THIS WEEK IN MEDICAL TRAVEL TODAY
Volume 5, Issue 16
by Amanda Haar, Editor

Greetings,

A recent article in the huffingtonpost.com on plastic surgery (see INDUSTRY NEWS) includes this quote: "But buyers beware: Plastic surgery tourism is a reflection of both the best and worst of our global society." The article suggests that for the majority of consumers, cost is still the primary driver in the decision to travel abroad for care. However, the recent U.S. Survey of Health Care Consumers from Deloitte actually ranks out-of-pocket cost as the third-most important criteria, behind superior quality of care and availability of doctors and hospitals for treatment needed, in the decision to travel outside the country for care. Cost falls to fifth in the same survey if most or all is paid for by another source.

Personally, I find this bit of information very encouraging. It elevates medical travel from a mere affordable option to a truly informed and desirable option. But as the huffingtonpost.com article points out, the perception of the industry is lagging behind the reality.

While of positive outcomes, research and data, and the work of quality minded organizations (such as Press Ganey Associates featured in this week's first SPOTLIGHT), will help turn perception of the press and consumers, it's up to each of us to make sure that we always open discussions and elevator speeches about the industry with quality first.

As always, we welcome your comments, story ideas and press releases.

Cheers,

Amanda Haar, Editor
ahaar@cpronline.com

SPOTLIGHT: PART I: Karol Wicker and Rainer Hilgenfeld, Press Ganey Associates, Inc.

Karol G. Wicker, MHS, assistant vice president, Press Ganey Associates, Inc.

Rainer Hilgenfeld, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, international coordinator for the International Quality Indicator Project, Press Ganey Associates, Inc.

Publisher’s Note: In 2010, Press Ganey acquired the International Quality Indicator Project® (IQIP), which assists healthcare organizations in identifying opportunities for improvement in patient care. Nearly 350 healthcare organizations in 17 countries use IQIP tools to collect, analyze and compare clinical and administrative healthcare data. For more information, please view the informational brochure (PDF file). A list of available Acute, Psychiatric, Long-Term, and Home-Care measures can be found here.

Medical Travel Today (MTT): Please share with our readers your backgrounds and why Press Ganey is interested in this market segment.

Karol Wicker (KW): I’ve been with the International Quality Indicator Project (IQIP) for about 15 years. It was originally part of the Maryland Hospital Association and last year it was acquired by Press Ganey.

Our interest in the international market really is two-fold:

First, we think Press Ganey’s full range of healthcare performance measurement and improvement solutions are relevant to the international market, not just the clinical performance measures traditionally offered by IQIP.

Press Ganey has been approached by healthcare organizations outside the U.S. that want to view, analyze and interpret performance in the areas of clinical performance and patient satisfaction, so there is clearly interest in more sophisticated products and services.

Second, our overarching objective is really in helping hospitals and all healthcare providers to become high performers, whether they are located inside or outside the United States. We believe much may be gained by comparing performance and fostering collaboration beyond country boundaries. Practices and techniques adopted by practitioners in Thailand, for example, may have relevance to providers in Austria and/or the United States, and vice versa. Our tools and solutions are available at http://www.pressganey.com/ourSolutions.aspx.

Rainer Hilgenfeld (RH): I joined IQIP full-time about three years ago when I became the International Coordinator, and have been working in healthcare consulting in Germany and throughout Europe for the last 10 years. I am an internist by training and worked previously in clinical medicine for another 10 years.

International hospitals that now have this benchmarking opportunity — not only regarding medical outcomes, but also for patient satisfaction — are really an assessment of patients’ experience of care

MTT: Maybe we could step back a minute and could you explain the connection between IQIP and Press Ganey?

RH: Sure. As Karol said, IQIP belonged to the Maryland Hospital Association until August of last year. Now, why would a U.S. State Hospital Association own an international project that includes hospitals in 17 countries? It’s a natural fit that the IQIP came to Press Ganey, which about a year ago acquired IQIP.

It was a very good decision since Press Ganey is a recognized market leader in the United States regarding patient satisfaction and hospital performance measurement and improvement services. However, until then they did not have much of a presence outside the country.
Therefore, there are a lot of synergies among IQIP and other products and services that Press Ganey offers.

MTT: As we look at the international market for hospitals, in terms of selling your services or offering your services, will you be targeting any particular countries or class of hospitals?

RH: We are active in 17 countries including the United States. We are also active in Europe, Latin America and in Asia.

