Medical Travel Today

This week's issue of Medical Travel Today brings you a “mixed bag” of news and opinion on medical travel. While we've got predictions of record growth for the industry we've also got self-proclaimed muckrakers casting a considerably less positively shadow on things (see INDUSTRY NEWS for both items).

In addition, Joseph M. Heyman, M.D., Immediate Past Chair of the American Medical Association's Board of Trustees, was kind enough to share his thoughts and concerns on medical travel in our PERSPECTIVES column.

Plus, we conclude our three-part series on the CyberKnife under our MEDICAL SPOTLIGHT section.

Finally, just a reminder that we have a free “jobs & situations wanted” listing at the close of each newsletter. So if you’re on the hunt for a new role or have one to fill, send us a description and we’ll help spread the word.

PERSPECTIVES: Joseph M. Heyman, M.D., Immediate Past Chair, Board of Trustees, American Medical Association

Editor's Note:When President Obama delivered his remarks on healthcare reform at the American Medical Association (AMA) meeting in June, he began by thanking Dr. Joseph Heyman, then Chair of the AMA's Board of Trustees.

Dr. Heyman has been involved in organized medicine since joining the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) in 1973. He joined the AMA in 1980 and has been a member of the Massachusetts delegation to the AMA since 1987.He was a member of the AMA Council on Medical Service, serving on its executive committee (1997–2000) and as its Chair (2000–2001). During his tenure on the council,Dr. Heyman helped develop AMA policy on health insurance reform, pharmaceutical industry spending in the United States, and hospital mergers.

Medical Travel Today recently put some questions to Dr. Heyman regarding the up- and downsides of medical travel and his thoughts on how the proposed reform measures might impact the industry.

Medical Travel Today (MTT): Can you share with us your thoughts on the up- and downsides of medical travel for both consumers and physicians?
Paul Heyman (PH): We believe patients should have choice in healthcare. That includes being able to choose medical travel. We want our patients to take an active role in their healthcare decision-making, and we believe that choosing from whom and where to receive healthcare is not a decision that should be arrived at lightly. Whether care is provided in the United States or abroad, it's important for patients to be confident in the qualifications of the physician providing their care, as well as the safety standards of the hospital or clinic where the care will be given.

The risks of seeking care outside the United States can be significant. Fewer international hospitals meet the same quality standards imposed by accrediting organizations like Joint Commission International, as opposed to those in the United States. Patients may have a hard time trying to assess the qualifications of the physician and facility providing the care. In some countries there may be no legal recourse for poor outcomes. Seeking healthcare overseas, particularly with long flights following surgery, carries an increased risk of developing complications, such as blood clots, swelling, and infection.

MTT: Pre- and post-op care is one of the biggest concerns physicians have about medical travel. What advice might you share with physicians regarding addressing the issue with patients?
PH: It’s essential that patients going abroad for care have a physician and follow-up care plan in place prior to treatment to ensure that they receive the proper follow-up and lessen the risk for complications when they return home.

MTT: What can U.S. physicians do in order to be more competitive with non-domestic providers?
PH: A strong patient-physician relationship is incredibly important, and we want our patients to be comfortable talking to us about their medical concerns and decisions. While a cheaper price has often been sighted as one of the main reasons Americans go overseas for care, it is important that price not be the only factor in determining where and from whom to receive medical treatment.

MTT: Clearly the goal of the proposed reform measures is to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to all Americans. As one in the field, what do you think is a realistic timeline for seeing meaningful change and how dramatic might it truly be? That is, will the cost of a hip replacement in the United States be competitive with the cost of one in India?
PH: We expect health reform to happen this year. We are committed to achieving reform that ensures all Americans have affordable, high-quality health coverage and can get the best value from healthcare spending.

The American Medical Association has guidelines for choosing international travel. They are as follows:

Our AMA advocates that employers, insurance companies, and other entities that facilitate or incentivize medical care outside the United States adhere to the following principles:

Joseph M. Heyman, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist with a private practice in Amesbury, Mass., has been a member of the American Medical Association (AMA) Board of Trustees (BOT) since 2002. He served as its secretary (2005–2006) and was chair of the finance committee. In June 2008 he began serving as chair of the AMA-BOT for 2008–2009.

