Thursday, November 01, 2007
Medical Tourism: Global Competition in Healthcare
Medical Tourism: Global Competition in Healthcare Global competition is emerging in the health care industry. Wealthy patients from developing countries have long traveled to developed countries for high quality medical care. Now, a growing number of less-affluent patients from developed countries are traveling to regions once characterized as “third world.” These patients are seeking high quality medical care at affordable prices. Reports on the number of patients traveling abroad for health care are scattered, but all tell the same story. An estimated 500,000 Americans traveled abroad for treatment in 2005. A majority traveled to Mexico and other Latin American countries; but Americans were also among the estimated 250,000 foreign patients who sought care in Singapore, the 500,000 in India and as many as 1 million in Thailand. The cost savings for patients seeking medical care abroad can be significant.
Hello Dr. Malpani,
ReplyDeleteYou described me perfectly in your post as one who is "less-affluent" but who has had THREE procedures conducted in Indian hospitals. If I get sick again I'd crawl back to India just for the medical care -- forget the price, though inexpensive it is!
I have used an Indian company which is owned & operated by Americans living in Bombay who are appropriately named America's Medical Solutions. You can find them at www.americasmedicalsolutions.com and I would would recommend using them because they are free of cost and can direct you to the right hospitals and doctors in India for whatever procedure you need done.
I cannot recommend too highly both AMS and Indian health care, when you have the right guidance.