Sarah wilson asked:


Health is wealth. A healthy mind can think and work effectively. Today, people are suffering from various types of unheard and unseen diseases. Costs of treatment of some diseases are also very high. Some people can afford it, whereas, some people cannot afford it. The cost of treating the same disease varies from country to country. People who cannot afford treatment in his own country moves to some other country for treatment. Once, they are treated by an experienced doctor, their disease gets vanished. Medical tourism is flourishing day by day in various parts of the world. It is a blessing for the patients.

While trying to describe the rapid growth in traveling to places for getting oneself treated, travel agents and mass media coined the term medical tourism. Global healthcare is more likely to replace the term medical tourism. There are two reasons why people travel to other countries for treatment. Firstly, when the cost of treatment is very high in his own country and secondly, when the disease is incurable in his native place. People who need to undergo complex surgeries like joint replacement, cardiac surgery, dental surgery or cosmetic surgeries generally move to other countries. Cuba, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Jordan, Colombia, New Zealand, Singapore and India attract more and more patients. It is rapidly increasing day by day.

The governments of the respective countries also invest funds to develop the hospitals as well as work towards improved infrastructure. The government has also developed medical tourism to generate income for the country. Traveling to another country for treatment is not only cost effective but can successfully cure any sorts of diseases. Countries that provide medical treatment gives excellent health treatments to their patients and also have world class doctors. Patients that travel to some other countries get a good treatment from the doctors as well as from the medical staff. Doctors and medical staff work hard to make their patients happy and try to cure any major health problems that they are facing. They try to give full comfort to their patients. The different international healthcare accreditation schemes vary in quality, size and cost. They also vary in terms of cost according to the hospitals and healthcare institutions using them. They all have web sites.

Medical tourism provides various services to the patients. Private transportation is provided to the patients and his attendant. The vehicle will take them to any place. The hospitals will also provide interpretation assistance if needed by the patients to understand all the procedures of the hospitals. The hospitals will also provide cell phone or a 24-hour contact number. Accommodation is also arranged for the patients. The patients also get to know about the local customs of the place. The hospitals also provide many other facilities to the patient. The patients can very easily afford the expenditure of the treatment. Another advantage of this type of travel is that the patients will get to explore a new place which will refresh his body and mind.



Visit Singapore!

Sarah wilson asked:


Medical tourism is attracting quite an attention from the patients all over the world. However, there are people who are still unaware of this fantastic service. However, it is also known as medical travel or health tourism that was earlier coined by travel agencies around the world. However, it denotes to the practice of traveling to another country to obtain better healthcare. It is gaining popularity amongst the patients residing in the United States and UK for its economical yet qualitative services.

However, the medical tourism includes services for elective procedures and complex specialized surgeries, such as joint replacement, cardiac surgery, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgeries. These services are offered by the various health clinics and hospitals use informal channels of communications and offer legal and regulatory assistance to the patients seeking quality and reimbursement or redresses. Moreover, going for treatment in other country serves two purposes, one the patient gets rid of the disease and secondly the patient gets to explore and enjoy the medical tourism destination and recuperates at fast pace too. Therefore, if anyone seeking treatment for various disease and is planning to go to any of these destinations then this service is an answer to all medical woes. In fact, countries like India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Costs Rica and Philippines are favored destinations for obtaining treatments in comparison to other US and European countries.

In fact, one will be surprised to know that these South-east Asian countries are the most sought after destinations for medical treatments. The hospitals of these countries provide invasive and non-invasive methods for blepharoplasty, abdominoplasty, brachioplasty, breast lift, breast enlargement and reduction, face-lift, dermabrasion, forehead lift, neck lift, mid-face lift, rhinoplasty, hip or knee replacements and liposuction. Thus, if one is suffering from such conditions or wants to enhance his or her physical attribution then going to these countries is worthy. Hence, do not wait and grab a deal through medical tourism. In fact, besides getting treatment in these destinations one can also explore the rich culture offered by them. Thus, opting for medical tourism is a perfect way to bid adieu to various complications. The hospitals that are offered to international patients are well equipped and capable of serving everyone with care. Therefore leave the apprehensions behind and get ready for a new experience.