Global medical tourism revenue to hit $100B by 2012
June 29, 2009 | Richard Pizzi, Editor, Healthcare Finance News

SINGAPORE – Worldwide gross medical tourism revenue is projected to grow from $56 billion to $100 billion by 2012, with Asia as a major driver of this growth, according to experts speaking Monday at the Healthcare Travel Exhibition and Congress in Singapore.

For the complete story, click here.

Editor's Note: A friend was kind enough to forward a recent blog posting from TPM Media regarding medical tourism. While I think most of our readers would find the writer's impressions of the industry out-dated and, in some cases, just plain wrong, I thought it was worth sharing as it demonstrates that there's work still to be done in educating consumers about the benefits and realities of medical travel.

The following are a few "highlights" of the piece. To read the entire post, click here.

"Medical tourism sounds so adventurous and pleasant. It suggests an exploration of a foreign land and gathering a trinket to help us later to remember the trip…

…A real expression for these travelling people might be more serious. How about medical refugees? Financially oppressed people who could not bear the outrageous costs of our medical system…

…The only ones who benefit are shareholders in an industry that exploits the misfortune of people who are sick or have been injured. We can change this. We can do it now. Repeat after me, YES WE CAN and don't let anyone tell you any option is off the table. YES WE CAN. Stop the exodus. Good healthcare begins at home."

Stem cell tourism is criticized on grounds of consumer fraud, blatant lack of scientific justification, and patient safety. However, the issues are complex because they invoke questions concerning the limits of acceptable medical innovation and medical travel. Here we discuss these issues and articulate conditions under which "unproven" therapies may be offered to patients outside of regular clinical trials.

Renowned Medical Tourism Industry Expert and Author Josef D. Woodman Joins Satori World Medical's Strategic Advisory Board

Satori World Medical, a global healthcare company specializing in the emerging multi-million dollar medical tourism industry, announced that Josef D. Woodman, one of the medical tourism industry's most renowned experts, lecturers, and authors, has joined the company's Strategic Advisory Board (SAB).

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) June 30, 2009 -- Satori World Medical, a global healthcare company specializing in the emerging multi-million dollar medical tourism industry, announced that Josef D. Woodman, one of the medical tourism industry's most renowned experts, lecturers, and authors, has joined the company's Strategic Advisory Board (SAB).
Recognized for authoring the first comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to medical tourism, Patients Beyond Borders, Woodman has spent more than three years touring 100 medical facilities in 14 countries and researching contemporary medical tourism. As co-founder of MyDailyHealth and Ventana Communications, Woodman's pioneering background in health, wellness, and Web technology, has allowed him to compile a wealth of information about global health travel, telemedicine, and new developments in consumer and institutional medical care.

As a member of Satori World Medical's SAB, Woodman will assist the company's Board of Directors and senior management team in the design of Satori World Medical's forward-looking strategy and tactics. A noted consumer advocate for the globalization of healthcare, Woodman has also lectured at the Harvard Medical School and the UCLA School of Public Health and has hosted more than a dozen seminars and workshops around the world on the topics of medical tourism and health travel.

According to Woodman, "Satori World Medical is one of the best global healthcare programs that I have seen. I am particularly impressed with Satori's Quality Assurance Program™ and its unique financial sharing model, which provides a measurable shared economic incentive for all program participants. Satori's business model is well-poised for growth over the next several years and for forging new strategies in addressing globalized healthcare. I look forward to being a part of its success."

Through its global network of board-certified doctors practicing at state-of-the-art Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited hospitals, Satori World Medical offers a comprehensive, high-quality integrated medical benefit program that reduces the costs of surgical procedures by an average of 40 to 80 percent when compared to the same procedures performed in a U.S. hospital.

"We are honored to have Josef Woodman join our Strategic Advisory Board," adds Steven Lash, president & CEO of Satori World Medical. "His extensive hands-on experience with the consumer side of healthcare will help strengthen key relationships among patients, international providers, and insurers."

