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Tourism and health sectors seek to boost medical tourism in Costa Rica

Posted on September 8, 2012

Companies will link with solidarista associations this week in San José. Health and tourism companies will present their products and services to some 50 solidarista associations on Thursday at the Radisson Hotel Europe, west of San José. Solidarista associations are worker-managed … Continue reading →

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Chinese visitors coming for medical tourism to get e-visas

Posted on August 26, 2012 | Comments Off on Chinese visitors coming for medical tourism to get e-visas

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA)

Taiwan will soon launch an e-visa service on a trial basis for people from China visiting the country for physical checkups, cosmetic surgery or anti-aging treatments, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) said Saturday.

The agency said that starting Aug. 27, the agency will screen applications and issue visas to Chinese nationals within 48 hours to facilitate the process.

Thirty-nine medical institutions that offer the medical services covered under the program can apply online for visas for their Chinese patients, NIA Director-General Hsieh Li-kung said.

Chinese nationals currently need five working days to get a visa for Taiwan for medical tourism.

(By Johnson  Sun and Lilian Wu ) / EnditemLS

source: http://www.focustaiwan.tw / Home> Society / August 25th, 2012

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Posted in Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Group wants medical tourism banned

Posted on May 28, 2012 | Comments Off on Group wants medical tourism banned

JAF says Lagos State public officials should be stopped from seeking medical treatment abroad

The Joint Action Front (JAF), a pro-labour civil society coalition, has requested that Foreign Missions in Nigeria place a ban on Lagos State public officials seeking medical treatment abroad.

In a press statement jointly signed by the group chairperson, Dipo Fashina, and its secretary,  Abiodun Aremu, JAF questioned the rights of the public officials and their relatives to go on medical tourism at a time when the state health sector is in crisis.

The group said that the action was “criminal, and must be disallowed.”

“This is sequel to the information available to us that senior officials of the Lagos State Government and their relations are leaving the country for medical treatment, at very great cost to the taxpayer, while the greater mass of the people suffer under the current situation,” the statement read.

The group said the state government has violated international and national labour laws by sacking 788 doctors earlier this month.

Consequently, doctors in federal hospitals went on a solidarity strike in support of their colleagues, grounding activities in public hospitals in the state.

JAF blamed the state government’s “arrogance and insensitivity” for the ongoing crisis.

Government, by its action to sack the doctors, according to the report, has “left the poor, underprivileged and vulnerable to sudden death.”

“Therefore, JAF urges your Excellencies to ensure that no functionary of the Lagos State Government or their families should be granted Visa to travel abroad to seek medical treatment until the current situation is resolved,” the statement further read.

The group urged immediate resolution of the crisis, and told the state government to unconditionally revert the sack order.

source: http://www.dailytimes.com.ng / Article / by Gbenro Adeoye / May 27th, 2012

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Posted in Associations/Organisations/Government/NonGovernment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others

Untapped market: Can Pakistan become a hub for medical tourism?

Posted on April 20, 2012 | Comments Off on Untapped market: Can Pakistan become a hub for medical tourism?
Country is home to specialists that can provide world-class treatment, say doctors. ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID
Karachi:
“Every country, except Pakistan, is concerned with medical tourism,” say doctors, who bemoan the fact that our government is sleeping over a golden opportunity.

Medical tourism – a buzzword in global healthcare – is a term used to describe the worldwide trend of people travelling across international borders to obtain healthcare. India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand and Dubai are some of the top destinations to where patients flock to to get better treatment.

Gynaecologist Sadiah Pal says there is no need for Pakistanis, at least, to travel abroad for treatment; she believes that Pakistan has specialists and high-quality hospitals where comparable care is available. Pal says the cost for infertility treatment abroad can range between Rs2.5-3 million, while the same treatment in Pakistan costs around Rs0.2 million.

“Some patients who come from the US are those who don’t have insurance cover there; and so, they come here [for treatment],” she says.

She says the government, if it wants, can jump onto the medical tourism bandwagon and market it like other countries do. “We too have the best doctors and hospitals. We just need to package it right; like it is being done in India. They throw in a sightseeing tour and a massage therapy session along with the treatment.”

Pakistan Medical Association Sindh President Dr Samrina Hashmi says there is huge potential for Pakistan in becoming a hub for medical tourism, like so many other countries in its neighbourhood.

“Already, a number of patients from places such as the Middle East, UK and US seek a range of treatments in Pakistan; these include cardiac surgery, infertility treatments and cosmetic surgery,” she says.

Costs for treatment in Pakistan are more than 50% of what doctors and hospitals charge abroad, she explains. At the moment, most foreign patients who come here for treatment are of Pakistani origin.

In the past, a sizable number of such globe-trotting patients came here for kidney transplants. “However, these cases have gone down since legislation came into place to regulate the illegal trade of selling kidneys,” she says.

Hashmi says medical tourism can be a huge opportunity for Pakistan if the government focuses on key issues. “Just improve the security situation here, and you’ll see that people from all over the world will skip places like Thailand to seek healthcare in Pakistan.”

Liaqat National Hospital’s plastic surgeon Dr Shehab Beg says he receives about 50 patients per year from abroad. “Most of them come for plastic surgery; such as liposuction and hair transplantation.”

Liposuction can cost between Rs0.7-0.8 million abroad, while the same procedure here can be done within Rs0.2 million, he says.

“Pakistan, too, can give the world a tough competition in medical tourism,” Beg says. He echoes Hashmi in saying that unless the law and order situation in the country is improved, the business side of the health industry may not grow.

“Already, a number of health professionals have left the country to work in hospitals abroad. They could have done the same work here in Pakistan, if only the situation here had been better.”