The medical tourism services include private transportation to the hotel and to-and-fro for hospital, check on recuperating patient regularly is performed and arrangement for airport medical assistance upon departure, if necessary is also offered. The hospitals additionally provide interpretation assistance if needed by the patient to understand the procedures well. However, the hospitals offer services, such as cell phone or 24-hour contact number, assist in local tour and excursion arrangements, and information on local dining, shopping, and information on local culture and customs of destination. The hospitals also tops providing technology general medical procedures, including cardiology, oncology, diagnostics, ear, nose and throat, fertility and female productivity system and general surgery. Even the costs of treatments here are easy to handle, and do not pinch the pocket of the patient.



Medical Clinics

Jose Allan Tan asked:


Visit any hospital in Asia and you will see physicians walking along corridors of white anesthetized rooms visiting patients while holding flipcharts, scribbling observations and recommendations. Attending nurses move to and from their station answering calls, paging physicians and following up on patient medication.

Most departments from administration, finance, purchasing, nurse stations, resident physicians and laboratories have computers networked together to allow authorized staff to view documents online.

Advances in technology and business processes have reached the point where real benefits can be achieved through the convergence of computing and communications. It’s no longer the realm of science fiction and healthcare institutions with very deep pockets, healthcare providers of different sizes, even those specializing in niche areas of healthcare provision, have discovered the payback of computing and the hard benefits of going wireless.

Lead by example

Case in point: St. Vincent’s Hospital, a 338-bed acute care facility in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, is running a ten-year old campaign to elevate care standards by improving the quality, timeliness and accessibility of clinical information.

“As we deliver clinical information faster, to locations that are more appropriate and necessary, then we enable our physicians to make better decisions faster and earlier,” explains CIO Tim Stettheimer. “That has direct and immediate effect on the quality of care and the clinical outcomes that depend on it.”

St. Vincent’s careful construction of a fully integrated and wirelessly accessible care information system environment reveals several important characteristics of successful solutions:

Tight integration between clinical care applications and a shared data repository, enabling automatic, real-time data aggregation.

A robust, easily managed wireless environment that provides appropriate levels of security for sensitive patient data.

An open standards-based enterprise hardware platform that supports mission-critical reliability, flexible scalability and affordable cost of ownership across a complete range of servers, workstations, desktops, notebooks, tablet and multi-function handheld computing devices.

As real-life example show, by properly integrating some of the latest in information technology, healthcare providers can experience significant transformation in the way they provide services to their customers. Transformations that directly benefit both the hospital’s bottom line and the people the organization has sworn to serve – the patients.

Wireless technology has reached the point where users can now access information and communicate to colleagues within the organization securely and effortlessly. What’s more, the infrastructure requirement does not require significant investment on the part of the organization. Most of today’s notebooks and personal digital assistants (PDAs) come built-in with wireless technology.

Mobile Point-of-Care (POC) is a rapidly evolving segment of hardware, software and service solutions all focused on extending enterprise services and data to mobile care providers and their patients. Most of these solutions can combine new application logic with a trio of enabling technologies: high-speed wireless LANs; XML data integration; and handheld wireless client devices. These can all help bring patient data, decision support and administrative services to mobile points of care. These will also improve clinical outcomes by making patient information and diagnostic data instantly available to mobile care providers.

Mobile applications

Some of the applications already being utilized as a number of healthcare facilities include:

An online clinical decision support suite that combines expert diagnostic, treatment and prescription support tools with clinical management software, all accessible over handheld PDAs.

Electronic prescription systems that can automate order entry, preparation, delivery and check patient records for drug allergies and interactions have the potential to save lives by eliminating most prescribing and transcription errors. These systems allow providers with handheld devices to match bar-coded medication with bar-coded patient and physician IDs, establishing an accurate and fully documented “medication information supply chain.”

An automated supply tracking and inventory control solution using wireless handheld scanners and enterprise database software.

An automated, remote patient monitoring and charting solution that links Bluetooth*- enabled medical devices and monitoring equipment with department and care center systems by way of an integrated wireless LAN relay device located in each patient room. Management systems can’t solve these problems unless their services and data are readily accessible at every point where providers and patients interact.