About Satori World Medical Satori World Medical is the world's first global healthcare network and service company specifically designed to deliver high-quality healthcare services, share the tremendous cost savings with plan sponsors and their employees, and coordinate all medical and travel services for individuals who need care. For more information about Satori World Medical, please call +1 (619) 704-2000 or visit the company's Web site at http://www.satoriworldmedical.com.

Insurers putting medical tourism plans to the test
Excerpted from the Cincinnati Business Courier.

The list of jobs that can be outsourced continues to grow. Now it includes doctor.

When reports came out a few years ago of Americans traveling to other countries for cheaper medical care, they were regarded as an oddity.

Now the idea of looking overseas for care is being considered, or implemented, by companies across the country and by major insurance companies – including the largest carriers in Greater Cincinnati.

For the complete story, click here to be directed to the Cincinnati Business Courier. Subscription required.

Galichia Heart Hospital Partners with Mobile Surgery International to Develop Wichita-based Center of Excellence with Global Convenience(TM)

Partnership will offer expanded access to choice, quality and cost-efficiency for patients and payers

WICHITA, Kan. and AVENTURA, Fla., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Galichia Heart Hospital and Mobile Surgery International (MSI) have reached an agreement for Galichia to host MSI-coordinated, highly specialized, urologic surgical teams at its facilities in Wichita. This agreement, effective immediately, expands Galichia's capabilities as a center of excellence for selected types of specialty surgical care and expands MSI's ability to offer patients surgical choice in high quality facilities across the United States.

"This agreement with Mobile Surgery International has brought us immediate access to an advanced urologic cancer surgical program with no learning curve and little capital risk," said Stephen Harris, chief executive officer of Galichia Heart Hospital. "We have previously proven that Galichia is a medical destination for certain types of cardiovascular conditions. Now we are expanding the services we offer to patients, both locally and globally."

MSI will initially offer minimally invasive surgical services for prostate cancer and other forms of prostate surgery at Galichia. Additional services at Galichia may be made available through MSI over time.

"We are delighted to have implemented this agreement because Galichia Heart Hospital offered us the quality of surgical capabilities and facilities we consider essential," said Dr. Arnon Krongrad, chairman and chief executive officer of Mobile Surgery International. "The hospital's location in Wichita will be a convenient destination for many of the patients that MSI expects to treat, making it easier for patients to travel to and from such a center of excellence."

MSI continues to form relationships that will allow payers to fill gaps in network coverage and offer choice, quality and cost containment to their patient base. Some of these relationships will specifically include referrals of patients to MSI for certain urological procedures at Galichia Heart Hospital.

In March 2009, Mobile Surgery International first demonstrated the ability of a mobile surgical model to simultaneously deliver choice, quality, and cost containment to patients. It sent an uninsured American and his American surgical team to Trinidad in the West Indies. In so doing, MSI delivered the treatment the patient chose and cut his cost by more than half.

Galichia Heart Hospital is an 82-bed full-service, acute care hospital located in Wichita, Kan. With a staff of more than 150 physicians, the hospital is committed to world class care and improved efficiency in all areas of patient treatment and care. Specialties include cardiology, interventional cardiology, diagnostic radiology, nephrology, emergency medicine, nuclear cardiology, electrophysiology, interventional vascular medicine, gastroenterology, orthopedics, general surgery, sleep disorders, internal medicine, family practice and endocrinology.

Mobile Surgery International offers patients and payers from anywhere in the world surgical choice and quality with cost containment through its Centers of Excellence with Global Convenience(TM). To do this, MSI is cutting overhead, recruiting outstanding surgical talent, and identifying host surgical facilities. It provides differentiating surgical programs and develops custom solutions to administrative needs with minimal regard to geography. Whether the patient comes to the surgeon, the surgeon goes to the patient, or patient and surgeon meet at a mutually convenient location, MSI coordinates all necessary arrangements at a cost agreeable to the patient and/or the payer. MSI is an operational unit of the Krongrad Institute. For more information, see www.emeseye.com.

