PROJECT REPORT ON MEDICAL TOURISM WITH REFERENCE TO

INDIA
Origin and Evolution of Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is actually thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came
from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In
Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that continued for 2,000
years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from Germany to the Nile.
Since the early nineteenth century, when there were no restrictions on travel in Europe, people
visited neighboring countries in order to improve their health. At first, mere traveling was
considered to be a good therapy for mental and physical well-being.
In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry beyond the wealthy and
desperate. Later, mostly wealthy people began traveling to tourist destinations like the Swiss
lakes, the Alps and special tuberculosis sanatoriums, where professional and often specialized
medical care was offered. In this century, however, medical tourism expanded to a much larger
scale. Thailand, followed by India, Puerto-Rico, Argentina, Cuba and others quickly became the
most popular destinations for medical tourists. Complicated surgeries and dental works, kidney
dialysis, organ transplantation and sex changes, topped the list of the most popular procedures. It
was estimated that in 2002, six hundred thousand medical tourists came to Bangkok and Phuket
medical centers in Thailand, while approximately one hundred and fifty thousand foreign
patients visited India during that time. From Neolithic and Bronze age wherein people used to
visit neighboring countries for Minerals and Hot Springs , Today we have reached the era where
Hospitals are more like Spas and Spas more like hospitals.

Introduction to Medical Tourism

Medical tourism is defined as an act of travel of patients from their home country to other
destinations for availing medical services. Medical tourism, alternatively called health tourism
and wellness tourism, is a term that has risen from the rapid growth of an industry where people
from all around the world are traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental, and surgical
care while at the same time touring, vacationing, and fully experiencing the attractions of the
countries that they are visiting. With countries like India, Mexico, Singapore, Brazil, Argentina,
Greece, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia,
South Africa, Thailand and the Philippines actively promoting it, its future assure to be bright.
Medical tourism is an idea with which a greatly lucrative potential is attached. Medical tourists
are generally residents of the industrialized nations of the world and primarily come from The
United States, Canada, Great Britain, Western Europe, Australia, and The Middle East. But more
and more, people from many other countries of the world are seeking out places where they can
both enjoy a vacation and obtain medical treatment at a reasonable price. Medical tourism is an
opportunity for patients to travel for medical care and take advantage of reduced costs and wait
times. A journey that patients take from one country to another country to get cost effective and

efficient medical treatment, followed by a great vacation at some of the most beautiful locations
is called medical tourism. In simple terms, the medical tourism refers to visit by overseas
patients for medical treatment and relaxation.
Medical tourism has been a recognized market since 1980s and is now a rapidly developing.
The increase in technological and medical research and developments, augmented product
consciousness and globalization are among the most influential trends that affect the industry.
Consumer behavior can be summarized in four main reasons why patients travel abroad for
medical care:
a) Availability of treatments,
b) Quality of health care,
c) Reduced waiting times and
d) Cost savings.

Medical tourism: A Global perspective

Medical tourism happens when patients go to a different country for either urgent or elective
medical procedures. This phenomenon is fast becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar
industry.
The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States are
seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From Canada, it is
often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the patient can't wait
for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a physician in private
practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with
elective or plastic surgery. And moreover patients are coming from poorer countries such as
Bangladesh where treatment may not be available and going for surgery in European or western
developed countries is expensive.
Countries that actively promote medical tourism include Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India,
Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now
entering the field. South Africa specializes in medical safaris-visit the country for a safari, with a
stopover for plastic surgery, a nose job and a chance to see lions and elephants.

According to a new market report published by transparency market research Medical tourism
market (India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia , Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan, Turkey, South Korea,
Costa Rica, Poland, Dubai and Philippines) Global industry analysis, size, share, growth,
trends and forecast, 2013-2019, the global medical tourism market was valued at USD 10.5
billion in 2012 and it is estimated to reach a market worth USD 32.5 billion in 2019 at CAGR of
17.9% from 2013 to 2019.

