Fortifying Medical Tourism in India

Facilitating medical tourism for attracting international patients is just not a piece of cake. The sector is riddled with complexities, and glitches that have to be well managed in order to attract international patients and beat the competitors.

The current size of the market is a whopping 45 million USD with more than ten million people traveling overseas for healing. The sector is growing at a CAGR of 30% in India while the global average is 21.1% and this average will be stable up to the year 2027.  In spite of the pandemic MVT or medical value, tourism is expected to cross 13 billion USD in India.

Without Government support, it is a herculean task to excel in travel and treatment of overseas patients within the country.

What shapes Medical Tourism?

Our cultural ethos accords a Godly Status to overseas visitors. “Atithi Devo Bhava” along with the ancient healing traditions have laid firm roots for value-added health travel and tourism. 

An extensive framework is imperative for delivering quality healthcare, and dispensations play a major role. This calls for a joint approach wherein the public and private sectors jointly propel the initiative. The policy has to be framed at the federal level that governs entry, inland travel, ambiance, and low-cost treatment in the finest medical hospitals and clinics. The support at the state level and that of the private sector is thus crucial. A progressive policy framework that incentivizes various aspects of health care along with tourism has been the case in India, and the approach has paid a rich dividend.  

The latest policy of the Central Indian Government has to frame a draft National Policy that promotes wellness tourism in the country. The road map recognizes the tremendous benefits of attracting overseas patients leading to crucial foreign exchange earnings and providing support to the medical institutions within.  Integrating tourism is a must since both are correlated hence a larger perspective is being considered as a holistic approach.   

The FTAs or foreign tourist arrivals in the country were around 450000 in the pre-pandemic period and with a growth of 40%, the number is expected to touch nearly a million arrivals in the post-pandemic era. The figure also includes visitors arriving for sightseeing and wildlife safaris eventually ending up with scheduled treatments. Most of the arrivals are from Africa, Afghanistan, Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, and Iraq. But a large number of visitors arriving for wildlife tourism and sightseeing are from the UK, USA, Australia, and EU this number will also seek medical options during their visit while some may arrive purely for treatments and procedures.

Health Infrastructure

The country has a world-class, scalable health ecosystem with considerable funding and encouragement from the Government.  This has proven to boost the activity and the cause is being furthered with a growing number of accredited multispecialty hospitals and clinics. Investment in the latest technologies, skills, and expertise pertaining to new treatment methodology and expertise makes wide spectrum disease treatments available in the country. Quality treatments and successful outcomes are the highlights of medical services in India. The country has 37 JCI-accredited hospitals, and 513 NABH-accredited ones spread all across the country. These establishments are also wide-ranged regards luxury and ambiance hence upscale international patients who seek star facilities have an option. Most of the hospitals delivering the same quality of service including the surgeries are mid-priced while government or public hospitals are much cheaper.

While discussing the health-related travel industry allied sector and diagnostics cannot be neglected. In our country, the allied sector and diagnostics are in a robust state of being. The advanced education and training reflect holistically on the allied sector as well. Patient care is much dependent upon the nursing staff, management, and people in the team that accord state of art service to inpatients as well as outpatients.   

Ease of Travel  

Medical tourists can now avail of e-tourist visa facilities the Government also included medical attendants as well to the facility. Under this sector multiple entries and extended stays are possible.

In the year 2015, NMWTB, or the National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board was constituted. The purpose was to create an institutional framework and promote tourism.   

 The Costly Battle 

At the global level, the battle depends upon the cost. In choosing a destination for impending surgery or health care, people choose on the basis of cost. But nevertheless, other factors are also taken into the consideration. Quality of service, expertise, and travel consideration also matter. Easy availability of visas and extension, economical accommodations, and cheap inland travel all matter.      

 

 

Cost Benefits and Expertise is a Factor behind Surge in Medical Tourism in India

The chosen destination for heart surgery, be it CABG or open-heart procedures is India. This is due to the cost-benefit, expertise, and availability of accredited hospitals and clinics. This is just an example; the country excels in providing excellent health care to overseas citizens in almost all disciplines. 

Well! Speaking the truth international health travel is governed by multiple factors not only the cost-benefit. But at the core of all treatments is the cost, and it outweighs all other factors.

Patients with insurance or those availing of public health care prefer local medical facilities, but sometimes these are not the binding factors. A long waiting list, lack of expertise, or medical facility in one’s country propels citizens to visit faraway destinations for healing.

Some of the preferred destinations for wellness and healing are:

• ·        Japan
• ·        Korea
• ·        India
• ·        Malaysia
• ·        Singapore
• ·        USA
• ·        UK
• ·        Thailand
• ·        Germany
• ·        Sweden

Among these top ten Nations, India ranks sixth in terms of revenue generated but the arrivals are expected to increase when the impact of the pandemic is over. The country provides surgical options and non-surgical treatments at 1/10 and 1/15 the cost of that incurred in the USA and the UK. These are comparative averages since many Asian countries also provide low-priced options, but nevertheless, India ranks as one that provides better choices and rates in most cases.

Low-cost options, expertise, and accredited hospitals are available pan India - almost in all mid-level towns. The mid-level towns due to the less economical stress and cost of living are able to provide equally good options for invasive procedures and palliative care at a much lesser price. Most of the rated hospitals and clinics are on par with those established in costlier metros and capital cities.

Another plus point that attracts international patients is the availability of cheap but expert diagnostic facilities, generic drugs, and medical devices. The country is the largest manufacturer of generic drugs and indigenous vaccines.  With increasing foreign direct investment, the pharmaceutical industry will grow by leaps and bounds.   