Healthplace America Names Robert A. Yungk Chief Executive Officer

LISLE, Ill., July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthplace America, Inc., the market leader in domestic medical travel, announced the appointment of Robert A. Yungk to Chief Executive Officer. He will be responsible for the company's strategic direction and all day-to-day business operations to ensure the success of the company's overall business objectives and growth.

"Healthplace America is an innovative, market driven and solution-based surgery management company," said newly appointed CEO, Yungk. "I look forward to helping the organization continue its growth and revolutionizing this country's approach to managing the cost and quality of surgery care. I am committed to its success and to making certain we have the resources and operations to fuel innovation and leadership in our marketplace."

"To have a CEO of Bob's caliber provide his unique combination of industry knowledge from the payor, provider and consulting industries while having served in senior leadership roles is a major coup for us," said Keith Henthorne, Chief Investment Officer of Zielger Healthvest Partners, LP. "Now is the time to call upon Bob's strengths and significant understanding of healthcare operations, especially as Healthplace America expands its role as a market leader in cost effective domestic medical travel for surgery services."

Prior to joining Healthplace America, Mr. Yungk served with Mercer, the world's largest healthcare consulting group, where he was Global President of Health and Benefits. While at Mercer, Mr. Yungk led the development of healthcare solutions for Fortune 500, multinationals and mid-size corporations in 42 countries around the globe.

Prior to Mercer, Mr. Yungk held the position of Senior Vice President of Managed Care for Tenet Healthcare, the nation's second largest hospital system. In addition to his managed care operational responsibilities, he led the strategy and development of medical Centers of Excellence. In addition, he was the Chairman of TCI, Inc., one of the largest independent Medicare Advantage health plans in the country. He has more than two decades of experience in senior executive leadership roles with health industry leaders such as UnitedHealthcare, WellPoint and Lincoln National Health Plans.

Mr. Yungk holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. He is currently a doctoral candidate in healthcare policy and administration. In addition, he honorably served in the United States Air Force as part of the Strategic Air Command.

Editor's Note: Medical Travel Today (MTT) recently interviewed James G. Schwade, M.D., FACR, FACRO, FASTRO, for a story on the applications of the CyberKnife for lung cancers and lesions. In the course of our conversation MTT learned that 10 percent of the patients treated at the CyberKnife Centers of Miami and Palm Beach are from outside the United States. Dr. Schwade was kind enough to grant MTT a second interview in which we were able to learn about the CyberKnife Centers as a medical travel destination.

Before he founded and became the executive director of the CyberKnife Centers of Miami and Palm Beach, Dr. Schwade was an accomplished and internationally recognized radiation oncologist. In addition to serving as the co-medical director at the Miami NeuroScience Center, associate director of Clinical Research at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Center, and as the first Chair of the Radiation and Oncology departments at the University of Miami, Dr. Schwade performed more than 1,700 radiosurgery treatments and authored 80 scientific articles.

In the early 1990s he was involved in patient treatments using the gamma knife at both the Doctors Hospital in Miami and Jackson Memorial. While the value of the technology was abundantly clear, Dr. Schwade felt there was a problem with access for both physicians and patients.

When spinal surgery in 2000 removed Dr. Schwade from direct patient care, he began looking at ways to facilitate patient access to radiosurgery centers. "I initially thought I would develop a community-based freestanding gamma knife center that could be used by more doctors than could be accommodated at the existing two centers," says Dr. Schwade. "But shortly after I started the process, the CyberKnife became ready for primetime, if you will. I still believed in the fully independent, freestanding center but felt I needed to make an adjustment in terms of technology."

Dr. Schwade contacted CyberKnife manufacturer Accuray in January 2003 and in short order had acquired the first CyberKnife in the southeastern United States -- and the 12th in the world. By December of 2003, the CyberKnife Center of Miami was open and offering treatments to patients.

"At that time we were treating mostly brain tumors," says Dr. Schwade. "Now the majority of our cases are related to lung cancers as well as brain, spine, and other tumors."

