Medical Tourism - A

Milestone in
Indian Tourism
 MEDICAL TOURISM

 It is the act of traveling to other countries to obtain medical,

dental and surgical cure.
 Medical tourism also called medical travel, health tourism
or global healthcare
 It also refers pejoratively to the practice of healthcare
providers traveling internationally to deliver healthcare.
Services typically sought by travelers include elective
procedures as well as complex specialized surgeries such
as joint replacement, cardiac surgery, dental surgery, and
cosmetic surgeries. However, virtually every type of health
care, including psychiatry, alternative treatments,
convalescent care and even burial services are available
 Objectives of the study

 To study the status of Medical Tourism in India.

 To study the Cost Comparison of Medical Tourism between India
and U.K&U.S.A
 To suggest the suitable measures to promote Medical Tourism in
our country.

Methodology
This study is only based on secondary data, which are all collected
form various books and journals etc;
MEDICAL TOURISM –GLOBAL SCENARIO
 Globally, medical tourism is calculated as a $40 billion industry. People
from Afro-Asian countries spend 5 percent of their earnings every year on
health care services outside their countries.
 Four countries, especially Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, and the
Philippines pulled in over 1.5 million medical travelers and earned more
than $1.5 billion as treatment costs and 20 per cent increase in earning
through medical travel spending every year.
 Due to the rapid growth of Medical Tourism in certain countries, all the
countries are fighting for their global share.
 South American countries attract patients for plastic surgery from around
the globe.
 Many countries like India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa the
Philippines, realized the potential of the industry and started developing
strategies to attract more medical tourists.
 MEDICAL TOURISM IN ASIA:

 The total number of Primary schools are 32,242, which

covers 29.4 lakhs girl students out of 61.4 lakhs of total
students.
 In the same way 8,525 middle schools are functioning with
10.2 lakhs of girl students out of total students (22.7
lakhs).
 Nearly 3,050 secondary schools are functioning with 6.1
lakhs of girl out of the total students of 12.1 lakhs.
 Like that 3,425 higher secondary schools cover with 17.6
lakhs of girl out of the total students of 36.1 lakhs.
 MEDICAL TOURISM IN INDIA
 India has positioned itself as a medical tourism destination recently, and it touted
as the best destination among world countries for medical tourism. India
received 100,000 overseas patients in 2002 as against 10,000 in 2000.
 With this rapid growth India finds a Good place in the global medical tourism
market. According to the study by McKinsey and Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII) medical tourism in India could become a $2 billion Business by
2012.
 The size of the Indian healthcare industry is around Rs 110,000 crore,
Accounting for nearly 5.2 per cent of the GDP. It is likely to reach 6.2 per cent to
6.5 per cent of the GDP by 2012. It has a tremendous impact on India’s forex
reserve. According to research by the University of Delavare Publication, the
cost of surgery in Bolivia, Argentina, India, Thailand, the Philippines, can be
one-tenth of what it is in US or Europe.
 The government and private hospital groups are committed to the goal of
making India a world leader in this industry. Its appeal is low-cost treatment.
Most patients from countries like USA, and UK travel to India for treatment
because India offers the cheapest pricing options of treatment, offers a good
holiday, no waiting lists or queues to stand in.
 FAMOUS PLAYER

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

 Apollo Hospitals.
 B M Birla Heart Research Centre.
 Christian Medical College, Vellore.
 Tata Memorial Hospital.
 Indraprastha Medical Foundation.
 Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.
 Escorts Hear Institute & Research Centre.
 Dr Agarval Eye Hospital
 Manipal Heart Foundation.
 Breach Candy Hospital.
 Miot Hospital.
  
 Cost Comparison of Selected Surgeries

Procedure      U.S. ($) U.K ($) Thailand ($) Singapore ($)   India ($)

Heart bypass 130,000 100,000 11,000 18,500 10,000

Heartvalve 160,000 43,000 10,000 12,500 9,000

replacement

Angioplasty 57,000 63,000 13,000 13,000 11,000

Hip 43,000 48,000 12,000 12,000 9,000

replacement
Hysterectomy 20,000 6000 4,500 6,000 3,000

Knee 40,000 52,000 10,000 13,000 8,500

replacement
Spinal fusion 62,000 61,000 7,000 9,000 5,500

Source: American Medical Association, June 2007

 Cost Comparison of Cosmetic Surgery
(Costs in U.S $)

Procedure      U.S. ($) Thailand ($) Singapore($)   India ($)

Face-lift 20000 4800 6250 3100

Breast 10000 3150 8000 2200

Augmentation
Breast Reduction 10000 3900 8000 3000

Eyelid Surgery 7000 1400 3750 2200

Liposuction 10000 2100 5000 2500

Nose Surgery 7300 3850 4400 1800

Tummy Tuck 8500 4050 6250 3400

Source: American Medical Association, June 2007

Cost Comparison between India, US, and United Kingdom

Procedure U.S. ($) U.K($) India ($)

Open Heart Surgery 100000 43000 7500

(CABG)
Total Knee Replacement 48000 52000 6300

Hip Resurfacing 55000 48000 7000

LA Hysterectomy 22000 24000 4000

Lap Cholcystectomy 18000 20000 3000

Spinal Decompression 60000 65000 5500

Fusion
Obesity Surgery (Gastric 65000 70000
9400
Bypass)

Source: Wockhardt Hospitals-2008

 CHALLENGES BEFORE INDIAN
MEDICAL TOURISM:
( in percentage)
 No active cooperation/support from government to promote medical
tourism
 No world class infrastructure
 Lack of international/global accreditation.
 Different pricing policy in hospitals
 Lack of coordination between various players in the industry airlines,
hotels and hospitals.
 Strong competition from other countries like Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand and Philippines.
 
 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN PROMOTING
MEDICAL TOURISM

 Reducing the hurdles in visa processing

 Can implement On-Arrival visa-for medical tourists.
 Can open a healthcare information centre in all Indian
 Embassies around the world countries.
 An association or organization can be formed.
 Should position ourselves as a holistic healthcare
 Destination in the global medical tourism market.
 Can include several packages for patients as value-added
services
 CONCLUSION

Tourism and healthcare, being an integral part of much economic, service

industry, are important sources of Forex. India is unique as it offers
holistic healthcare approach through yoga, meditation, ayurveda and
other different approaches to cure the disease. India offers vast
services combined with culture, which is rare to be found in other
countries, and also paves the way to maintain cordial relationship with
other countries. To conclude, the USP of Indian medical tourism
industry is “cost effectiveness”. The slogan will suit this situation. “First
class service at an economy cost”. Moreover, with the coordination
among the stakeholders, public and private there is no doubt that we
can position India in a best place in global medical tourism market  
 REFERENCES


 
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