We are likely to target more Asian hospitals. and providers in any country that offers a selection up to Western healthcare standards and that are interested in comparing clinical outcomes to other hospitals.

While we usually prefer to work with local partners in the respective countries, in the past we have also accepted individual hospitals when they fulfilled these criteria.

MTT: So, there would be a little more focus on Asia compared to the United States?

RH: Yes. We are relocating our IQIP international office from Germany to Singapore.

In Europe, we found that many of the larger countries have a mandatory reporting system. Hospitals in these countries at least -- at the moment -- are not very open to additional systems that pose another layer to what they already are required to do.
Conversely, what we found in Asia is that there are many hospitals positioned to attract medical tourists. They all value quality over the quantity of care, and seek to offer services that patients from the United States or Europe would expect. They are looking for ways to benchmark themselves to Western hospitals.

MTT: You do have offices in the United States as well?

KW: Yes – IQIP staff are also in Baltimore, Maryland. Press Ganey’s main headquarters are located in South Bend, Ind..

MTT: Because you’re now involved in medical travel, what is your vision for the industry? What will be the role of Press Ganey in shaping the industry or participating in its development?

RH: The medical tourist industry will grow tremendously in the next several years because patients are more mobile and healthcare has become a global industry.

Everybody is moving all the time, so why wouldn’t patients go to Asia for an operation if they can enjoy the same quality provided in the United States or in Europe, but at lower cost?

The only difference is that surgeries and procedures usually cost half of what they would at home. I think those are wonderful advantages.

I also see patients from developing or transitional countries eager to access more advanced healthcare.

For example, just a month ago I was in a hospital in Bangkok participating in IQIP. Nearly half of its patients are traveling there from abroad, with many coming from the Middle East, Africa, or from other countries in Asia.

There’s movement outside the United States. Medical tourism, as you know, is very much alive and booming already -- and I can see this increasing more in the next few years.

KW: As the medical travel industry grows, U.S. hospitals are going to feel a lot more pressure from the international hospitals.

The U.S. hospitals will start competing more aggressively to keep American citizens home. I also believe international hospitals will want to meet certain quality standards, but they’ll also need to be able to publically report on those so that medical tourists may make informed decisions on where they want travel for care.

MTT: So, this is a way for the international hospitals, so to speak, to step up to the bar.

KW & RH: Yes.

MTT: How many hospitals do you service?

RH: About 350.

MTT: Internationally?

RH: That’s 350 including the United States. We have the U.S. Quality Indicator Project, so altogether we have about 350.

Part II of this interview will be featured in Issue 17.

About Karol Wicker
Ms. Wicker has more than 17 years experience in the health information and data analysis industry supporting quality improvement initiatives to improve patient care processes and reduce costs.

Karol has architected and managed the processing, interpretation and presentation of aggregate and patient-level clinical data for hospital improvement initiatives, ensured validity and reliability of clinical data as well as monitored hospital performance at an individual and aggregate level. She has also provided guidance and direction to information technology staff to implement tools supporting data gathering, analyses and data presentation..

Ms. Wicker has co-authored five research articles published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice and Quality and Safety in Health Care. She has also presented at Academy Health’s Annual Research Meeting, the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting and Exposition, and the Maryland Patient Safety Center’s Annual Conference.

Karol received two Bachelor of Science degrees with honors from Goucher College and her Master of Health Science with honors in international health and population policy from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also holds Six Sigma Green Belt certification.

About Rainer Hilgenfeld
Since 2008, Rainer Hilgenfeld has been international coordinator of the International Quality Indicator Project, a product of Press Ganey Associates, Inc., where he is responsible for training and coordinating hospitals and healthcare facilities outside the United States that participate in the International Quality Indicator Project (www.internationalqip.com).

He is intricately familiar with clinical performance measurement, having introduced and supported the International Quality Indicator Project in China, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Switzerland in his previous position as director of the Healthcare Quality Division at epos Beratungsgesellschaft, a healthcare consulting firm belonging to the EPOS Group, which is based near Frankfurt, Germany.

Dr. Hilgenfeld has extensive experience assessing and preparing hospitals for accreditation. He has prepared numerous hospitals in Austria, Germany and Italy for accreditation by Joint Commission International and has assessed tertiary care centers in Pakistan as an expert for the World Health Organization. He is also a certified Trainer for the German accreditation system KTQ as well as an EFQM Assessor (European Foundation for Quality Management).

Dr. Hilgenfeld is a board-certified internist with 10 years of clinical experience. He holds a doctorate and an M.D. from the Free University of Berlin and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

About Press Ganey Associates, Inc.

