Publisher's Note
The planet is in a fine mess these days. Most of us still find ourselves deep in an unprecedented global downturn, with countries—and entire regions—awash in debt, unstable currencies, austerity measures, and social unrest. Medical travel destinations have seen their recent share of concerns as well: extreme political turmoil in Thailand, drug cartels terrorizing the border towns of Mexico, the threat of war in South Korea, the list goes on.
Yet the world keeps turning. Tourists still board planes for cross-border vacations, businesspeople head to international meetings, and patients worldwide continue to require access to affordable, high-quality care that is not found in their homelands. While the global recession has almost certainly curbed growth in the health and travel sectors, we see that patients worldwide continue to travel for care—even to troubled destinations.
In fact, our research has not uncovered a single instance over the past five years of a medical traveler coming to harm due to political unrest. This is not to minimize the very real impact of economic hardship and political uncertainty, but rather to place it in its proper perspective. Members of the international healthcare community should take proactive steps to modify their messages and marketing efforts accordingly.
On a happier note, we are pleased to inform you that ten hospitals have signed up to participate in our new Patients Beyond Borders Focus On publications and ebooks, with more coming on board each month. Facilities from Barbados, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, and Thailand have joined the growing community of leading international hospitals and clinics working with Patients Beyond Borders to provide compelling, comprehensive, and trusted information for international patients. We hope to soon be working with you as well! For more information, please contact Judy Orchard at jorchard@healthtraveler.net.
All best, Joe
Patients Beyond Borders releases Focus On: Barbados Fertility Center
New digital offering will increase awareness of full-service, American-accredited fertility center in the Caribbean
Patients Beyond Borders, the best-selling consumer reference guide for medical tourism, announces the release of Patients Beyond Borders Focus On: Barbados Fertility Center. This 28-page, full-color, interactive digital publication and eBook was released in early May to coincide with National Infertility Awareness Week. Continue reading >>
HealthTraveler is World's First Mobile App for Medical Tourism
Healthy Travel Media to release medical travel application for international patients Healthy Travel Media, publishers of the Patients Beyond Borders series, announces HealthTraveler TM, the first mobile application that allows patients and international travelers alike to quickly find the highest-quality, American-accredited hospitals and clinics in the world's 50 most-traveled tourist destinations.
Continue reading >>
Patients Beyond Borders in the News
Healthcare Beyond Borders
The Star Online, 2 May 2010
"Why more and more people are travelling thousands of miles for care, and how it can be a viable option." Continue reading >>
The Philippines Checks In for Medical Tourism
AsiaSpa, May 2010
"While Thailand and Singapore (and more recently Malaysia) have long been destinations of choice for tourists from Asia and the West looking for affordable medical treatments, these days it's impossible to overlook the unique offerings coming from the Philippines." Continue reading >>
Save Up To 60%: Fix Your Smile in Costa Rica
International Living, 30 April 2010
"Around midway through my research for the first edition of my book, Patients Beyond Borders, an old root canal became infected and I needed an extraction and implant. When my specialist in North Carolina quoted $4,100 for the procedures, I knew it was time to 'walk the medical tourism talk' and head overseas for care." Continue reading >>
Health Care in Panama: US Standards for a Fraction of the Cost
International Living, April 2010
"Does it really make sense to have medical treatments in Panama? My answer: Absolutely." Continue reading >>
US reforms may boost medical tourism
AsiaTimes, 30 March 2010
"Asian hospitals treating American medical travelers will have to wait longer to see whether the bill will have a significant impact on their businesses, but US insurers will feel the reforms' impact more quickly, and that could lead them to look more closely at international options." Continue reading >>
Health Tourism Growth To Attract More Foreigners Seeking Treatment In Malaysia
Bernama, 29 March 2010
"Foreigners visiting Malaysia for medical treatment has increased tremendously since 2003, reaching 341,288 patients in 2007. The revenue generated from medical tourism was about RM222.25 million for the first nine months of 2008 from more than 282,000 foreigners." Continue reading >>
From the Road
Images from Mexico and Malaysia
 Exterior View, OCA Hospital, Monterrey, Mexico
Cafeteria, CIMA Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
Waiting Area, CIMA Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
Visitor Lobby, Hospital San Jose Tec de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai with PBB author, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
PBB Patient Tip
Ten "Must-Ask" Questions for Your Candidate Physician
Make the following initial inquiries, either of your health travel agent or the physician(s) you're interviewing:
- What are your credentials? Where did you receive your medical degree? Where was your internship? What types of continuing education workshops have you attended recently? The right physician should be happy to email you a complete resume.
- How many patients do you see each month? Doctors should be in touch with their customer base and have such information readily available.
- To what associations do you belong? Your practitioner should be keeping good company with others in the field.
- How many patients have you treated who have had my condition? Ask how many of your specific treatments for your specific condition your candidate doctor has personally conducted.
