Many medical tourism destinations are thus campaigning to attract investment into this sector, by providing tax incentives. Destinations like Jordan have been successful in attracting Kuwaiti investors to build a medical city in Amman. Colombia and several other countries have established a free trade zone (FTZ) for the medical sector. The UAE is also establishing Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) free zone, envisioned to be the largest of its kind in the Middle East. Investments in the field have also been extended to support services such as ambulances, airports, training centers and human capital. They have developed a clear vision and strategic goals for their medical tourism sector, and set specific goals to be achieved within a certain period of time. Thus, relevant strategies, plans and programs to achieve these objectives have been clearly identified and implemented effectively. Synergistic coordination between various policymakers is another key for any medical tourism destination to succeed.
Countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey and Lebanon have established their respective national medical tourism councils, which bring together all stakeholders, both formal and informal, to develop the sector.
The uniqueness and strength of developing countries in the medical tourism industry is to introduce non-surgical procedures such as yoga, ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and meditation as alternative treatment for physical and mental health. Such services are growing in popularity in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and India. Meanwhile, the American people choose Mexico, Costa Rica or Panama for the quality of their dental treatment and cosmetic surgery, and Southeast Asia and India for orthopedic and cardiovascular treatment, due to the high quality of healthcare and the large number of US-accredited hospitals and doctors.
Other emerging trends are laser skin rejuvenation, weight loss and infertility treatment. So far there are 35 countries that have obtained international accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI). India has 16 certified hospitals, while Thailand boasts 5. Meanwhile, Indonesia has 4 private hospitals with international accreditation and 9 government hospitals in the process of obtaining one.
Since most destinations have several hospitals and other medical service providers interested in entering the medical tourism market, the government, or a consortium of healthcare providers, is well-positioned to organize training and professional development activities. This enables them to take advantage of curricular guidance, group insights and economies of scale by forming a cluster to identify training needs, develop specific learning objectives and fund activities and workshops by more experienced professionals. Each country has tried to position itself in the international medical tourism market as a destination that specializes in certain medical treatments or products. A large number of doctors working in medical tourism in leading destinations such as India, Singapore and Thailand, or in promising destinations such as Lebanon and the UAE, have international credentials, or hold US or UK professional qualifications. In addition, many are fluent in English and other foreign languages.
Hotels and resorts used by international patients in medical tourism destinations such as Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, United States, Mexico, South Korea and Jordan are well-equipped and-geared to meet the specific needs of patients. In some destinations, hotels have also become “extensions” of hospitals, with a room-sharing arrangement to accommodate a patient’s care-giver or family, or the patient him/herself during pre- and post-operative phases.
Most medical tourism destinations offer transparent costs for their surgical and diagnostic services, customarily quoted in the form of a “package” which often includes references to medical or diagnostic services, and may include hospital pick-up and accommodation beyond hospitalization. This information can be easily obtained from the internet or from country representatives, travel agents providing medical tourism, or contracted marketing agents. Unfortunately, there are many packages whose descriptions are poorly articulated, unclear and ambiguous, using inaccurate translations that confuse prospective clients and are laden with disclaimers which tend to increase suspicion and anxiety. This failure often causes potential clients to abandon certain medical tourism destinations. This should not happen to medical tourism destinations in Indonesia, particularly in Bali.
Many destinations use the internet as an important tool to promote their medical tourism. Some websites are developed by trade boards, such as in Singapore, which represents all sectors and offers information about all of their members. Malaysia has created an attractive large magazine format directory featuring members of the Malaysian Health Tourism Board (MHTC), while South Korea has published a booklet highlighting each member-provider of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI). World-class safety accreditation has become a key requirement for any healthcare provider to position itself in the international market. India, Thailand and Malaysia, for example, have special visas for extended medical treatment, while many other countries provide special accommodations to facilitate visa applications and extensions for medical tourists. Travel agents have proven to be key players, as evidenced in the case of Tunisia, the US, Singapore, Korea and South Africa.
Healthcare providers in destinations such as Dubai, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand often develop strong ties with international medical education and research institutions for knowledge-sharing and technology transfer, marketing and branding.
South Africa, Colombia, Germany, Thailand and Hungary are known to have well-established ground and air ambulance systems and major trauma centers, while other countries have been identified as new destinations that use technology to support advanced ambulance services. Thailand, for example, has deployed highly-trained paramedics and nurses who can respond quickly to cut through traffic jams to ensure the safe arrival of patients to the hospital.
South Africa is also using “Statscan Critical Imaging” technology, a low-dose digital X-ray system capable of imaging the entire body in just 13 seconds. This technology provides doctors with critical information about a patient’s injury and makes it possible for paramedics to remain at the patient’s side during the examination, as it emits 75% less radiation. Digital technology allows doctors to enlarge or rotate images without affecting image quality. The technology was originally developed for use in diamond mines in South Africa to scan miners at the end of working hours, to scan for diamonds that could otherwise be smuggled beneath clothes or swallowed.
As the medical tourism industry develops, so will the demand for specialty travel insurance. There are now insurance products that will protect patients, in case they need to make medical trips for surgery, and rider products that protect patients from the costs of complications and recurring operations due to perceived mistakes in medical procedures. If patients are considering ways to embark on medical tourism, they or their family will certainly be looking for this type of insurance, which is a great opportunity for the insurance industry in Indonesia. (FIGURE-3)
We can conclude that to become a prominent medical tourism destination, there are three key strategies, namely: (1) emphasis on quality and standard of treatment, (2) supporting the patients and their families so they can stay longer, by streamlining the visa process and providing other incentives, (3) development of a roadmap for a sustainable medical tourism industry.
Rather than allowing any healthcare providers without proper accreditation to market their healthcare packages globally, governments and policymakers should ensure that only the most qualified and reliable are allowed to do so. Standardizing and regulating who does what will avoid reputational damage to destinations. The strategy should be focused on providing satisfactory results in all phases for patients and their families, from pre- to post-treatment and beyond, to build the image of a premier-grade medical tourism destination. In fact, when it comes to medical tourism strategies, few destinations get it right. Some jump straight into investing in marketing and promotion to many potential markets, without having a proper strategy. Some believe that once they set up a medical tourism cluster, attend exhibitions and conferences around the world and engage with multiple marketing agencies, patients will start coming in droves.
Surely it is not that simple, as medical tourism occupies a complex yet promising niche market. The starting point for any medical tourism strategy is to decide what to sell and to whom. We also have to have strong products and services, targeted at specific market needs and wants. To do that, in-depth market analysis and honest assessment of a destination’s strengths and weaknesses against competitors are essential.