Tag Archives: travel guide

Medical Travel is Maturing but Patients are Still Confused

The medical travel industry is maturing.  Researchers have created centers to study it, like the Center for Medical Tourism Research at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas (http://www.uistx.edu ) and doctors have created organizations to professionalize it , like the International Board of Medicine and Surgery (http://www.ibms.us ). Conferences, seminars and trade associations are sprouting up all over the world and medical travel bloggers litter the medical tourism landscape.

Despite it’s growth, I think patients are still confused  about the multiple products and services that all seem to be the same. If you are considering offering medical travel benefits to your employees or are  considering leaving home for care, here are three questions you should ask  that might help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

Who do you get connected to?

The traditional referral model is your doctor, someone you trust,  refers you to another doctor for  specialty care or consultation. In most instances in medical tourism, however,  a facilitator or other intermediary  connects you  to a hospital or ground agent partner in another country who connects you to a doctor on the medical staff of the overseas hospital. All those steps can be confusing, add middle-man costs, and create opportunities for errors.

How do you establish some kind of relationship with the consultant before leaving home?

Since it is impractical for you to see your foreign consultant preoperatively face to face, take advantage of facilitators, like Medvoy, that can help connect you to your doctor using telemedicine communications technologies.

What’s the difference between one facilitator and the other?

As the market matures, industry players are creating ways to differentiate themselves and break from the rest of the pack. In general, facilitators compete on price, access, service, experience and their product. Just as Hermes sells quality, Wal-Mart competes on price and Nordstrom’s is know for service. Decide what’s most important to you and pick a facilitator that will deliver.


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Medical Tourism Evolution

Medical tourism used to be tiny and only for the wealthy. Now it’s ‘Medical Travel’ and it’s growing, fast.

Leaving home for care is nothing new. People have been traveling around the world for treatment since the beginning of time. Now we call it medical tourism, and it is growing quickly.

Patients seek care away from home because it is cheaper, unavailable in their home location, can be accessed without waiting for a long time, can be combined with a travel experience and can be kept secret. Despite the talk of healthcare reform, patients and employers are paying more for care with no forseeable decreases and they are looking for safe, affordable alternatives to care in the US.

There are several serious barriers to adoption and penetration of the notion of leaving home for care. In fact, we’re not even sure what to call it these days. “Medical tourism” has morphed into global healthcare referral or medical travel, underlying the fact that we are talking about healthcare in a different place, not sipping Margueritas by the pool. The growth of the industry is being fueled by mostly medical outsiders who see the commercial potential of opportunities that have resulted from medical cost inflation, globalization and cheap information and communications technologies.

There are lots of opportunties for physicians in the medical travel industry. Substantial challenges to the traditional notions of face-to-face care, continuity of care, itinerant surgery and global healthcare information exchange are but a few of the issues that the medical provider establishment will have to confront as medical travel continues to grow around the world.


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American Culture in Global Healthcare

American Culture in Global Healthcare

Global medical tourism exists because medicine transcends borders and doctors around the world genuinely care about patients. Apart from medicine, Americans have some unique commonalities that MedVoy’s providers and successful overseas healthcare providers already understand. As a reminder, here are some uniquely American cultural differences that are important to recognize:

English is our Only Language
Unlike other countries, Americans generally do not learn another language as part of their primary education. Since we only speak English, Americans are hesitant to speak other languages and tend to prefer to travel to countries where the language barrier is not an issue. While this trend is shifting, if you want to attract Americans, there needs to be an English speaking staff.

Privacy Please
It’s a fact – Americans like their personal space. This is noticeable in any restaurant where solo diners sit alone at a table for two rather than at a communal table with strangers. Our puritanical roots have also instilled a deep sense of modesty, especially when dealing with medical issues. The bottom line is understanding the need for personal space when considering your US guest. We prefer single hospital rooms and private waiting rooms, ideally with an international department allocated just for us.

Aesthetics Count
USA is a young country and as such there is a perception that new is better. It’s true that you cannot judge a book by its cover and that décor has nothing to do with medical outcomes. However, never underestimate your first impression. If Americans are heading overseas for medical care, we want to go to a modern facility – your photos and your facilities need to reflect this.

This list is certainly not exhaustive, what are others that should be listed?


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Designing a Perfect Smile in Costa Rica

The world looks brighter behind a smile, yet for many people smiling can be a challenge. Medical tourism has made restorative and cosmetic dentistry more accessible and affordable for everyone. Housed in clean and modern facilities, next to partner CIMA Hospital, Dental Cosmetics Costa Rica specializes in cosmetic dentistry to help patients attain the bright, radiant teeth that transform their smiles and helps them regain their self-confidence.

Founders Dr. Alejandro Lasso and Dr. Andres Fernandez Rodriguez are highly experienced and board certified – including certification by the American Association of Cosmetic Dentistry. Additionally, Dr. Rodriguez is recognized as one of the preeminent maxillofacial surgeons in the country and is a member of several international boards, including the International Asociación of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, American Association of Cosmetic Surgery and American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

To learn more click here.

Dental Cosmetics Costa Rica Doctors

Dental Cosmetics Costa Rica Doctors


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Center for Disease Control’s 2010 travel health guide includes medical tourism

The Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) 2010 travel health guide has a much-expanded section on medical tourism — the practice of going abroad for your medical care. U.S. citizens going overseas for medical or dental procedures often cite lower costs as their primary motivator.

The CDC updates its Health Information for International Travel (also called the “Yellow Book”) every two years. The latest edition discusses the pros and cons of medical tourism, and explains why the practice is on the rise.

“In recent years, standards have been rising in other parts of the world even faster than prices have surged in the U.S. Many physicians abroad trained in the U.S. and the Joint Commission International (JCI) applies strict standards to accreditation of offshore facilities. Those facilities use the same implants, supplies, and drugs as their U.S. counterparts. However, a heart bypass in Thailand costs $11,000 compared to as much as $130,000 in the U.S. Spinal fusion surgery in India at $5,500 compares to over $60,000 in the U.S.”

The CDC guide quotes the American Medical Associations tip for planning a surgery abroad:

–Patients should check to see if the medical facilities abroad have been accredited by recognized international accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission International or the International Society for Quality in Health Care.

– Prior to travel, arrange local follow-up care to ensure continuity of care when you return from medical care outside the US


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