Emotional Attachment between People - Essay Example

MEDICAL TOURISM Introduction: Romance in simple terms is a close relationship of love between two people or a story about love. Romance has a very deep meaning in human life. Hemingways romance with his nurse inspired him to write A Farewell to Arms. According to Oxford Dictionary, Romance means “1. a pleasurable feeling of excitement and wonder associated with love, 2 a love affair, 3 a book or film dealing with love in a sentimental or idealized way, 4 a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.” It is an ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love: They kept the romance alive in their marriage for 35 years. (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) Emotional attachment and involvement between people, is just not related to sex. If it is the sole criterion, it will not last long for 35 years. Emotional attachment arises out of care for each other. It could be medical care also. When parties, toys, flowers, books and so many other material things in life can play an important role in ‘pure romance’, why not genuine care for your ‘love’ can’t be pure? It is not radical view. It is natural. Remember only ‘pure romance’ in a true sense can last long for 35 and more years, and not the romance intended to be marketed. When a person’s wife is suffering from a heart disease, he explores all the options to get her cured. Unfortunately, there is no insurance cover. A by pass surgery may cost him US $ 133,000 in USA, whereas, the cost of surgery in India works out to just US $ 7,000. As a responsible and loving husband he plans for a visit to India with his wife. We are just mapping out a strategy to help such loving and responsible husbands, and to see that their love endures all hardships they face in life. A person with passion for business with a service mind service as well as entrepreneurship can take up the cause of Medical Tourism and espouse the cause of ‘cost effective medical treatment worldwide for all.” The concept of Medical Tourism, its impact on the society, the strategies and constraints involved in this process are analysed in the paper.   2 Executive Summary Medical Tourism is a novel concept whereby the people move from one place of the world to another place for medical treatment. There are various factors governing the selection of the place for treatment. Spreading this concept of Cost effective medical treatment’ worldwide, is really a social cause, as well as a business opportunity attached to it, and should be approached with passionate dedication on the part of the promoters of the venture. Cost consideration: For example, Surgery, Organ Transplant and other Medical Treatments in the developing countries, especially, in India cost only less 20% of the normal cost in USA or Europe.  Even Insurance cover in many cases is not sufficient to undergo treatments in US or Europe. The patients are suffering or endlessly postponing the treatment, simply because they are unable to meet the medical expenses involved. When the treatment becomes affordable by going to places like India, the suffering is mainly due to ignorance. Hospitals & Facilities: Cost alone can not be the deciding factor. Low cost medical treatment is fine. But, the availability of experienced and the reputed medical consultants, good hospitals and medical facilities are very important. India has very good hospitals, medical consultants and facilities. The quality of the service is at par with US and Europe.  As far as the experience is concerned, we should remember that India is blessed with human population that is very huge. Naturally, the Doctors are handling numerous cases and well experienced in their fields. There are so many world famous surgeons and medical consultants in India. The pharmaceutical industry in the country is very well developed and exporting medicines to US, Europe and the rest of the world. Other Factors India, with so many regional languages, states and religions is united by English.  There are excellent international hotels throughout the country, especially in metros such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Coimbatore. There are very good tourist spots, ideal for recuperation, scattered throughout the country. Organisation There is a great potential for medical tourism in India, if the patients from middle income group in US and Europe are targeted.  The venture in this regard requires establishment of an organizational structure, identifying and appointing proper coordinating organizing agencies in India and marketing the concept of medical tourism, . 2222222222222ssica C. Smith 3  The Issue  In the developed countries, cost of medical treatment is very high.  The hospitals and other medical facilities are mostly provided by private companies.  In USA, about 18.1 percent of the population is not insured for medical treatment. (Carmen De Navas, Bernadette D. Procter, Jessica C. Smith, = U.S. Census Bureau. August 2008, www.census.gov, Web. 2010-03-18). Also, underinsurance prevalent in USA is an important problem in health care industry.  Hattie Kauffman reported, “the study says getting sick is a factor in 62 percent of personal bankruptcies - an increase from just eight percent in 1981”, though the United States has the third highest public healthcare expenditure per capita.("Medical Debt Huge Bankruptcy Culprit - Study: Its Behind Six-In-Ten Personal Filings". CBS. 2009-06-05, Web. 2010-03-18) Therefore, any health care reforms contemplated by the developed countries should effectively take into account the concept of medical tourism in the developing countries to reduce the pressure on the facilities available locally.  