Recognized as a leader in performance improvement for 25 years, Press Ganey partners with more than 10,000 healthcare organizations to create and sustain high-performing organizations and, ultimately, improve the overall healthcare experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to help clients operate efficiently, improve quality, increase market share and optimize reimbursement. Press Ganey works with clients from across the continuum of care – hospitals, medical practices, home care agencies and other providers – including 50 percent of all U.S. hospitals. For more information, visit www.pressganey.com

SPOTLIGHT: PART I: Elisabeth Schuler Russell, Patient Navigator, LLC


Guiding your journey through illness and aging....

Publisher’s Note: The role of patient navigators is addressed under healthcare reforms, specifically for the Health Insurance Exchanges. This interview reflects a consumer group – not physicians – which is filling this critical role.

Medical Travel Today (MTT): So, tell us what you know about medical travel.

Elisabeth Schuler Russell, founder and president, Patient Navigator, LLC

Elisabeth Schuler Russell (ER): It is a growing field and I’ve seen press reporting on it.

People usually seek foreign medical travel when they can’t afford the fees or get access to a procedure. American doctors are skittish about it, and insurance wants nothing to do with it.

People feel nervous about undertaking medical travel, but when someone is desperate, they are more likely to get up the courage to try something new. I’ve heard about good outcomes in countries including India and in Central America, so I think it’s something that is just beginning to come on to the public radar screen.

It will probably start getting a lot more attention as our health system gets further out of control.

MTT: Would it surprise you to know a lot of medical travel is domestic?

ER: Yes it would surprise me. Can you explain what that means?

MTT: This generally refers to people traveling from New York to California or from Texas to Oklahoma or to Denver — or wherever in the United States — to access care a Center of Excellence that may also be less expensive than of that received closer to home. Does that strike you as a compelling reason for your stakeholders to travel?

ER: That makes sense. In fact, we’ve done that in my practice.

I’m working with someone right now who is going to another state for help because she can’t get what she needs where she resides.

MTT: In the entire medical travel scenario, domestic medical travel is very attractive and generating a lot discussion.

ER: I think it needs to be.

I have been dealing with some clients with horrible, complicated diseases that don’t fit into any box. If these individuals are living in smaller towns or not in a major metropolitan center, their doctors are quickly stumped. So that is certainly something we think about — especially something in the cancer world.

Do you need to go to M.D. Anderson or some other nationally recognized facility that has the most up-to-date treatments — especially if it is a rare cancer?

So, absolutely, I see a lot of that happening and it’s a good thing.

MTT: It’s a good thing, I agree. I interviewed the CEO of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America and he indicates that many people travel to its facilities – nearly 500 miles away.

ER: That’s a very interesting organization because they’re big on integrative oncology and that is so important. The United States is far behind Europe when it comes to integrative oncology, which means, as you probably know from interviewing them, bringing in all of the other things that can assist with chemo and radiation and surgery —nutrition and exercise and mind/body work.

MTT: Chiropractic --they were very big on chiropractic.

ER: Yes — that’s a very interesting model and I hope it catches on.

MTT: So, tell me a little bit about your model, only because I think you fit into the medical travel community and the discussion about sending people to the appropriate place because they can’t access care or they need specialized care

ER: I guess I was confusing my initial comments — medical tourism vs. medical travel.

MTT: Right. This publication is called Medical Travel Today, not Medical Tourism.

ER: We have worked with a lot of people who need to go somewhere else for care.

One example is that of a young, 29-year-old woman in Indiana with very complicated, painful and chronic symptoms. We think it is some kind of auto-immune disease. She literally has not been able to get diagnosed — even after seeing many, many specialists in her area.

She went to the University of Kentucky and that didn’t help, either. She is just getting sicker and sicker. We, on our end, thought outside the box and looked for what might be going on. We came up with a possible diagnosis that we shared with her primary care physician, who agreed it might be on target.

So, I found the premier center in the United States, which happens to be in New York, for that very rare condition and I’m in email communication with that doctor. We’ve sent her records, and he’s now looking at her records to see if she is a good candidate to visit. So, that’s one example.

The other example is of a young woman in Arizona, who had a series of botched abdominal surgeries, and is in terrible distress. Now doctors in Arizona want nothing to do with her because they don’t want to fix the mess that their peers in the state made.

So, we’re going to Texas next month to get her looked at and possibly explore new treatment options to relieve her pain and discomfort.

MTT: The first example that you gave, what condition was that?

