How India’s mission to be the #1 medical tourism destination can benefit you
Maharashtra Medical Tourism Council (MTC) is on a mission to make India the No. 1 medical tourism destination in the world. Members are working diligently to unite corporate interests in both the medical and tourism sectors. The vision is to offer world-class medical services to foreigners in a land that also offers exotic vacations.
Countries like India have been quick to realize that the Western world is failing to provide timely and affordable healthcare to its citizens. In both the United States and Canada, it is not uncommon to wait more than 4 months for care after a referral is made. So there is more waiting time while the tests are scheduled. Spend additional time waiting for test results. If the result is that there is a need for a procedure, it could be several more weeks before surgery is scheduled. Non-emergency medical care may be extended for up to two years. Basically, there is no waiting time in foreign countries like India.
The ERM is targeting several western markets. One of them is the 43 million uninsured people in the United States. What happens to the average person from a developed country who has no insurance and needs a heart bypass? Unfamiliar with the medical tourism option, the uninsured worker will be faced with the choice of not having surgery, withdrawing their life savings, or applying for a loan to pay for the surgery. The same worker can get the surgery in another country for $10,000 vs. $70,000 in the US He can get a knee replacement for $6,000 vs. $50,000! Although it’s still a lot of money, it’s much more affordable abroad than it is in your home country. The cost of services in India is about 1/3 less than in other competing Asian countries as the destination of choice for medical tourists.
The Medical Tourism Board is also conducting intensive marketing campaigns targeting Western insurance companies. Increasingly, it is the insurance agent who suggests (and in some cases orders) that the surgery be performed in another country. An increasing number of insurance companies are not only accepting medical services abroad, but advocating or insisting that the patient get the least expensive services as a medical tourist. They are grateful that outsourcing medical services to India will save them tens of thousands of dollars in bills, even if they need to pay for airfare in addition to medical bills.
India’s Finance Minister recognizes that there is an opportunity to rebuild the country’s infrastructure by generating revenue from medical tourism. While the MTC is busy with commercialization, the Indian government is working to ensure state-of-the-art facilities are built and accreditations are obtained. India is experiencing a growth rate of medical tourism of 15-20% per year, and is anticipated to generate 2.3 billion in revenue by 2012. The money can be used to provide a better lifestyle, including medical services , to the citizens of India living in poverty. The flourishing of the medical tourism industry is expected to create 40 million jobs for Indians.
India has long been recognized for its best education systems. Universities are churning out 20,000 to 30,000 new doctors and nurses a year, designed to staff the most modern hospitals across the country. Upon graduation, many travel to developed countries to continue their education. In the past, many of the graduates who left their homeland to work in developed countries did not return to India. They have continued to practice in developed nations, choosing to take advantage of the high wages offered by countries like the United States. The trend is reversing and now many of the doctors who have served as some of the best surgeons and specialists in developed countries are returning to establish specialized clinics and hospitals. India now offers more than 200 specialized services and is globally recognized for being on a par with the best in the world.
The medical tourist destined for India just needs to decide which part of India he would like to visit and get well. For those seeking the hustle and bustle of city life, one destination would be Delhi. Agra offers the medical tourist one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. Rajasthan borders the Thar Desert and has a history of romance and heroism. Goa is home to miles of palm-fringed, golden sand beaches, and Kerela is the location of the network of forty-four rivers. Muntui (Mumbai) is the equivalent of Hollywood in the United States and is the financial capital of India. For those who want to absorb India’s cultural mecca, with world-class music and art, coffee and fragrances, they might like to travel to Karnataka in South India.
The collaborative goal, driven by the vision of the Medical Tourism Council, is to make India the number one destination choice in the global medical community. The MTC highlights low costs and high-quality services, education from world-renowned doctors, cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art resort hospitals and beautiful vacation spots, and India is quickly moving to the forefront. of the global medical tourism industry!
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