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

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

Health Tourism Portal Optimizes Offerings for Consumers and Providers

by Laura Ettinger | PlacidWay

PlacidWay, a health & wellness tourism web portal, recently debuted an enhancement to the site that further solidifies its position as a leading authority in the industry. The centuries-old practice of health tourism has recently experienced explosive growth. This has provided an opportunity for a one-stop, interactive, full service site to exist that answers the needs of both health tourists and healthcare facilities. “We are environmental scanners of the industry, and work hard to monitor trends and gather information that can be trusted,” said Pramod Goel, president of PlacidWay. “All you need to make an informed and intelligent decision about health tourism is on the site.”

“Attention to the needs of both sides of the health tourism coin—consumers and healthcare providers—has been a differentiator for PlacidWay from its inception,” says Goel. “With our enhanced site, we can deliver the most comprehensive, unique, customizable and convenient healthcare solutions for our clients.” It is a goal of PlacidWay to be a knowledge repository and to be on the forefront of the trends of the health tourism industry, with resources that other sites don’t have.

PlacidWay’s expanded site makes it even easier for a potential health tourist to define whether they are searching for a medical procedure/treatment or a wellness program. They can then further refine their search by choosing a destination and facility. While on the website, they can also access hotel and airfare rates, as well as specific informative articles about their chosen procedure, facility or specialist. “All of this can be accomplished with a sense of security for the consumer,” says Goel. “They can rest assured that all their physical needs and comforts will be met by our providers, and feel confident from the perspective of knowing that they have the most current, reliable and accurate information on hand.”

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. For more information on PlacidWay, go to www.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

Patients with passports | BRIAN NEWSOME | THE GAZETTE

Pramod Goel likens his dotcom to online travel sites Priceline, Travelocity or Expedia. But go to make your travel plans, and the differences between PlacidWay.com and the others soon become apparent. Rather than choosing a departure date and destination, you’ll be asked to:

- Choose a treatment

- Choose a region or country

- Choose a health care option

Depending on your preferences, you will be pointed to places as far away as India and Thailand for procedures that include open-heart surgery and total hip replacement.

The Castle Rock businessman’s startup is just the latest stage in the evolution of medical tourism, a booming industry in which sightseeing and surgery collide – or, as his Web site characterizes it, “Exotic journeys to wellness.”

For years, Americans have been traveling out of the country to get less costly treatment, most notably to Central and South America for elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery. These days, changes in health care – rising costs at home and higher-quality care abroad – have made medical tourism increasingly mainstream. Not only are more people going, but they are going for medically necessary procedures. Some employers are even offering insurance benefits to employees who seek treatment in other countries.

In 2006, about 150,000 Americans traveled overseas for health care, nearly half of them for medically necessary surgeries, according to the American Medical Association. Jonathan Edelheit, president of the Medical Tourism Association, said as many as a million people worldwide will travel out of their home country for medical care by 2010. A May 2008 study by McKinsey & Company, a corporate research firm, came up with a much smaller number – about 60,000 to 85,000 inpatient medical travelers a year internationally – but still acknowledged the likelihood of growth.

Responding to the trend, the AMA on June 16 approved new guidelines regarding medical tourism: “Until there is significant action at home, patients with limited resources may turn elsewhere for care,” said AMA Board Member Dr. J. James Rohack, in a news release. “It is important that U.S. patients have access to credible information and resources so that the care they receive abroad is safe and effective.”

Read complete story at PlacidWay.com

Healthy Tips On Obesity | Sahara Medical India

Energy balances
Overweight or obesity develops due to an imbalance between energy intake and energy output. If intake is higher than the output, a positive balance results leading to weight gain. Regular exercise and eating a balanced diet will help you to stay fit and burn more calories. Avoid fat diets that offer unrealistic results and encourage eating (or not eating) specific foods. Remember, if you lose weight gradually you are more likely to keep it off.

