| Copyright (c) 2008 The Medical Tourism Council | | | | revenue. While the MTC is busy marketing, the |
| (MTC) of Maharashtra has a mission of making | | | | government of India is working to ensure that |
| India the #1 medical tourism destination in the | | | | state of the art facilities are built and that |
| world. The members are working diligently to | | | | accreditations are secured. India is experiencing a |
| bring together corporate interests in both the | | | | medical tourism growth rate of 15-20% annually, |
| medical sector and the tourism sector. The vision | | | | and it is anticipated that 2.3 billion in revenue will be |
| is to offer world class medical services to | | | | generated by 2012. The monies can then be used |
| foreigners in a land that offers exotic vacations | | | | to provide a better lifestyle, including medical |
| as well. | | | | services, to the citizens of India who are living in |
| Countries such as India have been quick to | | | | poverty. It is anticipated that the flourish in the |
| recognize that the Western world is not providing | | | | medical tourism industry will provide 40 million jobs |
| timely and affordable medical care to its citizens. | | | | to Indians. |
| In both the United States and Canada, it is not | | | | India has long since been recognized for its top |
| uncommon to wait for more than 4 months to | | | | education systems. The universities are producing |
| be seen after a referral is made. Then, there is | | | | between 20,000 and 30,000 new doctors and |
| more waiting time while tests are scheduled. | | | | nurses a year, designed to staff the state of the |
| Additional time passes waiting for the test results. | | | | art hospitals across the country. Upon graduation, |
| If the result is that there is a need for a | | | | many travel to developed countries for further |
| procedure, it could be several more weeks before | | | | training. In the past, many of the graduates who |
| surgery is scheduled. Non emergency medical | | | | have left their homeland to work in the developed |
| attention may be extended for up to two years. | | | | countries have not returned to India. They have |
| There is basically no wait time in foreign countries | | | | continued practicing in the developed nations, |
| such as India. | | | | choosing to reap the benefits of the high salaries |
| The MTC is targeting several Western markets. | | | | that countries such as the U.S. offer. The trend is |
| One of those is the 43 million uninsured in the | | | | reversing and now many of the doctors who |
| United States. What happens to the average | | | | have practiced as some of the top surgeons and |
| person from a developed country, who is | | | | specialists in developed countries are now |
| uninsured and in need of a heart bypass? If not | | | | returning to set up specialty clinics and hospitals. |
| aware of the option of medical tourism, the | | | | India now offers over 200 specialty services and |
| uninsured worker will face the choice of going | | | | is recognized worldwide to be on par with the |
| without the surgery, or of withdrawing his life | | | | best in the world. |
| savings, or taking out a loan in order to pay for | | | | The medical tourist destined for India need only |
| the surgery. The same worker can obtain the | | | | decide which part of India they would like to visit |
| surgery in another country for $10,000 vs. | | | | and recover in. For those wanting the hustle and |
| $70,000 in the US. He can get a knee | | | | bustle of city life, a destination would be Delhi. |
| replacement for $6,000 vs. $50,000! Although still | | | | Agra offers the medical tourist one of the seven |
| a large amount of money, it is much more | | | | wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. Rajasthan |
| attainable abroad than in the home country. The | | | | borders the Thar Desert and has a history of |
| cost of services in India is approximately 1/3 less | | | | romance and heroism. Goa is the home of miles |
| than other Asian countries that are competing as | | | | of golden sand beaches and palm trees, and |
| the destination of choice for medical tourists. | | | | Kerela is the location of the networking of forty |
| The Medical Tourism Council is also doing heavy | | | | four rivers. Muntui (Bombay) is the equivalent to |
| marketing campaigns to Western insurance | | | | Hollywood in the United States and is the finance |
| companies. More and more, it is the insurance | | | | capitol of India. For those wanting to absorb the |
| agent who suggests (and in some instances, | | | | cultural mecca of India, with music and world class |
| mandates) having the surgery done in another | | | | art, coffee and fragrances, one would want to |
| country. An increasing number of insurance | | | | travel to Karnataka, in South India. |
| companies are not only agreeing to overseas | | | | The collaborative goal, powered by the vision of |
| medical services, but are advocating or insisting | | | | the Medical Tourism Council, is to make India the |
| that the patient obtain the less expensive | | | | number one destination choice in the global medical |
| services as a medical tourist. They are recognizing | | | | community. The low costs and high quality |
| that outsourcing medical services to India will save | | | | services, the education of world renowned |
| tens of thousands of dollars in payouts, even if | | | | doctors, the cutting edge technology, the state of |
| they need to pay airfare in addition to the medical | | | | the art resort type hospitals and the beautiful |
| bills. | | | | vacation spots are all being highlighted by the |
| The Indian Finance Minister recognizes that the | | | | MTC, and India is quickly moving to the forefront |
| opportunity exists to rebuild the infrastructure of | | | | of the global medical tourism industry! |
| the country, by generating medical tourism | | | | |