MMedsolution – Medical Dental Tourism Resource On-line

Medical outsourcing is not really “outsourcing, but rather a controlled means of acquiring assistance in managing the ever increasing demand for particular resources. No physician abroad is completing a task in lieu of a U.S. based physician, but rather in tandem.

Medical tourism, however, is a truly an open market with no barriers. An American is free to travel abroad and seek healthcare internationally. Knowing the difference is important for patients, industry and the media.

We have all heard anecdotes, either from friends or in the media, of how Americans have traveled abroad to receive medical care. Whether it be a coronary artery bypass or total hip replacement, physicians the world over are embracing Americans who are willing to travel the “extra mile” (or thousand) for discounted care.

Is that care any good? According to Glenn Beck, traveling to India for a given surgical procedure would be ludicrous and incredibly risky, since he believes medical education there is in all likelihood at the “third world” level. Sensationalists (such as the aforementioned) and adversaries of medical tourism often deliver such bombastic statements disregarding the facts of our very own system. Competition is strong, and many physicians abroad are willing to see American patients.

By and large, only the most accomplished physicians worldwide will endeavor to treat an American. And like any business, their outcomes are measured against the competitor — in this case, the competitor becomes your local thoracic or orthopedic surgeon who is billing five times the amount.

These doctors are seeing such patients in their own offices, in say Bangkok or Mumbai. In a nutshell, this is the concept of medical tourism, and according to pundits, the rest of the world is eager to see how healthcare reform unfolds in the U.S. Many would agree that regardless of political opinion on the matter, it does little to change the way healthcare is practiced, or how much it costs.

What about medical outsourcing?

There could no better example than advanced imaging interpretation. Within the past decade, the amount of imaging studies performed has skyrocketed. The demand for image interpretation quickly exceeded the supply of Diagnostic Radiologists in the United States. Some hospitals responded by hiring help. Except that “help” was on the other side of the globe, in India.

Overnight, when imaging studies are completed a Radiologist abroad could provide a preliminary reading of the pertinent findings. By morning, the Radiologist here in the U.S., may then reinterpret the study, and declare a final read. This concept, now in motion for several years, is the source of much confusion and dread amongst patients, industry, and even physicians.

How is this different from medical tourism?

For starters, the ease of exporting images online does make it seem like it’s much easier for physicians abroad to partake in patient care. Not so. Unlike personally receiving care abroad, where the traveling patient assumes all the risks of adverse medical outcomes (financial and/or medico-legal) upon themselves, having a CT scan preliminarily read abroad is a carefully guarded process.

First and foremost, only a Radiologist who has completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology in the United States and attained Board Certification is eligible to offer such a service from abroad. Furthermore, the maximum they can provide is a preliminary reading. Ultimately, management may be deferred until the Radiologist here commits to a final interpretation.

The number of physicians abroad who satisfy the criteria for this service is limited. In fact, the medico-legal risk in this scenario is absorbed by the local Radiologist by relying on such a service in the first place, not the patient. Even organizations, such as the American College of Radiology has shown support for such outsourcing, since really, the term “outsourcing” is actually a misnomer. So long as U.S. standards are met or exceeded, this process becomes invaluable.

Unlike medical tourism, where a global economy is at work, medical outsourcing is a puppet whose strings are in our hands. Such differences are important, since regardless of where one stands on healthcare reform, some major changes lay ahead. Understanding some basics will prevent large scale misconceptions.

source: www.glgroup.com