ER: We think that she has Bechet's disease, a rare autoimmune disease characterized by oral ulcers and a lot of other terrible conditions.

MTT: What if the patient needed a treatment that could not be accessed in the United States – one that was not Food and Drug Administration--approved?

ER: Actually, I’m going to be working on some of that right now.

There’s a man who wants to participate in a clinical trial that uses a new device for Glioblastoma Multiforme brain tumours. The device delivers electrical stimulation to the brain for two years. The patient wears this little shoulder bag, and it’s been approved in Europe and in use. It is in clinical trials in the United States, and I am calling the researchers today in Europe who did the trials on that device and wrote the journal articles (Note: the device was FDA-approved, April 15).

I’m going to Canada on behalf of another client who has Locked-In Syndrome, which can occur following a brain stem stroke when the body is almost paralyzed, except for the eyes and some other very small movements. But the patient is fully cognizant and has all of his/her mental functions. These individuals are just locked inside their own bodies.

This is a long and horrifying story about the healthcare system in the United States, and the inability to treat someone. On the other hand, in France, they have a fantastic rehabilitation program for locked-in patients that last six to nine months. It all came about as a result of a film that was produced.

A French author became locked-in, and the movie about his story is called, "The Diving Bell and Butterfly." It’s the true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who suffered a stroke and has to live with an almost totally paralyzed body; only his left eye isn't paralyzed.
Since then, in the late ‘90s, the French set up a treatment system for locked-in patients that I think is the best in the world. So, I’ve actually been in contact with the Locked-In Association in France. We’ve sent over his medical records and we’re trying to get him a place in France for rehab.

In the United States, brain injury rehab is measured in days and weeks, not months. Don’t believe that the treatment Congresswoman Gabby Giffords is getting is typical — 99 percent of the country would not be able to get that level of care. I’m also going to look at Canada and find out what it is doing for locked-in patients.

Searching for the best possible care is definitely something that we do. We look within the United States for those Centers of Excellence, the one or two doctors who are the lead clinicians or researchers on a particular condition, and see where they practice. We will go there if we need to.

MTT: If you ever come across something where you can’t identify a COE, please feel free to post something in this newsletter. What about stem cell procedures? Have you referred people out of the country?

ER: That has not come up yet in our practice, but I certainly would if it was necessary because it’s such a promising thing. There was actually an article in The Washington Post last Sunday about a man, 19 or 20 years old, who after an auto accident was paralyzed and has received stem cells in his spine after a trial being conducted in Alabama.

So, he’s a test case and they’ve started to do it here. But I think it’s absolutely tragic and appalling that politics is preventing this treatment from becoming available. If a client wanted to explore stem cells, I would absolutely try to find somewhere they could go.

MTT: We are decades behind places like China, Greece or India, where they are successfully doing embryonic stem cell.

ER: There are also some hucksters out there, as well.

MTT: Absolutely. Good point.

ER: There was a case in Mexico of a doctor promising all kinds of cures from stem cell work and there was a “60 Minutes” expose.

I actually had a client who communicated with him because she was so desperate. It would take a lot of due diligence, and I would be very careful.

I wouldn’t randomly suggest someone to go somewhere for treatment, but with the proper due diligence, it would be possible to find some reputable studies or centers that are doing it.

There are so many treatments going on outside the United States. I know the Europeans are way ahead of us on many things.

Part II of this discussion will be featured in Issue 17.

About Elisabeth Schuler Russell

Elisabeth Russell is the founder of Patient Navigator, established in 2004 to help patients and families navigate illness and the U.S. healthcare system. She is also the vice president of the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants. In 2009, she was trained as an integrative oncology “Cancer Guide” by the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. She has completed a continuing education course on conventional medicine at Georgetown University.

In 2007, Russell was trained as a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®. She has been a hospice bereavement counselor, launched a Parent Loss Support Group in 1991 and has facilitated grief support groups. In her first career, Russell worked for 22 years as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State, where she earned nine prestigious Honor Awards. She holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a bachelor’s degree from the American University in Paris, France. The gift of her daughter’s survival after a pediatric brain tumor led Russell to her new calling as a patient navigator so that she can advocate, educate and solve problems for patients and families.

About Patient Navigator

Patient Navigator, LLC, provides a range of individualized services and tools to patients and families who are confronting illness or chronic disease including a multitude of challenges associated with aging parents. We advocate to overcome obstacles to care and to ensure that stressful, time-consuming administrative tasks including insurance issues are properly managed. We educate clients so that patients can eliminate the anxiety of deciphering the healthcare system and their medical condition, learn how to communicate with their medical teams, and know where to find resources and how to access services. We integrate the full-range of nutritional and complementary therapies that can contribute to a treatment, recovery and survivorship plan. We bring healthcare and life care together.

