International Study of Medical Tourism

1
International Study of Medical Tourism

• Dr . Alsharif Mohd Jamal

2
Medical Tourism Definitions

• It is a new kind of business where patients from
  developed countries travel abroad seeking
  treatment in developing countries, because of the
  low cost and the quick access.

3
We classified the medical tourists according to
the reasons of the treatment
4

• Terms
• Health tourism Health travel Medical travel
  Global healthcare Medical journeys Cross
  border healthcare

• Kinds of MT
• Emergency tourism
• Dental tourism
• Transplant tourism
• Alternative medicine tourism
• Elective Surgical tourism
• Rehabilitation tourism
• Cosmetic tourism
• Fertility tourism
• Stem cells tourism
• Wellness tourism
• Diagnostic tourism

5

• The United States of America
• UK and Canada
• Many developing countries

6
From to
7
MT is a specific branch of science
Government
Investors
8
MT is the fastest growing business type in the
world
9
Objective
to analyze the MT markets and strategies in
China, India, United Arab Emirate and Jordan.
10

• China
• Wide range of medical specialties and medical
  specialized hospitals.
• Many hospitals in major cities have established
  international departments.
• Many leading hospitals provide treatments
  integrating TCM with Western medical technology
  and techniques.
• China is home to leading stem cell research and
  treatment hospitals that offer Westerners who
  want to take advantage of stem cell treatments.
• wikipedia

11

• India
• Advantages reduced costs, the availability of
  latest medical technologies and a growing
  compliance on international quality standards,
  less likely to face a language barrier.
• The Indian government is taking steps to address
  infrastructure issues that hinder the country's
  growth in MT.
• India is known in particular for heart ortho
  surgery, and other areas of advanced medicine.
• Ministry of Tourism India is planning to extend
  its Market Development Assistance scheme to cover
  Joint Commission International (JCI) and National
  Accreditation Board of Hospitals (NABH) certified
  hospitals. wikipedia

12

• Jordan
• More than 250,000 patients from other countries
  sought treatment in Jordan in 2007.
• 45,000 Iraqis , 25,000 patients each from
  Palestine and Sudan , 1,800 US citizens, 1,200
  UK citizens, 400 Canadians.
• Treatment costs can be as low as 25 of costs
  in the US.
• The kingdom was rated as number one in the region
  and 5th in the world as a MT hub in a study by
  the World Bank.
• wikipedia

13

• UAE
• Hospitals in Dubai and other emirates have
  expressed an intent to develop in MT.
• Many hospitals have American-sourced
  international healthcare accreditation, while
  others are looking towards the UK, Australia and
  Canada for accreditation services.
• Dubai Healthcare City is the worlds 1st
  healthcare free zone. It consists of the Medical
  Community, which is made up of 4.1 million square
  feet. It has branches of Harvard Medical Univ ,
  Boston Univ, and Mayo Clinic.
• 
  wikipedia

14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
Materials and Methods
The 720 patients information was documented
based on their medical records and a structured
questionnaire.
18
1- All patients included in this series were
specially traveled for the treatment in those
countries. 2- In all cases, age, sex, occupation,
nationality, the hospitalization period, the
tourism activity, the airline, the way to find
the medical clinic, the treatment, and the
difficulties the patients met before and after
treatment were retrospectively analyzed.
19
Questionnaire
English
1-Arabic 2-Chinese 3-Russian 4-German 5-French
20
Results
The age group China China India India UAE UAE Jordan Jordan
The age group ? ? ? ?
Under 18 2 2.0 8 2.0 0 0 ?? 2.8
19-23 12 12.0 18 4.4 2 3.8 10 4.7
24-29 2 2.0 32 7.9 2 3.8 6 2.8
30-35 4 4.0 2 0.5 4 7.7 6 2.8
36-45 2 2.0 74 18.1 22 42.3 38 17.9
46-60 36 36.0 150 37.0 14 26.9 90 42.5
Over 60 42 42.0 122 30.1 8 15.4 56 26.4
Total 100 100.0 406 100.0 52 100.0 212 100.0
21
The sex distribution female male
50 of the patients had university degrees, while
Technical school graduate steps the 2nd with 29.
22
Nationality China China India India UAE UAE Jordan Jordan
Nationality ? ? ? ?
Canada 22 22.0 100 24.6 2 3.8 26 12.3
France 4 4.0 10 2.5 - - - -
Iraq - - - - 4 7.7 22 10.4
Oman     - - 10 19.2 18 8.5
Qatar 6 6.0 10 2.5 12 23.1 18 8.5
Saudi Arab 2 2.0 8 2.5 4 7.7 34 16
UAE - - 10 2.5 - - 30 14.2
UK 10 10.0 42 10.3 - - 2 0.9
USA 30 30.0 178 43.8 2 3.8 32 15.1
23