- What are the fees for your initial consultation? Answers will vary, and you should compare prices to those of other physicians you interview.
- May I call you on your cell phone before, during, and after treatment? Many physicians stay in close, direct contact with their patients, and cell phones are their tools of choice.
- What medical and personal health records do you need to assess my condition and treatment needs? Most physicians require at least the basics: recent notes and recommendations from consultations with your local physician or specialists, x-rays or scans directly related to your condition, perhaps a medical history, and other health records.
- Do you practice alone or with others? Look for a physician who practices among a group of certified professionals with a broad range of related skills.
For surgery:
- Do you do the surgery yourself, or do you have assistants do the surgery? You want assurance that your procedure won't be performed by your practitioner's protege.
- Are you the physician who oversees my entire treatment, including presurgery, surgery, prescriptions, physical therapy recommendations, and post-surgery checkups? For larger surgical procedures, you want the designated team captain. While that's usually the surgeon, check to make sure.
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Inside this Edition
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Author Appearances
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In the Spotlight
PBB Releases First Focus On Digital Publications
Patients Beyond Borders is pleased to announce the completion and publication of our first two Focus On offerings; Patients Beyond Borders Focus On: Barbados Fertility Center and Patients Beyond Borders Focus On: Prince Court Medical Center.
Focus On: Barbados Fertility Center, is the first Patients Beyond Borders publication to feature a Latin American destination. Located in Christ Church, Barbados, BFC is an internationally renowned, JCI-accredited center of excellence, specializing in all aspects of infertility management. Its unique approach offers couples a stress-reduced, holiday-style experience with state-of-the-art IVF and related procedures that have resulted in high success rates for couples unable to conceive a child for a year or more.
Focus On: Prince Court Medical Center is one of Malaysia's leading private healthcare facilities and one of only 5 full service JCI-accredited hospitals in Malaysia. Since opening its doors in 2009, PCMC has welcomed more than 7,000 international patients, all seeking their myriad signature and concierge services, specialties and Centers of Excellence in unparalleled five-star surroundings.
Focus On is an innovative new digital offering from the publishers of Patients Beyond Borders, the world's best best-selling, most authoritative source of consumer and industry information on medical tourism.
Each 32-page, full-color, interactive digital publication and eBooks a leading international hospital or clinic, allowing the consumer access to searchable, dynamic content and invaluable information on accredited, reputable, affordable cross-border healthcare options. Each publication is thoroughly vetted and researched and written by the Patients Beyond Borders editorial team, and includes key specialties, top doctors and surgeons, signature services, case studies and international services contact information, in addition to the basic traveler information so vital to a successful medical trip abroad. A unique ISBN number is assigned to each publication, allowing a hospital to further extend its brand across the Patients Beyond Borders extensive online distribution channel, including eBook sellers, reference and medical libraries, Amazon, Sony Books, Amazon Kindle, Google Books and dozens of other digital channels.
We welcome your facility to join our growing community of Focus On digital publications. To request a review copy, or, for additional information on this or any of our many offerings, please contact Judy Orchard, Communications Manager at +1 919.545.0668 or email her at jorchard@healthtraveler.net.
Focus On: Barbados Fertility Center
Focus On: Prince Court Medical Center
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Of Special Interest
Healthcare Reform and the Medical Travel Industry
Over the course of the past several months, and particularly since the signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (otherwise informally known as the Healthcare Reform Bill), I've been asked by media and industry people how this new and landmark legislation will affect cross-border medical travel.
The sky has not fallen, as predicted by some. Neither have millions of Americans been miraculously transformed, as expected by many.
As the Healthcare Reform Bill is glacially implemented over the next few years, we will undoubtedly see increased burdens on our already groaning healthcare infrastructure. In accommodating 30+ million new healthcare consumers, all but the wealthiest Americans will likely experience an increased and acute shortage of primary care physicians, nurses, and administrative staff, resulting in longer waits for treatment. Thus, while the number of uninsured American patients will decrease, the ranks of the underinsured will rise dramatically, as limited resources are triaged by insurers and providers across the healthcare reform landscape.
In short, the US healthcare system under healthcare reform will likely begin to more resemble the public-private systems found in the UK, and those emerging in Canada and Germany. Not unlike the US education system, we'll see lower cost—although less accessible—public care for those who cannot otherwise afford more expensive private care, financed by luxury insurance plans, concierge services or out-of-pocket payments.
With or without healthcare reform, most Americans will in the coming months and years will experience compacted access to the relative luxury of quality care their mothers and fathers enjoyed. However, greater transparencies in quality assurance, cost effective new technologies, cost-comparison and patient satisfaction data will lead consumers to an impressive array of informed choices for medical care, often international in scope.
The fundamentals for US outbound medical travel—cost savings and access to quality care—remain in place. As Americans continue to age into financially challenging medical conditions, we expect to see steady future growth for the medical tourism sector.
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QuickTakes
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