A wireless LAN-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone system that lets nurses and physicians communicate easily using tiny, wearable voice-activated “badges.”

A wireless Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) that serves up diagnostic-quality radiological images to WLAN-enabled devices.

The future

While many hospitals are just beginning the process of integration and access engineering that leads to point-of-care solutions, others are looking further down the road. St. Vincent’s Stettheimer envisions mobile technologies that will manage the onslaught of information more intelligently and proactively to help overloaded clinicians focus their attention for maximum productivity.

He thinks that mobile devices will soon track the user’s physical position, and will present information filtered for location context. A physician on rounds, for example, might have patient information updated automatically as he moves from room to room.

In Asia, hospitals like Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand, Singapore General Hospital and Medical City in the Philippines are paving the way for other hospitals in the region to follow suite. The question to ask is not “if” but “how fast” can hospitals transform their organization and thereby reap the rewards of operational efficiency and improve patient care.

Success Stories

Representatives from different departments at various healthcare institutions worldwide discuss how information technology improves the business of providing patient care services. Click here to watch a video.

Medical Associates Clinic, Dubuque, Iowa, USA

A 140-provider multi-specialty group practice producing over 500,000 patient visits annually through a network of 14 clinics and 22 outreach offices. Like most successful medical groups, Medical Associates Clinic (MAC) strives to maintain the balance between growing administrative workloads and a high standard of patient care. Processes like prescription management drain the time and attention of nurses and physicians. MAC deployed McKesson’s Horizon Ambulatory Care, a Web-based clinical automation solution that provides comprehensive support for care delivery in an ambulatory setting. Now the group’s clinicians can access records, document encounters and initiate orders directly from wireless-enabled Tablet PCs. Prescriptions are automatically checked for possible interactions and electronically faxed to the patient’s pharmacy, improving accuracy and patient satisfaction.

Schneider Children’s Medical Center, Israel

The Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel (SCMCI) is a 224-bed acute care facility located in Petach Tikva. SCMCI implemented an online clinical data warehouse based on Ness Technologies dbMotion platform. The new system consolidates medical information from various departmental systems and provides secure, role-based access to authorized and authenticated users. Caregivers access the system using notebook PCs and other mobile devices with integrated wireless connectivity. Now clinicians can view their patients’ entire medical history in real time, directly at the point of care. The immediate availability of comprehensive patient records reduces the administrative costs and delays related to data acquisition, accelerating diagnosis and treatment. It lets caregivers spend more time focused on the patient, and helps improve the quality of the care interaction.

University of Jena Hospital, Germany

At the University of Jena Hospital (UJH) clinical complex in Theuringen, Germany, a mobile point-of-care solution trial has demonstrated simplified work processes with significant reductions in nursing workloads. The pilot was designed to test lightweight, mobile alternatives to the hospital’s existing infrastructure of fixed PCs for patient data input and retrieval. By eliminating trips to the central ward PC to enter and access patient data, administrative workloads were reduced by up to two hours per nurse per day, allowing substantial reallocation of nursing time to direct patient care.



Visit Singapore!

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


There is a lot of differences between living in the East and West. Numerous issues have to be considered, like cost of living, weather, people, culture, and so on. Big distinction in either side makes alterations in people’s “lifestyle”. It is widely accepted that most foreigners visiting Thailand choose Thai way of living.

Every year, there are a huge number of foreigners traveling to Thailand but in the end they decide to settle down here. Thailand has an enormous impact on the big crowd. Anyone visiting Thailand will be left amazed by the diversities they witness in food, shopping and sceneries.

But most of the travelers are attracted towards Phuket than Bangkok. For people who love to lead a simple life there may not be too many better choices than this island in South East Asia. It boasts lush, tropical environment, azure clear water and attractive scenic ocean and beaches. There are recreation options galore in Phuket like sailing, boating, diving, fishing, windsurfing, biking, swimming, diving, golfing and many more.

