Medical Tourism to Canada

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According to an article (Canada a mecca for medical tourism?) published in TheStar.com on October 13, 2007, Canada has the potential to become the next medical tourism destination.

Eliminating wait times in Canada's health care system would allow this country to become a mecca for medical "tourists," the president of the Canadian Medical Association said yesterday.

"Consider that the biggest consumers in the $40 billion medical tourism business are Americans," Day told a meeting of the Empire Club in Toronto, referring to people who travel out of their country to seek specialized medical care.

"This is a potentially massive new industry for Canada (but) a prerequisite is the elimination of our wait times."

Day said Americans travel to far-flung places like India, Thailand and Russia for more novel or cheaper medical procedures than they can obtain in their own country.

"By changing our focus we, too, could soon tap into that market and reap the rewards for our public system," he said.

"Since Canada has virtually no non-government hospital infrastructure, the potential income from medical tourism will benefit public hospitals and unionized hospital workers. Naysayer union leaders need to reflect on this matter."

More at TheStar.com...

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Top 10 Reasons Why Medical Tourism is Popular

By Mumtaz Pachisa
Brought to you by Healthbase http://www.healthbase.com/ info.hb@healthbase.com 1-888-MY1-HLTH

Medical Tourism dates back to the times when wealthy Europeans and Asians would travel within their continent or to other continents to seek health related treatments. But, of late, the trend has been popularized by Americans, Canadians, British and others who travel to far-off countries in search for low-cost high quality health care or for care that’s not readily available in their country.

Following are the top 10 reasons why people travel to far-flung developing countries for medical care:

1. Incredible Savings
The top on the list is savings. Depending upon your destination country and the cost of the procedure back home, expect to save at least 50%.
For example: A cardiac bypass surgery is estimated at well over $100,000 in the US. But in India, at a 5-star type hospital, you can have the same surgery for only about $10,000. That's 90% savings even after you have paid for your travel, accommodation and vacation for yourself and a companion.

2. No Wait-Lists
Access to immediate service is what attracts those from countries that have public health care system towards medical tourism . A case at hand is that of a Canadian who suffered from chronic back pain for 16 years and was given medication to deal with it for all those years. Tired of the system and of the worsening pain, she went to India to get her spinal surgery. She now tells everyone how she got her life back by going to India .

3. Excellent Quality
To demonstrate their commitment to quality many international providers choose to be accredited by organizations such as JCI, JCAHO and ISO or by their local accrediting organizations. Read testimonials by medical tourists who vouch for the high quality treatment they have received overseas.

4. World-Class Facilities
International providers offer luxurious accommodation, private spacious rooms, and access to hospitality services 24 x 7. The facilities are immaculate and there are no infections that we so often hear about being present in UK hospitals.

5. Access to Latest Technology
The technology and equipments used by them are the latest and the greatest. It’s not uncommon to see surgeons working with billion dollar robotic machines in operating rooms.

6. 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. They have colleagues in the US, UK and elsewhere, so it should not come as a surprise if they know your local surgeon at home.

7. Personalized Service
Most medical traveleres vouch for the genuine and excellent service that they receive from surgeons, nurses and other medical staff alike. The staff to patient ratio is low making high level of personal care possible.

8. Longer Hospital Stay
One of the advantages of medical travel is you get to stay in the hospital for long without incurring hefty room charges. You can have a longer hospital stay than possible in your local hospital back home under the supervision of your surgeon and physical therapist.

9. Great Convenience
Given the ease of international travel combined with low airfares, your life-changing surgery is just a flight away. Another convenience that you get is not having to leave the comforts of your home until the surgery is due. You can research all you want on the Internet about hospitals and surgeons, share your medical records online with them, book and plan your itinerary on the web, etc.

10. Travel Opportunities
While the primary motivation for most customers is affordable surgery the opportunity to visit exotic destinations is an additional draw for some. You can choose to have a relaxing recovery in a resort setting or if your surgeon allows you can even enjoy outdoor tourist attractions.

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.

By Mumtaz Pachisa [media.hb (@) healthbase.com]

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