The World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress Announces the Pre-Conference After Care and Continuation of Care Workshop

This workshop will cover what patients need in the form of after care and continuation of care. It will cover protocols and processes that need to be in place for after care, rehabilitation and physician follow up. It will also address issues such as coordinating medical records and the communication between the foreign provider and the domestic provider as well as issues such as privacy. The after care plan should already be in place prior to the patient ever traveling internationally for healthcare and is one of the most important aspects of medical tourism. This workshop will discuss how to successfully implement a aftercare program for your organization whether you are a hospital, clinic, doctor, insurance company, employer or medical tourism facilitator.

The pre-conference workshop is Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 8:00am- 5:00pm, with a break at 12:00-1:00pm for the networking lunch. The Exhibit hall opens conveniently at 5:00pm! This is the one event per year where Employers, Self Funded Health Plans, Insurance Companies, and Medical Tourism Facilitators that are looking to outsource healthcare overseas have the opportunity to meet with top International Hospitals and Medical Tourism Companies in one place for the ultimate networking event.

“The best Medical Tourism Conference of the year.” This is a comment they have heard over and over from delegates who participated in the first World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress which took place in San Francisco California September 2008. The 2009 World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress promises to match that sentiment and, at the same time, provide even more networking and advanced panel sessions for this international gathering.

The conference will feature up to 2,000 attendees, up to 200 speakers, and over 125 exhibitors. Don’t miss out on the 2nd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress will take place on October 26-28th, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles California USA!

To learn more about Medical Tourism Congress in Los Angeles, please CLICK HERE

Mexico Medical Tourism

The Best in Neighborly Care

Many people don’t realize that dozens of Mexican cities south of the border offer American and international travelers the best of services for a multitude of medical services, procedures and techniques at affordable prices. Cost effective medical treatments south of the border in no way mean that such treatments are substandard – quite the contrary. 

Mexico employs some of the most highly trained and experienced doctors and surgeons in the Western Hemisphere, found in cities such as Ensenada, Monterey, Tijuana, Cancun, Mexico, Mexico City, and Rosarita, just to name a few.  Accredited and experienced doctors and surgeons providing treatments in fields such as obesity surgery, orthopedics, cancer treatments, cosmetic and plastic surgeries, dental care, and stem cell technology can be found in high tech state-of-the-art medical facilities throughout Mexico.

Mexico has long been known as the ultimate tourist destination, attracting not only North Americans, but also visitors around the world to historical ruins of Aztec civilizations, pristine white beaches in Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, and entertainment for the younger crowd in Cancun. Visitors have long traveled to Mexico for deep-sea fishing opportunities off Veracruz and Cancun, but each of Mexico’s 32 states has tourist destinations that inspire and create awe, from the rocky cliffs of Acapulco to the ruins of Chichen Itzá or the hustle and bustle found in downtown Mexico City.

Mexico has consistently enhanced and increased her reputation for providing medical healthcare services at nearly half the cost of North American providers in the fields of hip replacement surgeries, dental care, and cosmetic and plastic surgical procedures. Travelers visiting Mexico for their medical needs often save an average of 50% on medical procedure costs, without long wait times commonly found in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Mexico has created modern and technologically advanced healthcare facilities in hospitals, surgical centers, and outpatient care clinics that meet the needs, expectations and standards of global care.

Read complete Mexico Medical Tourism at PlacidWay.com

Accreditation: Why is it Important to You?

Accreditation is considered a standard through which a healthcare facility or service is shown to offer quality and healthcare that meet minimum standards and guidelines offered by various domestic and international quality boards.

For example, individuals want, and deserve, quality in healthcare, whether for dental, cosmetic, bariatric or other treatments and surgical procedures. Anyone entering a healthcare facility deserves to know that staff is trained, facilities are clean and that procedures follow standards that reduce chances of error, infection or negligence.

Healthcare and hospital accreditation in the U.S. is standard practice, but such is not the case for many international healthcare providers. Due to the growing popularity of healthcare tourism, however, international facilities are increasingly desirous of being rated (or graded) by U.S. and International accreditation organizations in order to offer competitive procedures in the fields of bariatric surgery and care, dental and cosmetic and plastic surgeries, as well as fertility treatment treatments and procedures.

