‘India’ a Hub for Medical Tourism

? ABSTRACT medical touristry has become a popular option for tourists across the ball. It takes into key primarily the bio checkup procedures, combined with locomote and touristry. medical checkup tourism has been coined by different travel agencies and the stilt media to describe the rapidly growing practice of travelling across international borders to obtain cutting advance medical examination upkeep. Countries like India, Malaysia, and Thailand argon promoting medical tourism aggressively. The key warlike advantages of India in medical tourism stem from the following ?Low cost advantage. ?Strong reputation in the Advanced Health fear section (Cardiovascular Surgery, Organ Transplants, eye Surgery etc. ) ? The diversity of tourist destinations available in the country. The key concerns facing the industry include ?Less G every put innment Initiatives. ?Lack of a coordinated effort to promote the industry. ?No accreditation mechanism for hospitals and the lack of uni form pricing policies and standards across hospitals. Medical tourism or substantiallyness care tourism is fast growing multibillion-dollar industry around the world.It is an stinting activity that entails trade in operate and represents the mixing of two of the largest world industries Medicine and tourism. The paper identifies the strengths of Indias medical tourism service fork outrs and points at a number of problems that may reduce the growth opportunity of this industry. This paper focuses on the key issues and opportunities feature by Indian medical tourism sphere that enables it to overcome domestic and international barriers on upgrading its medical services.Finally, this paper analyses and concludes the main reasons why the developing country like India attracts alien tourists for the medical treatment. Keywords Medicine, tourism, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Ayurvedic, Naturopathy. INTRODUCTION India has a bountiful of diverse tourism hotspots which enchant the recuperating visitors, their scenic beauty, historicity and socio- pagan signifi nookiece would be great harbingers of health to the suffer foreign visitors. In the recent years, regime support, low cost treatment, improved health care infrastructure, and rich cultural heritage, brook taken the Indian medical tourism to new heights.India has emerged as one of the worlds most cost-efficient medical tourism destinations, and hence, attained a position among the global leaders. According to golden Medical tourism in India, the heart surgery centers in the country offer treatment at a significantly less(prenominal)er prices compared to North America and Europe. Superior case of dental care and Ayurvedic resort treatments are also attracting patients from across the globe. Each market segment describes the cost effectiveness compared to another(prenominal) countries.Though Indias reputation is not good on hygiene front, its state-of-the-art medical facilities and value for money offered att racts thousands of patients distributively year. In this way, the country holds enormous potential for growth in medical tourism in future. massive research and analysis has also revealed that quality-driven wellness centers, cord blood banking, and medical tourism facilitates medical tourism market. It has been discovered that wellness tourism, alternate meditation, and the advantage of macrocosm the least competitive pricing have been the unequaled Selling Point (USP) of the Indian medical tourism.Cardiac and Orthopedic procedures constitute the majority share of the market. This study reflects an in-depth friendship of various government initiatives that provides a positive impact on the medical tourism market in India. The adoption of the Public Private objet dartnership (PPP) Model by the Indian Government at twain central and state levels to improve healthcare infrastructure in the country through expertise of esoteric sector and better support of humankind sector p rovided the extra thrust to medical tourism.We also observed that the regulatory structure in connection to the medical tourism industry has been quite liberal and supporting in the country so far. Considering all the positive insights of the analysis, its a hope that the analysis of true market performance and future outlook of the Indian medical tourism industry with the forecasts provided in the motif will care in devising the rightful strategies and make sound investiture decisions. Comparative appeal of Medical Treatment in Euros (1 = 70. 24 Rs) Type of Procedure coupled StatesIndiaThailandBone Marrow Transplant300,000 = 21,072,000 Rs24,000 = 16,85,760 Rs50,000 = 35,12,000 Rs Open brass Procedure40,000 = 2,809,600 Rs11,000 = 7,72,640 Rs 35,000 = 24,58,400 Rs Knee Surgery13,000 = 9,13,120 Rs3,500 = 2,45,840 Rs5,500 = 3,86,320 Rs Eye Surgery2,400 = 1,68,576 Rs600 = 42,144 Rs 5,500 = 3,86,320 Rs Facelift6,500 16,000 = 4,56,560 11,23,840 Rs2000 = 1,40,480 Rs 8,000 16,000 = 5,61,920 11,23,840 Rs Source Business orb India and Indian Brand Equity Foundation Comparative Picture of the determine of the Treatment in USD and Percentage ProcedureUSD in USA)USD (in India)Difference in Price Bone Marrow Transplant2500006920028% Liver Transplant3000006935023% Heart Surgery30000870029% Orthopedic Surgery20000630032% Cataract Surgery2000135068% Dental Procedure Metal Free Bridge550060011% Dental Implants350090026% Porcelain Metal Bridge300060020% Porcelain Metal Crown100010010% Source IIMK Part IX Medical Tourism CHALLENGES virtuoso of the major challenges for Medical Tourism Industry in India is the phenomenon of Crowding-Out where healthcare could become less narkible to the local population.The discrimination of care has been happening with the opening up of the healthcare market and has brought about for the residents of the destination countries. The revenue generated by developing countries providing medical services to foreign patien ts can be used to improve the access and quality of care available to the residents. However, concerns have been expressed over Medical Tourism Industry in India that it may seriously undermine the care of local residents by adversely affecting the healthcare call onforce distribution.Critics extensiones globalization as commoditization of worldwide healthcare where in the redirection of economic resources to support the foreign care industry makes an ill-effect on local health care as the pass up income groups that have reduced access and longer waits for health services. So, instead of contributing to broader social and economic reading the provision of care to patients from other countries efficiency make worse, the existing in-equalities and further polarize the richest and poorest members of society.Healthcare spending in India accounts for over 5% of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of which only 20% is provided by the government. This reflects that the public hea lthcare is not only weak but also under-utilized and inefficient. Similarly contends that rising in-equalities in healthcare access across private and public systems encourages a domestic Brain-Drain (migration of healthcare professionals takes place from public to private sector) and increases dualism in healthcare in India.It is a fear that the remunerative Medical Tourism Industry in India might flourish at the expense of the treatment of endemic ailments (AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria) thus disregarding half of the disease burden in India which is primarily infectious diseases. Hence it is to be emphasized on the governments of destination countries to down and enforce appropriate macroeconomic redistributive policies to ensure that the local residents of these nations actually realize the potential benefits of the Medical Tourism Industry in India.In addition, there is a rapidly increasing element of competition for India for medical tourism income from other host countries much(prenominal) as Thailand and Singapore. Hence, one of the key factors for the host hospitals is the concept of efficient trade to the developed countries offering innovative ideas like a holistic medical service and tourism package. Its also a concern on the dependency of the developed nations on developing nations for healthcare provision.In addition, it is wondered if an open model of Medical Tourism Industry in India with the niche market which draws specific patients for designated procedures and can be followed by all developing countries. If multiple developing countries entered this market, the oversaturation of healthcare services would lead to severe price-cutting to the wrong of quality of healthcare. Another area of concern is the effect on the reputation of the destination country of the practice of soliciting patients for money.For example, Dr Kohli, an Indian pediatric cardiologist admitted to soliciting medical tourists for money on the 60 Minutes. In additio n, its warned that the quality of around of the services offered to medical tourists can cause significant risks due to the use of- ? Older working(a) equipment and inferior quality musics ? Poorly trained health care providers ?Inadequate emergency rooms and implanting older-generation medical devices.In a recent research conducted by Walsh, an antibiotic found amongst the UK medical tourists returning from India and Pakistan after undergoing cosmetic surgeries. The management of post-operative complications that occur after a patient returns to his home country and the consequent costs of this care are difficult issues that remain unresolved. Besides, hospitals catering to Medical Tourism Industry in India lack accreditation labels whereas there is an demand for oversight by neutral administrator such as (JCI and Patients beyond Borders) to attract foreign to the host country.Moreover, foreign patients have to bear the treatment cost out of their own pockets since the procedure s performed under Medical Tourism Industry in India are usually not reimbursed by the insurance agencies with the exception of a few companies such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield in USA. Also, Medical Tourism Industry in India lacks stringent governance and regulatory policies. Consequently, faced with the choice of many medical institutions in diverse countries, medical tourists may find it very difficult to identify well-trained physicians and modern hospitals that consistently provide extravagantly-quality care.Lack of transparent pricing policies across hospitals, customer perception of well-nigh