Why the world is moving towards medical tourism

Medical tourists have good cause to seek out care beyond the home country for many reasons. In
some regions of the world, state-of-the-art medical facilities are hard to come by, if they exist at
all; in other countries, the public health-care system is so overburdened that it can take years to
get needed care. In Britain and Canada, for instance, the waiting period for a hip replacement can
be a year or more, while in Bangkok or Bangalore, a patient can be in the operating room the
morning after getting off a plane.
For many medical tourists, though, the real attraction is price. The cost of surgery in India,
Thailand or South Africa can be one-tenth of what it is in the United States or Western Europe,
and sometimes even less. A heart-valve replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the
U.S., for example, goes for $10,000 in India--and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief
vacation package. Similarly, a metal-free dental bridge worth $5,500 in the U.S. costs $500 in
India, a knee replacement in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one-fifth of
what it would in the States, and Lasik eye surgery worth $3,700 in the U.S. is available in many
other countries for only $730. Cosmetic surgery savings are even greater: A full facelift that
would cost $20,000 in the U.S. runs about $1,250 in South Africa.
The savings sound very attractive, but a good new hip and a nice new face dont seem like the
sort of things anyone would want to bargain with. How does the balance of savings versus risk
pay off in terms of success rates?
Inferior medical care would not be worth having at any price, and some skeptics warn that Third
World surgery cannot possibly be as good as that available in the United States. In fact, there

have been cases of botched plastic surgery, particularly from Mexican clinics in the days before
anyone figured out what a gold mine cheap, high-quality care could be for the developing
countries.
Yet, the hospitals and clinics that cater to the tourist market often are among the best in the
world, and many are staffed by physicians trained at major medical centers in the United States
and Europe.
Bangkoks Bumrundgrad hospital has more than 200 surgeons who are board-certified in the
United States, and one of Singapores major hospitals is a branch of the prestigious Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore. In a field where experience is as important as technology,
Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center in Delhi and Faridabad, India, performs nearly
15,000 heart operations every year, and the death rate among patients during surgery is only 0.8
percent--less than half that of most major hospitals in the United States.
In some countries, clinics are backed by sophisticated research infrastructures as well. India is
among the worlds leading countries for biotechnology research, while both India and South
Korea are pushing ahead with stem cell research at a level approached only in Britain. In many
foreign clinics, too, the doctors are supported by more registered nurses per patient than in any
Western facility, and some clinics provide single-patient rooms that resemble guestrooms in fourstar hotels, with a nurse dedicated to each patient 24 hours a day.
Add to this the fact that some clinics assign patients a personal assistant for the post-hospital
recovery period and throw in a vacation incentive as well, and the deal gets even more attractive.
Additionally, many Asian airlines offer frequent-flyer miles to ease the cost of returning for
follow-up visits.
Medical tourism trend and what statistics shows:
Ten years ago, medical tourism was hardly large enough to be noticed. Today, more than 250,000
patients per year visit Singapore alone--nearly half of them from the Middle East. In 2012,
approximately half a million foreign patients will travel to India for medical care, whereas in
2002, the number was only 150,000.
In monetary terms, experts estimate that medical tourism could bring India as much as $2.2
billion per year by 2015. Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, South Africa, Jordan, Malaysia,
Hungary, Latvia and Estonia all have broken into this lucrative market as well, or are trying to do
so, and more countries join the list every year.

Trends in medical tourism in the near future:

Some important trends guarantee that the market for medical tourism will continue to expand in
the years ahead. By 2015, the health of the vast Baby Boom generation will have begun its slow,
final decline, and, with more than 220 million Boomers in the United States, Canada, Europe,
Australia and New Zealand, this represents a significant market for inexpensive, high-quality
medical care.
Medical tourism will be particularly attractive in the United States, where an estimated 43
million people are without health insurance and 120 million without dental coverage--numbers
that are both likely to grow. Patients in Britain, Canada and other countries with long waiting
lists for major surgery will be just as eager to take advantage of foreign health-care options.

