India is ideally poised to lead medical tourism growth owing to its affordable medical system and large network of professionals, according to Amol R Deshmukh, founder and CEO, MedRabbits.
Deshmukh further added that recent advances in medical technology have made many new kinds of treatment possible, from MICS (minimally invasive cardiac surgeries) to robotic operations on complex oncology and GI surgeries. Moreover, as scientific advancement and accessibility has improved, developing countries are proving themselves as hubs of top-notch hospitals and consultation centres, making them an attractive option for both patients and medical tourism brands.
Over the last few decades, patients have been looking to options beyond the US and Europe for a number of various reasons. Countries like India, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand now offer the same high quality of medical care at a fraction of the cost, which has given rise to a wave of medical tourism for both essential and non-essential procedures.
“When it comes to healthcare, medical efficacy and service is the biggest consideration, followed by cost. Surgeries and organ transplants are often considerably more expensive than most patients can afford, especially in developed countries where they aren’t always covered by insurance. At the same time, opting for non-surgical treatment isn’t always feasible. Patients who need urgent procedures like organ transplants often cannot afford to be put on a waitlist. Instead, they now have the option to travel to countries like India where they can get the life-saving care they need for a much lower price. Open-heart surgery, for instance, costs only about USD 6000 to USD 10,000 in India, as compared to USD 150,000 to USD 200,000 in the US,” Deshmukh explained.
Sharing his success story, Deshmukh informed that MedRabbits saw an opportunity in the medical tourism space when they were called in to service medical tourism patients in their hotel or service apartment. Since then, we have expanded their portfolio of medical offerings and are currently focused on providing very high levels of customer care in medical tourism. We provide a range of services including arranging for surgery at hospitals in India, Thailand, Singapore and Dubai, arranging visas, and setting up accommodation and other supporting services. In addition, we offer high-quality post-op care to patients at their hotels. Going forward, we can expect the growth of tailor made medical tourism packages including custom treatment plans, one-on-one interactions and custom stays and follow-up care.
Talking about the potential challenges, Deshmukh said that despite the many benefits of medical tourism, there are several potential drawbacks to keep an eye out for. The local language of the patient can pose challenges, especially for foreign tourists who do not speak any English. This is usually solved by involving interpreters. Different countries may also have standards of care that are different from what the patient is accustomed to back home. And finally, in cases where the patient needs prolonged follow-up care, they have to take the step of finding a medical practitioner in their home country who can pick up where they left off – moreover, that practitioner may charge significantly higher rates than in the tourism country.
“Identifying the right care facility in another country can be daunting on one’s own, but Asian countries are aiding the process with trained medical tourism professionals who offer step-by-step guidance with choosing hospitals, obtaining visas, arranging for stay and post-op care and so on,” he concluded.
