While more and more patients are accepting the idea of leaving home to get care, the main questions in their minds have to do with quality, continuity of care, global information exchange, and liability. Enterprising entrepreneurs are rushing in to fill the gaps by providing value added services that address these market needs.
For example, take continuity of care. By providing global information and communcation technology networks, patients can now get a preoperative consultation and postoperative tele-care wherever and whenever they need it. While in some cases this does not meet the standard of care, in several instances, like cosmetic surgery or procedures that involve mostly postoperative wound care, telemedicine image and data devices are perfectly acceptable to monitor wounds and healing.
BOTTOM LINE: Entrepreneurs will rapidly fill markets in global healthcare referrals and care where there is an unmet need.