Wide-spectrum disease treatment availability is another virtue that the country is endowed with. This is a result of stress placed on educational intuitions to deliver the best in technology and medical sciences. The health care infrastructure is well looked after and funded by the dispensations in India. The recent allocation on health care has been Rs. 2,34,846 crores and more funding is promised in near future. The country is home to a large number of medical colleges that are imparting graduate and post-graduate degrees churning out doctors and surgeons in impressive numbers. Most of the degree holders study further in institutions of higher learning in advanced countries. Most of the fellowships obtained by Indian experts are from the USA and the UK followed by other EU countries.     

The most desired procedures and surgical options that inbound health traveler seeks pertain to cosmetic, cardiac, transplants, oncology, and dental restructuring. Patients from overseas also seek recourse to minor ailments besides major surgeries and palliative care.

With ancient indigenous healing systems prevailing since the medieval ages medical science is nothing new for Indians. Ayurveda, meditation, and Yoga offer excellent alternative recourse for people from all over the World. Ayurveda though not thoroughly researched using the modern methodology, and often criticized for unproven health benefit claims is nevertheless making inroads as modern research and studies are being applied to the ancient formulations prevailing in the system.

Thus, the country has deep-seated roots in its approach to healing. It is said that ancient practitioners developed a number of treatises pertaining to medicine, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.  The use of Ayurveda as a holistic system of healing cannot be challenged though it does not a substitute for modern allopathic traditions. But Ayurvedic healing can be applied in conjunction without conflict with modern therapies. In order to stress the growth of medical tourism in the country, a separate ministry has been set up. Called AYUSH Ministry, its main role is to promote indigenous healing systems besides homeopathy.      

There is hence a strong basis for Indians to excel in the healing sciences and their applications. No wonder the country is attracting more and more people from developed Nations besides the neighboring countries, Africa, China, and APAC region.

The health travel country is expected to grow over 21 % CAGR between the years 2020 and 2027. The Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives along with the ministry of tourism are aim to propel inbound health travel sky-high.   The country is already gaining traction in inbound tourism related to wildlife safaris and sightseeing due to the presence of iconic wild species and places of panoramic grandeur. Thus, if tourism increases it is most likely to propel low-priced treatments available in India. Thus, the medical industry and tourism are correlated as the name suggests, and India with vast resources in both is slated to become a prominent hub.         

Medical Tourism Affordability is the Key to Success!

Medical Tourism

Medical Tourism has been in place for centuries whence people traveled to neighboring countries or made journeys by sea to find cures. But the real offtake has been for a few decades propelled by increasing International travel and the development of health infrastructures. 

People often traveled to the USA and European countries thanks to advanced treatments available some decades back. But the world has become a level playing field with health care infrastructure coming in place in many countries. But many countries that do not invest in the health sector, lag behind in trained manpower, and are unable to incorporate medical technologies are dependent upon the rest for cures and palliatives. 

Health-related travel has been facilitated by tourism development as well since both work in near conjunction. Tourism is the pathway to enter a country with ease, and this when combined with treatment turns into medical tourism. Thus, both subscribe to the same inroad but there is a difference in criteria. While sightseeing or holiday making is dependent upon panoramic destinations, hill resorts, wildlife places, and spas, medical tourism flourishes where the top of the rung hospitals thrive and offer quality treatments. 

Travel overseas is dependent upon many factors chiefly ease of Visa availability and hospitable services to places of interest. Health-related travel thrives on these factors as well but it is much more dependent upon the cost of service and treatment. Though there are travelers who seek treatments in five-star hospitals the number is less as more and more people go for the economy. 

Low-cost treatments and quality services are the prime criteria for attracting medical tourists besides other determinants. These two factors have aided countries in earning foreign exchange more than sightseeing or wildlife experiences in a country.

Health expenses are climbing sky-high in the present times and countries that have kept expenses on a tight loop and offer affordable packages attract more patients seeking overseas treatments. Some of the countries that rank high on the MTI Scale are:

• India 
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Malaysia'
• Thailand
• Bulgaria
• Panama

Though the main criteria are the low-cost treatments other determiners like proximity, ease of travel and specialization may influence the flow of patients despite some countries offering a lower price. 

India offers wide spectrum of treatments at a much lower cost as compared to other countries in ASIA. It is well known for its robust health infrastructure with a chain of accredited hospitals and clinics. The hospitals and clinics are spread out to smaller cities that are able to provide affordable packages unlike the metros and the state capitals. 

Singapore and South Korea are the world's most advanced countries in terms of medical technology and offer treatments for specific diseases and anomalies. Though countries excel in specific treatments greater weightage is accorded to Nations that offer a wider range. Another plus is the availability of holiday destinations at the same place on the route. Overseas patients generally prefer to visit holiday destinations before or after the treatment. 

India's medical tourism is valued at 6 billion USD and it ranks sixth in the world. With a 30 % growth rate, it is attracting overseas patients from China, Africa, AFPAC, and Arab Countries.  Patients from the USA, Canada, and the EU are traveling for health treatments in India  

Besides lower costs, all ranking Nations have a plus point that helps them beat the competition in the developed world.  The cost comparison chart below will highlight the prices that are different for the same treatment in some countries

	Medical procedure       USA       Costa Rica         India      Jordan       S. Korea
	Heart Bypass          $123,000           $27,000              $7,900    $14,400       $26,000
	Angioplasty         $28,200                 $13,800             $5,700   $5,000         $17,700
	HVR                    $170,000       $30,000                      $9,500      $14,400    $39,900
Hip Replacement $40,364              $13,600                 $7,200       $8,000    $21,000

Knee Replacement$35,000          $12,500                 $6,600   $9,500                $17,500