Category Archives: Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment

Filipino surgeon builds beauty empire

A Filipino cosmetic surgeon has built a new facility that promotes non-invasive aesthetic procedures to enhance physical features, using the patient’s own body fat.

Dr. Alfredo Callanta provides personal and face-to-face consultation with a patient at Empire Centre for Regenerative Medicine.’

Dr. Alfredo Callanta provides personal and face-to-face consultation with a patient
at Empire Centre for Regenerative Medicine.’

Dr. Alfredo Callanta, a world- renowned plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon, is an expert in the field of non-surgical fat grafting for facial and bodily rejuvenation.

With Singaporean partners sinking in at least $1 million, Callanta and his partners established Empire Center for Regenerative Medicine, considered as the pioneer in minimally invasive cosmetic treatments.

“Empire is committed to providing highly specialized procedures to people in and around the globe who have the preference for non-invasive treatments at relatively no downtime at less than normal fees other medical facilities overseas charge,” says Callanta.

Empire, located in the business district of Quezon City, began operations in 2014 and has since then become a go-to place for cosmetic procedures in the Philippines, helping drive the growth of medical tourism.

The facility’s popularity has encouraged foreign tourists to flock into the country to undergo cosmetic procedures.

The fat grafting procedure is the facility’s most popular cosmetic treatment that allows patients to ‘roll back’ the years lost through a technique using their own fat.

The use of fat is also fast becoming the procedure of choice for women looking to enhance their body such as  the breasts or the butt, says Callanta.

“There is definitely a growing demand for regenerative medicine here in the region and cosmetic surgery continues to be an ever-evolving industry here in the Philippines,” Callanta says.

He cites the results of recent studies showing that fat has the highest potential to stimulate the growth of stem cells.

In one of his seminars abroad, Callanta met fellow plastic surgeon Dr. Roger Amar, who created the so-called fat autograft muscle injection fat graft technique. FAMI fat graft  seeks to restore the lost volume by utilizing fat from the patient’s body.

The technique is touted as a very specialized discipline that only a select group of surgeons across the globe are proficient in it, each handpicked by Amar himself. Callanta is the only one in Asia that is able to administer the FAMI technique.

Callanta holds a degree in Medicine from the University of Sto. Tomas and has done his internship and residency at the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City where he became chief resident for general surgery.

Empire Centre for Regenerative Medicine opens its doors to patients from all over the world who seek minimally invasive cosmetic treatments.

Empire Centre for Regenerative Medicine opens its doors to patients from all
over the world who seek minimally invasive cosmetic treatments.

Empire offers select rejuvenation processes to restore the natural tautness of facial, breast and butt muscles that are normally subject to lack of elasticity and firmness as part of the aging process.

The facility offers butt augmentation via fat graft, which is commonly referred to as the ‘Brazilian Butt Lift’ and has been a procedure gaining fast popularity.

This procedure is more tricky as it requires the procedure to be in proportion to other body parts.

Callanta, a pioneer in facial rejuvenation process, also noticed that traditional facelift which usually cuts off excess or sagging skin is not aesthetically pleasing as observed by more discerning clients.

“The method oftentimes results in stiff and somewhat overstretched look of the facial skin. Our facial rejuvenation procedure is very natural with surprisingly less down time,” he says.

He says Empire clients can undergo a procedure on a Friday and come back to work on a Monday, after three to six hours of non-invasive procedure.

Even young people in teens and young adults have come to embrace the technology of cosmetic procedures to enhance their physical appearance, he says.

“What needs to be understood is that our hospitals and medical clinics are already at par with top-notch institutions in Europe and America when it comes to cosmetic procedures. A lot of doctors, if not most, are internationally trained with extensive experience in their respective medical fields,” he says.

“I have been doing cosmetic procedures for more than a decade now and each patient I have is a testament to how effective, safe, and reliable fat grafting is. The Philippines has so much potential in this particular medical field and we at Empire are positive that the local medical tourism will continue to grow in the coming years,” he says.

He says the Philippines has emerged as one of Asia’s most advanced nations in the field of healthcare. With many countries offering advanced healthcare services, the competitive edge of the Philippines is its lower cost, he says.

