Updates on the Latest News About Medical Tourism in India

Weekly Medical Tourism News and Updates

The categories covered in this report are: (Click to view)

Medical Tourism Policy
Investments in Medical Tourism
Holistic Healing Centers
Visa Related Developments
Hospitals
Travel Agencies
Miscellaneous

Medical Tourism Policy

1. Major Kerala private hospitals earmark 10pc profit for poor
Kerala's dominant private healthcare centres are to earmark 10 per cent of annual profits for poor patients, while at the same time, they will also position themselves in a way that they can still tap the medical tourism sector. This was announced by Philip Augustine, chairman of Kerala Health Tourism (KHT) 2007, at the second session of the health summit.

Dr Philip Augustine, along with neurosurgeon A. Marthanda Pillai (head of Ananthapuri Hospital) also said that the upcoming tourism policy would also contain more administrative qualities on the 10 per cent altruistic allocations.

Most of the hospitals in the big league tried to get credentials by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Health Ministry-sponsored National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Institutions (NABH). Among some of the more prominent attendees were Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) chairman Cherian Philip and the Commonwealth study group delegates.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Source: The Peninsula

2. Is India prepared for global medical tourism boom?
Former Indian Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, mulled over making India a "global health destination," since India has been one of the forerunners in the medical tourism industry, which is projected as a new segment in the travel and healthcare business. The budget as per his calculations is inclusive of government policy for collaboration between the available medical expertise in the country and tourism industry.

However, for India to become a leader in this sector, it needs to rid itself of evident lack of conscious and well-founded efforts to market medical tourism. The doubts expressed by certain sections that "systematic development of medical tourism will boost up earnings by catering to the wealthy foreigners and Indians working in the foreign countries but it may adversely hit the low income population" must be acknowledged in order to gain the approval of political opinions with varied views on liberalisation.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Source: Express Healthcare Management

Investments in Medical Tourism

1. Opportunities in Medical Tourism in India (2007)
The report "Opportunities in Medical Tourism in India (2007)" provides extensive research on the medical tourism sector in India. The report has been written with the intention of helping clients analyze the opportunities critical to the growth of medical tourism in India.

Some of the key findings are:

• With global revenues approximately US $20 billion in (in 2005), India's medical tourism industry is a major player in this industry due to it's cost-effective treatment.
• The growth in India's medical tourism sector will serve as a source of foreign exchange.

Analyzed Facts:

• What are the emerging trends in the Medical Tourism Industry in India?
• Key regulations and policy environment in the industry.
• What is the future scenario of the Medical Tourism Industry in India?
• What opportunities exist for the Medical Tourism Industry?
• What Challenges are faced by the industry?
• Who are the Key players in Indian medical tourism industry?
• Government initiatives to promote medical tourism in India.

Monday, March 26, 2007
Source: Report Buyer

2. Hindu way of healing works
Ayurveda, one of the most ancient forms of medicine practised in India, has made a major comeback in the country as it vies to grab a portion of the fruitful Asian medical tourism market. Tourists are being offered traditional massages and beauty treatments. India, not unlike Thailand and Singapore, is contending for a share in the medical tourism industry, which is predicted to grow to about C$2.8 billion by 2012. It's all coming together for India via luxury hospitals for medical tourists. Ayurvedic and herbal products are also being sold in wide ranges. L'oreal too recently said that it was seeking to purchase a small Indian brand to launch a global foray in ayurveda. A Lever spokesman states that : "Especially at the top end, consumers are concerned about issues such as hygiene and safety, and are more trusting of well-known companies."
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Source: The South Asian Post

Holistic Healing Centres

1. Golden Palms Spa & Resort, Bangalore
The Golden Palms Spa and Resort in Bangalore is the ideal place if you need to get away and relax and rejuvenate. Spread over 75,000 sq. feet and five floors, Golden Palms fuses together it's self-healing Ayurvedic therapies with the water's rejuvenating qualities – a symbol of Western spas. Besides rejuvenation therapies and beauty enhancement therapies, there's also yoga, meditation, a gym, sauna etc.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: Spa Ayurveda India

2. Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort, Palakkad
The Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort, established by K.V. Ramesh and Ms Gita Ramesh in Kerala, offers to acquaint tourists with the rejuvenating qualities of the resort. Surrounded by greenery, it helps ailing tourists rid themselves of illness. The place is such that one can't help but feel healthier and stronger.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: Kerala India Vacations

Visa Related Developments

1. Medical tourism likely to become India’s next big success story
As medical tourism gains impetus in India, since it is one of the chepaest tourism destinations, it was decided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, following a meeting with the Ministry of Tourism, has made a statement that a National Accreditation Health Board needs to be established to maintain international standards in the country's medical facilities. According to an official statement - "Medical tourism as an industry has begun to take concrete shape with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Tourism thrashing out the intricacies involved."

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, has stated that the government has cleared the medical visa. The potential of medical tourism as well as tourism in general is getting higher everyday, particularly because of the cheap rates yet high standard of services and treatments offered.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: GaramChai

2. Medical Tourism Boosted by Long Wait Times
Travelling for medical purposes is becoming exceedingly popular with Canadians. It is now becoming one of the most affordable options for Canadians. For the it would take an average of one year for a Canadian to get a hip replacement, and this long hospital wait time gives Canadians reason to seek medical help overseas. Currently, the favorite medical travel destination is India as they can expect high quality treatment at high-tech private healthcare centers.

