The Procedures range from Heart Bypass, Heart Valve Replacement, Angioplasty, Hip Replacement, Hysterectomy, Knee Replacement to Spinal Fusion.

The study compares the costs for doing the procedures in the United States compared to India, Thailand and Singapore.

Read more…

We have presented the numbers in a diagram below. As you can see the savings can be substantial. The savings range from 75% to 95% percent.

International Price Comparisons: Selected Surgeries

(Source: American Medical Association, June 2007)

Please comment below.

Until next time

Malcolm - Your Medical Tourism Guide

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About Medical Tourism Guide - Interesting website about Medical Tourism. Including articles about Medical Tourism in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Costa Rica and many other destinations. Also covers surgery, dental work and other medical tourism treatments as well as risks and safety.

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]]> http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/industry/link-to-us/feed/ http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/news/news/ http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/news/news/#comments Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:34:52 +0000 peter http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/news/news/ Medical Tourism - Interesting Blogs

Medical tourism - Does private hospitals affect public health care …
By fullymubbed(fullymubbed)
The assumption seems to be that if medical tourism was banned, the doctors in question who were catering to wealthy patients would suddenly, as a practical matter, move to a village. It takes a different set of individuals, …

Article 202
By Talluri. Srimannarayana Murthy(Talluri. Srimannarayana Murthy)
Medical tourism is the act of touring different countries or nations around the world to receive medications like dental, neurosurgery or surgical care and various other forms of specialized treatments. Medical tourism or healthcare …

Healthcare In India
By sudhaker(sudhaker)
So the hospitals can tie up with the top hospitals in India offering promoting medical tourism and send the excess patients there and in a way promote their own brand in India. High rewards for promoting medical tourism for the …

US firm plans private hospital in Griffintown
Montreal Gazette - Montreal,Quebec,Canada
An American company that specializes in medical tourism is planning to set up a private hospital at the southeast end of Griffintown. …

Skilled surgeons helped Dr Kumar
Hindustan Times - India
Aruna, who claims to have pioneered medical tourism in Canada, said many of her clients told her they could get the kidneys cheaper in New Delhi and the …

Crossing Borders: Search For A Cure
WPTV - West Palm Beach,FL,USA
BACKGROUND: Forbes Magazine reports that more than 500000 Americans went on medical tourism packages in 2006. While many were attracted by the affordable …

Thailand Becoming Asia’s Medical Hub
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
… There are many reasons why foreigners travel across the ocean to Thailand, and recently, one more reason has been added to the list — medical tourism. …

Mangalore: ‘State Boasts of Amazing Range of Tourism Products
Daijiworld.com - Mangalore,India
There is vast potential for medical tourism in the district and with international connectivity and excellent medical facilities, the city has the potential …

Police trace kidney harvester to Brampton
Canadian Content - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
The case has called attention to medical tourism, the practice of traveling abroad for health care at more affordable rates. …

Medical tourism needs a thorough checkup, critics say
BEIJING — They’re paralyzed from diving accidents and car crashes, disabled by Parkinson’s, or blind. With few options available at home in America, they search the Internet for experimental treatments — and often land on Web sites …

Until next time

Malcolm - Your Medical Tourism Guide

Thailand’s medical tourism attracts 70000 Emiratis
Treatment Abroad - Medical Tourism News - London,UK
A 20000 increase in the demand for treatment abroad in Thailand has seen the UAE demand for medical tourism in 2006 rise to 70000. …

Barbados has unveiled plans for a major expansion of the …
Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation - Barbados
The new sectors being targeted are medical tourism, educational, business, professional, construction, ICT, cultural and entertainment services. …

Fil-Ams, Palace protest slur on RP docs in ‘Desperate’
Inquirer.net - Philippines
The Philippines is considered a top “medical tourism” destination for foreigners, including US citizens, who choose to undergo surgical and other medical …

Malaysian team evinces interest in medical college
Newindpress - Chennai,Tamil Nadu,India
… potential investors, has plans for investing in a medical college of international class that would promote medical tourism in the Union territory. …

Medical tourism boom in America
Treatment Abroad - Medical Tourism News - London,UK
As the presidential hopefuls reveal their intentions for the US healthcare system, Americans are turning to a market-driven approach to get their medical …

Until Next time

Malcolm - Your Medical Tourism Guide

Read on about what you should think about before deciding when and where to go for your medial tourism procedures.