Life in Phuket has been easy and peaceful. Although it is a small island unlike Bangkok, the people living here take things easy and enjoy life here. There are no pains like traffic jam and large crowds and you can soak up in fresh air. Locals are friendly and sincere, and their lifestyle suits you when most make their lives on a small industry around the ocean like fishing.

Now, the city provides you the most modern facilities including excellent roads, modern hospitals, superb marinas and first grade international schools. Its international airport can be accessed from over a dozen international locations as well as most domestic locations. With a short journey of less than one and a half hours, visitors can connect through Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok to the rest of the world. Some airlines have scheduled international flights that arrive here directly without touching Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok.

Plenty of people come here for enjoying their vacations. Usually the travelers, go around to see the beautiful beaches and the tropical climate. Once they get a feel of the lifestyle they will definitely say this place is a heaven. It is the wealthiest province in Thailand. Its wealth allowed the place to provide world class arrangements for you. But looking on the other side of the coin, it has the highest cost of living when compared to any other Thai province. However, it is still very affordable considering western standards and even a modest income from home can allow you to live leisurely here.

Phuket’s location in the calm Andaman Sea has attracted foreigners since the olden days. Legal services, business opportunities and plenty of houses, all designed to the specific needs of the ex-pat. If you’re thinking about moving to this place, be prepared to face all manner of little discomforts that are bound to happen when East meets West. Houses here are very affordable and provide you good value depending on how close to the beach you want to be.

A totally furnished two bedroom house with air conditioner can be hired for about 8,000 to 14,000 baht a month in the Phuket Town area. It also offers wide variety of different types of cuisine and how much you spend will be based on where you go and the type of food you want to eat. It is an island having decent size and walking from place to place can be taxing. The ideal means of transport is a 125cc motorbike. Motorbike rentals are easily available and cost about 3,000 baht per month, which comprises insurance.

Apartments here are generally priced around 1 million baht for a small studio, while a two bedroom condominium is available from 4 million baht. Drinking is a favorite pastime in Phuket and it will not be a serious issue in your cost of living. A small bottle of local beer at a pub usually costs about 50 baht, while a large bottle is priced at about 80 to 100 baht.

Taking into account all those lifestyle and development, Phuket gives you a perfect dream location for those searching for a relaxed lifestyle in an affordable, peaceful, and tropical paradise.



Singapore Hospitals

Healthbase asked:


Today, cheap yet world-class surgeries are just a flight away. But the deluge of information available out there can overwhelm anybody. So, here is a quick guide to medical tourism to answer most of your questions about the phenomenon.

WHAT IS MEDICAL TOURISM?

Medical Tourism is the process of traveling abroad to receive superior medical, dental and cosmetic care by highly skilled surgeons at some of the most modern and state-of-the-art medical facilities in the world…all at a fraction of the price in the US, UK and Canada.

MEDICAL TOURISM OFFERINGS

1. Incredible Savings: Compare a $7,000 hip resurfacing in India with a $48,000 one in the US. In general you are able to save 50% to 90%.

2. Excellent Quality: Many international providers are accredited by JCI, JCAHO and ISO or by local accrediting organizations. They have world-class facilities, have access to the latest technology and provide personalized service. If in doubt, read testimonials by patients who have experienced treatment overseas.

3. Surgeon Expertise: Most surgeons catering to international patients have either been educated or have received professional training at top schools in the US, UK or in other countries in Europe.

4. No Wait-Lists: Access to immediate service is what attracts those from countries that have public health care system towards medical tourism.

5. Longer Hospital Stay: You can have a longer hospital stay than possible in your local hospital back home under the supervision of your surgeon and physical therapist.

6. Travel Opportunities: While the primary motivation for most customers is affordable surgery, the opportunity to visit exotic destinations is an additional draw for some.

WHO SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN MEDICAL TOURISM?

In general, most medical tourists are either uninsured, underinsured or those seeking elective surgeries. Others resort to medical tourism due to the long wait-lists in their country.

WHICH COUNTRIES OFFER THE BEST SERVICES?