host countries as unhygienic and prone to terrorism with low coordination between the various Medical Tourism Industry in India operators such as airlines, hospitals, hotels and insurance companies are some of the other reported shortcomings. Since, Medical Tourism Industry in India is a relatively new phenomenon, some under-researched areas are observed in the available published lit erature such as ?Limited statistical information ?Impact of globalization on healthcare policies of Medical Tourism Industry in India ? Challenges posed by Medical Tourism Industry in India like honest and litigation issues ? Public sector health inequity and post operative care of the medical tourists. Hence, a qualitative research is much needed to bridge this gap with a combination of primary (semi-structured interviews) and substitute(prenominal) (literature review) research. OPPORTUNITIESThe emergence of Medical Tourism Industry in India encouraged a reverse Brain-Drain where juicyly proficient medical professionals like to practice in their own countries rather than in the lucrative industrialized nations. One of the compensations for their move is the freedom to carry out rare medical procedures, such as hip resurfacing which have not yet been authorized in industrialized nations. There is an accompanying flow of patients as some citizens of developed nations choose to go around the care offered in their countries and travel to less developed areas of the world to birth a variety of reasonably priced medical services.As a result, regional and national governments in India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia regard Medical Tourism Industry in India as an merchandiseant resource for economic and social development. The difference in treatment costs can be considerable for example, the cost of an elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery is about $60,400 in California, $25,000 in Mexico, $15,500 in Bumrungrad, $10,000 in Thailand, and in India only $6,500 in Apollo.Hence, cost-conscious patients choose to accept the inconvenience and uncertainties of off-shore healthcare to obtain service at prices they can more easily afford. Medical Tourism Industry in India can be regarded as a tool for diminish the overburdened healthcare systems of industrialized nations. For example, in the US, there are 46. 6 million people with n o medical insurance, inadequate coverage and those who are not eligible for Medicare. Moreover, overwhelming health-related expenses contribute to bankruptcies in the United States.Also, patients choose Medical Tourism Industry in India to circumvent the delays associated with the long waiting list in their native countries and to attain cosmetic surgeries such as dental reconstruction, fertility treatment not offered in their discipline Health Services such as in United Kingdom and Canada. Patients also travel overseas to access stem cell therapies which are restricted on ethical grounds in most industrialized countries but are available in the Medical Tourism Industry in India.The shortage of human organ supply available for transplant in the United States drives some patients to other countries to obtain organ transplants, a practice that has been referred to as transplant tourism. There is another category of patients who prefer Medical Tourism Industry in India for confidentia lity of the treatment rendered such as plastic surgery, drug reclamation and reproductive tourism. Patients also prefer Medical Tourism Industry in India for more personalized care for care offered owing to the lower labor costs in developing nations supplemented by travel to exotic locations.Recently, several Fortune 500 corporations such as Blue Ridge Paper Products Inc. have been evaluating the feasibility of outsourcing expensive medical procedures to offshore healthcare destinations to reduce the financial burden of employee healthcare. In addition with these trends, the health insurance sector has potential commercial opportunity for foreign insurance firms. Insurance provider networks are being expanded to include physicians across the globe, and it is anticipated that within a decade a majority of large employers health plans will include off-shore medical centers.It is believed that if Medical Tourism Industry in India continues its meteoric growth, medical insurance pl ans could take advantage of its cost savings and begin offering lower-priced premiums if policyholders could be assigned to lower-priced countries for treatment. Hence, healthcare financing could become better calibrated to patients financial status. Consequently, medical tourism is a component of export-led economic growth, with the foreign currency earnings from international patients translating into output, jobs and income for developing countries with the added bonus of improving their public health systems.Supplemented by other factors such as ? Low cost of administrative and medico-legal expenses ?Medical visas being issued in lieu of travel visas for patients allowing an extended stay for medical reasons ? Favorable economy. English being astray spoken due to Indias history as a British colony and enjoying a well-disposed Government support Medical Tourism Industry in India seems to be a promising sector for