This will also improve the service levels in the industry within the country.  Cost of treatment being the prohibiting factor, along with the efficiency level in the industry impairs the citizens’ right to health care. The Governments should work out a comprehensive health care plan, taking into account the utilization of the facilities available in the developing countries for the benefit of its citizens.  Background  The potential of medical tourism could be viewed in the back drop of health care conditions prevailing in the developed countries.  For example, consensus report of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, notes, "Lack of health insurance causes roughly 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States." (Insuring Americas Health: Principles and Recommendations, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science, 2004-01-13. www.iom.edu/Reports/2004, Web. 2010-03-18), while a 2009 Harvard study published in the American Journal of Public Health found a much higher figure, and stated, “Lack of health insurance is associated with as many as 44789 deaths per year in the United States, more than those caused by kidney disease (n=42868)” (Andrew P. Wilper, MD, MPH, Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, Karen E. Lasser, MD, MPH, Danny McCormick, MD, MPH, David H. Bor, MD, and David U. Himmelstein, MD, Health Insurance and Mortality in US Adults American Journal of Public Health | December 2009, Vol 99, No.12). Lack of insurance combined with underinsurance, causes body blow to the public health care system, on account of high cost of treatment of diseases or surgery.   Analysis  The companies in the field of medical tourism in India are associated with reputed and large hospitals in private sector.  The hospitals offer varying specialist surgeries and other medical treatments and have excellent support facilities at the greatest price advantage to the foreigners.   4  Medical tourism is a great money spinner in the industry already, and tourist traffic to India for medical reasons is growing exponentially for surgeries related to heart, liver, brain, kidney, and so on.    ‘India excels in providing quality and cheap health care services to overseas tourists. The field has such lucrative potential that it can become a $2.3 billion business by 2012, states a study by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). In 2004, some 150,000 foreigners visited India for treatment, and the numbers have been rising by 15 per cent each year.’ (2009 http://india.gov.in/overseas/visit_india/medical_india.php, Web. 2010-03-18) Joint Commission International Accreditation Hospitals in India JCI’s focus is on improving the safety of patient care through the provision of accreditation and certification services aimed at helping organizations implement practical and sustainable solutions.  Dr. Paul King, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, JCI, stated in an interview,  ”With quality being the buzzword in Indian healthcare industry now, and nine JCI accredited organisations in India, Joint Commission International (JCI) is surely gaining a strong foothold in this part of the subcontinent.” (Nancy Singh, June, 2008 www.expresshealthcare.in, Web 2010-03-18)  Constraints and conditions  JCI accreditation is an important feature that attracts people from various countries to Indian hospitals. Joint Commission International accreditation is a time consuming and long drawn process. Only large hospitals can take initiative to get their hospitals accredited.     In many countries insurance claims for treatment outside the country is posing problems to the patients who wants to have medical treatment in other countries on account of cost considerations.  Majority of the patients of the developed countries are ignorant of the cost effective medical facilities available in other countries.  The absence of institutions or companies to organize the visit of the patients to other countries is also an important for the lack of momentum in medical tourism.  For the patients belong to non-English speaking countries, the language acts as a barrier for medical tourism.    However, each and every problem mentioned above could be addressed properly, if companies are established with the specific objective of promoting medical tourism.  They can send a medical team to various JCI accredited and ISO recognized hospitals to verify the facilities, and explain their procedures and requirements.  Negotiating with the insurance companies would be easier for an organization rather than an individual, and, it is in the interest of the Insurance companies to have the treatment at lesser cost, taking into account the traveling expenses 5  involved also. There are interpreters available almost for all the major languages of the world in all the cities in India.  Therefore, the language should not pose any serious problem.  There are many hospitals in various Indian cities awarded with ISO recognitions. These hospitals should also be included for the purpose of medical tourism.   Decision Criteria  The important criteria for taking decision from the patient’s point of view as well as for setting up a business are mainly the cost factor and the facilities available in India for the medical tourism to succeed.  Cost  The table showing comparative cost of treatment in India vis-à-vis other countries, is given under Appendix.  The cost of treatment is at the lowest in India for all types of surgeries, and is less than 10% in the case of Heart Bypass and Heart valve replacement with bypass, compared to the cost in USA.  Medical Facilities   The medical facilities, and talents available India are at par with USA or Europe.  