Top destinations for medical tourism

India
India hosted a record of 400,000 medical tourists from all over the world in 2012. India is more
popular among medical tourists interested in cardiac procedures, cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Being a pioneer in the medical tourism industry, India offers new technology, alternative and
experimental treatments alongside an internationally trained workforce who speak English. India
has a broad spectrum of specializations including cardiology, cosmetic surgery, dentistry,
ophthalmology, orthopedics, transplants and assisted reproduction. Nowadays, India remains a
leading medical tourism country that promotes widely at both a governmental and private sector
level as well as offering medical visas. Cost savings are prominent as one can expect to save
58% when compared to the US or 47% for the UK. Other driving factors are high quality of
medical care, availability of treatments and reduced waiting times.

Thailand
While, so far, India has attracted patients from Europe, the Middle East and Canada, Thailand
has been the goal for Americans.
India initially attracted people who had left that country for the West; Thailand treated western
expatriates across Southeast Asia. Many of them worked for western companies and had the

advantage of flexible, worldwide medical insurance plans geared specifically at the expatriate
and overseas corporate markets.
With the growth of medical-related travel and aggressive marketing, Bangkok became a Centre
for medical tourism. Bangkok's International Medical Centre offers services in 26 languages,
recognizes cultural and religious dietary restrictions and has a special wing for Japanese patients
The medical tour companies that serve Thailand often put emphasis on the vacation aspects,
offering post-recovery resort stays.

South Africa
South Africa also draws many cosmetic surgery patients, especially from Europe, and many
South African clinics offer packages that include personal assistants, visits with trained
therapists, and trips to top beauty salons, post-operative care in luxury hotels and safaris or other
vacation incentives. Because the South African rand has such a long-standing low rate on the
foreign-exchange market, medical tourism packages there tend to be perpetual bargains as well.

Mexico
Mexico attracts between 150,000 and 500,000 medical tourists annually but this number cannot
be exactly quantified, as Americans do not need a visa to enter the country. Americans are
attracted by Mexicos proximity to the US and cost savings of around 63%. Despite promotion
coming only from the private sector, Mexico has built a reputation for offering dentistry
treatments, cosmetic and plastic surgeries, orthopedics and cardiology procedures.

Argentina
Argentina ranks high for plastic surgery, and Hungary draws large numbers of patients from
Western Europe and the U.S. for high-quality cosmetic and dental procedures that cost half of
what they would in Germany and America.

Dubai
Lastly, Dubai--a destination already known as a luxury vacation paradise--is scheduled to open
the Dubai Healthcare City by 2010. Situated on the Red Sea, this clinic will be the largest
international medical center between Europe and Southeast Asia. Slated to include a new branch
of the Harvard Medical School, it also may be the most prestigious foreign clinic on the horizon.

Malaysia
Malaysia has already established itself as a holiday destination but has now expanded

Facilities to cope with the annual 341,288 medical tourists (2007) that it receives from
Medical Tourism. Indonesia (70%), Singapore (10%), Japan (6%), Europe (5%) and India (3%).
These medical tourists are attracted to Malaysia thanks to English being a widely spoken
language and Malay being understood by Indonesians as well as the promotion from the
Malaysia Health Travel Council. The main treatments that the country offers are assisted
reproduction, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery and stem cell therapy.

Jordan
Jordan is the largest medical tourism hub in the Middle East and attracts around 250,000
Medical tourists, mostly from the surrounding countries (38% Iraqis, 30% Palestine,
31% Sudan) despite targeting their promotion to the US market. These medical tourists are
attracted thanks to the excellent language skills of the workforce and the high quality of care.
The country specializes in cardiology, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery and dentistry. The
perception among Western patients of the strict religious rules that exist means that Jordans
reputation is underdeveloped as a global medical tourism destination. However, Jordans
potential includes cost savings of 66% when compared to the US and 57% when compared to the
prices in the UK.

Brazil
Approximately 180,000 medical tourists visited Brazil last year to receive various medical
services cosmetic surgery topping the list. There are over 4,500 licensed plastic surgeons in
Brazil today. Besides expertise, the low cost of plastic surgery is another reason why many
medical tourists prefer Brazil lover their home countries. Plastic surgery procedures in Brazil
cost 60% less when you compare the cost of the same procedures in the U.S. The wide variety of
plastic surgery procedures all over Brazil is also an attraction.