The most popular travel destinations are India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, Belgium, and Argentina amongst others. Some of these countries are considered best for cardiac surgery, others for orthopedic surgery and yet others for cosmetic surgery. You should base your selection on: quality, distance and cost.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PROVIDER

When choosing a provider, don’t get swayed by attractive packages and fancy websites. Read and watch what others are saying about the particular hospital, clinic or surgeon. Check out the facility pictures and videos. Consider the provider’s accreditation, awards and recognitions, facility and equipments, statistics like success rates, etc.

WILL MY HEALTH INSURANCE PAY FOR IT?

Insurance companies are keenly looking into medical tourism as an option though most haven’t adopted it into their plans yet. So check with your health insurer for details.

SHOULD I COMBINE “SUN, SAND, AND SEA” WITH SURGERY?

That depends.

Usually after a cosmetic surgery, you are advised not to expose your body to the sun or to sea water. But, you can always choose to enjoy them before your surgery. With certain other medical procedures, it’s best for you to stay indoors and relax after your surgery. In any case, you should always consult your surgeon if you have travel or tourism on your mind.

WHAT ARE MEDICAL TOURISM FACILITATORS?

Medical tourism facilitators like Healthbase (http://www.healthbase.com) are specialized facilitators that connect you with the hospital of your choice while providing all or some other valuable services like detailed information about various procedures, detailed hospital profiles and surgeon profiles, medical records transfer, free surgery quote, pre- and post-consultation with the overseas hospital, feedback and testimonials from previous patients, medical and dental loan financing, passport and visa, airport pick-up and drop-off, hospital escort, tickets, travel insurance, hotel booking, tourism services in the destination country, etc.

This medical tourism guide is just a starting step. You should do the proper required research before you fly to your medical tourism destination.

You can learn more about the growing trend of medical tourism, international healthcare facilities and surgeons and the details of the medical tourism process by logging on to http://www.healthbase.com. Healthbase.com is a medical tourism facilitator committed to providing low-cost high quality medical travel services to the global medical consumer.



Massage Therapist

Healthbase asked:


Surgery isn’t the first or even the last thing that comes to mind when you think tourism and vice versa. As misnomered as it may sound, but surgical tourism is what is happening in the health care industry today. Surgical tourism, also known as medical tourism, medical travel, health travel and health tourism, is traveling abroad for surgery.

So why would someone choose to go overseas for surgery?

The number one reason is because they can get huge discounts when compared to the price tags on surgeries at home. Surgical tourists claim to have saved from 50% to over 90%. Another reason revolves around the long wait-lists in countries like Canada and UK with public health care system. Some go for elective surgeries not covered by insurance.

Does low cost mean poor quality?

Check out pictures of some of the international hospitals catering to foreign patients at https://www.healthbase.com/hb/pages/hospitals_pl.jsp and you will notice how immaculate their 5-star hotel type facilities are. Their accreditations include those like JCI, JCAHO and ISO. Patients vouch for the personalized service they get. It’s not uncommon to see world-renowned surgeons at these international hospitals playing finger-magic behind the latest billion-dollar robotic machines.

So exactly how is such a miracle possible?

Well, that’s because in some countries like India, Thailand, Singapore, Turkey, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and others, the cost of labor when compared to the US, UK or Canada is lower. Plus, administrative costs and malpractice costs are also lower. These are the countries that are hot surgical tourism destinations.

Some of the surgeries that patients go overseas for…

Range from breast augmentation to Birmingham hip resurfacing surgery, and from lap band to triple cardiac bypass surgery. And it’s not just surgeries that people seek. Some go for therapeutic treatments and others for cancer treatments. Restorative and reparative treatments like LASIK are common and so are preventive check-ups and simple dental fix-ups.

Where is tourism in the picture?

While the primary motivation for most surgical tourists is affordable surgery, the opportunity to visit exotic destinations is an additional draw for some. You can plan to have a holiday during your visit to the foreign country before the surgery if your health permits or after the surgery if your surgeon permits.

How do I go about arranging my surgery abroad?