Planning

Be sure you are allowing enough time in your travel to receive follow up care. You may need to stay days or weeks beyond the date of the medical procedure itself.

Economy

Be realistic about the finances of medical tourism. Sure the medical treatment itself may be cheap. But be sure to add on airfare, hotels, taxis, restaurants to actual cost when you compare it with doing the procedure at home.

Research

Next, involve your home doctor in your plans. Having major surgery in another country is an important decision. What questions should you ask your doctor about this procedure? How is the procedure typically performed, and will it be done this way where you travel?

Who credentials doctors and hospitals in your destination country, and what credentials do your intended providers have?

You should also determine what level of follow up care your procedure may require - in the days, weeks, and even years after the procedure. Who will provide this follow up care?

Language

Consider the language spoken in your destination country. In some countries, such as Singapore, India, the Philippines and South Africa, most people speak English. This can be an important consideration.

Other Considerations

How can you contact family members while abroad? Do you need a special visa or proof of ability to afford treatment in order to enter your another country?

Until next time

Your Medical Tourism Guide - Malcolm

]]> http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/problems-risks-and-safety/medical-tourism-considerations/feed/ http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/destinations/medical-tourism-bangalore/ http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/destinations/medical-tourism-bangalore/#comments Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:23:50 +0000 peter http://www.medicaltourism-guide.com/destinations/medical-tourism-bangalore/ Medical tourism in Bangalore has taken off. Known as the “Silicon Valley of India” Bangalore has emerged as the hotbed for medical tourism in the country.

Bangalore is the fifth largest city in India. It’s a city of striking contrasts - a perfect blend of natural beauty and man-made marvels of architecture and technology. Located 1,000 metres above sea level, it’s described as one of the most “happening” places in India. The city has many beautiful parks, tree-lined avenues, and a trendy yuppie downtown along with an excellent climate.

After the success of the IT industry, Bangalore is all geared up to experience another new trend - medical tourism, also known as healthcare travel; health tourism; medical travel; healthcare abroad; and overseas healthcare. Medical tourists from all over the globe have been flocking to Bangalore like never before. The sudden boom of medical tourism in the city is regarded by medical gurus as a “goldmine” just waiting to be explored.

Hospitals in Bangalore and other corporate establishments have realised the potential of medical tourism and have accordingly adapted their needs and facilities. The travel agents and hotels are now structuring their packages and holiday schemes in accordance with the inflow of medical tourists coming into Bangalore.

Foreign patients mainly come in from the Gulf, Europe (especially UK) and from South East Asia and the US. They come here to get their medical treatment at one-third the cost and to explore this beautiful part of the world.

Cost of medical treatment

Most experts agree that the low cost of treatment is one of the biggest attractions for westerners. For cardiac surgeries, cancer treatment or an orthopaedic surgery you’ll only pay around one-third the cost charged in developed countries like the US or the UK. For example, for a Total Hip Replacement you’ll pay 9,100USD (5,000 GBP, 7,321 Euros). A total knee replacement will cost you the same.

Primary procedures & packages in Bangalore

Some of the primary procedures where Bangalore is said to excel include; cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery; joint replacement; orthopaedic surgery; gastroenterology, ophthalmology; transplants; and urology…the list goes on.

Specialised treatment is available in areas like; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Oncology; Ophthalmology; Rheumatology; Endocrinology; ENT; Paediatrics; Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Neurology; and Urology…to name but a few.

Some of the most popular medical packages include; Dental Care; Eye Care; Heart Care; Heart Surgery; Health Check Up; Cosmetic Treatment; and Orthopaedic Surgery.

