Medical Tourism - Boon or Bane
Medical tourism to India is all set to touch the $9 billion mark in 2020. Nearly 5,00,000 medical tourists come to India seeking efficient yet affordable treatment. Chennai draws about 15% of them. It is touted as a prime destination for MVT - Medical Value Travel.
Hospitals in Chennai are offering cutting edge treatment at competitive pricing to patients, thanks to their able hospital management service. This state-of-the-art treatment facility must be extended to medical tourists also and this can be done only with the help of an expert healthcare consulting firm. Only an experienced hospital consulting service can bridge the gap between hospitals and medical tourists.
Hospitals in Chennai are offering cutting edge treatment at competitive pricing to patients, thanks to their able hospital management service. This state-of-the-art treatment facility must be extended to medical tourists also and this can be done only with the help of an expert healthcare consulting firm. Only an experienced hospital consulting service can bridge the gap between hospitals and medical tourists.
Why is Medical Tourism in India Booming?
Medical tourism in India is seeing a stupendous growth of 55% and is the 5th among the medical destinations in the world. People from Africa, Middle East, South-East Asian countries and even Europe flock to India for affordable treatment.
The reasons for the rise of medical tourism in India are as follows.
• Treatment costs are literally halved
For foreign tourists, the cost of medical treatment in India is just 50% of what they would incur at their parent country. For instance, a heart -valve replacement that costs $200,000 in the U.S. is only $ 10,000 in India, inclusive of the tickets and holiday vacation. This is just 1/10th of their treatment cost at home. This is why people flock to India to get precise clinical treatment at pocket-friendly rates.
• World-class standards of treatment
The medical expertise available at Indian hospitals is at par with world standards. Indian doctors have achieved major medical breakthroughs in areas like these
- Robotic Cardiac Surgery
- Robotic Liver Transplant
- Fractional Flow Reserve
- Cyberknife Radio Surgery for cancer treatment
- Conscious Cardiac Bypass Surgery etc.
These achievements have earned world-wide recognition, fame and appreciation for Indian doctors. Indian hospitals are now being regarded as being en par with international standards and are trusted worldwide for their clinical efficiency.
• A wide network of hospitals
India has 38 hospitals accredited by the global medical authority-JCI-Joint Commission International. It has 619 hospitals accredited by the NABH- National Accreditation Board for hospitals and healthcare providers. The 4 metropolises-Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore have emerged as healthcare hubs with hospitals of international repute.
• Excellent postoperative survival rate
Yes, Indian hospitals have an excellent postoperative survival rate. In other words, the post-operative mortality rate at Indian hospital is only 1.4 while it is 1.9 in the U.S. To clarify better, there are more chances of the patient surviving if treated in India than in the U.S.!
• Living and travel expenses are marginal in India
When a patient arrives for treatment in India, the individual is accompanied by their family. While the patient is admitted to the hospital, the relatives stay elsewhere. For instance, it costs only $30 for daily travel in India as opposed to the $ 220 that would cost in the U.S. The cost of living and daily travel in India is much less than in other counties.
All the above factors make India an attractive destination for medical tourists.
How can a healthcare consulting firm help medical tourism in India?
A healthcare consulting firm plays a vital role in connecting hospitals with medical tourists in the following ways.
- It helps hospitals to reach a worldwide audience through digital marketing
- It enables hospitals to highlight their medical services and facilities on their website effectively
- It enriches the social media presence of hospitals to gain attention from medical tourists.
- It helps medical tourists contact the right hospitals for the right treatment
- Travel and accommodation arrangements too are made by some healthcare consulting firms to help medical tourists
- A competent healthcare consulting firm arranges for the hospitalization, treatment and surgery and even post-operative care for the tourist completely
- The role of a healthcare consulting firm is to liaise between hospital and medical tourists and ensure that their needs are met both ways.
Medical tourism in India - a boon or a bane?
Medical tourism in India in India can only be a boon from all perspectives due to the following reasons.
Medical tourism in India in India can only be a boon from all perspectives due to the following reasons.
- It has unlocked the doors of Indian hospital to a world-wide audience
- Indian hospital will now hone their clinical skills to match world standards
- The facilities at Indian hospitals will be upgraded to cater to the need of international tourists
- Profitability will increase for Indian hospitals due to medical tourism in India
Medical tourism in India is always a boon to both the country and the world.