• In China, 43 of the patients seek for the
  treatment was because the alternative medicine.
  20 because the reasonable prices, 26 (all
  British and Canadian) because the waiting period
  in their countries.
• In India, 71 of the patients seek for the
  treatment because the reasonable prices.
• In Jordan, 77 seek for the treatment because
  they did not have such treatment in their
  countries.
• In UAE, 81 seek for the treatment because the
  privacy and the high quality of the medical
  services.

24

• 45 of the patients knew about the possibility to
  undergo their treatment from their own friends,
  relatives, or colleagues.
• 35 of the patients read about it in the
  internet.
• 15 of the patients knew about it from the
  advertising.
• 13 of the patients where recommended by primary
  care physician or medical mediators.
• 3 were recommended by insurance companies.

25
The difficulties the patients found ()
26
The treatment China China India India UAE UAE Jordan Jordan
The treatment ? ? ? ?
Ear, Nose 4 2.2 32 3.1 2 3.9 16 5.4
Orthopedic 12 6.7 64 7.9 10 19.1 42 14.2
Alternative medicine 60 33.4 156 19.3 2 3.9 10 3.4
Eye problem 18 10 54 6.6 8 15.4 18 6
Dental 56 31.1 114 14.1 10 19.1 58 19.5
Organ 6 3.3 8 1.1 2 3.9 10 3.4
Oncology 16 8.9 32 4.1 2 3.9 18 6
Cosmetic - - 64 7.9 6 11.5 26 8.7
Rehabilitation 8 4.4 212 26.2 4 7.6 22 8.4
Bariatric - - 10 1.3 2 3.9 20 6.7
Cardiac - - 46 5.8 2 3.9 24 8.2
Laparoscopy - - 20 2.6 2 3.9 30 10.1
Total 180 100 812   52 100 294 100
27
The treatment results ()
28
The patients participated in a tourist activity
and sightseeing accompanying their treatment
29
Patients opinion of the medical industry
  China India UAE Jordan
excellent 76 45.8, 50 35.8
good 10 47.3 46.2 45.3
not that good 6 4.4 3.8 14.2
poor 8 2.5 0 4.7
will come back for further treatment 86 89 66 83
30
(No Transcript)
31
Conclusion

• International patients are flying mostly to Asia
  for elective cosmetic procedures, dental
  implants or to have hip replacement in countries
  such as China, Jordan, UAE, and India.
• MT is not only seeking for treatments abroad
  because the prices, but also the leak of such
  treatment in patients countries, high quality
  service, and waiting period.
• .

32

• Each player in the healthcare system must play
  their role in ensuring and encouraging that the
  MT market will continue to grow and benefit those
  that are in it both patients and providers.
• MT, management, and marketing scientists should
  work hand in hand to organize and develop this
  branch of science.

33

• The world becomes a small village, so we need
  more international cooperation to standardize and
  uniform the medical care.

34
Thanks
sherif268_at_yahoo.com