Says an associate professor of biomedical ethics at McGill University in Montreal, Leigh Turner, "It's almost like going to a top-end tourist resort," but the on the flipside, it would be hard for them to determine the exact level of treatment patients receive. But since canada hasn't been able to solve the wait time problem, the only solution to this problem would be to issue Visas and other needs for patients in need of immediate medical care. Surgical Tourism Canada arranges travel and visa requirements, insurance, hospital stay and post-hospital recuperation in rehabilitation facilities where patients can be checked on until they are fit enough to travel back to Canada.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: Embassy

Hospitals

1. Apollo Hospitals in India
The Apollo Hospitals found strewn around India are leading corporate hospitals, internationally reputed for excellence. The costs are reasonable but the services are world-class. For this reason alone, the group of hospitals has been recognized by Indian as well as foreign patients.

Some of the leading Apollo Hospitals are:

Apollo Hospital Delhi - the largest of the Apollo Hospitals. It is the first and the only Indian hospital to be recognized; it is accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI), USA. Annually, it treats about 200,000 patients, out of which 10,000 are International patients.

Apollo Hospital Chennai - the first of the Apollo Group, established in 1983 and Chennai's first corporate hospital. The Government has declared it a "Center of Excellence", besides being the first to receive certifications.

Apollo Hospital Kolkata - which is collaboratively run by the Apollo Group and Singapore's Parkway Group. The hospital has several centers of excellence.

Apollo Hospital Hyderabad - the only Indian hospital to be recognized as an International Training Organization by the American Heart Association.

Apollo Hospital Ahmedabad - which handles around 10,000 patients on an annual basis. It is Gujarat's largest corporate hospital and has a number of specialty clinics and centers of excellence.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Source: India Profile

2. Wockhardt Hospital & Kidney Institute
The Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute in Kolkata is part of the premier chain of Wockhardt Hospitals and an offshoot hospital of Harvard Medical International of USA. Having been established in 1988, it is the first and only super specialty hospital in Eastern India. Over the years, it has come to be regarded as the only hospital that serves as a solution for all sorts of urology and nephrology disorders. It has emerged as a hotspot for world class clinical work in urology and nephrology as well as in academic and research work in this field.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Source: Wockhardt Hospitals

Travel Agencies

1. Medical Tourism Agencies Take Operations Overseas
Complex surgery is one of the latest services to move offshore, and several businesses are helping cost-aware patients move overseas for these surgical procedures. While it may seemingly disturb U.S.-based hospitals and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), the chase for treatment overseas is hatching a new business opportunity - medical tourism agencies. Besides acting as intermediaries between patients and foreign healthcare professionals, they also find hospitals, schedule surgeries and other operations, buy airline tickets, make hotel reservations and as if that were not enough - they also plan sightseeing tours for patients undergoing recovery. Most important of all, these companies aspire to assure patients that cheap does not necessarily mean poor quality in services. Thanks to free Internet phone services and online advertising, operating costs are relatively low.

According to Ted Mohr, an American who runs the Adventist Hospital in Penang, Malaysia: "I see the market exploding," and continues to add, "American health care is getting too expensive for too many people." This is where "Third World Countries" come providing nothing lesser than First World treatment.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Source: Yahoo! Finance

2. Kerala Travel Tourism (Prudent Networks)
Prudent Networks provides a complete tour and travel guide of India. A team of young and energetic professionals, their attitude is to always stay on their toes and provide impeccable services, which has helped them draw a multitude of clients from all across the globe. Prudent Networks specializes in Inbound Tours & Travel services. Company philosophy - "The holidays you dream are the holidays we pack. Surrender yourself to a package full of dreams".
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Source: zoom info

Miscellaneous

1. Award for Excellence in the Field of Cheek Implant Surgery in India for Forerunners Healthcare
At the two-day International workshop-cum-conference in Bangalore held on the 20th of February, Forerunners Healthcare Consultants won an award for provision of services to International patients coming to India for cheek implant surgery. Forerunners received the award from the Association of Cosmentic Surgery India.

It was a huge gathering of globally renowned cosmetic surgeons known for performances in cheek implant surgery. Forerunners Healthcare has marked the beginning of India's medical tourism sector and has provided services to over 500 patients from across the globe.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Source: PR

2. Indian Medical Tourism Market: Opportunities and Threats
Medical tourism is still an infant industry in India but in 2003, when about 1.5 lakh tourists visited India for special treatment and/or advanced surgery, there was an increase in this figure the following year. India has been a preferred medical tourism destination because of it's affordable treatment services. Calculated efforts are being made by private hospitals to attract foreign patients in order that there may be an increase in profits. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Tourism have set up a task force to design a strategy for health tourism.

According to a study conducted by McKinsey & Company and CII, India can serve a million medical tourists on an annual basis generate revenue ranging from INR 50 billion to INR 100 billion by 2012. The main attraction lies in the low costs even for the most advanced of treatments. India has a wide range of services to offer - some of them being ayurveda, homeopathy, meditation, yoga and allopathy - for only a fraction of the prices being offered in the West.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Source: Associated Content