Since 2003 Dr. Schwade has opened a second CyberKnife Center in Palm Beach Gardens that also operates as a fully-independent freestanding outpatient facility.

He explains, "The advantage of operating as a fully independent center is that it gives full access to any doctor and any patient. The patient isn't limited by a doctor's affiliation and the physician, any physician with any hospital, can access the technology if he or she feels it’s the best option for the patient."

Another advantage of an independent, freestanding facility is that it prevents needless duplication of technology at multiple hospitals. In fact, Dr. Schwade believes that the nature of his center actually leads to more appropriate utilization of the technology.
"Sometimes you'll find doctors feeling pressured to use a certain technology simply because their facility has it. This can sometimes lead to marginal indications or treating people who can be treated by other or better means for their condition.

"Since the CyberKnife is located at an off-site facility for everyone who uses it, which means it's also a bit of an inconvenience, we're confident that the patients we see are the most appropriate patients for the technology," Dr. Schwade adds. "Doctors aren't going to go out of their way to be inconvenienced, but they will go out of their way for the right treatment offered here."

Since 2003 the Centers have trained over 200 doctors representing 25 different practices and hospitals. The Center does not employ full-time physicians but does have one full-time physicist at the Palm Beach Gardens location and two in Miami.

By employing full-time physicists, the Centers provide a consistent institutional experience for visiting doctors. The physicists are intimately familiar with the technology and can work with doctors to create a treatment plan that best suits given patient needs.
Dr. Schwade cites a core user group of 30 to 50 physicians bringing patients to the facilities. The number continues to steadily climb as the medical community learns of new applications for the technology.

The CyberKnife image-guided robotic radiosurgery is extremely effective at treating brain tumors, lung cancer, primary and metastatic liver lesions, prostate cancer, pancreatic issues, tumors in the kidney, head and neck cancers, and spinal tumors -- both cord or vertebral.

According to Dr. Schwade, treatment of prostate cancer currently represents the fastest growth area for the Centers as treatment can be accomplished through five fractions in just a one-week period.

While the majority of the Centers' patients are from southeastern Florida, in the past year they've seen patients from the Middle East, Russia, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, and numerous Latin American countries.

"Most of the international patients we see don't travel with their physician," says Dr. Schwade. "They tend to find us because their doctor at home has a relationship with a doctor who practices here at the Center. We currently work with a few local facilitators and are very open to working with more," adds Dr. Schwade. "We built our entire model around the idea of providing ultimate access to patients and physicians. As long as a facilitator is not looking for an exclusive relationship that would exclude some patients from access, we are more than happy to work with them."

To learn more about the CyberKnife Centers visit http://www.cyberknifemiami.com/.
Facilitators interested in learning more about work with the Centers should contact Susan Nefzger, Business Development and Marketing, at snefzger@cyberknifemiami.com or call 1-800-204-0455.

Editor's Note: In our last MEDICAL SPOTLIGHT we took a look at the applications of the CyberKnife System for lung cancer and tumors. In this issue we turn our attention to prostate applications.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in American men, affecting 1 in 6 men. It's estimated that more than 192,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009, and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease.

One of most promising treatments for prostate cancer is CyberKnife Radiosurgery.
Typically offered on an outpatient basis, the CyberKnife System provides patients with organ-confined prostate cancer a minimally invasive treatment option. Treatments are typically performed in four to five short outpatient visits over 10 days with patients experiencing little to no side effects and little to no recovery time.

According to Gregg Dickerson, M.D., of Denver CyberKnife, a newly opened independent freestanding facility in Colorado's capital city, whose staff has over 15 years of combined experience with the CyberKnife, "Seventy-five percent of the patients we see are seeking prostate treatments." Dr. Dickerson notes that they even see patients who are scheduled for treatment elsewhere but are interested in pursuing a more convenient option without the side effects of surgery, a radioactive seed implant, or weeks of conventional radiation therapy.

To date, more than 3,000 people worldwide have been treated for prostate cancer using the CyberKnife. "There has been a tremendous increase in the number of patients undergoing this treatment over the last two years," says Dr. Dickerson. "People are very active in seeking out alternative treatments. While our facility has only been operational for a few weeks, we already have appointments for patients travelling from out of state for both procedures and consultations."