Medical packages include the cost of all hospital and doctors fees along with all medicine & drugs, diagnostics and implants. They even include transfers from the hospital to the airport as well as accommodation before and after the operation. Post operative care includes rehabilitation and meals and 7 days supply of drugs on discharge from hospital care.

In conclusion

Medical tourism as a phenomenon is just over eight years old in Bangalore. Yet, given the entrepreneurial spirit of the city, it aims to rapidly become a very important medical tourism destination, attracting foreign patients from all over the world.

Given the success of the IT industry here, Bangalore has become well known all over the world. It also has large number of top hospitals in the city and innumerable medical institutes and colleges. The climate is also an important factor, offering pleasant year round conditions for medical tourists.

The cost of treatment, excellent climate, infrastructure, range of medical packages and levels of expertise have all helped to make Bangalore one of the most important medical tourism destinations in the world.

Until next time

Malcolm - Your Medical Tourism Guide

Apart from being President of the International Medical Travel Association Dr. Steven Tucker is also Medical Director of the West Clinic Singapore.

The interview with Dr. Tucker cover what it’s like to practice medicine in Singapore, how medical tourism and medical travel are evolving, and the role he hopes the International Medical Travel Association will play.

You can listen to the interview at the Health Business Blog.

Resources, where we will feature Websites and other resources that is interesting for anybody looking for help on Medical Tourism. If you are interested in appearing on this page, please post about your page on our Link to us section.
The second new area is a Medical Tourism Link To Us section where you find instructions on how to easily set up a link to our website if you have a website of your own.

More new areas are in the works and if you have a special interest, please don’t hesitate to comment your ideas here. For example if you have countries that you would like to see special reports on or if you would like to have articles on different treatments and so on?

That’s all for now. Until next time,

Malcolm - Medical Tourism Guide

Medical tourism is a term used to describe any holiday or vacation where you travel abroad in search of world-class medical treatment. It comes under a number of other terms including healthcare travel; medical vacation; health tourism; medical travel; healthcare abroad; and overseas healthcare. This rapidly growing industry is gaining popularity in countries like India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa, amongst others…

There’s a wide range of procedures you can obtain in the east at significantly lower prices, including; heart surgery, eye surgery, orthopaedic surgery etc. But in order to prevent having to undergo surgery at all, you’d be well advised to undergo a comprehensive health check-up every so often. There are numerous common and life-threatening conditions can be treated successfully if detected early.

In India alone, there are many top-class hospitals where you can have every part of your body screened, both meticulously and professionally, for signals of impending illness. A proper (comprehensive) health check-up should scan your entire bio-history. A heart check-up, for example, should at least involve; a consultation by a senior cardiologist; general test and haemogram; echocardiography; and blood test.

Health-check up procedures

A comprehensive health-check up will typically involve the following (and more); doctors consultation; complete haemogram; blood tests; blood group; blood sugar; blood urea; chest X-Rays; serum uric acid; serum creatinine; serum cholesterol; urine and faeces examinations; ultrasound of the abdomen screening; exercise stress tests; liquid profile; eye examination; stress screening by a psychologist; and a post check-up consultation.

We have all heard of the phrase “prevention is better than cure”. Doctors nowadays are recognizing the importance of and need for preventive health care. Even the smallest symptom could be an indication of a major disease, so every organ should be scrutinised carefully. Also, the check-up often identifies reasons for minor illnesses and serves as a personal medical record for future reference.

The medical tourism industry has seen rapid growth as direct result of the overburdened healthcare infrastructure and high costs in the west. In the UK for example, the NHS often has unbearably long waiting lists while in the USA, you have to pay dearly for healthcare - a lot of people simply can’t afford it and remain uninsured.

Ever since the September 11th disaster, stringent visa regulations imposed by USA has led to a growing number of Middle Eastern patients choosing Asian countries for low cost medical treatment. All over Asia hospitals are now promoting medical tourism as a low cost, high quality alternative to treatment in the west.

Every year more and more people are choosing to get medical treatment abroad. Regular check-ups are absolutely vital to your short and long term health, so if they can be done at a fraction of the cost by extremely professional doctors, in an exotic location, why not…