SPECIAL To Medical Travel Today: Devi Prasad Shetty, M.D., chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore

Editor's Note: It's virtually impossible to study medical travel today and NOT come across the name Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty. Known best for pioneering the concept of a "health city," Shetty's influence on the industry is far-reaching and will no doubt continue to shape it for many years to come

We're grateful to Dr. Shetty for taking time out of his exceptionally busy schedule to spend some time with publisher Laura Carabello to discuss his work in both India and the Cayman Islands.

“When we started Narayana Hrudayalaya 10 years ago, we already had a fairly large number of patients coming from foreign countries like Bangladesh,” said Dr. Shetty. “Initially, foreign patients represented about 5 percent of the volume, but this has already grown to about 20 percent.”

While he never anticipated this growth in medical travel, it is largely the result of low cost air travel, ease of travel with relatively easy visa formalities and good connectivity between countries.

“Medical tourism is a reality, and its growth is not primarily because of our skill -- rather it stems from the changes in the environment, increased affluence, better airports and connectivity,” he said. “We get patients from 75 countries: most of them come for heart surgery and a good number of them come for pediatric cardiac surgery -- mainly from Asia and Africa. 

He says that many patients come for cancer care, especially bone marrow transplants.

“We have a very large bone marrow transplant with 16 specialty air-conditioned rooms to treat 16 bone marrow transplants at any given time,” said Dr. Shetty. “We also get patients for related kidney transplant and liver transplants.”

The idea of having all these specialties with four super specialty hospitals on one campus is to invest in the whole range of healthcare services. 

“We have many patients coming for laparoscopic hysterectomy,” said Dr. Shetty.. “While hysterectomy can be done in any country, individuals come here because of the skill of our surgeons.”

Dr. Shetty indicates that his organization is investing in a wide range of healthcare services, and believes that going forward there will be a reduced number of super specialty hospitals.

“Consolidation is going to happen,” he said. “If one hospital is doing 35 major heart surgeries a day -- like what we do right now in Bangalore -- our results will be much better than a facility that’s doing 2-3 surgeries in a day.”

Shetty says that in addition to better outcomes, this increased volume also significantly reduces the costs.

“Numbers attract talented people who in turn take it to the higher level,” he said. “Numbers will also generate recognition as an academic and research center, which will help to build an institution for the future.”

Dr. Shetty notes the quality of doctors in India as being “outstanding” -- especially the specialists. With regard to his proposed project in the Cayman Islands, he did not want these specialists to be forced to undergo an entrance exam as part of their work in the Caymans.

“For this reason, we requested the government to allow specialists from India to work in Cayman Island at our project, and they have kindly agreed,” said Shetty. “However, I believe that most of the super specialists heading our operation in Cayman Islands will be doctors with a known track record from the United States.”

He reports that after announcing the Cayman Island project, his organization received more than 1,500 applications including some applicants that are very famous doctors in the United States. 

“I was surprised and shocked to see their applications for our project,” said Dr. Shetty. “This shows the degree of interest by the American specialists. I do believe that most of the top positions in the project will be occupied by these outstanding doctors from the United States. If there is a short fall, we might think about bringing medical specialists from India.”
Regarding the cap on malpractice compensation, he says this is not new in United States and some states have already adopted it.

“It is a matter of time until others will adopt it,” said Dr. Shetty. “This is an amount of money which does not help the patient, hospital or the health sector. So, whatever is not right cannot sustain and cannot persist.”

About Dr. Devi Shetty

Dr. Devi Shetty is an Indian born doctor and cardiac surgeon. He began his career with the Guys Hospital in London working for the National Health Service, United Kingdom, with whom he was associated until 1989. Subsequently, on his return to India, he started the BM Birla Heart Research Centre in Kolkata, where he was involved in the treatment of Mother Teresa. His involvement with Mother Teresa had a deep impact on him and resulted in his becoming her disciple. Thereafter, he moved to Bangalore to commission the Manipal Heart Foundation. He founded a chain of super-specialty hospitals, which includes the Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences in Kolkata and Narayana Hrudayalaya Health City in Bangalore. Currently, Narayana Hrudayalaya Group of Hospitals establishes and manages existing and upcoming health cities in Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jamshedpur, Ahmedabad and a few others.

