Medical Tourism and Surgical Trip

1

• Medical Tourism and Surgical Trip
• Tom Hamilton
• THamilton_at_CaroinaBenefitDesigns.com
• www.SurgicalTrip.com
• 1-866-313-1112

Medical Tourism
2
Medical Tourism What is it?
One of the newest, most innovative options is
medical tourism which is defined as the act of
traveling outside ones own country of residence
for health care. This can take form of a two
hundred mile drive to your parents birthplace,
or it can mean flying half way around the globe
to an exotic culture you know nothing about.
For people without insurance or those needing
medical procedures that insurance wont cover,
medical tourism offers an attractive alternative
to rising healthcare costs.
3
Why Americans Travel Outside the U.S.

• Access to quality medical care
• Lower costs a fraction of the cost of care in
  the United States

Thailand
Mexico
India
Singapore
Turkey
4
Medical Travel A Preferred Option

• Medical travel has morphed into a preferred
  option for acute care procedures, surgeries,
  dental care
• Also for
• Cosmetic and bariatric surgery and other
  uncovered benefits
• Procedures not available in U.S. robotic
  specialized procedures
• Timely access to care (Canadians UK citizens
  facing waiting periods of 2-3 years)

5
Lower Costs

• Medical Care in foreign countries costs
  lessFrom 30 percent to 80 percent less than the
  U.S. and Canada

6
The Tourism in Medical Tourism

• Exotic Destinations

7
Macro Trends Not a Minor Thing

• According to the National Center for Policy
  Analysis (NCPA), 500,000 Americans crossed the
  border for treatment in 2005.
• A recent report by Deloitte from August 2008
  entitled Medical Tourism, Consumers in Search of
  Value reports that by 2017 it is estimated that
  approximately 17 million Americans could be
  traveling overseas to engage in Medical Tourism.

8
Quality and Safety

• Meets or exceeds U.S. standards
• Plus great nursing ratios
• Hospitals more like 5 Star hotels
• Joint Commission International (JCI)
  accreditationis a standard that monitors
  quality. Surgical Trips Network uses
  primarily JCI hospitals.
• Trained, credentialed physicians
• Often affiliations with U.S. hospitals and
  American academic centers
• Accreditation
• English-speaking doctors and professionals

9
Suite of Procedures

• Surgical Trip provides prospective patients an
  all-inclusive, transparent pricing plan which
  includes surgery/procedure costs airfare,
  lodging, transfers and a 24/7 concierge service.
  
• A suite of medical and dental procedures are
  available, including

• Gastroenterology
• General Surgery
• Gynecology
• Internal Medicine
• Neurosurgery
• Oncology (selective)
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics

• Cardiology
• Cardiothoracic
• Chemical Dependency
• CyberKnife (cancer)
• Dental
• Detox/Rehab
• ENT
• Executive Health Physicals

• Pain Management
• Pediatrics
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Urology Male/Female
• Vascular
• Weight Loss/Obesity Surgery

10
Consumer Research

• Key Messages with greatest appeal
• Hospitals are accredited by the body that
  accredits hospitals here in the US
• Insurance companies or employers pay the employee
  an incentive
• Doctors are Western-trained
• Nurse/patient ratio is lower than in the US
• A guest can accompany the client
• Drivers discovered and initiatives suggested
• Levels of cash payment to the employee
• Size of possible premium reduction
• Luxurious hospital rooms and various accessories
• Patient comfort levels
• Concierge Service
• Marketing to younger employees
• Marketing to opinion leaders

11
Ms Marlows Story

• Her words After being told by three US
  surgeons to have a Total Hip Replacement where
  they amputate the entire head of your femur, I
  decided to take my health into my own hands, and
  traveled to India for Hip Resurfacing surgery.
  Surgery took place December 1, 2005. My
  hospitals stay was 9 days, recuperated 4 days in
  a 5 star beach resort, I had one of the worlds
  top surgeons, , large private hospital room with
  plasma screen TV, wireless laptop, fridge,
  microwave and care second to none I have ever
  experienced ALL for less than 12,000! It was so
  amazing that I will never have surgery again in
  the US.
• When Ms Marlow traveled to India for Hip
  Resurfacing surgery in 2005, there were no
  devices approved by the FDA at the time and her
  insurance would only cover a Total Hip
  Replacement where they amputate the entire head
  of your femur. She traveled to India and her
  experience was so amazing that she has become a
  major patient advocate for hip resurfacing
  surgery.  

12
Example Decision for Hip Replacement
Assumes a 5000 copay/coinsurance at a US
hospital and a variable incentive paid by
employer (ER) to employee (EE) based on provider
selected.
13
Cost Comparison
According to the American Medical Association
June 2007
14
TRANSPLANTATION COSTAverage Total Billed Charges
Non- U.S.
U.S.

• Kidney (Living Related Donor)
• Liver (Living Related Donor)
• Bone Marrow (Autologous)

25,000 33,000 25,000
171,730 416,728 242,835
Source Nationally Recognized Transplant
Network Average Total Billed Charges Completed
Cases, 1/1/2004 thru 1/31/2006
14
15
Accreditation Joint Commission International

• JCI, based in the U.S., is a division of Joint
  Commission Resources (JCR) and a subsidiary of
  the Joint Commission designed to improve and
  regulate the quality and safety of healthcare
  services.
• About 200 and growing
• foreign hospitals now accredited

16
Accreditation International Society for Quality
in Health Care(ISQua)

• A non-profit, independent organization with
  members in over 70 countries. ISQua works to
  provide services to guide health professionals,
  providers, researchers, agencies, policy makers
  and consumers, to achieve excellence in
  healthcare delivery to all people, and to
  continuously improve the quality and safety of
  care.
• Based in Australia
• JCI is accredited by ISQua

17
Criteria for Selecting Hospital Providers

• Reputation for quality
• Indicated experience in selected procedures
• Accreditation status
• Ability to provide clinical data
• Agreement to participate in our quality assurance
  and reporting program
• Customer service orientation
• Excellent nurse to patient ratio
• Choice of geographic location
• Familiarity with the needs of international
  patients
• International standards in clinical delivery and
  patients rooms
• World-class medical infrastructure and equipment

18

• Medical Tourism and Surgical Trip
• Tom Hamilton
• THamilton_at_CaroinaBenefitDesigns.com
• www.SurgicalTrip.com
• 1-866-313-1112

Medical Tourism