Health Tourism Magazine Blog

The BBC has reported today that The US economy grew by an annualized rate of 5.7% between October and December, official figures have shown.  The number, which is a first estimate, is a big rise from the previous quarter’s growth rate of 2.2%.  It suggests the country’s economy is growing at its fastest pace for six years and confirms the US economy has left its year-long recession behind.  This is very positive for Medical Tourism as it shows things are turning around.

Till next time,

~Stephanie

A recent national healthcare trend survey from Buck Consultants projected double-digit rate increases for health insurance in the U.S.  The study analyzed responses from over 100 health insurers and HMOs. Insurers providing medical trends for the survey cover a total of approximately 78 million people.  Costs for the most popular medical plans are projected to increase by more than 10 percent.   Rate increases for health insurance plans are supposed to increase 11.1% for Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)    11.1%, 10.9% for Point-of-service (POS) health plans, 10.3% for HMOs, and 10.3% for High Deductible Consumer Driven Health Plans.   In 2009 average cost of health insurance for an individual in the US was $4,824, and for a family $13,375.  With an average of over 10% rate increases per year by 2020 this means the cost of health insurance per year could be as high as or higher than  $13,763 for an individual and $38,160 for a family per year.  Now that healthcare reform has died, US health insurance carriers and employers are going to turn faster to medical tourism as a solution to reduce healthcare costs as the US healthcare crisis continues to worsen.

Till next time,

~Stephanie

The 1st Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea takes place in Seoul Korea on April 13-15th 2010. Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea Speakers Announced for the conference will feature up to 1,000 attendees from over 25 countries and will focus on the high quality of healthcare available in Asia.  

The conference is a joint initiative between the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) and Korean Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI). The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) is funded by the Korean government and was established to support the Korean health industry. KHIDI develops the national strategies and policies on global healthcare industry as well as promotes Korean healthcare brand “Medical Korea” to the world.

“This Congress has been developed to bring to light the current and future issues of medical tourism and global healthcare.  The MTA and KHIDI have developed an agenda designed to stimulate discussion about global trends and generate new business to business relationships all over Asia,” says Renée-Marie Stephano, President of the Medical Tourism Association.

We would like to announce some of our expert speakers including:

Ms. Jaehee Jeon, Minister of Health, Korea Health Ministry
Dr. Bupwan Kim, President, KHIDI
Renee- Marie Stephano, President, Medical Tourism Association
Laila Al Jassmi, CEO – Clinical Support Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority
Dr. Kyungwon Jang, Director General, KHIDI
Mr. Youngho Lee, Director, KHIDI
Rosanna Moreno, Executive Director, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center
Dr. Prem Jagyasi Exhealth, Dubai
Jonathan Edelheit, CEO, Medical Tourism Association
Stephanie Kuo, President of WAAAM China
Brad Cook, International Department Director, Clinica Biblica Hospital, Costa Rica
Zahid Hamid, Euro Medical Tours
Mr. James Lee, Wooridul Hospital
Dr. Bernard Park, KAMA
Dr. Chulsoo Hyun, KAMA
Dr. Bongsik Woo, CEO, Docs Tour
Cagri Kanver, Senior Associate/Senior Consultant, HOK
Tom O’Hara, CEO, Surgical Trip
Todd Fitz, Director of Healthcare Consulting, HOK
Alex Piper, OneWorld Global Healthcare Solutions
Jim McCormick, Premiere Medical Travel
David Vequist, Center for Medical Tourism Research

Seoul, Korea is one the emerging leading destinations for medical tourism and global healthcare in the world. Conference highlights include up to 1000 attendees from over 25 countries bringing together the stakeholders for intense networking events and educational opportunities. The conference delegates would include worldwide selection of Healthcare Providers, International Insurance Providers, Employers, Top Medical Tourism Facilitators, Travel Agents and Referring Physicians.