Getting surgery overseas is not even closely related to getting surgery at your local hospital but it can save you a ton of money. However, it involves careful research and planning. Begin by collecting more information about the trend of surgical tourism. You may start here: http://www.healthbase.com/resources/medical-tourism/medical-tourism-information. Read what others are saying about it. Educate yourself about the surgery desired. Do your due diligence in researching the various international hospitals and surgeons at the surgical destination you are interested in. Compare quotes from various providers and finalize one.

Many people find it useful to work with a surgical tourism provider that helps them with all the logistics of surgical tourism. Surgical tourism providers like Healthbase (http://www.healthbase.com) connect you with the hospital of your choice while providing many other related valuable services like detailed information about various procedures, detailed hospital profiles and surgeon profiles, medical records transfer, free surgery quote, pre- and post-consultation with the overseas hospital, feedback and testimonials from previous patients, medical and dental loan financing, passport and visa, airport pick-up and drop-off, hospital escort, tickets, travel insurance, hotel booking, tourism services in the destination country, etc.

You can learn more about the growing trend of surgical tourism, international healthcare facilities and surgeons, and the details of the surgical tourism process by logging on to http://www.healthbase.com. Healthbase.com is a surgical tourism facilitator committed to providing low-cost high quality medical travel services to the global medical consumer.



Massage Therapist

Suchita asked:


There is no denying the fact that India is one of the countries with an aura of mystique and charm and she ideally attracts the attention of millions around the globe. Translating this interest into a first hand experience would be wonderful for any genuine tourist. The journey involved is crucially important and accordingly, the flights to India from various important cities in the world will take you to this graceful land of spirituality, color and deep rooted culture.

The flights to India are several and varied in nature. The main airports accessed in international terms include Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Chennai International Airport and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. If you are traveling from the western world, airports in Mumbai and Delhi will be easier to access; while people traveling from the eastern side into the country can avail of the Kolkata and Chennai airports.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is actually the largest international and domestic aviation center and has two international and two domestic terminals. The major airlines served by this airport are as follows:



Air France

Continental Airlines

Singapore Airlines

British Airways

Alitalia

Jet Airways

Delta Air Lines

Air India

Cathay Pacific

Lufthansa

Qatar Airways



Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is one of the most important gateways to the country. This second busiest airport in South Asia, earlier known as Palm Airport, serves the following airlines and more:



Air India

Air China

Air France

Cathay Pacific

British Airways

Lufthansa



Chennai International Airport situated in Chennai has three terminals and they serve access to majority of the important cities in the world.



Lufthansa

Air China

Air India

British Airways

Cathay Pacific

Air France



Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata is the doorway to the eastern belt of the country. The various airlines served by this airport are as follows:



British Airways

Lufthansa

Air India

Singapore Airlines

Air China

Air France



The runways at these airports are all paved in asphalt and maintained to the utmost.

Airlines like Air Sahara, Indian, SpiceJet, Alliance Air and IndiGo Airlines, Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Go Air, Air Deccan are mostly served by these airports.

The best things about the flights to India are the efficiencies and the hospitality meted out by the flight crew to the commuters. The flights to India are equally good in their services and most of the international airports provide the following facilities:



Information Desk

Cafeteria/ restaurant

Facilities for the disabled

Banking facility

Telephone facility

Internet facility

Toilets



The ground staffs as well as the cabin crew are all on their toes to give their best and help you experience the most memorable of journeys.



Medical Clinics

Gregory Smyth asked:


Medical tourism is also known as medial travel, health tourism, or global healthcare – and this raft of names for the same phenomenon is a testament to the fact that the concept is gaining in acceptance and popularity. Health costs have long been a burden in the US and Europe, especially in countries without socialized healthcare. Now, medical tourism is starting to become institutionalized enough for employers to realized and systematize its benefits.

American employer-sponsored premiums for health insurance companies have exploded in the last six years, showing an increase in cost of up to 87%. It has been estimated that medical treatment or health insurance costs the average American family $11,500 per year, and workers spend nearly $3000 out of pocket on health expenses. This has led to the phenomenon of medical tourism.