India. STRATEGIES ON INDIAN MEDICAL TOURISM ?Product ?Price ?Plac e ?Promotion ?People ? work out ?Physical Evidence SUGGESTIONS Role of Government The government of India must act as a regulator to institute a uniform grading and accreditation system for hospitals to build consumers trust. ?Medical Visas A simplified systems of get medical visas should be developed in order to make travel across borders smoother. Visas can be extended depending on the condition of the patients. ?Holistic medical and diagnostic centers within the corporate hospitals The hospitals have teeny spaces for the relatives to pray in, thereby wedding science with religion and traditional with modern medical practices. Setting up National Level Bodies To market Indias specialized healthcare products in the world and also address the various issues confronting the corporate healthcare sector, leading private hospitals across the country are planning to bushel up a national-level embody on the lines of National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), the apex body of software companies in the country. It is therefore essential to form an apex body for health tourism National Association of Health Tourism (NHAT). The main agenda for NAHT are 1. Building the India Brand Abroad . Promoting Inter-Sectored Coordination 3. study Dissemination using Technology 4. Standardization of Services ?Integrate vertically Various added services may be offered to the patients. For example, hospitals may have kiosks at airports, offer airport pickups, bank transactions, or tie-ups with airlines for tickets and may help facilitate medical visas by the government. ?Joint Ventures / Alliances In order to counter increasing competition in medical tourism sector, Indian hospitals should tie-up with foreign institutions for assured supply of medical tourists.CONCLUSION ?The First Worlds Treatment at Third World Prices India offers world-class healthcare that costs substantially less than those in developed countries, using the same technology delivered b y competent specialists and attaining comparable success rates. ?India is receptively Less Scary Now The author believes that a lot of entrusting medical care to different locations is about a psychological fear of the unknown. An important strategic challenge for developing-country hospitals is to reduce the psychological fear, which India has and is doing assiduously. Presence of a Collection of Medicine and Medicine Care In India, the same depth of pool of talent for music exists as is the case of engineering and mathematical talent for software outsourcing. In the 1950s and 60s, the Indian government invested a lot in tertiary education. By now there are at least a small handful of medical institutes that are really first-rate, and the doctors they produce are extremely well trained. ?Strong Reputation in the Advanced Healthcare Segment India has a plethora of hospitals offering world class treatments in nearly every medical field of specialization. Portfolio of Indian Healthca re Tourism Offerings This includes non-surgical medication complemented with Yoga therapies unani and homoeopathic streams of medical care are in vogue. India is at an advantageous position to tap the global opportunities in the medical tourism sector. Its role is crucial to the development of medical tourism. The government should take steps in performing a role of a regulator and also as a facilitator of private investment in healthcare.Mechanisms need to be evolved to enable quicker visa grants to foreign tourists for medical purposes where patients can clear up the Immigration Department at any point of entry for quick clearance. Tax incentives to the service providers, import duty reduction on medical equipment, committees to promote and foster medical tourism are some of the initiatives that can be devised. There is also a need to develop robust infrastructure in terms of transport services to facilitate tourism in India. The tourism, health, information and communication dep artments need to work in tandem for efficient patient care.It should aim in building and promoting the image of India as high quality medical tourism destination, creating and promoting new combination of medical tourism products, keeping up the high standard of quality treatments at a reasonable price, providing informative online and offline materials and make them available to the potential customers. It should place a help desk and multi-lingual at different airports for medical tourists seeking information in various aspects. The brain of Indias competitive advantage arises from the skillful use of its core competencies.These competencies are used to gain competitive advantage against rivals in the global market. Also attaining the accreditation/standard to reassure the quality of treatments as well as emphasizing on the needs and demands of the existing target markets must be incorporated. References ?Dr. Suman Kumar Dawn & Swati Pal, International daybook of Multidisciplina ry Research ? Dr. R Gopal, The key issues and challenges in medical tourism sector in India (A Hospital perspective) ? Jyotsana Mal, globalization of Healthcare Case studies of Medical Tourism in Multi-Specialty Hospitals in India ? Journals on HealthCare and Medical tourism