The cities are well connected by international flights with good infrastructural facilities, hotels and banks.  “India is promoting the "high-tech healing" of its private healthcare sector as a tourist attraction.     The government hopes to encourage a budding trade in medical tourism, selling foreigners the idea of traveling to India for low-cost but world-class medical treatment.     … Naresh Trehan, executive director of Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, a leading private healthcare provider, says India has established world-class expertise in practices such as cardiac care, cosmetic surgery, joint replacements and dentistry. …  …  For example, in April Madras Medical Mission, a Chennai-based hospital, successfully conducted a complex heart operation on an 87-year-old American patient at a reported cost of $8,000 (€7,000, £4,850) including the cost of his airfare and a months stay in hospital. The patient claimed that a less complex operation in America had earlier cost him $40,000.” (Financial Times, 2003-07-02)  Recommendations & Conclusions  The success of the project is dependant upon the effective and efficient setup of the coordinating agencies in the place of treatment, major cities of the country, India.  6 Coordinating Agencies  The role of coordinating agencies, and hence their appointment for the purpose, is very important as they have to fix up appointments with the Consultants and schedule the patients’ course of treatment in hospital, taking care of documentation with regard to medical check-up, scanning, surgery, etc. Follow-up consultation with the Doctors by e-mail on a regular basis as required or desired should also be also arranged properly. The coordinating agencies make arrangements for travel and hotel booking in connection with the patients’ visit for the complete duration of their stay in India. They should organize for post operative recuperation in locations as desired by the patients. The coordinating agencies have to take all the efforts to make the patients stay in India, comfortable, economical and to their satisfaction.    Inspection groups  The company should frame a registration process for the hospitals for the purpose of medical tourism.  The company should send a medical team consisting of experts from the different fields to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the hospitals proposed to be registered, and take corrective measures, before sending the patients.  Justifications  Apart from the services charges that can be collected from the patients, the company may also approach the insurance companies for sending their clients to India for medical treatment, to reduce the cost of treatment.    When the hospitals in India are given regular and assured business throughout the year, they will be willing to earmark some money towards advertisement of their services.  The company website can play an important role as a source of income through hospital advertisements.  The company is also in a position to get advertised free of cost, when the hospitals give advertisements through other media.  The venture is not capital intensive, but there is great potential for growth and development, and the organizational efficiency would be the underlying strength of the venture.  Illustrations  Comparative cost structure for various surgeries made in India, with reference to the cost of treatment in other countries is given under Appendices.  I – Cost Comparison (In US $) – Medical tourism India vs abroad         7 References  Carmen De Navas, Bernadette D. Procter, Jessica C. Smith, "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007." U.S. Census Bureau. Issued August 2008, www.census.gov,  "Medical Debt Huge Bankruptcy Culprit - Study: Its Behind Six-In-Ten Personal Filings". CBS. 2009-06-05  Andrew P. Wilper, MD, MPH, Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, Karen E. Lasser, MD, MPH, Danny McCormick, MD, MPH, David H. Bor, MD, and David U. Himmelstein, MD, Health Insurance and Mortality in US Adults American Journal of Public Health | December 2009, Vol 99, No.12  Insuring Americas Health: Principles and Recommendations, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science, 2004-01-13. www.iom.edu/Reports/2004      Appendix   I - Cost Comparison (In US $) – Medical tourism India vs abroad  PROCEDURE  USA INDIA THAILAND SINGAPORE MALAYSIA SOUTH KOREA MEXICO COSTA RICA UAE Heart Bypass 133,000 7,000 22,000 16,300 12,000 31,700 27,000 24,100 40,900 Heart valve replacement with bypass 140,000 9,500 25,000 22,000 13,400 42,000 30,000 30,000 50,600 Hip Replacement 57,000 7,020 12,700 7,200 7,500 10,600 13,900 11,400 46,000 Knee Replacement 53,000 9,200 11,500 9,600 12,000 11,800 14,900 10,700 40,200 Face Lift 16,000 4,800 5,000 7,500 6,400 6,600 11,300 4,900 n/a Lap. Gastric Bypass 52,000 9,300 13,000 16,500 12,700 9,300 11,000 n/a n/a   Source: http://www.saharamedicaltourism.com/ Dear friend In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I wanted to be specific and mentioned, “The subject is "Medical tourism Venture in India". We will discuss about the idea, scope, strategy, limitations, etc. Is it OK.” However, I offer a solution, which itself will be path breaking. Go through the passage at least twice, and you will understand the perfect logic in the entire strategy. I have added “Introduction” to the paper. Please consult your professor and suitably integrate the matter into the paper. I hope, with this introduction, the paper will be complete in all respects. This is the best I can do. But, I do have a feeling that the paper may fetch you a good profile. After all, PureRomance should not fail! I wish you all the best. Thanks & regards Read More