Newsweek details the growing trend of going abroad for medical care, in this case to high-tech hospitals in India:
The trend is driven in part by long waiting lists and high costs in countries like Britain and Canada. Like software outsourcing firms, Indian hospitals offer quality at Third World prices. The number of foreign patients seeking treatment in India—now 100,000—is growing by 12 percent to 15 percent a year, says the Indian Healthcare Federation.
I have heard of people increasingly combining their vacations with some type of medical procedure as well (often times cosmetic).
The private sector already sees medical tourism as an industry with tremendous potential for growth.
Travel agents, tour operators and hotels are vying to make their presence felt.
And by next year, the Indian medical industry will be ready to move into outsourcing to relieve overburdened medical institutions in Western countries, which are facing severe staff shortages.
Many of those people are probably Indians living in the UK, U.S., or Canada.
it about time ther is some wher a person can go when they need medical care. it is been distroyed in canada and in the u.s.only the very rich can afford medical attention, heart attack ,cancer, bypass ,joint replacement, ect you should medical ins. for your country
While there are some world class physicians in India, the lack of appropriate sanitation and infrastructure is likely to doom India’s medical tourism aspirations for the present. India will continue to attract, as she does now, patients from sub-Saharan Africa, neighboring countries and persons of Indian ancestry. People from more developed countries are likely to shun India’s offering as more people become aware of the serious sanitation issues. Some hospitals in India may offer a safe environment for the patient. However, once the patient is discharged into the community for additional treatment and follow up, the risk of infection increases dramatically. While some physicians in India believe a patient can be sheltered from contact with the outside community, I suspect this is unlikely. Currently there are reports of medical tourists from developed countries returning immediately to their country of origin after a brief exit from the Delhi airport and a good nose full of the foul air. This trend will likely grow as more people from developed countries are lured to India by promises of low cost healthcare. As the number of potential medical tourists who witness India’s lack of adequate sanitation grows so will mainstream news reports on the subject.
India is not without competition. Several Southeast Asian countries offer good value for the medical tourist. Singapore has one of the best transplant programs in the world. It is reported in the Indian press that wealthy Indians travel to Singapore for liver transplants rather. That alone should be telling.
Thailand, the current leader in Asian medical tourism, attracts six times as many patients as India. Many of these patients are from developed countries. Thailand’s medical system was built on the US model. In the 1920s the King’s father made it his life’s work to improve medical care in Thailand. He entered Harvard University and earned an MD degree with honors. He was also inducted into the medical honor society in the US. During his stay at Harvard he convinced the Rockefeller Foundation to fund a US medical education for a group of Thai men and women. These men and women returned to Thailand and were the seed of modern Thai medical system. Today a significant number of Thai physicians are at least partially educated abroad. Many hold US professional certification. You seldom see Thai physicians practicing abroad because most honor their King and return home to practice. Despite claims by the CII, Thailand and Singapore’s physicians have a long track record of successfully performing complex medical procedures. Thailand was almost 10 years ahead of India in performing transplant surgery. Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok for instance sees a significant number of patients from the US and Canada seeking total disc replacement spinal surgery, hardly a “simple” procedure. Later this year, the Medical Sciences Department, Mahidol University and the Cardiac Institute of Thailand will be conducting additional clinical trials on a cutting edge stem cell procedure that has shown promise in restoring cardiac function in damaged hearts again, hardly a simple procedure.
In summation, India has potential as a medical tourism destination however, if the sanitation and other infrastructure problems are not addressed and soon, that potential will not likely be realized. Other countries in the region may cost more but will likely remain the primary destinations. Patients from developed countries expect a clean safe environment both in the hospital and out.
Neal R. Yerkes, RN
Hi Neal:
I’d like to talk to you re. your comments on medical tourism in india. I am a reporter with india-west here in california and am talking a story on that subject. could you contact me please. thanks
viji
Why isn’t the country focussing on first providing medical attention to its own locals. Seriously, outsourcing is great for India’s economic status and it employs a whole lot of people but, Indians have so much to resurrect in their own cities and villages. And right now, with the boom that’s come in, all they worry about s how to make a lasting impression on the people from outside their country. I’m definitely not siding with the pseudo-patriotic religious militants who insist the indian culture has been “polluted” by the “foreigners” but, seriously ppl, they have their own issues to deal with and they’re totally avoiding em! Mah Brown ppl are so eager to please!
India is not neglecting its own people. In fact Apollo hospitals has 100 beds reserved for those who cannot afford the treatment. And the extra income from the foreigners goes a long way to pay for the subidized/free treatment of the poor.
It is good to see that the Number of Quality, World Class Hospitals in India has increased. Yes, it is good for the economy, to have patients coming from overseas because they generate income for the Hospital and the Country. However, I am concerned about the cost of care to the person who is living and working in India. A labourer, earning Rs100 per day. Will he ever be able to affored coronary artery bypass graft? At the present time, the average income of a labourer in India is less that Rs.100.00 per day. Sick days, unemployed days and weekends have to be figured into working out the average daily income.
I do realise that the infra-structure and sanitation are improving. I note that corruption is decreasing. However, the affordability factor, for the average Indian must be of major concern to all of us. It is not good enough to have Appolo Hospitals caring for the top 5% of the population when 95 % of the population cannot afford that care. More can be done for less in terms of prevention and primary health care. The issue of tretment is secondary and a system which provides some benefit to the poor must be instituted. Canada’s Universal Health Care System is a good model to follow but my feeling is that the counter argument will be that India does not have the resources. My proposal for Inidia is not to have a Health Care System which is Comparable to Canda. A health care system, for India can be tailor made for India, which all Indians can afford. Malaysia has a two tier system. There is nothing wrong with rich people wanting better care as long as they are willing to pay for it. Maybe follow the model of Malaysia. Modern Society displays it’s compassion by caring for it’s disadvantaged groups. I hope we can display this generosity towards our disadvantaged Indians. Sarjeet S. Gill RN BSc MBA PGCE Lecturer in Health Sciences, Charles Darwin University
Although I am late in joining the discussion, I find it very interesting topic. I am myself a specialist doctor (Anesthesia & Interventional pain management) of Indian origin, presently in Chandigarh (India) and a green card holder for USA. It is very true that sanitation outside the environment of large, new hospitals in metros of India is a problem. I myself feel stifled whenever I have to go to Delhi for some work even though the hospital/office where one goes for work is generally well kept.The reason appears to me to be too much rush of people and too few resources. However, on return to Chandigarh, I feel as if I have returned to heaven (the travel time by train between Delhi and Chandigarh is about 3.5 hours and 35 minutes by air). I am proud to say that there are multi-specialty hospitals in Chandigarh area providing very high class service to their clients, both Indian and foreign, and cost wise they are much cheaper than those in USA or UK.In addition, there are certain beds kept reserved for those who can not afford, but on these beds, foreigners are generally not accommodated. The general cleanliness and sanitation of Chandigarh area is famous and for last many months, Chandigarh is a smoke-free zone. Thus I can safely say that if anyone needs to get medical treatment in a safe and courteous environment, by a group of competent doctors,without paying exorbitantly, Chandigarh area (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula) is the place in India. Dr Rajinder Singh, MD