India will with no doubt become the global
health destination. It aims to replicate the Thai model, which is
still the first Asian destination for International Patients.
With prices at a fraction (sometimes only 1/10th!) of those in
the US or EU, the concept has broad consumer appeal if people can
overcome their prejudices about health care in developing countries.
The reality is that Indian private facilities offer advanced
technology and high-quality procedures on par with hospitals in
developed nations.
India is the leading country promoting medical tourism in the
world. It is even moving into a new area of "medical outsourcing"
where subcontractors aim to provide services to the overburdened
medical care systems in western countries. Medical tourism to India
is growing by 30% a year and the Indian education system is churning
out an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 doctors and nurses each year.
India benefits from a large staff of world class experts and the
ultra-competitive cost advantage it offers. While a heart surgery
costs $30,000 in the US, it costs $8,000 in India. Similarly, a bone
marrow transplant costs $26,000 here compared to $250,000 in the US.
You can add to this that Indian doctors are among the best in the
world.
Howard Staab, a 53-year-old carpenter-contractor from North
Carolina, was diagnosed last year with a serious heart condition.
Mr. Staab's doctor recommended surgery as soon as possible. But he
had no health insurance. The estimate for hospital care alone was
nearly $100,000. The cost for the surgeon, the cardiologist, the
anesthesiologist, the radiologist, and the pathologist, along with
the cost of a heart valve and prescription drugs, has brought the
total up to a staggering $200,000 - assuming no complications.
Howard Staab did some research and decided to go to Escorts Hospital
in New Delhi, where the estimated cost was under $10,000, including
airfare, surgery, and rehabilitation! Howard Staab said, "I was
apprehensive in the beginning because I had no experience with India
or about the quality of care, and the situation there. But my
experience was superb. From the time we arrived at the airport,
Hospital people escorted us to the hospital, gave us excellent care.
The surgeons and all the staff were extremely professional, kind and
caring. Everything went very well and I was so satisfied and
impressed with the care".
Most non-urgent Western patients usually get a package deal that
includes flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and often a
post-operative vacation. There are many brokers specialized on the
Indian market.
Medical tourists are also increasingly coming as well for the
renewal of Indian traditional medicine such as yoga, ayurveda and
meditation and combine this with the western treatments they receive
during their stay.
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