Healthy eating

• Adopt a balanced diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat and fat-free products (however take calories into account), unsaturated soft margarines and oils (such as sunflower, corn, rape-seed, olive), lean meat, fish and pulses
• Restrict salt and sugar intake
• Eat breakfast and make sure to have at least 3 meals per day
  Use healthier cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, grilling and baking instead of deep fat-frying and adding extra fat and develop healthy cooking skills within your family
• Avoid buying sweets and junk food
• Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day
• Expect temptation, so plan healthy meals in advance

Regular exercise

• For adults, even 30 minutes of brisk walking daily will help reduce your risk
• Children should have 60 minutes of physical activity per day
• Surround yourself and your family with supportive people who either participate with you or remind you to exercise
• Decrease family television viewing and increase your involvement in regular family sports and activities

Are you an apple or a pear?
Your health is at risk not only by the amount of body fat you have, but also by where the fat is located. You have an apple shape if you tend to gain weight mostly in the waist (stomach) area. Pear-shaped figures tend to gain weight around the hips and buttocks. Apple shapes have an increased risk of heart disease – so they need to take extra care to maintain a healthy weight.

Read complete Obesity Treatment article at PlacidWay.com

Understanding JCI Credentials

What is JCI?
JCI stands for Joint Commission International. The organization is an accrediting organization, which is a process of assessing a medical facility to make sure it meets basic standards and requirements involved in providing quality of care.

Throughout the United States and the world, undergoing the accreditation process is voluntary and provides a means of gauging the commitment of any healthcare facility or a provider to ensure a safe environment as well as reduce risks to both patients and staff members. The most commonly used evaluation and management method around the world, JCI credentials are an important measure of the credibility and quality of a multitude of medical facilities.

What is JCI’s Function and Mission?
The Joint Commission International supports quality care among healthcare organizations around the globe and works with the World Health Organization, and with national accreditation programs and agencies, in a multitude of countries.  JCI standards as well as evaluation methods are created by health professionals in a multitude of health sectors, and can be tested in all world regions. The standards of the Joint Commission International apply to health care organizations and systems and are designed to support and sustain improvement in patient care and safety.

The JCI governing body includes experts from around the world and bases its decision on an international committee of health care experts as well as standard revisions offered by advisory councils from different regions.

The goals of the Joint Commission International are to reduce risks, adverse effects, and consistently improve healthcare methods and procedures. The JCI works with hospitals, health providers, medical consultants, government agencies, and patients to provide standards, rules, and processes for medical facilities.

Read complete article at PlacidWay.com

Traveling In Asia? by Dr. Ramanpal Singh Thakeil MD – Bangkok Travel Medicine Clinic

Traveling in this part of the world is generally very safe. However, it is noteworthy to take certain precautions prior to travel. It is advisable to visit a travel medicine doctor either prior to your travel or upon your arrival in the region.

Things To Look Out For / Potential Risk For Disease

1. Mosquito-borne diseases – These include malaria, dengue fever, and Japanese Encephalitis among many others. Your risk of contracting these diseases is based on your exact travel destination, duration of travel, and your activities. The level of risk should be assessed and appropriate risk reduction measures taken, i.e. vaccination, mosquito prevention strategies, and preventive medication.
2. Food and water-borne diseases - These are very common due to a change in food and water consumed. The spectrum of microorganisms in food and water in this part of the world is different and though may not cause any problems with locals (who are used to it), will very commonly cause problems amongst the traveler. These can range anywhere from mild gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea to severe illness. Again, the extent of risk would be linked with the travel destination and travel itinerary. In general, the advise is always to avoid uncooked or not properly cooked food, raw/uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milk products. Drink only “bottled” water or carbonated beverages and wash hands frequently. Other options include medication for self-treatment of diarrhea.
3. “Outdoor” diseases – Bush walking, trekking, hiking, swimming, camping are activities that are commonly enjoyed in this part of the world. However, again, precautions need to be taken. Rabies is very common in our region, and if there is a risk of contact with animals, rabies vaccination prior to travel is strongly advised. Further, all contact with animals, including dogs, cats, monkeys, bats should be avoided. There are numerous tick-borne diseases that can be contracted from bush walking; hence it is highly advisable to wear appropriate shoes at all times. In certain regions, swimming in unchlorinated water may put you at risk for contracting parasitic diseases. Also, there are known to be outbreaks of communicable diseases associated with swimming and expedition in certain areas.
4. “Other” risks - These include sexually transmitted diseases and body fluid transmissible diseases such as HIV, hepatitis b, and hepatitis c. Always maintain protected sexual contact at all times. If engaging in activities requiring body piercing or needles, do not share needles and be sure that sterile needles are used at all times. 

Read complete article at PlacidWay.com