The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) is funded by the government and was established to support the Korean health industry. This industry will form an essential part of 21st century’s knowledge based economy and will be of the greatest importance to the people’s health. Advanced countries are aware of the importance and its leading role in the world’s economy. Consequently they have made great efforts to promote R&D and assure the development of appropriate professional human resources. Our health industry including human genome, gene medical treatment, ordering medicine has made a foundation which will lead the world in the field of medical technology.

The Medical Tourism Association is the first international non-profit association made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical tourism facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. The Medical Tourism Association has three tenets: Transparency, Communication and Education. Medical Tourism is often referred to as medical travel and health tourism. http://www.MedicalTourismAssociation.com

Till next time,

~Stephanie

Many will be surprised to hear that healthcare reform in the U.S. may be dead. This is all because Republican Scott Brown won the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race. He wont he seat previously occupied by former Senator Kennedy. Senator Brown is the first Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts since 1966. Massachusetts is primarily a Democratic State so it was a shock when Scott Brown one. Their are rumors that people in Massachusetts voted for Brown in order to kill the current US healthcare reform bill. Brown being elected removes the 60th vote that Democrats in the Senate needed in order to pass the bill. Brown’s election may also be a “wake up” call and scare other Democrats from continuing to support US healthcare reform because of a fear of not being elected. Today the white house weakened their optimism that healthcare reform will be passed in 2010. Insiders at insurance companies and health insurance agents are rumored to have celebrated upon hearing of this news because of a belief this is an end to any efforts for US healthcare reform.

The MTA, along with Chihuahua Medical City, hosted a “FAM” Trip, or Familiarization Trip to Chihuahua Mexico January 18th-21st 2010.

Chihuahua Medical City is a strategy that brings together the best hopsitals and clinics in the city of Chihuahua. Their mission is to provide high-quality healthcare and travel services to both the domestic and international market, integrating the value chain sectors. In recent years Mexico has become a popular destination for Medical Tourism, especially for US citizens, since the proximity is very convenient. There is also a high rate of fluency of both English and Spanish. Like most Latin America countries, Mexico has of overall friendly and family oriented culture. Flights are offered in plenty from the US and airfares are reasonable. If you live in Texas you even have the option to drive, as its about a 3 hour drive from El Paso.

To learn more about MTA FAM Trips please go to http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com/familiarization-tour.html

Till next time,

~Stephanie

The Medical Tourism Association cordially invites you to attend the 1st Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference Korea, http://www.asiamedicaltourismcongress.com/ featuring up to 800 attendees from over 25 countries and will focus on the high quality of healthcare available in Asia. It will also bring together the stakeholders involved in Asian medical tourism for intense networking event and educational opportunities. Conference highlights include up To 800 Attendees, US Health Insurance Companies and International Insurance Providers Invited, Industry Players From Over 25 countries, Highlighting the High Quality of Care Available in Asia and Korea, and the Top Medical Tourism Facilitators Invited.

Seoul, Korea is one the emerging leading destinations for medical tourism and global healthcare in the world. Asia is one of the first regions in the world to promote medical tourism and create a brand name for itself for having affordable and high quality healthcare and receives a majority of the medical tourism patients traveling throughout the world.

The buyer incentive program will be offering a predetermined number of discount registrations, free registrations, hotel room nights, and flights to those who complete the buyer incentive program application. The application will be submitted to the buyer committee for pre-approval and additional follow up will only be required if more information is needed. http://asiamedicaltourismcongress.com/buyers-vip-program.php

Please contact me at for the amazing opportunity to learn about medical tourism and see the healthcare and hospitals in Seoul, Korea: Stephanie@MedicalTourismAssociation.com for more details.

I look forward to seeing you in Seoul April 13-16^th 2010!

Till next time

~Stephanie

On January 21st, 2010 we will be holding a webinar on “Top 10 Spa Trends 2010 and their Likely Impact on Medical Tourism,” presented by Susie Ellis, President of SpaFinder at http://www.spafinder.com We will announce more webinars for 2010 shortly, so stay tuned!