Turkey
Turkey attracts approx.110,000 medical tourists per year according to PBB estimates (2012).
Majority of medical tourists who visit Turkey are interested in cheap eye surgery and check-ups
in Turkeys numerous JCI accredited hospitals. Medical tourists from the U.S enjoy cost saving
up to 60%. Turkey is also home to many western trained doctors.

Taiwan

Taiwan also hosts a substantial numbers of medical tourists every year. Acc. To PBB,
approximately 90,000 international tourists visited Taiwan in 2012 to take advantages of the
countrys world class medical services/facilities. The country has invested heavily to offer the
best health care services in the world. The cost of health care is also low (50% lower) than US.

Costa Rica
Acc. To statistics, approximately 50,000 international tourists visit costa Rica every year to take
advantage of affordable medical services in the country.50,000 medical tourists represent 15% of
all international tourists who visit Costa Rica every year.

South Korea
South Korea currently attracts 40,000 medical tourists mainly from Japan and China, followed
by the US and Canada thanks to the cutting edge technology, which is reflected in specializations
focusing on the areas of oncology, cardiology, ophthalmology, orthopedics and dentistry. The
introduction of medical visas and construction of medical tourism hub on Jeju Island alongside
promotion by the Council for Korean Medicine Overseas Promotion are hoped to increase South
Koreas reputation as a medical tourism destination for Westerners and increase inbound medical
tourists to 100,000 annually. South Korea does not offer any cost savings and so it is unlikely
that the typical American medical tourists will be attracted.

Singapore
Singapore is a popular medical tourism destination because it offers one of the best most
sophisticated cancer diagnosis and treatment services. Acc. To PBB Singapore hosted 610000
medical tourists in 2012. Apart from offering some of the best cancer treatment services in the
world, Singapore is home to one of the best medical facilities in the world.

Other countries
Other countries interested in medical tourism tended to start offering care to specific markets but
have expanded their services as the demand grows around the world. Cuba, for example, first
aimed its services at well-off patients from Central and South America and now attracts patients
from Canada, Germany and Italy. Israel caters to both Jewish patients and people from some
nearby countries. One Israeli hospital advertises worldwide services, specializing in both male
and female infertility, in-vitro fertilization and high-risk pregnancies.

India in medical tourism

According to the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), India is unique as it offers holistic
medicinal services. With yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other systems of medicines,
India offers a unique basket of services to an individual that is difficult to match by other
countries, says CII. Also, clinical outcomes in India are at par with the worlds best centers,
besides having internationally qualified and experienced specialists.
Statistics suggest that the medical tourism industry in India is worth $333 million (Rs 1,450
Crore) while a study by CII-McKinsey estimates that the country could earn Rs 5,000-10,000
Crore by 2012. The study predicts that, "by 2012, if medical tourism were to reach 25 per cent of
revenues of private up-market players, up to Rs 10,000 Crore will be added to the revenues of
these players". According to the Government of India, India's
$17-billion-a-year health-care industry could grow 13 per cent in each of the next six years,
boosted by medical tourism, which industry watchers say is growing at 30 per cent annually.
Probably realizing the potential, major corporates such as the Tatas, Fortis, Max, Wockhardt,
Piramal, and the Escorts group have made significant investments in setting up modern hospitals
in major cities. Many have also designed special packages for patients, including airport pickups,
visa assistance and board and lodging.
The health care sector in India has witnessed an enormous growth in infrastructure in the private
and voluntary sector. The private sector, which was very modest in the early Stages, has now
become a flourishing industry equipped with the most modern state-of-the-art technology at its
disposal. It is estimated that 75-80% of health care services and investments in India are now
provided by the private sector. An added plus had been that India has one of the largest
pharmaceutical industries in the world. It is self-sufficient in drug production and exports drugs
to more than 180 countries. India has top-notch centers for open-heart surgery, pediatric heart
surgery, hip and knee replacement, cosmetic surgery, dentistry, bone marrow transplants and
cancer therapy, and virtually all of Indias clinics are equipped with the latest electronic and
medical diagnostic equipment. Unlike many of its competitors in medical tourism, India also has

the technological sophistication and infrastructure to maintain its market niche, and Indian
pharmaceuticals meet the stringent requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. Additionally, Indias quality of care is up to American standards, and some
Indian medical centers even provide services that are uncommon elsewhere. For example, hip
surgery patients in India can opt for a hip-resurfacing procedure, in which damaged bone is
scraped away and replaced with chrome alloy--an operation that costs less and causes less postoperative trauma than the traditional replacement procedure performed in the U.S.
While a large number of the private hospitals in India are willing to provide medical treatment to
patients irrespective of nationality, only a few are in the forefront of promoting the healthhospitality mix. Some of the corporate hospitals in India that lead the medical tourism revolution
are:

Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre

Apollo Hospitals

Wockhardt Hospitals

Aravind Eye Hospitals

Fortis Healthcare

Leelawati Hospital

Dr. Vivek Saggar's Dental Care & Cure Centre

NM Excellence

Manipal Hospital

PD Hinduja National Hospital & Medical Research Centre

LV Prasad Eye Institute

B.M.Birla Herat Research Centre

Christian Medical College

Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital

Apart from the private players, public sector hospitals like All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS) has been receiving patients from over 16 countries including European nations
and there is a steady increase in the number of patients, mainly for complex surgical procedures.
The AIIMS has also initiated a dedicated International Healthcare Service team, which will take

care of the patient right from arrival till their departure coordinating all aspects of medical
treatment.

JCI Accredited Hospitals

JCI Accredited Hospitals
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Medical Packages
The health care sector in India has witnessed an enormous growth in infrastructure in the private
and voluntary sector. The private sector which was very modest in the early stages, has now
become a flourishing industry equipped with the most modern state-of-the-art technology at its
disposal. It is estimated that 75-80% of health care services and investments in India are now
provided by the private sector. An added plus had been that India has one of the largest
pharmaceutical industries in the world. It is self sufficient in drug production and exports drugs
to more than 180 countries.
* Bone Marrow Transplant
* Brain Surgery
* Cancer Procedures (Oncology)
* Cardiac Care
* Cosmetic Surgery

* Dialysis and Kidney Transplant

* Drug Rehabilitation
* Gynaecology & Obstetrics
* Health Checkups
* Internal/Digestive Procedures
* Joint Replacement Surgery
* Nuclear Medicine
* Neurosurgery & Trauma Surgery
* Preventive Health Care
* Refractive Surgery
* Osteoporosis
* Spine Related
* Urology
* Vascular Surgery
* Gall Bladder stones surgery ( Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy )
* Hernia surgery ( Laparoscopic mesh repair )
* Piles ( Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy )
* Varicose Veins surgery
* Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy for Hyperhidrosis
* Laparoscopic Appendicectomy
* Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy
* Laparoscopic Fundoplication for Hiatus Hernia
* Laparoscopic Banding of stomach for Morbid Obesity
* Laparoscopic splenectomy

Indian Advantage
1. Quality and Range of Services
India has number of hospitals offering world class treatments in nearly every medical sector such
as

cardiology

and

cardiothoracic

surgery,

joint

replacement,

orthopedic

surgery,

gastroenterology, ophthalmology, transplants and urology to name a few. The various specialties
covered

are

Neurology,

Neurosurgery,

Oncology,

Ophthalmology,

Rheumatology,

Endocrinology, ENT, Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Neurology, Urology,

Nephrology, Dermatology, Dentistry, Plastic Surgery, Gynecology, Pulmonology, Psychiatry,
General Medicine & General Surgery. For its quality of services and the infrastructure available,
India is attracting a vast pool of tourists from the Middle East, Africa etc. As Indian corporate
hospitals like Apollo, Max HealthCare, Fortis etc. are on par with the best hospitals in Thailand,
Malaysia and Singapore there is scope for improvement, and the country is becoming a preferred
medical destination
2. Manpower
India has a large pool of doctors (approx. 600000), nurses & paramedics with required
Specialization and expertise and the language advantage (English speaking skills). The medical
education system caters to the ever-increasing demand for the delivery of the quality health care
services all over the country.
3. The Price Advantage
For long promoted for its cultural and scenic beauty, India is now being put up on international
map as a heaven for those seeking quality and affordable healthcare. With 50 million Americans
without health insurance and the waiting lists for state-run facilities often endless in the UK,
Canada and Europe, foreigners are increasingly flocking to India because it offers quality
treatment at a fifth of the cost abroad.
In India, complicated surgical procedures are being done at 1/10th the cost as compare with the
procedures in the developed countries. Not only this, the hospitals are well equipped to handle
the data and information through computerized Hospital Information Systems. The
hospitalization and the procedural price advantage also is supported by Lower Medication cost.
If a liver transplant costs in the range of 137,867 USD - 160,845 USD in Europe and double that
in the US, a few Indian hospitals have the wherewithal to do it in around 34,466 USD - 45,955
USD. Similarly, if a heart surgery in the US costs about Rs 45,955 USD, a leading Indian
hospital will do it in roughly 4,595 USD. According to http://www.indian-medical-tourism.com/