“We will soon be the hub in aesthetic medical procedures in the region. I’m quite positive that we have the perfect blend of expertise and pricing that will, all the more encourage people to come to the Philippines and have their procedures here,” says Callanta.

source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com / The Standard / Home> Business / by Other V. Campos / July 04th, 2015

Dubai: Thumbay Group, SNTTA sign MoU to boost medical tourism

Dubai :

“Dubai has a well-deserved reputation for excellence and professional practice and we want to contribute our mite to the vision, mission and goals of the UAE health authorities,” says Akbar Moideen Thumbay, director healthcare and retail, Thumbay group UAE.

ThumbayCT06jul2015

“There are so many issues relating to medical tourism and because the area is developing so quickly it’s becoming essential that hospitals, insurers and policy makers, to name a few work together closely to streamline processes to cater to this market. UAE has tremendous potential to come up as the most important medical-tourism destination for the people of this region,” he added.

Founder president of Thumbay Group UAE, Thumbay Moideen and T L S Iyer, general manager of SNTTA signed a memorandum of understanding to offer advanced services for medical and health tourists. Akbar Moideen Thumbay, director healthcare and retail, Thumbay Group UAE, Dr Benazir Ameer Ali, director Thumbay International Medical and Health Tourism Department, Valsala Kumar, group general manager (finance and administration) and Vishal Sood, general manager SNTTA were present on the occasion.

Thumbay Hospitals and SNTTA have strategically partnered to assist and offer world-class services at affordable prices to international patients and guests and to look after all their needs whilst in the UAE. We understand the changing dynamics medical tourism and we are learning to adapt, says Dr Benazir Ameer Ali, director Thumbay medical and health tourism department.

The partnership will help Thumbay Hospital to extend its reach and market worldwide to prospective patients. This partnership will leave Thumbay Hospital to concentrate on its commitment of providing world class healthcare at affordable prices. SNTTA will look after the travel, accommodation and other logistics for Thumbay Hospital’s international patients and increase their client base which is a win-win situation for both and create an all-inclusive package for international patients including air flights, hotel accommodation, visa and excursion facilities.

SNTTA will be venturing in medical tourism for the first time and will be able to offer healthcare services to its ever growing number of tourists said T L S Iyer, general manager of SNTTA. SNTTA tourists will now have a preferred healthcare provider in Thumbay Hospitals to take care of their tourists 24X7 in the UAE.

“As part of the strategic plans, Thumbay Group is planning to open representative offices in 20 countries to educate people about medical facilities and services at all Thumbay Hospitals in UAE. We expect to have about 1000 patients as medical tourists per day in the next 5 – 6 years. It is ambitious but achievable,” says an optimistic Akbar Moideen Thumbay.

Medical tourism is now perceived as one of the fastest growing segments in healthcare. The recent trend is for patients to travel from developed countries to third world countries for medical treatment because of cost consideration, waiting time, privacy, and confidentiality, though the traditional pattern still continues. Technology will lead the way in future medical tourism. Along with that we can expect extremely personalized services, niche specialist centers, wider network of partnerships, increased number of accreditation, certifications and industry specific associations said Dr Benazir. To offer our personalized services, we are the first medical tourism provider to have opened a counter in Sharjah International Airport and we are planning to open one in Dubai International Airport soon, she added.

“Thumbay Hospitals have been at the forefront of developing the necessary infrastructure to attract medical tourists. We have a department here establishing this,” Akbar Moideen said. The international medical tourism department of Thumbay Hospitals aims to cater to an extensive number of patients and be known as the preferred hospital for medical tourism in UAE. Currently, Thumbay Hospitals receive inquiries from a wide range of clientele including hospitals, medical practitioners, partnered agents, and various inquiry forwarding websites from across the globe.

Thumbay Hospitals is aligning itself with Dubai’s Vision 2020 for medical tourism. Along with Dubai, the other Emirates of UAE are gearing up to attract more medical tourists in the near future. This would mean increasing patient requirements, higher demand for facilities and larger calls for personalization.