Dr. Dickerson expects that trend to continue. "In the past few weeks I've had several people speak to me about actively marketing our facility as a medical travel option. As an independent facility we can work with any hospital and any physician to bring treatment to a patient."

Early clinical studies with 3 to 4 years of results point to rapid reduction of PSA levels in patients undergoing CyberKnife treatments with side effects being comparable to other radiation-based treatments within these follow-up time periods. Other studies indicate the CyberKnife is as effective as high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for treating prostate cancer. However, skeptics do exist.

When compared to traditional prostate cancer treatment methods, radiosurgery is a nascent technology. Some question if enough time has passed and if enough data has been collected that would allow for a firm conclusion to be reached on treatment efficacy.

But despite the questions, the technology appears to have its fair share of fans. Last month Hospital Corporation of America installed its tenth CyberKnife system. Only a month earlier, CyberKnife manufacturer Accuray announced its third-quarter revenue for fiscal 2009 was up four percent over the same quarter for the previous year. The company also reports that attendance at its worldwide radiosurgery workshops is up dramatically, over 100 percent in some instances compared to the same event held one year earlier.

According to Dr. Dickerson, “CyberKnife for prostate cancer is closely following what has happened with CyberKnife for early lung cancer. CyberKnife is now standard treatment for patients with early lung cancer who can’t undergo surgery. The results have been so good that thoracic surgeons have designed an international trial, the Lung Cancer STARS (Stereotactic Radiotherapy vs. Surgery) Trial, to find out if the CyberKnife can replace surgery as the gold standard for early lung cancer treatment.

“I'm a firm believer in the value and efficacy of the CyberKnife for prostate cancer treatment," adds Dr. Dickerson. "I'm confident that the clinical data will continue to support the CyberKnife, and it will become the preferred treatment for men with prostate cancer who are interested in achieving the best results and quality of life after treatment.”

To learn more about the Denver CyberKnife Center, visit denverck.com or contact Business Administrator, Mark Frank at mfrank@denverck.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Malta Medical Tourism Summit
July 13-14, 2009 Hilton Hotel, St Julian’s, Malta

As part of our growing portfolio of strategic business events, The Europe Business Assembly is proud to present The Malta Medical Tourism Summit, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel, Malta on the 13th and 14th July 2009. Medical Tourism Worldwide medical tourism has grown over recent years beyond all expectations and is entering a new phase where key issues and questions are being raised not only by the traveling patients but also by government health ministries, public and private hospitals, facilitators, medical organizations, international corporations, and insurance companies all over the world.

A Forum for Learning and Debate At the Malta Medical Tourism Summit over 130 senior level delegates will listen to an international panel of expert speakers who will be sharing their thoughts and experiences on topics such as:

What are the structures and dynamics of the current medical tourism marketplace?
How should medical tourism be marketed and what can be done to improve the image?
Implementing cross border health care collaborations Who or what currently regulates medical tourism and what are the risks involved to patients, facilitators, and hospitals?
Who bears the cost of malpractice or complications?
The costs and processes of accreditation.
How do accreditation companies differ?
What is the future for medical tourism in the current economic climate?

At the conference sessions and panel discussions, delegates are encouraged to participate in open debate and an exchange of ideas and viewpoints will be welcomed.

Networking and Collaboration The Summit will also provide an outstanding opportunity to network with representatives from within the industry including medical tourism facilitators and travel agencies, private and public hospitals, clinics, medical organizations and associations, tourism ministries and promotion boards, health and travel insurance providers, hotels and resorts with special health facilities, government health ministries, spas and aftercare facilities, and global corporations seeking advice on the implementation of company health schemes. The exhibition area will provide the networking and meeting point with all refreshment breaks and lunches taking place here.

What to do next View the conference agenda and our international panel of speakers For delegate registration or for more information please contact us directly on +44 (0) 1865 794 362 or by email at steve.hambrook@ebaoxford.co.uk

Further information can also be found on the Summit website.