Procedure

United-States
Approx

Bone Marrow transplant

2,50,000

69,200

Liver Transplant

160,000

35,000

Heart Surgery

45,000

4,500

Orthopedic Surgery

20,000

6,300

Cataract Surgery

2,000

1,350

Smile Designing

8,000

1,100

Metal Free Bridge

5,500

600

Dental Implants

3,500

900

Porcelain Metal Bridge

3,000

600

Porcelain Metal Crown

1,000

100

Tooth Impactions

2,000

125

Root Canal Treatment

1,000

110

Tooth Whitening

800

125

Tooth Colored Composite

500

30

Fillings / Tooth Cleaning

300

90

Bone Marrow Transplant

2,50,000

69,000

Cost comparison of India with USA

(USD)India (USD) Approx

COST COMPARISON INDIA VS UNITED KINGDOM (UK)

Significant cost differences exist between U.K. and India when it comes to medical treatment.
Accompanied with the cost are waiting times which exist in U.K. for patients which range from 3
months to over months.
India is not only cheaper but the waiting time is almost nil. This is due to the outburst of the
private sector which comprises of hospitals and clinics with the latest technology and best
practitioners. According to http://www.indian-medical-tourism.com

Procedure

United Kingdom (USD)

India (USD) Approx

Approx
Open Heart Surgery

USD 18,000

USD 4,800

Cranio-Facial surgery and skull

USD 13,000

USD 4,500

Neuro- surgery with Hypothermia USD 21,000

USD 6,800

Complex spine surgery with

USD 13,000

USD 4,600

USD 6,500

USD 2,300

base

implants
Simple Spine Surgery
Simple Brain Tumor -Biopsy

USD 4,300

USD1,200

-Surgery
Parkinsons

USD 10,000

USD 4,600

USD 6,500

USD 2,300

USD 26,000
USD 13,000

USD 17,800
USD 4,500

Lesion

DBS
Hip Replacement

Cost comparison between India, USA, Thailand, and Singapore:

Procedure
US Cost

India
Thailand
Singapore
Heart Bypass
$130,000
$10,000
$11,000
$18,500
Heart Valve Replacement
$160,000

$9,000

$10,000

$12,500
Angioplasty
$57,000
$11,000
$13,000
$13,000
Hip Replacement
$43,000
$9,000

$12,000
$12,000
Hysterectomy
$20,000
$3,000
$4,500
$6,000
Knee Replacement
$40,000
$8,500
$10,000
$13,000
Spinal Fusion
$62,000
$5,500
$7,000
$9,000

4. Tourism Attraction
India has a 5000 year old civilization and is known for its cultural and religious diversity with
diverse geographical landmarks. The traditional arts and crafts add to its appeal as a tourists
favorite. Along with this Indians enjoy freedom, vibrant democracy and women empowerment.
5. Alternative Therapy
India offers not just treatment but spiritual and mental healing as well. India needs to club
together a couple of 'pathies' because it has a very strong base of alternative healing therapies
like yoga, naturopathy, ayurveda Keralas health retreats, etc.

6. No Waiting
In addition to the increasingly top class medical care, a big draw for foreign patients is also the
very minimal or hardly any waitlist as is common in European or American hospitals. Hospitals

now are starting to attract foreign patients from industrialized countries, and especially from
Britain, U.S.A, Canada, where patients are becoming fed up with long waits for elective surgery
under overstretched government health plans.