Dr. Shetty and his team pioneered the concept of a “Health City,” a 2,000-5,000-bedded conglomeration of multiple super specialty hospitals in a single campus. The economies of scale achieved through the health cities enable the Group to provide affordable healthcare to thousands.  Dr. Shetty was also involved in coining the term “Micro Health Insurance.” He spearheaded the launch of a health insurance for the farmers of Karnataka in association with the state government. Yeshaswini, the micro-health insurance scheme launched eight years ago with a premium of Rs. 5/- per month per person, has revolutionized health insurance in the state. Dr. Shetty actively sought and succeeded in replicating the micro-health insurance model in the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh (Arogya Shree) and Tamil Nadu (Kalaignar Star Health Insurance). The huge success of this model has seen six more state governments opting to adopt a Yeshaswini like micro-health insurance model in their respective states. 

 Dr. Shetty’s Narayana Hrudayalaya Group, in association with the Indian Space Research Organization, manages the world’s largest telemedicine program and has treated more than 53,000 heart patients. Narayana Hrudayalaya telemedicine facility caters to the PAN-African satellite network, which connects 56 African cities. 

The Narayana Hrudayalaya Group has extensive experience in performing complex heart operations, such as Pulmonary Endarterectomy, repair of Aortic Aneurysms and repair of heart valves. Twenty years ago, Dr. Shetty and his team pioneered neo-natal cardiac surgery by operating on new born babies with complex congenital heart disease.

In addition to his administrative and medical commitments with the Narayana Hrudayalaya Group, Dr. Shetty is also on the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India, an apex body regulating medical education in India. His activities are profiled in several international publications including the Wall Street Journal, which referred to him as the Henry Ford of cardiac surgery in a cover page article; Forbes; Fortune; and Business Week. Harvard Business School and Wharton Business School have based a case study acknowledging the unique business model of the Narayana Hrudayalaya Group.

Dr. Shetty is a recipient of the Padma Shree in 2003, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003, Dr. B.C. Roy award in 2004 and Social Entrepreneur - World Economic Forum in 2005. Dr. Shetty is a professor at Rajiv Gandhi University of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, India and University of Minnesota Medical School.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Plastic Surgery Tourism: Buyer Be Aware

Dr. Michael Yaremchuk, Huffingtonpost.com — Medical tourism is an established element of the international medical landscape. The major incentives for patients travelling abroad for plastic surgery are access to otherwise unavailable or perceived superior care, cost and, sometimes, a pleasant, vacation-like environment for early recovery. If all goes as planned, the treatment and recovery occur in a relatively short period -- perhaps a one or two-week vacation.

But buyers beware: Plastic surgery tourism is a reflection of both the best and worst of our global society.

To continue reading click here.

Stem Cell Guardian Launches New Video

Randy Robinson, medical consultant for Stem Cell Guardian, released a new video detailing the facilities and offerings at the Wu Stem Cell Medical Center in Beijing, China, which offers stem cells for neurological conditions including, but not limited to, ALS, Parkinson’s, MSA, MS, strokes, brain and spinal cord injuries, and diabetes Type 1 & 2.

Robinson, who was recently featured in Medical Travel Today, assists individuals throughout the world in finding the best hospital match and providers for stem cell treatment in China – at no charge. 

The new video is posted on YouTube and offers consumers a general overview of the typical treatment protocols and potential results.

To view the video, click here.

Canadian Medical Travel and Tourism Agency Launches Global Healthcare Connections

With lengthy wait times in Canada, a shortage of doctors and an increasing need for private medical services, Global Healthcare Connections Inc. is Saskatoon’s most trusted source for healthcare options.

PRWeb — Global Healthcare Connections is a Canadian Medical Travel and Tourism Agency that identifies healthcare solutions for individuals willing to travel for medical and dental services.

Medical tourism, medical travel and global healthcare are the terms used when an individual travels outside their area of residence to obtain medical care. Clients who choose this healthcare option have access to life-changing, often life-saving, medical procedures performed by some of the highest skilled and trained medical professionals in the world.

The company has partnered with 44 hospitals and clinics in 14 countries worldwide to provide advantages over lengthy surgical and specialist wait times. Global Healthcare Connections’ clients benefit by saving money on elective procedures including bariatric and cosmetic surgery, dental implants and veneers, and also more importantly from security and peace-of-mind knowing they have been connected to qualified and certified physicians and dentists who deliver advanced healthcare services.

They provide affordable access to elective procedures, flexibility to have treatment in a preferred destination and access to treatments not yet available in Canada, including Stem Cell Therapy and CCSVI for Multiple Sclerosis.

Adele Kulyk is the successful entrepreneur behind the Saskatoon business that provides global reach to healthcare for its clients. Kulyk is a business leader in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, with numerous awards and achievements in support of her skill level. Kulyk ensures the company maintains the highest standard of medical ethics and builds relationships with the hospitals, clinics and medical professionals abroad. It was her family experience that sparked the desire to help other people access the care they need.

“We understand the entire process of travelling for medical services and work to ensure that our clients have immediate access to the best practitioners in their field of expertise,” said Kulyk. “On an international platform, medicine advances much faster than on a local level. By traveling our clients gain immediate access to advanced treatment for management of chronic health conditions, pain and critical illness.”

Canadian consumers are demanding, especially when it comes to the importance of their health. Global Healthcare Connections provides information on physician credentials, treatment outline and risks, destination and follow-up care so clients can make informed decisions on when and if medical travel is right for them. The company will book all medical appointments, arrange air and ground transportation, accommodation, financing, insurance and emergency medical services.

Public Employee Benefits Alliance Selects Satori World Medical

The Public Employee Benefits Alliance (PEBA)/Political Subdivision Healthcare Benefit Purchasing Cooperative has selected through a competitive bidding process Satori World Medical, an International Provider Network and medical travel company, as an additional network option for PEBA member employees. PEBA was established in 2006 by a group of Texas government leaders to develop strategies to manage the rising costs of healthcare benefits. PEBA membership is open to all Texas local governments and includes school districts, municipalities and counties throughout Texas. PEBA negotiates on behalf of the membership affordable, high‐quality healthcare and related benefits and services designed for public entity employers.

Satori World Medical will provide PEBA member employers a full-service medical travel program option, also known as medical tourism, international centers of excellence or global healthcare, which can result in 40-80 percent cost savings per procedure. The program offers specialized procedures, such as orthopedic, cardiac, and other major surgeries that can be performed at one of Satori’s network hospitals around the world, and includes the costs of travel and hotel accommodations for the patient and a companion.

“We are very pleased to be working with Satori World Medical,” said Susan Smith, of PEBA Administrative Services. “Their program adds a great value to our members’ benefit packages by giving PEBA member employers access to International Centers of Excellence around the world at significant cost savings. Satori’s program is in direct alignment with PEBA’s mission to provide affordable, high-quality healthcare for our members.”

“Political subdivisions around the country are looking at international healthcare to provide a new value, add medical benefit and, at the same time, lower their healthcare costs,” said Steven Lash, president and CEO, Satori World Medical. “The rising cost of healthcare continues to place a tremendous burden on the public sector and U.S. employees and we are thrilled that we can offer PEBA members an alternative.”

Satori World Medical has done extensive due diligence on hospitals and physicians to find the best the world has to offer. Its network features hospitals that meet or exceed U.S. standards of care, are accredited and monitored regularly by Satori on the quality of care delivered.



Frost & Sullivan's ‘After Effects of Recession in the Healthcare Industry - What Is in Store for the Investors?’ Cites Medical Travel as a Bright Spot

DUBLIN -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets has added Frost & Sullivan's new report, "After Effects of Recession in the Healthcare Industry - What is in store for the Investors?," to its offering.

Introduction: Mergers and Acquisitions were on a rebound in 2010 shaped by multiple factors ranging from the Healthcare Reform Act to Medical Tourism.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
It is a mixed bag with respect to the Health Reform Act. In the United States, healthcare participants across the value chain are looking at operational efficiencies as the act is expected to have an effect on healthcare providers, payers and device companies. Consolidation, through merger and acquisition or joint venture, is considered the way forward for companies that are likely to be affected by this act.

Medical Tourism
Escalating medical costs in the West have always been a cause for concern. One beneficiary of this trend is the medical tourism industry. With a majority of medical tourism revolving around dental and cosmetic care, this sector was also not spared from recession. The year 2010 saw a comeback as tourists resumed their visits outside their home geography to other countries for these procedures and also treating it as a short vacation. This rebound in medical tourism saw hospitals enter into alliances with their counterparts across the world to more effectively manage the patients.

Developing World and Healthcare
While the Americas and Europe have been considered as the innovation hub, 2009-2010 saw an interesting trend toward movement of healthcare activities to the developing regions across the globe. Historical double-digit growth rates, lower costs and significantly lesser barriers to entry are contributing factors to a gradual shift to the developing countries.