Looking at the current and future trends in medical tourism, Thumbay Hospital has developed enhanced facilities, maintaining highest standards of quality and offering packages with a wide range of personalization options. The medical tourism industry is going through an exciting phase where international and intra-regional activities are taking place within this sector of the health market.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld / Home> Gulf / Media Release / Dubai – July 06th, 2015

Our medical expertise better than in some western countries — Najib

Najib launching the ‘Malaysan Medical Association Fifty Five Years 1959-2014’ book. Also seen are Subramaniam (left) and Dr Ashok Zachariah. — Bernama photo

Najib launching the ‘Malaysan Medical Association Fifty Five Years 1959-2014’ book. Also seen are Subramaniam (left) and Dr Ashok Zachariah. — Bernama photo

Putrajaya :

The medical expertise in Malaysia is comparable and sometimes better than in most Western countries, said prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday.

He pointed out that earlier this year, the country’s healthcare system received the top score out of 25 countries surveyed by an American publication, ahead of Spain, France, Ireland and New Zealand.

“We should all be proud of such recognition and I congratulate members of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) for the hard work they have put into making Malaysia as one of the best healthcare system in the world. “That is no small achievement,” he said at the launching of the Book, Malaysan Medical Association Fifty Five Years 1959-2014, here yesterday.

Najib added that excellence was also reflected in the number of foreigners who were coming to Malaysia to have medical procedures.

He noted that Malaysia’s share of the medical tourism market had nearly doubled in the last four years.

In 2014, it reached 770,000 patients bringing in revenue of around RM700 million, and this year, the figures were expected to rise further to 930,000 patients and a revenue of RM1 billion, he said. “(The fact) that people from around the world have such confidence in the quality of our doctors and hospitals is visible proof that Malaysia is on course to achieving our goal of becoming a high income status nation by 2020,” he said.

Najib said he also intended to make Malaysia’s healthcare system as the priority to enhance competitiveness in the medical tourism market.

“If we are to compare with our neighbouring countries, we have a long way to go and I hope MMA would cooperate with us to help us achieve this challenge,” he said. Through its history, Najib noted the MMA had maintained a close working relationship with the government specially the Ministry of Health, sharing responsibility for the health of the nation.

Stressing that the government viewed the challenges faced by the medical field seriously, Najib pointed out that in the 2015 Budget, the government set out to priortise the well-being of the rakyat and allocated RM23.3 billion for healthcare and facilities. Also present at the event were Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, and MMA president Dr Ashok Zachariah Philip. — Bernama

source: http://www.theborneopost.com / Borneo Post Online / Home> News> Nation / Wednesday – July 01st, 2015

New Hampton Inn, World of Beer coming to West Shore

The future Hampton Inn & Suites will take advantage of a growing medical tourism industry and Avion Park’s proximity to Tampa International Airport, its operator says. It is scheduled to open next summer. MCKIBBON HOTEL GROUP

The future Hampton Inn & Suites will take advantage of a growing medical tourism industry and Avion Park’s proximity to Tampa International Airport, its operator says. It is scheduled to open next summer. MCKIBBON HOTEL GROUP

Tampa  :

Development in downtown Tampa has been getting the lion’s share of attention, but the West Shore Business District is keeping pace.

McKibbon Hotel Group broke ground this week on a seven-story, 178-room Hampton Inn & Suites the company says will take advantage of a growing medical tourism industry and Avion Park’s proximity to Tampa International Airport for business travelers.

It’s the group’s fourth major hotel in the West Shore district and its 11th in Tampa.

“The market is growing. That’s the real key,” said John McKibbon, chairman of the hotel group. “We’re doing very well at our existing hotels, and this is a different brand — the Hampton Inn & Suites is a little different than the hotels that we have there now.”

The hotel group also announced it has a lease agreement with World of Beer Franchising to open a new tavern in 2016, supporting the city’s growing craft beer culture. World of Beer Tampa Avion Park will feature a 4,800-square-foot tavern with a 1,200-square-foot patio.

The franchise pairs its craft brews with its signature “Tavern Fare” menu featuring comfort foods, traditional bar offerings and such touches as Bavarian pretzels and a Guinness “Brat” slider. Paul Jacobs, joint venture partner with World of Beer, said he expects to host social gatherings such as runners clubs and “yappy hours.”