Of all of the reasons for medical tourism, the price differential is listed as the most important one by patients. Costs can be as little as one-tenth of similar procedures in Western countries, especially for elective procedures which have complicated rules for claiming with health insurers. For example, hip replacement surgery can cost around US$40,000 in the United States. This may be needed in response to conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis. A hospital in India will perform the procedure for only US$7,000, and due to much lower cost of living in Asian countries, the extras of flights and accommodation go nowhere near covering that price shortfall.

Heart disease is another expensive condition in the US. Diagnostic procedures alone, like angiography, can cost up to US$17,000, even in populated states with large hospitals like California. The lowest cost for this procedure was $6,400 in Maryland, at the time of the research by Metropolitan Life. This procedure costs just US$870 at Bangkok Hospital, a Thai international hospital.

The concerns that patients may have about skill levels in foreign hospitals have been allayed in many cases by the Joint Commission in the US, which accredits American hospitals. Overseas institutions can apply to be accredited by the Joint Commission International, and the organization has around 100 foreign hospitals on its list, including Bangkok Hospital and Bumrungrad, two international Thai hospitals, as well as five Indian and 11 Singaporean hospitals. Many of these facilities have English speaking doctors, signage, information, nurses and technical staff, so Westerners can feel at home.

Several companies in the US are also institutionalizing medical tourism. United Group Programs in Florida sells self-insurance policies to small businesses; they recently initiated a plan to send patients to Bumrungrad, a center of Thailand health care, for expensive procedures. Patients also stay closer to home for medical procedures, with employers Blue Shield and Health Net, both in California, offering policies that allow members to receive treatment in Mexico.

Another, less publicized benefit of medical tourism is the standard of service found in international hospitals in Thailand, India and Singapore, as well as other medical tourism countries. Registered nurses are hard to come by in Western countries, where the profession is sometimes seen as less than desirable. They abound in Asian countries, though, meaning that when you ask a question or for help, your respondent is a qualified and trained healthcare professional, rather than an orderly.

These, as well as the many other benefits of medical tourism, (including service standards, hospital facilities, and the ability to combine health and pleasure), should see the trend towards medical tourism continue to grow.



Massage Therapist

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


For those people who likes adventurous trips and get pleasure from enjoying the beauty of a place then you ought to travel to Phuket Islands in Thailand. Phuket is a combination of tropical forest and crystal blue waters and an ideal destination for those who wish to have an exciting trip. It offers a wide range of options for you to be relaxed and serene from the tension free ambiance.

Thailand is situated in heart of Southeast Asia and is unique in its culture and traditions and among the top tourist destinations in the world. The Phuket islands are located 862 kilometers south of Thailand’s capital Bangkok. It is the largest island in Thailand and is often dubbed as the pearl of south.

The island is blessed with lush green tropical forests that have immense variety of flora and fauna. It is surrounded by crystal blue waters that lash on to the white powdery beaches and cliffs and turns out to be a real breathtaking sight and thus making it the busiest and most sought after destination among travelers around the globe.

The allure of the bronze sun, huge azure sky, the endless crystal blue oceans and the tropical forest together makes it a paradise. In Phuket you can feel the mesmerizing blue seas, stunning sunsets, and with sweet music dispersing around invites you to join the party. The island is popularly known for its white silky beaches, hospitality and the modern facilities for accommodation.

You can really have an adventurous trip around the tropical forests of Phuket which is known for its inquisitive dwellers. You can also have an exciting trip on the speedboat surrounding the islands and tropical forest of Phuket and also the Phang Nga Bay or the Patong beach. This wonderful Island is filled with everything you need and it is sure that Phuket can cater to all taste and budget. Why so late to plan a trip to Phuket? Come on and enjoy a fun-filled holiday in the amazing surroundings of one of the planet’s most beautiful island getaways.

The ideal time to visit Phuket is from the month of November to February during which the climate is excellent and the average temperature ranges from 24 to 32 degree Celsius. It gives you an opportunity to take pleasure in watching the clear blue sky, the scintillating breeze and the crystal blue waters, all add to the beauty of the occasion. Luxurious accommodations are provided with resorts offering high quality facilities that give comfort and privacy to the visitors.