Accreditation Organizations
One of the most well-known accreditation agencies in the world are the Joint Commission and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, (JC and JCAHO), the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC), and the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA). Global healthcare in destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, India, South America, Egypt, Jordan, Hungary, Turkey and Croatia also see the need to show high standards and quality of medical care, and have taken steps to be accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as well as the Society for International Healthcare Accreditation (SOFIHA) based out of Britain. This is in addition to accreditation within domestic quality healthcare standards organizations in their own country of origin.

The Joint Commission and others designed like it evaluate medical facilities based on a standard of requirements that must be met in order to ‘pass’ inspection. Such considerations are key focal points of such inspection teams:

• Medical staff credentials and training
• Nursing staff credentials and training
• Medication Management
• Infection Control
• Environment of Care
• Patient Rights
• Provision of Care Treatment Services

Such accreditation groups are not only expected, but also common in countries like the U.S., Western Europe, Australia and Canada, but recently, medical facilities in locations throughout the world are applying for accreditation from world-recognized organizations that literally place a ’stamp of approval’ on a sole practitioner’s neighborhood office or a 300-bed state-of-the-art hospital.

Accreditation guidelines ensure an external review and evaluation of quality as well as management practices in a wide range of medical fields and scenarios. The focus is on patient care, from the moment they access care to when they are discharged from a hospital or medical facility. Other factors taken into consideration for accreditation include:

• Quality of hands-on care
• Education and training of staff
• Proof of educational credentials
• Ethical standards
• Accreditation incorporates every department in healthcare facilities, including laboratory, pharmacy, infection control services, Human Resources and Health Information Technology services.

Medical Traveler Basics
Individual medical travelers must take the time to assess standards of care in foreign destinations. Medical care environments in foreign destinations are certainly different than what most Americans find in their own hospital settings. However, it might help to assess care by taking into consideration the following factors:

• Quality, education and certification of facility medical staff
• Evidence of continuing educational opportunities for medical staff
• Track record of the clinic or hospital
• Infection control record of clinic or hospital
• Potential geographical risks of tropical disease/infections

ISQua
Individuals wishing to find information about a specific facility may find resources at the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), which is considered the “umbrella” organization for international healthcare accreditation issues. Representing about 70 countries to date, ISQua is dedicated to improving safety and quality of care in facilities throughout the world.

Other International Accreditation facilities include:

• The United Kingdom Accreditation Forum (UKAF)
• Australian Council for Healthcare Standards International (ACHSI)
• Canadian Council on Health Services Regulation (CCHSA)
• Joint Commission International (JCI)
• Trent Accreditation Scheme – aka Trent (U.K., Europe, Hong Kong, Malta, Philippines)

Conclusion
Before flying to a foreign destination for a surgical procedure or treatment, consumers are advised to carefully research the facility of his or her choice. Whenever possible, choose facilities that are accredited by domestic and credible accreditation organizations as well as International accreditation organizations such as those mentioned above.

World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress Announces Latin America Conference

The 1st Latin America Medical Tourism Congress will feature up to 400 attendees from over 25 countries and will focus on the high quality of healthcare available through Medical Tourism in Latin America. It will also bring together the stakeholders in Latin American medical tourism for the ultimate networking event and educational opportunities.

Latin America is poised to be one of the top destinations for medical tourism for the United States, Canada, and Europe. Come to this amazing Congress and network with attendees from over 25 countries to uncover the many possibilities of this exciting medical tourism industry.

Conference Highlights Include:

Up To 400 Attendees
US Health Insurance Companies and Insurance Providers Invited
Understanding Marketing Opportunities In The US, Canada, and Europe
Industry Players From Over 25 countries
Highlighting The High Quality Of Care Available In Latin America
The Top US Medical Tourism Facilitators Invited
Click Here to request additional information about Latin America Medical Tourism Congress in Monterrey, MX

How should future healthcare delivery models be re-tooled to handle emerging and chronic disease management?

by Ms Menglih Foo

How should future healthcare delivery models be re-tooled to handle emerging and chronic disease management?

Disease management will directly impact the future models of care.  What shape and form will this take on? How can future healthcare cities & hospitals better position themselves to cater directly & to deal with emerging diseases? Will we see more of specialized hospitals? Which regions will be more prepared than others? How will innovative & disruptive technologies help in future healthcare delivery?
 
