Medical Tourism By Brig. Joe Curian

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Medical Tourism

• By Brig. Joe Curian
• joecurian_at_globalhospital.net

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OVERVIEW

• ANCIENT HISTORY
• Pilgrims and Patients traveled from all over the
  Mediterranean to the Sanctuary of the Healing God
  ASKLEPIOS at EPIDAURUS.
• EARLY 18TH Century, Wealthy Europeans traveled to
  SPAs from Germany to the Nile.
• In the 21st Century the low cost of travel is
  making the Health Care Industry truly global.

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GLOBAL MARKET PLAYERS

• CUBA First focused on well off patients from
  Central/South America.
• Now Canada, Germany and Italy
• JORDAN Middle East.
• ISRAEL Jews from across the Globe and some
  nearby Countries.
• SOUTH AFRICA Medical Holiday deals and Safari.
• POLAND,BELGIUM, HUNGARY, COSTA RICA,
  SINGAPORE, THAILAND, MALAYSIA, INDIA

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Key Changes

• These changes are triggered not only by social
  and economic factors but also more importantly by
  technology and epidemiology changes. Need drives
  technology. Technology drives needs.
• Globally Information technology is acting as a
  big catalyst
• Empowerment of individuals
• Globally increasing availability of diagnostic
  and treatment options and propensity to spend on
  proper diagnostics and treatment
• From a commercial perspective, hospitals are
  setting their productivity, profitability and
  resource goals in a global context
• All these changes are raising the bar for
  quality. Global standards and bench marks are
  being sought by Healthcare deliverers

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Management Vision - Stages

• Forecasting and identifying healthcare needs and
  trends crystal gazing
• Understanding the current levels of capabilities
  both human and technical. Understanding
  additional capabilities which one needs to garner
• Mustering resources that are available and
  developing a system of Healthcare set ups for
  quality delivery
• Addressing the full spectrum of activities
  covering backward and forward integration

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MAJOR ISSUES

• Issue No.1 Product
• Understanding the Product and its uniqueness.
• Product Development
• Preferred Specialties and Tourism Products
• Issue No.2 Market
• Market overview
• Important segments
• Issue No.3 Process and Delivery
• Address the entire Value Chain
• What Thailand Does
• Issue No.4 Creating a Structure
• Issue No.5 Marketing
• Issue No.6 Quality

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ISSUE NO.1 PRODUCT

• UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCT AND ITS UNIQUENESS
• Product is the Patient Care
• Product is the Place, Culture and Heritage
• Product is the Hospital and Hospitality
• Product is an experience
• Make it an unforgettable Cocktail

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PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• Cost
• Quality Physical Proximity
  E.g.Pakistan
• Process Speedy Delivery Psychological
  Proximity Human Touch
• Value additions in Tourism
• PREFERRED SPECIALITIES AND TOURISM PRODUCTS
• Full range of Secondary Tertiary Care
• (Cold Cases) Beaches
• Hills
• Dental Care Entire gamut of Super
• 
  Specialization Wild Life
• Ophthalmology Cataract, Lasik Laser Arts,
  Crafts and Squint Correction Culture
• Alternate Medicine Ayurveda, Unani
• 
  Homeopathy Heritage
• Convalescing Centers Religious Tourism
• Cosmetology Sports and
• 
  Adventure
• Geriatric
• Mix and Match

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ISSUE NO. II MARKET

• MARKET OVERVIEW
• Any strategy in this direction must start with a
  scenario analysis of the global market.
• Identify prospective market segments that are to
  be addressed not only in the West but also in the
  Middle East, South, South Eastern Regions and
  NRIs themselves.
• Study and understand the existing gaps and
  shortcomings of supply in terms of adequacy,
  availability, cost efficiency and quality.
• The USP that we can offer as also the cost
  advantage.

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IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• NRI Large Numbers
• Western Expatriates Working in India
• Foreigners on Tour/Travel
• Foreigners yet to be tapped
• Primarily Tourists
• Primarily Healthcare Seekers
• Domestic Segment
• The Challenge is in understanding segment
  sensitivities and needs

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ISSUE NO III-PROCESS DELIVERY

• The most difficult part.
• Address the entire value chain
• Care from Start to Finish and thereafter
• Seamless. No impediments.
• Special Visa Facilities
• Priority for - Seats in Airlines
• - Rooms in Hotels
• - OT slots in Hospitals
• The process as a whole becomes the product.
• On Line Information

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• A study carried out by Thailand before cracking
  the Japanese Market indicates the factors that
  would decide in favor of destinations. These are
• 40.2 Safety
• 12.9 Beautiful Nature
• 7.9 Adjustment of infrastructure
• 7.6 Relaxing Atmosphere
• 7.4 Friendly to Japanese
• Similarly, the same study has also indicated the
  factors of anxiety in the minds of health care
  tourists. These are as under
• 40.0 Safety
• 14.0 Healthcare
• 14.0 Language
• 11.0 Cost
• 10.0 Impression of
  Japanese

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ISSUE NO III-PROCESS DELIVERY Contd..

• Provide full information about the range of
  products and services
• Well connected system to deal with all
  formalities and procedures not only for the stay
  and accommodation also for the treatment and post
  operative care till he/she reaches his/her home
  country.
• Facilitate B to B but also B to C transactions.
• Web sites which should not only target Home Page
  but also various agencies and stakeholders
  involved besides general information from tourism.

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WHAT THAILAND DOES

• Airport pickup transport in a luxury automobile.
• Their comprehensive Executive Health Tourism
  package includes
• A one hour therapeutic massage to relieve jet lag
  and travel stiffness.
• A cell phone for use in Thailand in provided so
  far staff is always at your side.
• Staff Phone numbers are provided in a cell
  phones address book
• Daily transport and pick up from the Hospital
• 100 assistance with appointment scheduling, bill
  clarification and medication pick up.
• Any problem or confusion at the Hospital, the
  Hospital staff is only a phone call away. Office
  is only 15 minutes from the Hospital.
• If any body desires, the staff is available for
  all the time at the facility.
• Plus receive a 10 discount on additional
  optional Executive Day Tours, enjoy

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ISSUE NO IV CREATING A STRUCTURE

• Synergy among all stake holders (in Thailand
  Ministries of Health, Commerce, Foreign affairs,
  Tourism, Airways/Travel).
• Synergy between Public and Private Sectors
• Synergy between the bureaucracy and Private
  providers.
• Create Seamless integrated structure.
• Not a one man show but well co-ordinate effort by
  a number of organizations.
• State/Central Governments need to address and if
  required revise regulations to provide easy
  access to India especially to health care
  tourists.

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ISSUE NO V MARKETING

• Markets are identified
• Products and Services are ready
• The process is in place
• Now market these services appropriately through
  all available means including internet
• Collective experience of Indian Health Care
  Professionals can be leveraged
• Create core teams of Health Care Professionals of
  overseas Indians and Tour Operators
• Net works and liaison offices in the target
  countries utilizing existing net works of the
  Centre or State Governments

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ISSUE NO VI - QUALITY

• Work towards improving quality of our products
  and services against benchmarks in advanced
  countries
• Accreditation, credentialing systems and medical
  audit.

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• Friends, God has given our Country Beauty, Brains
  and Brawns. If is for us to utilize the Gifts of
  God to the advantage of the people of our Country
  and humanity as a whole. Medical Tourism is a
  great opportunity. It will be a shame if let go
  off this.
• Thank You