‘Foreign Agents’

In fact, in Pakistan, some doctors work as agents for foreign hospitals; earning commissions if they send affluent Pakistani patients for treatment to their patron hospitals.

One such agent is a man who calls himself Dr Mian Atif Fayaz. He has set up an office for the Thailand-based Bumrungrad International hospital in Lahore. His ads for the hospital are currently doing rounds over the internet and email.

When a reporter from The Express Tribune dialled the office’s number posing as a potential patient, Dr Mian Atif Fayaz – who answered the phone himself – said that not only had he set up a regional office for the international hospital in Lahore, but was also the managing director of globalhealthtravel.pk, a web-based company.

The Thai hospital, he claimed, provided healthcare for all types of illnesses. He asked for patient reports to be sent over to him via email, which he would then forward to the hospital abroad. He explained the expenses would include a ‘nominal processing fee’ and a detailed breakdown of the cost of seeking treatment at the hospital would be provided to the hospital. He added that treatment expenses increase depending on the type of rooms and degree of comfort one sought at the hospital.

Doctors say there is nothing illegal about marketing for hospitals based abroad, but it hurts their clientele base.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2012.

source: http://www.tribune.com.pk / The Express Tribune / by Salman Siddiqui / April 17th, 2012

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Reports,Features, Statistics, Uncategorized

Traveling 4 Health and Retirement and Overseas Radio Network Partner on Innovative and New Radio Program

Posted on April 6, 2012 | Comments Off on Traveling 4 Health and Retirement and Overseas Radio Network Partner on Innovative and New Radio Program

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) April 05, 2012

Traveling4Health&Retirement (THR), North America’s one resource for travel, destination locations, retirement, and medical travel news announces “Know before you Go” a new talk-radio program in the Traveling4Health media family.

Traveling4Health’s mission is to share information, experience and inspiration and to help Americans better understand their health and wellness options whether traveling for medical treatment or retiring overseas.

The THR radio program has become an exciting tool in this regard. Each program mixes interviews with guest subject experts, thought provoking topics, and call-ins with questions, comments and opinions.

Traveling4Health&Retirement and “Know before You Go” radio programming connects vacationing aficionados and the traveling baby boomer with timely travel information by renowned experts in medical science, world travel, and technology.

“If you have questions about how to unlock the power of medical travel or overseas retirement to improve your quality of life, we invite you to join us in practical discussions about medical travel and the helpful information about the consequences of travel with health and wellness and overseas retirement destinations,” said a THR spokesperson.

THR looks forward to exploring retirement adventures and medical travel strategies with listeners, on the radio.

Show host, Ilene Little, CEO of Traveling 4 Health and Retirement, monitors weekly discussions between the audience and prominent medical providers, healthcare executives and retirement consultants.

“We talk about the experience of foreign-patients in medical centers of excellence throughout the world,” says a THR representative, “as well as our favorite destinations for medical travel or living seasonally or full time abroad. Along with exciting destinations, the show host discusses general topics such as:

  • How to search popular destinations for overseas retirement that match a Baby Boomer’s needs for healthcare and long-term care,
  • How to unlock the financial power of medical travel to get needed treatments more affordably,
  • Where to find trustworthy doctors and dentists, and
  • Who you need to know to get local knowledge about traveling destinations.

Frequent guests will include Shai Gold, an American healthcare executive and CEO of International Triage, LLC, David Mair, an American risk-management consultant and CEO of Soter Healthcare, author Kristin Eckland, ACNP-BC, MSN, RN, Nurse Practitioner in Thoracic Surgery, Life Planning Network retirement consultants, world-renown medical and dental physicians, and medical services providers recommended by Traveling4Health&Retirement members.

Traveling4Health radio news “Know before You Go” is the first Internet radio programming offering leading travel, vacationing, and destination medical and healthcare discussions among healthcare professionals, travel aficionados, and journeyers ready to discover the ultimate in living life to the fullest in their own backyards and worldwide.

Ensuring a well-planned and organized medical vacation or retirement adventure requires not only thoughtful but mindful travel planning. Traveling4Health&Retirement recognizes the need for reliable and alternative sources for expats, retirees, and vacationers seeking the affordable and the enjoyable in travel around the globe.

Shai Gold of International-Triage, LLC has managed over 3,000 medical cases and 150 Million dollars in international medical services. He agrees thoughtful and organized travel planning is a comforting travel advantage and an essential safety consideration. “We emphasis value, safety and comfort for the medical traveler and his/her escorting family member,” says Gold, “in addition to expert medical oversight and clinical case management.”

Travelers will receive practical advice to rethink the range of preparation necessary when planning an international living location or a journey for medical tourism. Quality of accommodations, fresh water and food sources, local health care provision, tropical, cool, or climatic environs, and personal safety during traveling are relevant considerations with destination and location planning.

Partnering with the Overseas Radio Network, Traveling4Health&Retirement will offer the finest in destination locations for medical treatment opportunities, and retirement vacations introducing listeners to sources from the world’s leading medical and international living experts.

Be a caller on the show to participate in recording sessions. Sign up for THR’s health and retirement radio show newsletter to receive email alerts about scheduled recording sessions.

The definitive resource in global health trekking, Traveling4Health&Retirement presents the newest achievements, advancements, and developments in vacationing, retirement and destination travel. Travelers, medical professionals, and people desiring to learn more about Traveling4Health&Retirement’s growing user community and health providers may visit Traveling4Health&Retirement at http://www.Travelling4Health.com. Persons or care providers interested in becoming a member with Traveling4Health&Retirement’s online community should contact Ilene Little at +1.888.844.1005; Fax: +1.888.844.1005; Skype at Ilene.Little for additional information.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/4/prweb9368625.htm

source: http://www.DigitalJournal.com / PRWEB.com Newswire / April 05th, 2012

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Posted in Interviews, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas