLUSTER EXPORTSALUD Centro Comercial Campestre Local # 1 Paseo General Escalon El Salvador, San Salvador Telephone: (503) 2263 1232 Fax: (503) 2263 1232 Website: www.exportsalud.org Premium Health Solutions Horst Bruggraber Operngasse 2 Vienna, Austria 1010 Telephone: +43 1 51651 83 Fax: +43 1 513 44 24 Website: www.phs-austria.com Health & Wellness Tourism Commission, Agexport 15 Ave. 14-72, zona 13 Guatemala City 01013 Guatemala Telephone: 00 502 2422-3400 ext 3418 Fax: 00 502 2422-3400 Websites: www.healthwellnessguatemala.com www.export.com.gt SPA-MED-HOLIDAY Cecile Billiet Edificio Reforma Obelisco, St. 1106 Av Reforma 15-54, Z9 Guatemala City 01009 Guatemala Telephone: 00 502 2332 4648 / 00 502 593 79 438 Skype: spa.med.holiday Website: www.spa-med-holiday.com Korea Health Industry Development Institute 57-1 Noryangjin-dong, Dongjak-gu Seoul 156-800 KOREA Telephone: +82-2-2194-7459 Fax: +82-2-2194-7380 Website: www.khidi.or.kr Website: www.koreahealthtour.co.kr Surgical Trip, LLC Thomas O’Hara 7491 North Federal Highway, Suite C-5, #293 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Telephone: (800)513-8996 Website: www.SurgicalTrip.com Medellín Cluster Servicios de Medicina y Odontología Medical and Dental Services Cluster 41 N 55-80 Plaza Mayor - Entrada Norte -- Piso 3 Medellin, Colombia 0000 Telephone: 57 4 261 36 00 ext. 113 Fax: 57 4 513 77 57 Website: www.comunidadcluster.com The Wellness Travel Company Pte Mr. JP Bos 17A Jalan Klapa 199329 Singapore Telephone: +65-6293-8990 Fax: +65-6293-8963 Website: www.wellnesstravel.com Plataforma Turistica de Madrid Plaza de la Independencia,6, Planta 3 Madrid 28001 Spain Telephone: +34912767235 Fax: +34912767223 Website: www.madridnetwork.org/turismo Veiovis 93 S. Jackson St. #28310 Seattle, WA 98104-2818 USA Telephone: (671) 646-6012 Vung Tau Tourist Sanatorium Medicoast Nguyen Thi Mai 165 Thuy Van St. Thang Tam Ward Vung Tau City, Viet Nam Telephone: 84.64.853857 or 64.510756 Fax: 84.64.852395 Website: www.medicoast.com.au WorldMed Assist LLC Wouter Hoeberechts, CEO 1230 Mountain Side Ct. Concord, CA 94521 USA Telephone: 866-999-3848 Fax: 904-369-1044 Website: www.worldmedassist.com Programa Disfruta Salud Peru Avda. Republica de Panama San Isidro, Lima 3647 Peru Telephone: 511 222 1222 Website: www.peruhealth.org Surgery Facilities Resources PO Box 9500 Gurnee, IL 60031 USA Telephone: 847-775-1970 Fax: 847-775-1985 Website: www.surgeryfacilitiesresources.com January/February 2010 69 M TA M E M B E R CORPORATE MEMBERS CORPORATE GOLD MEMBERS Istishari Hospital 44 Alkindi Street Amman, 11184 Jordan Telephone: 96265001000 Fax: 96265698833 Memorial Hermann 6411 Fannin C209 Houston, Texas 77030 USA Telephone: 713-704-5515 Fax: 713-704-6493 Website: www.memorialhermann.org HOK 60 E. Van Buren 14th Floor Chicago IL 60605 USA Telephone: 1-314-421-200 Fax: 1-312-782-6727 Website: www.hok.com Konesens Research 389 Palm Coast Parkway SW, Ste. 4 Palm Coast, FL 32137 USA Telephone:1-866-533-9808 Fax: 1-888-533-4883 Website: www.konesens.com RC Pharma, LLC 2 Pidgeon Hill Drive Suite 340 Sterling VA 20165 USA Telephone: 703-444-0955 Website: www.rcpharma.us Stem Cell Growth Inc. AB Complete Medi-Tour LLC 1060 S. Japlin Way Aurora, CO 80017 USA Telephone: 720-529-8474 Fax: 720-748-1047 AllMedicalTourism.com 70A, Club Street, 069 443 Singapore Telephone: +44 (0) 845 057 4039 Fax: +44 (0) 845 057 4039 Website: www.AllMedicalTourism.com Altera Health, Inc. 4 Coachman Court East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816 USA Telephone: 917-699-6300 Angels of Flight Canada Inc. 10-799 O’Brien Drive Peterborough, Ontario K9J 6X7 Canada Telephone: 705-743-5433 Fax: 705-741-5147 Website: www.angelsofflightcanada.com AMF Risk Management Solutions 300 Congress Street Quincy, MA 02169 USA Telephone: 617-770-0917 Website: www.amfrms.com ASISER (Asisa Servicios Integrales De Salud, S.A.U) Av. Manoteras 24, 2nd Floor Madrid 28050 Spain Telephone: 34917329666 Fax: 34917329769 Website: www.asiser.es 70 DIRECTORY Atlantic Health Group 1415 North Loop West Houston, TX 77008 USA Telephone: 713-236-8017 Fax: 713-236-8010 Website: www.atlantic-health.com Bloomtrek 1419 Chase Lane Irving Texas 75063 USA Telephone: 1-214-228-0854 Fax: 1-888-495-8396 Website: www.bloomtrek.com Cape Health Destination PO BOX 29, By-Den Weg Vlottenburg, 7604 Western Cape, South Africa Telephone: 0027-21-8813603 Website: www.capehealth.co.za Carpatia Group Pm 2 Burebista, BID14, SC 3, 4th Fl, Apt. 79-80 Bucharest 031108 Romania Telephone: +40213228308 Fax: +40213228459 Website: www.carpatiagroup.com Catalunya Turisme Passeig de Gracia, 105-3a Barcelona, 08008 Spain Telephone: 34 934 849 900 Fax: 34 934 849 888 Website: www.catalunyaturisme.com ChoiceNet International 777 Brickell Avenue PH. 70 Miami FL 33131 USA Telephone: 305-530-8600 Fax: 305-374-6641 Website: www.choicenetinternational.com Clements International 1 Thomas Circle NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20005 USA Telephone: 202-872-0060 Fax: 202-466-9064 Website: www.clements.com Cosmas Health, LLC 3619 South Avenue Springfield, MO 65807 USA Telephone: 417-894-3359 Website: www.cosmashealth.com Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools International 3600 Market St., Suite 400 Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA Telephone: 215-222-8454 Fax: 215-495-0277 Website: www.cgfns.org CMN 150 Commerce Valley Drive West, 9th Floor Thornhill, ON L3T 7Z3 Canada Telephone: 905-669-4333 Fax: 905-669-2221 Website: www.cmn-global.com CostaMed Clinics Calle Primera Sur No 101 Colonia Adolfo Lopez Mateos Cosumel 77600 Mexico Telephone: (987) 872-9400 January/February 2010 Debson-ITS 466 Strathrona Westmount Quebec H342x1 Canada Telephone: 1-888-933-2ITS(487) Website: www.debsonits.com Gooch & Associates POB 588, 224 Pond View Drive Ste G Centreville, MD, 21617 USA Telephone: 813-340-2277 Website: www.gooch-inc.com Dentalight LLC 711 Bald Hills Road North Round Top, New York 12473 USA Telephone: 518-250-2550 Fax: 208-955-6187 Website: www.dentalightimplants.com Hayes, Inc. 157 S. Broad Street Lansdale, PA 19446 USA Telephone: 215-855-0615 Fax: 215-855-5218 Website: www.hayesinc.com El Salvador Medical VIPSAL 1224 PO Box 025364 Miami, FL, 33102 USA Telephone: 503-22634572 Website: www.elsalvadormedical.com HCPro, Inc. 200 Hoods Lane P.O. Box 1168 Marblehead, MA 01945 USA Telephone: 978-317-6478 Fax: 781-639-0085 Websites: www.hcpro.com www.greeley.com e-Medsol Pvt Ltd 34/1121 A, 129 BMRA Balakrishna Menon Road Cochin 682025 India Telephone: 091-484-3250706, 9846170036 Website: www.emedsol.biz Health Link Central America 3a Avenida “A” 20-75 zona 10 Guatemala 01010 Guatemala Telephone: 50223667336 Fairmont Specialty 5 Christopher Way Eatontown 07724 USA Telephone: 732-676-9886 Fax: 732-542-4082 Health Links International 11435 Drummond Court Dallas, TX 75228 USA Telephone: 214-564-7341 U.S. Fax: 888-235-0208 International Fax: 425-974-7902 Website: www.healthlinksintl.com Free Health, LLC. Telephone: 561-792-4418 Fax: 561-792-4428 Website: www.freehealth.com Health Travel Guides 600 Townsend Street, Suite 120e San Francisco, CA 94103 USA Telephone: 415-412-4811 Website: www.healthtravelguides.com Gallup 111 South Wacker Suite 4850 Chicago IL 60603 USA Telephone: 312-288-2432 Fax: 312-357-0856 Website: www.gallup.com Global Alliance for Healthcare 146 Martin Street Carlisle, Massachusetts 01741 USA Telephone: 978-318-0040 Fax: 978-318-0339 Global Benefit Options 10 Park Avenue, PO Box 25 Caldwell, NJ 07006 USA Telephone: 