“World of Beer has really tapped into something special with its unique tavern concept and this location will be a great positioning of the brand,” Jacobs said in a statement announcing the agreement.

McKibbon said his group had its sights on a fourth hotel for several years. The Laser Spine Institute’s announcement in December that it will build a new headquarters and ambulatory surgery center at Avion Park provided confidence that the area would support another hotel.

“The Hampton Inn & Suites will offer Laser Spine’s patients and their families a brand-new hotel property as well as meeting space for the institute’s conferences and events,” McKibbon said.

The spine institute operates seven regional surgery centers across the country.

The hotel will provide complimentary daily hot breakfast, on-the-run breakfast bags Monday through Friday, a pool, fitness center and 2,300 square feet of meeting space.

Ann Kulig, deputy director of the Westshore Alliance, said the new hotel will be a “valuable and much-needed asset” in the district. She said it will bring nearly 50 jobs and critical meeting space.

Kellogg & Kimsey Inc. is the general contractor for the hotel, which will open in late summer 2016.

jstockfisch@tampatrib.com / (813) 259-7834

source: http://www.tbo.com / TBO – The Tampa Tribune / Home> Business> News / by Jerome R. Stockfisch – Tribune Staff / June 30th, 2015

Move to ensure medical tourism quality

– Hospitals, travel operators welcome plan for a dedicated board for unregulated sector

by Sumi Sukanya

New Delhi :

The tourism ministry plans to establish a medical tourism board tasked with devising strategies to draw more foreign patients to India and setting standards for an industry that many believe has burgeoned unchecked.

Hospitals welcomed the proposal saying it would help draw Western tourists to India’s health care institutions, whose foreign clients now come mostly from other South Asian countries, West Asia and Africa.

The board will have representatives from the tourism and health ministries, hospitals and the travel industry.

“This sector has grown on its own over the past decade but is largely unorganised,” tourism minister Mahesh Sharma told The Telegraph.

“We want the board to help interlink all the key players in this sector to provide seamless service to patients.”

The proposal will soon be sent to the cabinet as part of the national tourism policy 2015, said Suman Billa, a joint secretary in the tourism ministry.

“We need standardised procedures in place to organise the industry. One of the focuses would be to put in place guidelines to ensure the quality of the services,” Billa said.

India is among Asia’s top three medical tourism destinations (after Thailand and Singapore), drawing patients mainly because of the lower treatment costs compared with the West, and the country’s quality health care infrastructure and highly skilled doctors, says a 2014 report by industry chamber Ficci.

About 2.3 lakh foreign patients sought treatment in India last year. The country’s medical tourism industry is expected to touch $6 billion (around Rs 38,000 crore) by 2018, the Confederation of Indian Industry estimates.

“It’s not just big hospitals but wellness centres, particularly in south India, that are drawing tourists from western countries,” Billa said.

Delhi is one of India’s top medical tourism destinations for those seeking advanced surgical procedures. Karnataka and Kerala have been attracting patients mainly through their naturopathy and Ayurveda centres.

Nishant Jain, associate vice president with Fortis Healthcare, lauded the government’s initiative.

“The Union government has been taking several positive steps to help the sector, like a medical visa regime, but a board set up specifically for the purpose will give a value advantage to the industry,” he said.

The hospital chain received 14,000 foreign patients last year, most of them at its centres in the National Capital Region.

“Such a board has been a longstanding demand from the industry,” said Karan Thakur, a senior doctor at Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, some 12 to 14 per cent of whose 750 beds are occupied by foreign patients at any given time.

“The medical and wellness tourism industry in India has been doing well for itself but a handheld approach from the government would mean we can tap the market even in developed countries, as opposed to developing countries, from where we get the maximum patients now,” Thakur said.

Sandeep Bafna of India Travels, a Bangalore-based tour operator that organises wellness trips for foreigners, said the Centre should focus on advertising what Indian health care institutions can offer tourists.

“The government’s Incredible India campaign has helped build goodwill about the country. If the government is really serious about health tourism, its focus should be on advertising,” he said.

“It will particularly help tour operators and health centres that lack the financial resources to campaign on their own.”

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta, India / Front Page> Story / by Suki Sukanya / New Delhi – June 19th, 2015