Biomed Middle East » Medical Tourism

Patients seek treatment abroad as healthcare system ails

sara — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:40:32 +0000

When former Health Minister Charity Ngilu was admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in September 2005, it was hailed as a vote of confidence to local public hospitals.

Ngilu caught media attention, as she was the first senior politician to be treated at a Kenyan public hospital. The minister, now heading the Water . . . → Read More: Patients seek treatment abroad as healthcare system ails

Medical tourism booms in Asia

sara — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:29:34 +0000

A health-services research firm says high healthcare costs have spawned a boom in Americans traveling to Asia to undergo — among other procedures — aesthetic surgery, the online Los Angeles Times reports.

The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, based in Washington, says cost-conscious Americans are taking trips to leading medical tourism destinations in . . . → Read More: Medical tourism booms in Asia

Malaysia expands health tourism and plans laws on fertility treatment

Nadia — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 02:52:39 +0000

The Malaysia Ministry of Health has rolled out a number of activities in Southeast Asia to attract more foreigners for health tourism. The health tourism industry had been made a national key economic area and the Malaysian Healthcare Tourism Council will be restructured to coordinate the market promotion activities of the sector. The new . . . → Read More: Malaysia expands health tourism and plans laws on fertility treatment

Medical tourism initiatives in South Korea

Nadia — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 22:13:54 +0000

The local government of Seoul district Gangnam aims to promote the district to medical tourists. Shin Yeon-hee has been orchestrating strategies to make Gangnam a more internationally friendly district since last July. She explains that Gangnam is a representative district of not only Seoul but also Korea as a whole, “Unlike other spontaneously developed . . . → Read More: Medical tourism initiatives in South Korea

No rise in health insurer medical costs for first time in 10 years

Nadia — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 20:32:20 +0000

For the first time in ten years, the US health insurance industry is expected to report no rise in medical expenses, according to a new study of 852 health insurers by Weiss Ratings, the nation’s only provider of independent insurance company ratings. Sceptics dismissing this as spin from a pro-insurance lobby group are wide . . . → Read More: No rise in health insurer medical costs for first time in 10 years

Innovative cosmetic procedures propel global medical tourism

Nadia — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:48:34 +0000

According to a new report from Frost & Sullivan “Technology Trends in Cosmetic Procedures”, Brazil is a destination for global cosmetical companies and therapeutic equipment manufacturers to promote their products, as cosmetic procedures are poised to grow exponentially. Frost & Sullivan research estimates there is a demand for cosmetic surgery in a country that . . . → Read More: Innovative cosmetic procedures propel global medical tourism

Medical Tourism in India likely to be affected post Union Budget 2011-12

Ash — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:20:07 +0000

As per the proposals made in the Union Budget 2011-12 recently by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a five per cent tax would be levied on services provided by hospitals with 25 or more beds providing central air conditioning facilities. This levy is aimed at high-end treatments and is also extended to diagnostic tests of . . . → Read More: Medical Tourism in India likely to be affected post Union Budget 2011-12

Malaysia’s healthcare value and quality go hand in hand

Nadia — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:04:58 +0000

Malaysia is best known as a prime tourism destination, with a palette of offerings from sandy beaches to jungle treks and home to a highly sophisticated and world-class capital, Kuala Lumpur, dominated by the iconic Petronas Towers. It is a fact that Malaysia is in the big leagues when it comes to tourism, ranking . . . → Read More: Malaysia’s healthcare value and quality go hand in hand

Developing medical tourism market from Russia

Nadia — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:28:58 +0000

In the first quarter of 2010, the growth of tourist departures from Russia to Israel reached +71% (data by Russian Tourism Agency and Russian Statistics Agency). This figure is part of an amazing growth of travelers to Middle East countries (+59% in 7 months of 2009). The region is an absolute leader in the . . . → Read More: Developing medical tourism market from Russia

Australia and New Zealand still optimistic on medical tourism

Nadia — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:45:41 +0000

Although each country can only count the number of true medical tourists, (excluding treatment for holidaymakers, business travellers, expatriate workers and spa/health tourism) each year as a few hundred, both Australia and New Zealand remain hopeful of attracting medical tourists.

Current estimates for New Zealand are around 500 to 700 people a year, . . . → Read More: Australia and New Zealand still optimistic on medical tourism

Cuba’s medical tourism

Nadia — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:18:23 +0000

The medical tourism industry is now fast becoming a global multi-billion dollar industry. More and more countries are looking at medical tourism as an opportunity to promote both their medical services and their tourism industry in just one package deal.

What is medical tourism? Medical tourism is simply a service rendered by private hospitals . . . → Read More: Cuba’s medical tourism

Growth in inbound and outbound medical tourism

Nadia — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:29:36 +0000

The Saudi Arabian market for both inbound and outbound medical tourism continues to grow, and a top destination for outbound Saudis is Germany. Lutz Vogt of German airline Lufthansa comments, “Saudi Arabia is an important source market for medical travel to Germany. And with the kingdom investing heavily in homegrown health care services and . . . → Read More: Growth in inbound and outbound medical tourism

Kingdom’s medical tourism sector cracks global top five

sara — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:15:52 +0000

The Kingdom’s medical tourism sector has been ranked among the top five in the world according to a World Bank report.

Jordan ranked first in the region and fifth globally as a medical tourism destination, according to a 2009/2010 World Bank report, said Private Hospitals Association (PHA) President Awni Bashir.

Bashir noted that the . . . → Read More: Kingdom’s medical tourism sector cracks global top five

Estonia studies how to develop medical tourism

Nadia — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 14:01:10 +0000

In analyzing alternate development strategies for health care tourism, Estonia concluded that it needs a much better understanding of what consumers in target countries want.

The Estonian Development Fund commissioned a report “Healthcare Services 2018,” as part of a wider project on developing Estonia’s service economy. This report analyzes opportunities for Estonia’s export . . . → Read More: Estonia studies how to develop medical tourism

Developments in Philippine medical tourism

Nadia — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 13:11:24 +0000

Philippines estate developer, Century Properties Inc, has ventured into medical tourism, starting off with the construction of a $100-million facility. Jose E.B Antonio of Century Properties explains, “The potential of healthcare as a business is unimaginable. It will be an outpatient medical centre focusing on anti-ageing and wellness programmes. Centuria Medical Makati is a . . . → Read More: Developments in Philippine medical tourism