Medical tourists visited India in 2010

No. of medical tourist visitors in 2010
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0

No. of medical tourist visitors in 2010

Hospitals should focus on developing workforce with:

1.

Positive attitude: I can do it is the first thought that an employee should get when he
encounters a problem. He/she can think positively if he/she is happy, cheerful with good sense of
humor.

2.

Ingenuity: Employees should possess natural incentive and creative abilities to solve
unforeseen problems. They should be capable of coming up with satisfactory solutions
instantaneously.

3.

Initiative: If a hospital has employees who are self-starters, then it is like a dream come true.
If you empower people, then they show exceptional resourcefulness in handling unforeseen
events or situations effectively.

4.

Loyalty: Organization should value an employee who maintains service interest uppermost
in his mind. Employees who display a high degree of sincerity and honesty of purpose and are
upright in dealings with patients. Superiors, equals and subordinates are asset to any
organization.

5.

Maturity: Tact and maturity are the keys to handle difficult and demanding patients.
Employees who are considerate and understanding in dealing with patients can form the
backbone of service excellence culture.

6.

Team spirit: Healthcare cannot be delivered by a single person; it is always a team work of
people with diversified competencies. Employees who find ready acceptance by others and make
good contribution towards functioning of the group are very good team players. They provide
wholehearted co-operation to colleagues, superiors and subordinates.

7.

Interpersonal skills: Interpersonal skills are of paramount importance. Written and oral
communication, listening skills and body language play a very important role in service delivery.
It is important to be respectful and courteous with co-workers and patients.
Appearance and Bearing: Hospitals should see that the appearance and bearing of employees is
synchronized at all levels. It should not happen that support staff like kitchen and cleaning staff
does not follow any hygiene standard. It is not only the employee who is properly dressed draws
attention but the employee who is not neatly dressed also excites discussion amongst the patient
relatives.

Challenges and Issues

The challenges facing Indian medical tourism industry are as follows:

1. No strong Government support/initiative to promote medical tourism.

2. Lack of coordination among various players in the industry-airline operators, hotels and
hospitals.
3. The negative perceptions about India with regard to public sanitation/ hygiene standards or
prevalence of contagious diseases.
4. No proper accreditation and regulation system for hospitals.
5. Lack of uniform pricing policy across hospitals.
6. Strong competitions from many other players.
7. Lack of insurance policies for this sector.
8. Low investments in health infrastructure.
9. Growth generates healthcare challenges in booming India. The country graduates 27,000
doctors each year but most want to work in cities. But millions must walk miles to see a
physician.
10. Inequalities in healthcare access between private and public systems may increase
11. This may induce domestic brain drain from public to private sector.
12. Indian Governments campaign to make India a primary medical tourism destination may
divert attention from primary healthcare and other sectors.
13. Availability of hotel rooms in India is considered to be more difficult as compared to other
countries. In addition, the cost of accommodation is another hindrance to middle-level
international travelers visiting India.
14. Public-Private Partnership is required to provide quality services to attract potential
healthcare seekers from various countries.

Conclusion
Medical tourism is likely to increase over the next decade as more patients are able to access the
internet and acquire information relevant to care offered overseas at an affordable price. While
some patients will benefit immensely from treatment as a medical tourist, many legal and ethical
issues will also arise. The world is becoming global village and people are traveling from one
country to another acc. to their requirements. The cost of medical treatment in western countries
is much higher than countries like India, Mexico, Thailand, Costa Rica, South Korea, Singapore,
Malaysia etc. These countries are providing state of the art medical facilities and treatment with
much less cost or price. The recession in west and decrease in the price of air travel also
increases the medical tourism. India is emerging a global player in the medical tourism industry.
Though there are many opportunities and problems but India shall overcome from all of this and
become major player in this industry. Medical tourism provide benefits to medical tourists and
host countries by providing employment to several people and less cost to travelers, foreign

exchange earnings for host countries etc. So, at last we conclude that medical tourism is now
becoming a lucrative industry for many countries and they are competing with each other to
attract the medical tourists and India is becoming major player in this industry.

References
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