201-433-2222 Fax: 973-226-7774 Website: www.globalbenefitoptions.com Global Healthcare Alliance 617 North Magnolia Ave Orlando, FL 32801 USA Telephone: 407-330-2515 Fax: 775-269-6424 Homewatch CareGivers 7100E. Belleview Ave., Suite 303 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 USA Telephone: 303-758-5111 Fax: 303-758-1724 Website: www.homewatchcaregivers.com Ilan Geva & Friends 340 East Randolph Street Suire 4306 Chicago, IL 60601 USA Telephone: (312) 861-1300 Indus Valley Ayurvedic Centre Post Box #3, Ittigegud Post, Lalithadripura Mysore, Karnataka 570010 India Telephone: 0091-821-2473266,263,437 Fax: 0091-821-2473590 Website: www.ayurindus.com Global Health Solutions, LLC 358 West Lake Drive Edwardsville, IL 62025 USA Telephone: 618-444-1552 International Board of Medicine and Surgery P.O. Box 6009 Palm Harbor, FL 34684 USA Telephone: 813-966-1431 Fax: 813-925-1932 Global Surgery Providers, Inc. 284 South Main Street Suite 1000 Alpharetta, GA 30009 Toll Free: 1-877-866-8558 Telephone: 1-770-475-4100 Website: www.globalsurgeryproviders.com International Healthcare by Design 40 Annesley Ave Toronto, Ontario M462T7 Canada Telephone: 416-696-0000 Fax: 416-696-0011 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Kahler Grand Hotel 20 SW Second Ave Rochester, Minnesota 55906 USA Telephone: 507-280-6200 Fax: 507-285-2586 Website: www.kahler.com Operations Worldwide Ltd Trans-World House, 100 City Road London, EC1Y2BP United Kingdom Telephone: +4402078710172 Fax: +4402078710101 Website: www.yoursugeryabroad.com Medi Globe Inc Telephone: 314-812-2772 Fax: 314-812-2505 Website: www.mediglobeusa.com Passport Medical Inc. #355 W Olympic Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90212 Telephone: 800-721-4445 Fax: 866-716-4449 Website:www.passportmedical.com MedicalTourism.com SJO 6767, 2011 NW, 79th Avenue, Doral Miami FL 33122 USA Telephone: 305-600-5763 Fax: 305-397-2893 Website: www.medicaltourism.com Mediline Ahi Evren Cad., Ata Penter, No. 1, Kat G2 Maslak, Istanbul 34398 Turkey Telephone: 90 530 403 5251 Website: www.medilineus.com www.medilineeurope.com Medipassion Healing Inc. 33 Place Des Outaouais L’ile Perrot, QC J7V8K7 Canada Telephone: 514-577 7451 Fax: 1-800-410-0279 MedPro Bavaria GmbH Falkenbach 75 Freyung 94078 Germany Telephone: +49 8551 913528 Fax: +49 8551 913456 Website: www.medprobavaria.de MedTravel Ecuador Av. de los Shyris 2811 e Isla Floreana Quito, Ecuador Telephone: 593-2 2433307 Fax: 593-2 2445364 Website: www.medtravelecuador.com Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo One Financial Center Boston, MA 02081 USA Telephone: (617) 348-1757 MOH Holdings Pte Ltd 83 Clemenceau Ave., #15-03 UE Square Singapore 239920 Singapore Telephone: +65-6622-0956 Fax: +65-6720-0980 Website: www.mohh.com.sg NursesNow International Av. Hidalgo 2609 Col. Obispado Monterrey, Nuevo Leon 64800 Mexico Telephone: +528181234849 Fax: +528181234851 Website: www.nni.com.mx OneWorld Global Healthcare Solutions LLC 300 East Club Circle Boca Raton, FL 33487 USA Telephone: 248-250-3221 Fax: 248-547-7769 Website: www.oneworldglobalhealthcaresolutions.com Perot Systems Services Mariano Otero 1249 WTC Torre Atlántico Piso. 7 Col. Rinconadas del Bosque Jalisco 44530 México Website: www.perotsystems.com.mx Physicians Alliance Limited #3 Grosvenor Close, Shirley Street, PO BOX EE17022 Nassau Bahamas Telephone: 242-326-4460 Fax:242 326 8874 Website: www.physiciansalliancelimited.com Pragma Health LLC 4406 E Gatewood Road Phoenix, 85050 USA Telephone: 480-208-7497 Fax: 503-218-7497 Premier Healthcare Professionals Inc 2450 Atlanta Hwy, Suite 601 Cumming, GA 30040 USA Telephone:678-460-1008 Fax: 678-460-1009 Website: www.travelphp.com Premiere Medical Travel Company, LLC James McCormick MD 6303 Owensmouth