Medellin, Colombia, September 20th, 2011 -- Global Healthcare - Quo Vadis?
Globalization in Healthcare
Globalization does go far beyond your daily
shopping experience, like getting fresh strawberries from South Africa, roses from Colombia, meat from Argentina or lychees from China. More and more educated patients, or ePatients, travel outside the comfort zone of their own city to access better, cheaper or more timely healthcare. Generally known as Medical Tourism or Medical Travel, the term Global Healthcare is more appropriate and should rather be used. Especially the term "Tourism" and its laissez faire association, does not coincide with the reality and the seriousness of medical procedures or cosmetic treatments.A number of consulting companies have studied Global Healthcare in recent years and identified this market as a very promising one as well as an important brick in the "sustainable healthcare reform building". Asia has been on the forefront of this development. In recent years, however, especially South America has been waking up to this trend and is heavily investing into infrastructure and services - expecting to serve an increasing number of baby-boomers from Canada and the USA. Countries like Colombia, Costa Rica and Brazil are just a few flight hours away and within the same timezone - making traveling there much less painful than long-haul flights to Asia.
Global Healthcare in South America
MedeSalud 2011, is an annual congress (3rd), held in Medellin and organized by the Medellin Chamber of Commerce (Camara de Comercio Medellin) who has identified Health and Global Healthcare as one of the main pillars in their cluster strategy.
ProExport, Colombia's Trade Promotion Agency, is actively supporting this strategy, not only in Medellin, but in Colombia's main cities. By organizing and financially supporting events like MedeSalud 2011, "fam-trips" and participation of colombian healthcare providers at international trade shows, ProExport promotes Colombia as a top destination in Global Healthcare.
But MedeSalud 2011 went beyond a local or national strategy for Global Healthcare. Promoting South America in general as an attractive destination for Global Medical Services has been defined as a new strategic direction, strongly supported by various Medesalud participants from different south american countries.
Not being familiar with the quality of medical services in South America, a number of people are doubting that Global Healthcare will really take off and become a major GDP contributor in these countries. "Healthcare in developing countries doesn't just live up to the standards a US-American would expect!", is something mentioned frequently in those circles! "This couldn't be further away from the truth!", has been the unanimous statement at this conference. Some of the most advanced hospitals in the hemisphere, regarding equipment, services and care, are located in South America. The chilean publication America Economía shared the results of their recent study about the quality of medical services in 190 of South America's most advanced high-complexity hospitals. Identifying 45 of the best hospitals, 14 are in Colombia, proving that this country can compete with any hospital in the US regarding key concerns like patient safety, staff safety, technological capacity, knowledge management, efficiency and prestige. Doctors are often educated in South America's best universities with specializations in prestigious Medical Centers in the USA.
Going through publications, studies and forums, in order to identify hospitals or doctors appropriate to provide services to patients from the US or Canada is not only a time-consuming but also tricky process. It's not always the prettiest website that advertises for the best doctor. After all, what does "the best" really mean. Facilitators, like FlyClinic (www.flyclinic.com), are trying to help patients through this labyrinth. How? First of all, FlyClinic has clearly defined "the best" in this context as: "a provider of medical services, exceeding patient's expectations on at least two of four dimensions, defining a patient's experience with medical procedures or cosmetic treatments":
1. success in medical or cosmetic outcome
2. patient's general perception of outcome
3. patient's perception of communication and care throughout the process
4. human touch
Information and being informed is key for patients - Transparency the foundation of trust in any medical or cosmetic intervention. FlyClinic does not only provide detailed descriptions of each procedure on their website (www.flyclinic.COM) but also a forum on healthcare related issues (www.flyclinic.NET), where patient's questions are answered by specialists. Understanding the importance of transparency throughout the process, FlyClinic is withstanding the temptation to bundle flights, hotels and procedures into packages, but rather gives patients a choice to decide for themselves where and when to go abroad. Booking the flight and hotel you want through www.FlyClinicTravel.com is as easy as 1-2-3 and gives you a great deal.
With these services FlyClinic is bridging the gap and offers international patients a personalized, innovative solution and all necessary information to cut down their healthcare costs.
With new services and offerings, like FlyClinic, participants at MedeSalud 2011 would agree that trust still has to be earned and that patients should always be critical when it comes to their own health - not only for procedures or treatments abroad but also within their comfort-zone. Asking questions, reviewing ratings and medical certifications, reading doctor's publications and how former patients opinionate about doctors, clinics and facilitators provides strong indicators for the quality of a provider of Global Medical Services or Global Healthcare. Finally, general information from trusted sources on the quality of medical services in different countries might be the final prove patients need to decide traveling abroad.
It might come as a shock to many that the World Health Report 2010 ranked Colombia 22nd in “overall health system performance”, whereas the USA came 37th.
Remains the question of: "But why should I travel so far, if I can have a decent procedure or treatment here?". Well, cost might be a factor. Procedures in Colombia or other destinations in South America are between 30% - 90% lower than in the USA. Another strategic advantage is that Colombia is right around the corner, only three flight-hours away from Miami and less than 8 hours from New York. There are numerous direct flights from Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and New York to the main cities, Bogotá and Medellín and Cali.
MedeSalud 2011 has been an excellent platform for the exchange of information within the Global Healthcare industry and will continue to shape Global Medical Services. Patients should certainly not easily discard the opportunity to receive affordable healthcare by traveling abroad.
