Five Myths about Medical Tourism

MYTH 1. It is MEDICAL TOURISM

While the term Medical Tourism has become really popular and is one of the most frequently searched terms on top search engines like Google and Yahoo by the people who are exploring cost effective options for overseas treatment , the word ‘TOURISM’ per se is the last thing on the mind of most of the patients. Let us understand that the decision to travel abroad for serious medical treatment or surgery is not an easy one and the patients considering doing so are highly anxious and unsure. To see the Taj Mahal or laze around on a beach at Goa, is the last thing on their minds. They just want to have a good medical outcome and return home safely. They could always have a real holiday later with the money saved on medical treatment in this trip, when they recover, at a destination of their choice.

A general survey of the overseas patients coming to Indian Hospitals indicates that less than 2 percent of them actually went on a vacation post- hospitalization. This is also because the majority of patients presently choosing to come to India are those who get high end surgeries like Hip or Knee Replacement, Spinal or Cardiac surgery done. And these procedures do not permit any high impact activity during the recovery period after the hospitalization period. Even in case of a cosmetic surgery, the surgeon is most likely to advise the patient - "no sun, no sea, no sand".

So Medical Value Travel is probably a better expression than Medical Tourism – but it seems we cannot really get away from the informal online marketing rules of the new Googleised world

MYTH 2. Cost Arbitrage is the only reason for overseas medical travel

The majority of the patients coming from developed countries like, US, UK and Canada to the top corporate hospitals in India are now coming here for very advanced surgical procedures. Most of the doctors at these hospitals have worked for many years at the best institutions in the West and have been continuing their high quality of innovation, research and developmental work at Indian hospitals. They also happen to improvise their skills much more than doctors in the developed world, just because they have to treat a very large number of local patients. Let us take the example of a few procedures being done routinely at Indian Hospitals like Off Pump Beating Heart Cardiac Surgery - the quality and skill with which such procedures are performed at good hospitals in India is far ahead of the volume of similar work in the developed world. Most of the top hospitals in India are equipped with the best in class of medical technology and latest equipment like 64 slice CT scan, Computer Navigated surgery and digital cath labs, while many of the hospitals in the developed world are still using equipment which is at least a generation older. And so, hospitals in India are able to offer outcomes backed by best in class clinical skills and contemporary technology at a fraction of the cost in the West.

In a world that is getting more and more transparent and flatter-- thanks to the growing popularity of the internet search-- patients who have anyway decided to take their healthcare in their hands and are going to pay for it on their own, are soon able to appreciate the value offered to them by world class hospitals in India. So it’s not about cost arbitrage but truly about the globalization of healthcare. In a globalized world, the consumers will inevitably move to where they get best value.

MYTH 3. Medical Tourism - It's a new, sunrise and booming business to enter for everyone

Surely this business is growing and seems to attract a number of people from across various sectors. Professionals particularly from the Tourism sector are looking at setting up facilitation companies. But this business is not an easy one and quite different from the travel and tourism business. Let us not forget that in this business we are primarily dealing with the health and safety of the patients and they are extremely anxious and worried about planning their overseas trip for medical treatment. While the doctors and the hospitals do have competent skills and capability to deliver the service, the challenge is really during the pre and post hospitalization phase. So the facilitating companies have a great responsibility to handle the queries of the patients carefully and must have medical personnel on board who can understand and coordinate the exchange of medical opinion and queries with the experts at the hospital. Even after the patient returns home after treatment abroad, he may still need some support and the hospitals and facilitators must provide the information required promptly. Medical and surgical packages can not and should not be sold like travel and tourism packages as every patient’s medical condition is unique and he should be able to be dealt with by trained personnel.

MYTH 4. Overseas medical treatment is the best option for any kind of healthcare need

Certainly not. Traveling abroad for tertiary care is beneficial only for some procedures. The first prerequisite is that it is, first of all, safe to travel a long distance with that condition. Generally orthopedic, spinal surgeries and other procedures that involve cold elective surgeries that can be postponed or planned to be delayed for a while are suited for traveling and being performed abroad. These kind of procedures also generally do not require much of post operative care after the patient’s return home. Also, the patient must get a good cost benefit. Since the return airline fare itself is a significant add on expense usually costing USD 1500 to 4000 – any surgery that can be done in the patient’s home country for less than USD 6000 is ideal for local treatment and prolonged travel should be avoided. Also, very chronic and acute illnesses requiring long treatment that need to be moderated frequently, for example, cancer etc. are not really suited for overseas care.

MYTH 5. Medical Tourists will make the healthcare access difficult for local patients in India

Sounds logical, but it isn’t, considering the fact that the bulk of Indian patients will always use value for money sharing and single room beds, while the premium rooms and suites in Indian hospitals can be used by foreigners which are priced higher. Even if this business grows exponentially, it will never be a major portion of the private healthcare business in India. The sheer volume of local patients and the demand for private hospitals driven by expanding insurance coverage and rising middle class incomes is fuelling the setting up of dozens of new hospitals, even health cities in all major Indian cities. The better utilization of premium end hospital facilities by foreign patients will help the hospitals utilize their capacities better and invest in new modern equipment because they must become world class to sustain their international business. India has no dearth of human talent, enterprise and a strong local pharmaceutical and hardware industry , so India can and will expand its healthcare facilities to meet the growing local demand and generate employment. Eventually the market forces shall come in to play as has happened in other sector like telecom where the market forces once unleashed have made it possible for a common man today to have a mobile phone in his pocket and India today has the cheapest call rates in the world.