Avenue, 10th Floor Woodland Hills, CA 91367-2622 Telephone: 818-917-6189 Fax: 818-936-2101 Private Medical Care International 308 N. Main Barrington, IL 60010 USA Telephone: (847) 842-0222 Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau 701 Pike Suite 800 Seattle, WA 98101 Telephone: 206-461-5828 Website: www.visitseattle.org The Lloyd Law Group PC 4637 Chabot Drive Suite 102 Pleasanton, California 94588 USA Telephone: 415-238-2300 Website: www.lloydlawpc.com Sebilo (Pty) Ltd Postnet Suite 454, Private Bag X9, Benmore Johannesburg 2010 South Africa Telephone:+27835792367 Fax: +27866535610 Website: www.sebilo.co.za Transmed Tourism LLC 7629 Wynndel Way Elk Grove, 95758 USA Telephone: 916-752-5539 Fax: 916-647-4876 Website: www.transmedtourism.com SenditCertified 7810 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Third Floor Charlotte, NC, 28277 USA Telephone: 888-957-2999 Website: www.senditcertified.com Spain Medical Services c/ Menorca, 2 bl. 6-1A Las Rozas, Madrid 28230 Spain Telephone: +34 693 902182 U’REKA S’CAPADE SDN. BHD No. 726, Wisma Yoon Cheng, Unit A-5-1 (Level 05), 4 1/2 mile, Ipoh Road Kuala Lumpur, 51200 Malaysia Telephone: +6 03-62586321/+6 0362525388 Fax: +6 03-62505040/+6 03-62515144 Website: www.urekascapade.com UBIFrance-French Trade Office 3475 Piedmont Rd. NE, Suite 1840 Atlanta, Georgia 30305 USA Telephone: 404-495-1667 Fax: 404-495-1696 Website: www.ubifrance.fr Spur Interactive 3701 Kirby, Suite 1290 Houston, Texas 77098 USA Telephone: 713-357-7101 Fax: 281-664-4745 Website: www.spurinteractive.com Stackpole & Associates 1018 Beacon Street, Suite 201 Brookline, MA, 02446-4058 USA Telephone: 617-739-5900 Website: www.stackpoleassociates.com Sunflower Health Travel International 4850 Sapphire Way Cypress CA 90630 USA Telephone: 714-600-8485 Sunshine Medical Tourism, LLC 18950 US HWY 441 Ste. 205 Mount Dora, FL 32757 USA Telephone: 352-638-3578 Website: www.SunshineMedicalTourism. com Proglobal Today Inc. 362 Maple Avenue Washington, PA 15301 USA Telephone: 724-328-3139 Fax: 724-222-9525 Surgery Host Ermita 1588-A Zapopan, Jalisco 45046 Mexico Telephone: + 52 33 35639981/82 Fax: +52 3336471806 Website: www.sugeryhost.com Puerto Rico Med Links PO Box 1622 Morovis, Puerto Rico 00687 USA Telephone: 787-270-4060 Fax: 787-270-4061 Website: www.prmedlinks.com Surgery Solutions Abroad 100 Pine Ln Oak Ridge, 37830 USA Telephone: 865-441-5432 Fax: 865-481-0194 Website: www.surgerysolutionsabroad.com re:group inc. 213 West Liberty St. Suite 100 Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA Telephone: 734-327-6606 Fax: 734-327-6636 www.regroup.us The Crowne Group, Inc. 1552 Boren Drive, Suite 100 Ocoee, FL 34761 USA Telephone: 407-654-5414 Fax: 407-654-9614 Website: www.crowneinc.com © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine Touchpoint 118 E 26th Street, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55404 USA Telephone: (612) 743-2346 UCLA School of Public Health EMPH Program 10960 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1550 Los Angeles, California 90024 USA Phone: 310-267-5600 Fax: 310-312-1711 Website: www.emph.ucla.edu/index.asp URAC 1220 L Street NW Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20005 USA Telephone: (202) 216-9010 Fax: (202) 216-9006 Website: www.urac.org URUHEALTH (Health & Tourism in Uruguay) Dr. Marcelo Rodriguez Av. Ricaldoni 2452 Montevideo 11600 Uruguay Telephone: (+598) 27114444 Fax: (+598) 27114444 Website: www.uruhealth.com US Risk 10210 N. Central Expressway Suite 500 Dallas, TX, 75231 USA Telephone: 214-265-2460 Website: www.usrisk.com Via Belleza Av. 15 Las Delicias No. 59-330 Maracaibo 4005 Venezuela Telephone: 58 414 3606 725 n January/February 2010 71 72 January/February 2010 © Copyright Medical Tourism Magazine