The resorts in Phuket are simply the best ones with facilities like libraries, fitness centers and massaging centers. Residential villas can be found near to the Phuket Island which helps you to relax in front of the beautiful sandy beaches. You can order traditional Thai cuisines that are specially prepared for the visitors who have a special interest towards it. Mediterranean, Seafood, Scandinavian and Japanese cuisines are also available in abundance.

The Phuket Island is linked to Bangkok by road and you can travel by air. You can reach Phuket Island within 1 hour from Thailand International Airlines. Direct flight services are available to Phuket from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Japan, Sydney Taipei, Perth and other major destinations. Additional direct flight services connect Phuket to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Japan, Taipei, Perth, Sydney and other destinations. The Phuket Islands are just 15 minutes away from Phuket international airport.

The tropical forests in phuket offer you a really thrilling experience that you would cherish in your memory forever. You can also carry a camera along with you so that the glorious moments you experience in this wonderful island can be made known to your next generation.

The 4 kilometer long shallow sandy beach is ideal for swimming and other water sports such as skiing, surfing, snorkeling, sailing etc. You can have sunbath on the white sandy beaches for as long as you like and special zone is provided for the convenience of the visitors. If you haven’t visited Phuket yet, be prepared for a travel to Phuket the next time. You can say that you have visited one of the most beautiful places in the world “The Phuket Islands” after visiting Phuket.



Massage Therapist

Alfred Anderson asked:


What is obesity?

Obesity is characterized by an increase in the size and number of fat cells in the body, which leads to an excessive accumulation of body fat. On average, overweight and obese individuals have higher blood glucose and cholesterol values – they are also prone to developing heart diseases (including cancer), and diseases of the joints as well.

Weight to height ratio is a simple and widely acceptable method, which estimates the total body mass rather than fat mass and correlates with the amount of body fat. BMI of 25-30 is considered as an indication of overweight. Overweight is excessive storage of fat in the body. Each gram of this store generates about 9 calories when burnt. If your food supplies 9 calories less than the bodies requirement you will reduce 1 gram of weight as body will burn that one gram fat to generate the calories for energy.

What is the solution for obese patients?

Individuals having a Body Mass Index of 25-30 are considered obese, while individuals having a Body Mass Index of 35 are considered morbidly obese – such individuals might suffer from various other diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, joint aches etc., which are all concomitants of obesity.

Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery offers a new ray of hope for the morbidly obese patients to enjoy a normal and healthy life.

The following are the candidates for weight loss surgery:

· Individuals who have repeatedly tried and failed with dieting.

· Individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 i.e. approximately 50kg than the ideal weight or more and health-related conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, joint disease, depression, or others.

Bariatric (weight loss) Surgery promotes weight loss through two different methods:

Gastric Banding is a procedure in which the stomach is neither opened nor stapled. The band creates an hourglass shaped stomach having a small upper pouch with a narrow outlet. The new small upper gastric pouch restricts the amount of food stomach can hold and that can be consumed at one time. So one feels full and satisfied after a small meal. The narrowed outlet increases the time it takes for the stomach to empty. One therefore feels full for a longer time with no desire to eat.

Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y surgery) reduces the capacity of the stomach by creating a small stomach pouch. The procedure also constructs a tiny stomach outlet, which slows the speed by which food leaves your stomach. So one feels full after eating a small amount and will stay satisfied for a long time.

On average, patients lose 65-85% percent of excess body weight within one year after surgery.

Because surgery is such an effective method of long-term weight loss, most patients experience profound improvements in their health. Many of the health problems associated with obesity (overweight) are resolved after weight loss surgery.

Helping the patient reduce weight, cures him of various other ailments like:

· Type 2 Diabetes

· Obstructive sleep apnea

· High blood pressure

Other conditions that may be greatly improved after surgery is GI disorders like acid reflux, joint pains, swollen legs/skin ulcers, depression, menstrual irregularities and infertility. Countries like India, Singapore, Malaysia offer medical tourism service that offers obesity/ weight-loss related surgeries at a far more affordable price than that available in the United States. The popularity of medical tourism is on the rise since it has become the preferred mode of seeking treatment for all those patients who belong to countries where medical procedures are both expensive and difficult to access.



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