We look forward to welcoming you to Malta!
Kindest regards,
Steve Hambrook

Conference Director
The Malta Medical Tourism Congress
Email address steve.hambrook@ebaoxford.co.uk
Tel +44 (0) 1865 794 362

Sponsors and Exhibitors A limited number of exhibition stands and sponsorship opportunities are still available. I will work with you to build a tailor-made package that gives maximum exposure and branding and suits your budget. Our packages can include exhibition stands, sponsorship and branding at the summit, private meetings with your choice of delegates, presentations on the conference agenda, and pre- and post-event marketing and branding through our Website and database.

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau to Sponsor the 2009 World Medical Health Tourism Conference in Phuket

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is set to sponsor the World Medical Health Tourism Conference: A New Way Forward, which will be held in Phuket, Thailand, September 2009. TCEB’s participation and sponsorship in this internationally diverse networking event will aim to promote Thailand on an international scale as a medical tourism destination and a preferred venue for international meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition (MICE) events. The whole of Phuket Island is getting behind the conference, which will cater to more than 1,200 delegates. Local supporters range from local community groups, tourism operators, and many of the major hoteliers and resort owners, namely Woraburi Phuket Resort, Millennium Resort Patong, The Moevenpick Resort, Karon Beach Resort of Kata Group, Aquamarine Resort, Cape Panwa Hotel, and Andaman Seaview Hotel group.

Phuket, dubbed as the medical tourism hub in Asia, is the ideal location to hold the conference because of its infrastructure, capacity to host a massive number of international guests, and the availability of cutting-edge technology and internationally trained medical experts manning their world-class medical facilities. Sometime within the next month the floor plan or layout for exhibitors at the venue, Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, will be published online and application forms will be available for the exhibitors to download from the Web site. Many pre-conference and post-conference activities have been planned for the conference, which early estimates expect to bring a windfall to Phuket of about $10 million over the two-week period.

Interested parties are advised to visit the conference website: www.sosmedicaltourism.com for more information.

Alternatively, for more information call + (66)76-289-800, to request a printable registration brochure by email sosmedical@sosmedicaltourism.com or sosmedical@ymail.com

Date Set for Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress in Dubai: October 27-29, 2009

With the healthcare travel industry poised to play an important part in Dubai's growth strategy, the Institute for International Research (IIR) Middle East, the organizers of the first medical tourism conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which concluded in Dubai, recently have reported high levels of interest from a potentially huge international market.

"Research unveiled at the event indicated a global market of around two million medical travelers a year and an industry constrained by hospital capacity and lack of consumer familiarity with medical travel," says Sietske Meerloo, marketing manager at IIR Middle East and organizer of Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress. IIR Middle East is also the organizer of the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, the region's premier event for Middle East healthcare that takes place in Dubai 27-29, October, 2009.

“Large numbers of hospitals and clinics around the world are attempting to tailor their health services to cater to medical tourists," Meerloo added. "Several major insurance companies offer a travel component in their policies, and governments are looking closely at policies to take account of the trend."

The health care event was officially opened by Haidar Al Yousuf, M.D., transition director at the Dubai Health Authority, who highlighted the importance the Authority is placing on the future of medical tourism.

"As we look to develop our domestic health strategy, we also want to develop a joint strategy with our colleagues in the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM), for the future of health tourism in Dubai," says Dr. Al Yousuf. "The health care sector in Dubai will become an increasingly attractive place for international health care investors, providers, services, facilities, and other health care professionals."

PlanetHospital, a California-based leader in medical tourism, used the event as a platform to announce the official opening of its Jeddah Saudi Arabia office to serve inbound and outbound medical tourists from the Arabian Gulf region.

"The Gulf has the potential to drive growth in medical tourism," says Mohammed Alarifi, managing director for the new operation. "It is not only a destination from where patients seek medical care abroad but is also becoming a medical tourism destination itself thanks to major hospital developments throughout the region."

The American Hospital Dubai also had high visibility at the event. There was "a lot of exchange of experience among colleagues from around the world," says Naser Saleh, director of marketing and sales. “On the conference side, the sessions were very informative."