Financing Mergers and Acquisition
Although some experts believe that the worst recession is finally over, global economies are still battling with the after effects. Healthcare, despite being one of the last sectors to bear the brunt/be affected by the recession, has taken a hit on multiples, and general availability of funds. Global IPO meltdown and tightening credit lines were the biggest challenges facing healthcare. Last year saw an improvement in this trend, as M&A improved and companies were more willing to look at expansion plans

 UPCOMING EVENTS

Second Annual Health 2.0 Europe Conference to Explore Impact of Web 2.0 Technology on European Healthcare

Event in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 27-28, 2011, will explore user-generated healthcare in a boundary-less online world and connecting patients and providers in diverse systems

Berlin, Germany, July 14, 2011– Health 2.0 Europe, a conference dedicated to how Web 2.0 tools, data and social media are transforming healthcare systems in Europe, announced that its second annual event will take place Oct. 27-28, 2011, in Berlin. Co-hosted with partner K.I.T. Group, this second edition will reconvene leaders and stakeholders in the Health 2.0 community for a day-and-a-half of technology demos, networking and brainstorming.

Health 2.0 Europe 2011 will present the latest thinking about content, search & communities, data utility layer and analytics, provider and consumer tools for care management, and financing, mobile devices, smartphones and ‘unplatforms’ in a European context. In particular, the conference will address what a “boundary less” online world means for consumers and physicians working in different healthcare systems. Technologies that are shaping the future of European healthcare will be featured in live demonstrations, along with special videos, keynotes and interactive sessions. In addition, during Launch!, a signature part of all Health 2.0 conferences, start-ups will demo innovative technologies. The call for speakers is open.

“Doctors, patients, and healthcare organizations are adopting a new generation of online and mobile technologies, and are fundamentally changing the way healthcare works,” said Indu Subaiya, co-chairman and CEO of Health 2.0. “This is particularly fascinating with Europe, given each country’s different system, language and methods.”

“We’re thrilled to be bringing Health 2.0 Europe to Berlin. And we’ll again be contrasting and contextualizing the best of European health technology,” said Matthew Holt, co-chairman of Health 2.0.

“Health 2.0 is more than a conference: it is a network, a community, and a complementary suite of activities tailored for the Health 2.0 community,” said Pascal Lardier, international director at Health 2.0.

First held in San Francisco in 2007, the annual Health 2.0 conferences are rapidly expanding to other continents as the use of web and mobile technologies in health grows worldwide. Its inaugural European event was held in Paris in April 2010 and attracted more than 500 attendees. Future conferences are planned for India and China, all featuring Health 2.0’s unique format.

 3rd International TEMOS Conference
HEALTHCARE ABROAD & MEDICAL TOURISM
 
November 20 - 23, 2011
Cologne / Germany

This year’s location for the 3rd International Temos Conference from 20 – 23 November 2011 will be the Mercedes Benz Center in Cologne, one of the most interesting and up-to-date Conference locations in Cologne. Enjoy the combination of Temos Conference high class speakers and the atmosphere of 125 years German high class car design. We are pleased to again carry out the Conference in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center, DLR.

Further information about the Advisory Board, program and exhibition will be published soon on www.temos-conference.com.

Early bird rates are available until 31 July 2011. 

Main topics:
– Medical Tourism I: case management & importance of non-medical services
– Medical Tourism II: state-of-the-art medicine & upcoming topics
– Germs, viruses & Co: “unrequested passengers” of Medical Tourism
– Insurers perspective: treatment abroad
– Repatriation by air: requirements for/of hospitals, insurances and assistances
– Quality Management: standards for international patient treatment
– Telemedicine in Medical Tourism: mission – vision – proven applications
 
Social program:
– November 20: Welcome Reception at Mercedes Benz Center
– November 21: Conference Dinner at Rheinterrassen
– November 22: Visit of Christmas Market in Cologne
Registration fee includes participation in Welcome Reception and Conference Dinner.

 
Information about this event and the preliminary program is now available on the TEMOS Conference Website.

Dates for Center for Medical Tourism Research 2012 Conference Announced

The Center for Medical Tourism Research has announced it's 2012 conference will take place in
San Antonio, TX on February 13-15. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Tricia Johnson from Rush University.

Dr. Johnson is the co-PI for the $500,000 (USD) U.S. Department of Commerce grant to study inbound medical tourism to the U.S. and also is the co-author of the recent book "The Future of Healthcare: Global Trends Worth Watching"

She will be sharing the initial results of her study with our conference participants.

A call for papers will be issued soon.

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