Webinar Session #10

Top 10 Spa Trends 2010 and their Likely Impact on Medical Tourism
Date: January 21st, 2010
Time: 11:00AM EST/10:00AM CST/8:00AM PST

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/534916202

SpaFinder president, Susie Ellis, will present the company’s seventh-annual ‘Top 10 Spa Trends To Watch’ for 2010 – a forecast much anticipated by global spa and wellness executives and the international media. For our audience she will also address how these trends are likely to impact medical tourism. She leads the world’s most prominent spa media, marketing, and research company – connecting the largest global network of spas to millions of spa consumers worldwide through SpaFinder.com and its media properties. Ms. Ellis has been recognized as a prescient spotter (and analyzer) of emerging industry trends, and her annual report is regularly covered by press including The New York Times, Newsweek, Time, US News & World Report, USA Today and major newspapers worldwide.

Credited with having forecast numerous industry ‘mega-trends’ – from the wider shift from ‘pampering’ to wellness – to the continued interweaving of medicine and spas – to the impact of spa on design and cuisine – she will spotlight just-emerging new concepts impacting spa, wellness, fitness, and the ever-evolving consumer, that should shape the industry next year – and beyond.

Author of the popular Ask Susie column in various SpaFinder publications, “Susie’s Blog” on Spafinder.com, the SpaFinder Insider industry e-newsletter, and a contributor to a variety of spa lifestyle related publications, Ms. Ellis is recognized worldwide as a leading authority on the spa industry, the evolving spa consumer, and spa-related health, wellness, beauty, fitness and lifestyle trends. She also leads the company’s charitable and community-facing ventures, including SpaFinder’s initiative to raise awareness of, and help prevent, melanoma skin cancer.

Ms. Ellis began her career in spa at the Golden Door (California), where she helped build one of the world’s most influential spa programs, and later became the first spa director of the Greenhouse Spa at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. She has also served on the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, chaired by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Ms. Ellis is a frequent speaker at industry events around the world, and her spa industry insight has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, Time magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Newsweek and in other well known media. She is a current board member of the Global Spa Summit and holds a MBA from UCLA.

Till next time,

~Stephanie

USA Today released the2010 top travel trends. What does this mean for medical tourism? Laura Bly, Correspondent from USA Today reports the top ten trends for the up-coming year stating: Health Outlook for Medical Tourism…

“As Washington lawmakers continue to grapple with health-care reform, more Americans — an estimated 1.6 million by 2012, according to Deloitte Center for Health Solutions — will combine foreign vacations with carpal tunnel surgery, dental crowns and other short-stay, outpatient procedures that cost 30%-70% less than U.S. prices. Driving the trend: more coverage of overseas medical care by major U.S. insurers, an increase in individual insurance policies that typically carry a high deductible, and a marketing push by companies that combine travel and medical services.”

Medical/health tourism is an increasing throughout the world for more information on the top travel trends of 2010 please go to: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2010-01-07-travel-trends-for-2010_N.htm

Till next time,

~Stephanie

Did you know that six million people from the U.S. are estimated to travel as medical tourists this coming year? Sudeshna Ghosh takes a look at the top medical tourism destinations around the world and this is what he found:

Where? India

Why? For world-class treatments at significantly lower prices. Top hospital chains such as the Apollo group and the Wockhardt group offer a range of high-quality treatments, at prices that are as low as half of the cost of procedures in the UAE.

Where? Cyprus

Why? Probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think medical travel, this popular holiday spot can now offer an added bonus in the form of quality medical treatment at value-for-money prices.

According to Dr Prem Jagyasi, chief strategy officer of the international non-profit body, Medical Tourism Association, “The prime drivers of the industry are technology development, cost shifting, an emergence of needs and changes in healthcare facilities.

To read the top international medical tourism destinations please go to: http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/aquarius/articles/journey-to-wellness-from-the-uae-1.556746

Dont forget to read Issue 4 of Health Tourism Magazine this week for all the lastest information on Health & Wellness Tourism at http://www.HealthTourismMagazine.com

Till next time,

~Stephanie