The healthcare cities and hospitals of the future will greatly benefit from a clearer understanding of how to effectively integrate disease management into future facilities and core competencies to be built. The future of healthcare delivery should incorporate disease based intervention programs and facilities. How to incorporate new primary care delivery systems?

As the number of high valued patients globally rises with time, this will shape future care models as these growing numbers will cross international borders in search of medical care and access to quality.

How will hospitals manage their centers of excellence in order to cater to the growing influx of foreign patients with new and chronic expertise? How can they adequately build capacity, technology and core expertise?

A CEO lineup of speakers and practicing leaders in global healthcare will be tackling these important issues head on at Asia’s biggest landmark healthcare congress – GHC 2009 which will feature 2 co-located events, “Healthcare Cities & Hospitals of the Future” & “Crossing International Borders” (23-26 February 2009, Singapore). 

Read complete Chronic Disease Management story at PlacidWay.com

Medical Tourism Congress Announces New Media Sponsor

Los Angeles, CA, November 20, 2008 - The 2nd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress is happy to announce another Media Sponsor, PlacidWay. PlacidWay is a leading authority in the field of health tourism through its vision, commitment to service and determination to be the most complete resource possible. PlacidWay offers world class healthcare providers in exotic destinations, a formidable knowledge and information base, quick response turnaround and a one-stop interactive approach to booking a health tourism experience.

The 2nd World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress which takes place October 26th – 28th, 2009 in Los Angeles California is the official Congress of the Medical Tourism Association. The Medical Tourism Association is the first and only non-profit association in the world for the medical tourism industry. The Medical Tourism Association is headquartered in the United States with branch offices in Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

To read more about the Medical Tourism Congress please visit PlacidWay.com

Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress to focus on international industry expected to top $40 billion by 2010

From Argentina to Thailand, countries have benefited from the growth in travel for medical procedures and the business is set to expand in the Middle East, according to leading industry observers.

“As global healthcare choices expand, patients are travelling across the world to seek medical treatment,” said Ayana Everett, Conference Producer of the first Healthcare Travel and Exhibition Congress taking place at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai, from 2-4 November 2008. “Internationally, healthcare travel is expected to become a $40 billion industry by 2010,” Everett added.

“Going abroad for elective or necessary procedures is taking off and countries such as Jordan and Lebanon are already benefitting. With a population predominantly made up of expatriates, the United Arab Emirates has always been a major market for the medical travel business. Now the UAE has embarked on ambitious plans to make the emirates a major inbound destination for medical travel.”

The UAE and other countries are hoping to emulate the success of places such as Singapore. In 2006, some 410,000 patients travelled to Singapore for healthcare and from 2012 hopes to attract one million medical travellers annually.

Based entirely around private businesses, global medical travel is a fiercely competitive market and substantial sums of money have been invested throughout the world. Healthcare travel is not only a matter of individual patients. Employers, insurance companies and governments are integral parts of the equation as well.

“The global economic downturn is expected to impact medical travel, as with all industries,” Everett added. “The challenge is for providers, brokers and insurance companies to help customers on budgets to ensure they remain well-covered internationally at a competitive price. Providers who can manage that balancing act will have a competitive edge.”

Read complete story at PlacidWay.com

The Healthcare Globalization Summit and Health 3.0 Summit

Market conditions and health policy are already driving the emergence of new care providers and creating disintermediation and competition for patient relationships.

How will the current market dynamic of an ailing economy and a new administration’s health policy agenda affect patients attitudes and choices about how and where they connect for care? 

Discover these answers and more at the upcoming Consumer Health World conference. 

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Join hundreds of healthcare industry leaders December 8-10, 2008 at The Healthcare Globalization Summit in Arlington, VA as they in discuss how new web technologies, consumerism, and new points of care delivery are evolving in a globalized health care marketplace.

Featured presentations include: “Solutions Driving a Global Healthcare Model” including Intel’s Mark Blatt and “The Emergence of New Care Providers“, featuring Joseph Kvedar, MD, Director, Partners Healthcare System, and other presentations.

Also featured will be:

The Health 3.0 Investors and Emerging Companies Summit which will connect investors with entrepreneurs around today’s hottest topics, including the fully wired consumer & the Ubiquitous web, future technologies connecting patients, providers and payers, and radical visions for the health plan of the future.

Read and inquire more about Healthcare Globalization Summit at PlacidWay.com

Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress 2008

Welcome to the inaugural Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress 2008.

A global event dedicated to the complete supply chain of the medical travel industry.

Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress 2008 is a groundbreaking platform bringing together macro level decision makers on healthcare policy with payees of medical travel, specialized medical suppliers, travel providers, medical facilities and representatives from major medical tourism destinations all under one roof making this exhibition and congress truly representative of the total international medical travel industry.

Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress 2008, under the guiding theme of “the Globalisation of Healthcare”, brings together the entire cluster involved in medical travel at one specific event that is dedicated to the development of this growing sector.

This event establishes a platform for Medical Travel professionals to interact on a variety of business platforms:

• Exclusive networking opportunities made possible through innovative corporate match making
• A world-class conference streaming across multiple sectors
• Global exhibition, showcasing all segments of this exciting industry
• Internationally accredited CME endorsed through the AACME

This ground breaking platform focuses on all aspects related to the global healthcare travel market. Healthcare Travel Congress 2008 brings you exclusive and high level conferences ensuring the world’s leading decision makers discuss relevant issues to target audiences involved in medical travel.

Themes to be explored at Healthcare Travel Congress 2008:

• International standards and accreditation
• Building strategic partnerships
• Perspectives from international providers and regional initiatives
• Business and investment opportunities
     – Business opportunities in Healthcare Travel
     – Factors to consider when preparing your business for international patients
• Financing of medical travel & medical insurance
• Gaining competitive edge through marketing and promotion
     – How to attract the global consumer
     – Build brand recognition and loyalty
• Risk management an legal issues related to medical travel
     – Legal aspects and medical liability of medical travel
     – International standards for patient safety and quality control
• Best practices worldwide
     – Dental tourism
     – Hospitals
     – Travel Agents for medical travel
     – Ministries of health
     – Ministries of Tourism
     – International health insurance companies
• Overview sessions and panel discussions
     – Latest trends in healthcare travel
     – Issues and challenges facing medical travel
     – Understanding the key drivers for medical tourism

Take advantage of this exciting event to gain knowledge about best practices, share insights with key players, attend presentations from industry experts and interact direct with colleagues from around the globe.

To learn more about the conference please click here…

Health & Wellness Tourism: The Next Great Healthcare Frontier

Have you ever traveled faraway to an exotic land? Have you marveled at their geography, their culture or way of life? Countries such as Thailand, India, South Africa, Poland, and even Costa Rica & Croatia have hidden treasures of which you may not be aware – treasures that once discovered can change your life and your health forever. This is why Health & Wellness Tourism (or Medical Tourism) is becoming one of the fastest growing industries of the decade. The dual experiences of addressing the needs of your body, mind and soul in locations that offer the lure of foreign and mysterious locales is irresistible. Add lower costs for procedures, cutting edge technology and physicians of the highest caliber, and a healthy, new you is just a plane ticket away.

Some may believe that going outside of the United States for surgeries is risky business, but did you know that many of the most technologically advanced medical centers are located outside of the United States? The growing trend of attracting international patients around the world has evened the playing field, so to speak, and patients around the world have more choices when it comes to choosing surgeons and physicians to treat them and their conditions. Especially in the medical field, borders are dissolving.

People are traveling out of country and even to places within their own country to seek both modern and alternative health services. Places like Singapore, Thailand and India (famous for all surgeries such as orthopedics, heart, cosmetic), Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica and South Africa (cosmetic and dental) use modern technologies and procedures while offering world class treatment for less money. This is because in places such as the United States, doctors have to pay such outrageous rent, medical insurance and licensing fees that they have to hike up their prices just to make ends meet. In other countries the cost for these items is much less and therefore doctors can charge less for their procedures.

For example, a heart surgery requiring the replacement of one or more heart valves costs around $200,000 in the United States. The same procedure is performed for under $15,000 in India or Malaysia–that cost includes the services of a highly skilled and trained heart specialist, transportation and accommodation fees and a few extra days to enjoy the sites of your planned vacation as well. Other procedures follow suit. Facelifts can cost $20,000 in the U.S. but are available in other global destinations for around $2,500. Dental bridges cost around $5,500 in the U.S. but only around $200 in India. The list goes on.

Read complete story on Medical Tourism at PlacidWay.com