Gary Miller, CEO of Health Travel TV, says the event had been important for them. "We have a unique product, and we’re the only broadcast media here dedicated to this area. I’m coming back to Arab Health in January."

Organized in association with the International Medical Travel Association, the Healthcare Travel Exhibition and Congress was supported by the UAE Ministry of Health and the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi. Platinum sponsors were Singapore Medicine. Gold sponsors were the American Hospital Dubai and Dubai Health Authority. For details about Arab Health events, please visit: www.arabhealthonline.com

Healthcare Abroad and Health Tourism 1st International TEMOS Conference
November 15-17, 2009 in Cologne / Germany

TEMOS is pleased to announce the 1st International TEMOS Conference on “HEALTHCARE ABROAD AND HEALTH TOURISM” in Cologne, Germany from November 15-17, 2009.

The main objective is to bring together the parties and markets of:

Health insurance companies and payers from Germany and Europe
Hospitals and medical facilities from all over the world
International facilitators, health tourism operators and telemedicine providers

to discuss about quality management, and the potential of health tourism & healthcare services abroad – from the stakeholders’ perspective.

To push these conference topics we have the pleasure to introduce several international experts as members of the TEMOS Conference Advisory Board, for example:

Health insurance: Dr. Franz Benstetter, Head of Operational Services Munich Health, Munich Reinsurance Company.

Medical facility: Dr. Kalyan S Sachdev, M.D., Chairman and founder of Privat Healthcare Group, member of the governing Board of Indian Spinal Injuries Center.

Telemedicine: Prof. Dr. Michael Nerlich, M.D., Head of the Department of Trauma at the University of Regensburg Academic Medical Center Surgery, President of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH).

Science & Economics: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Goetzke, Director of gewi-Institute for health economics, Co-founder of the Fresenius University in Cologne, Coordinator of the regional initiative “Health Cologne” and “Health Region Cologne Bonn”.

Click here to find additional members of the Advisory Board.

Please also visit the Conference Website for registration and further information!

Register now via the Online Registration Form and benefit from the early bird rates!

Please contact info@temos-conference.com or the conference hotline +49–2203–601 3000
for any questions regarding the International TEMOS Conference.

Exhibitors can increase their profile by choosing between several attractive sponsoring options for this event. Please get in touch with us to learn more about your opportunities.

Please note: You can ideally combine the attendance of the TEMOS conference with a visit to MEDICA®, the world’s largest exhibition for medicine technology, which is held in the neighbouring city of Duesseldorf from November 18-21, 2009.

SITUATIONS WANTED:

International Patient Development in your Country – Medical Tourism

With present economic down turn I would like to offer my skills and global experience to develop much needed healthcare business.
I am sure my experience in medical tourism will provide original strategy as I come from the other side of the world.

Now is the perfect time to participate in global healthcare which is the world's second largest industry.

I would like to know if I can bring my successful career to work for your organisation to develop international business.

For further information visit www.surgeryexpress.com or contact me at as@surgeryexpress.com

JOBS:

Director of Quality Improvement

As the Director of Quality Improvement, you will be responsible for the planning, developing and directing QI functions. Provide leadership, management and supervision of the QI Department operations and staff. Ensure quality of healthcare services rendered meets or exceed professionally recognized standards. Develop and implement measures and controls to achieve company's goals.

Requirements:
BSN/BS/BA Degree in Healthcare related field. Master's Degree in Healthcare a PLUS
QI experience – min. 5 years; Managed Healthcare – min. 5 years.
Knowledge of NCQA standards.
Medicaid experience – min. 2 years.
Management Experience – min. 5 years.
Knowledge of applicable state, federal and third party regulations with special emphasis on Medi-Cal Managed Care.
Excellent communication skills.
Proficiency with computer information systems and software.
Strong analytical and problem solving skills.

Salary is commensurate with experience.
Located in Jackson, MS, USA.

For consideration, please forward your CV w/salary requirements to vvanover@headwaycorp.com or apply at www.headwaycorp.com/jobs

EEO/AA/M/F/V/D

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