Google Maps offers this viewpoint of dental storefronts in Los Algodones, Mexico. The U.S. border lies just behind these offices.

Medical care is not the only reason for patients to seek a tourist vacation to the above destinations. A tourist can seek out dental care too, and, like medical tourism, Mexico also is a top destination. A patient seeking dental care can work directly with a tour company that provides a “travel agent” or adviser who plans the entire trip — flight, hotel, dental appointment coordination, and even airport transfers.

Dental tourism is a newly minted term for patients getting their dental work in foreign countries (usually third-world countries) while enjoying a vacation of sorts. It has become a big business. Dental offices do not routinely have patients leaving their practice to fly to Europe or India; however, Mexican dental tourism is a draw for Americans, combining a warm vacation with dental treatment.

American dentists and dental hygienists are not uniformly affected by dentistry offered in places like Mazatlan, Cancun, or Mexican border cities; however, dental professionals in Arizona, for example, understand the effects of dental tourism all too well. Arizona borders Mexico and is only a short drive away; American dental professionals routinely see new and current patients of record request follow-up treatment with a mouthful of dentistry performed by dentists in Mexico.

Although some Mexican dentists are trained in the United States, the majority are educated and trained in Mexico. They open their practices near border cities with the intent of competing with American dentists for patients. Years ago, this occurred only rarely, but with the recent economic downturn, patients take their diagnosed restorative needs from American offices and head south.

Arizona is not the only southwestern state affected by dental tourism. California and Texas are also affected. The corresponding U.S./Mexico border cities offering dentistry and pulling U.S citizens south is Tijuana (south of San Diego, Calif.), Juarez (south of El Paso, Texas), and Los Algodones (south of Yuma, Ariz.).

Patients who use these areas for dentistry can be creative, even deceptive, in how they use us to get a reliable diagnosis and merely take the tooth numbers and recommendations with them to Mexico. In the Arizona office where I work, we treat all patients as if they will consider us for their restorative treatments; but the majority of patients who travel to Mexico are brazen about jotting down the teeth we diagnose and taking the information with them. With these patients, our office is a place for current X-rays, prophylaxis, and a reliable diagnostician.

Who’s a dental tourist and why

The majority of patients called “dental tourists” who visit U.S. border offices for dentistry are Americans. In Los Algodones, 90% of the patients are American citizens.2 This hub is a massive retail experience for patients looking for dentistry. Los Algodones consists of only 4,000 residents but contains blocks of dental offices with at least 350 dentists. “The four square blocks of Los Algodones is said to be occupied by more dentists than anywhere else in the world.”2

Lured by advertising, Americans seek out a variety of care in border towns such as Los Algodones. It is a one-stop place to purchase not only needed dentistry, but also medication and eyewear. The obvious reason is to save money. The savings can be staggering compared to the prices charged by U.S. dental offices, as most services are about two-thirds less than the price charged in large cities in Arizona (see Table 1). Crowns in metro Phoenix range from $800-900+, but in Mexico they are in the $200-300+ range, depending on the city and dentist visited.

Using simple arithmetic, we can see how a dental tourism trip can save thousands. For example, a husband and wife travel to Mexico; he needs three crowns, and his wife needs a crown and bridge. The average amount of savings for this couple is $3,600, ($6,300 fee in Arizona compared to $2,700 in Algodones). This savings is without consideration for cost of travel or lodging, if required.

While the above example may not seem substantial enough to travel to Mexico for dental care, it can be especially tempting when extensive work is required. A printed testimonial from a couple who traveled to Mazatlan for dental care stated, “My wife and I needed $21,472 worth of dental work to be done in the U.S. We got it done in Mazatlan for $3,500. We saved a mind-boggling $17,972.”3 Even by Mazatlan standards, this savings seems a bit overstated. Not mentioned is the specific diagnosed dental work by the U.S. dentist compared to what was actually completed in Mazatlan. Was it the same work? Less than what was diagnosed by the U.S. dentist? We do not know and neither does the couple; however, the primary factor for dental tourism is the savings, and this couple was very pleased with their “mind-boggling” dental savings.

Why is dental care in Mexico so economical compared to dental care in the United States? The reasons are many. First, the most obvious is Mexico has a lower cost of living than the United States; thus it is less expensive to live, open, and operate a business in Mexico. Mexican dentists do not have the expense of malpractice insurance, and their student debt is substantially lower than what a U.S. dental student incurs from attending a U.S. dental school. Mexican border dentists gear their practices toward Americans; thus, their practice is primarily a cash operation with little insurance to file for services rendered. Finally, what is most critical for patients considering dental tourism is the lack of regulations. Savings can be significant for a dental business owner without preoccupation of a government regulatory agency acting on behalf of the patient and employee regarding work environment, safety, or infection control.

Dental tourism marketing

Research of dental tourism reveals that the marketing is impressive. It is easy to see how the uninformed patient can be lured in search of reduced fee dentistry, despite a third-world country providing the service. The websites have professional appearances, fees are listed for specific services, accommodations, flights, tourist attractions in the area, travel agents, and some include pictures of staff with corresponding credentials.

All the offices contacted were quite diligent in responding to questions from a potential patient. My e-mails, sent to various offices in all three-border locations, were returned within the business day. One particular office continues to send follow-up e-mails on a weekly basis, asking if they can schedule dental work or answer any additional questions. Another office asked additional restorative questions in a professional manner regarding the condition of the tooth in order to provide a more accurate quote: does the tooth have a buildup, does it need a post, and what work if any has been performed on the tooth?

Included in the marketing is customer service styled like a vacation; the service is offered free of charge. One dentist in Tijuana, for example, offers a systematic procedure for ease in crossing the border: call us before you cross; we will be waiting for you on the Mexican side; you will be safe as we accompany you directly to the dental office for your appointment. Patients welcome this service because they feel safe having someone familiar with Mexico accompany them directly to their destination.

A competing Tijuana dentist offers multiple services in an attempt to get patients to this office. “We can arrange to pick up patients at the San Diego Airport … we have a free shuttle from the border; just call us before you cross; we can help you with hotel reservation, and will pick you up at your hotel for your dental appointments.”4

The best accommodation offered through advertising is a shuttle service via chartered vans that originate from a Algodones dental office. Their chartered vans offer several services. First, they can pick you up on arrival at the airport. Second, they can transfer you from the American side of the border on the Yuma side, escorting you over the border and directly to the office. Finally, they offer a shuttle, customized and scheduled to pick up patients near a major Arizona city such as the greater Phoenix area. On the day of your service, they arrange for a guide to meet you at a “predetermined, Phoenix-area pick-up location. Sit back and enjoy the short ride to Mexico in [one of their] comfortable chartered vehicles.”5 This Mexican dental office is picking up Americans virtually in their own neighborhood without patients’ concerns of driving or getting into Mexico on their own. It is no wonder Americans, especially the elderly, are lured south for dentistry.

If tourism is part of the trip, there is an array of recommendations for places to go and things to do during the stay, especially if a long-term stay is required. For major crown and bridge, a dentist in Algodones requires a four-day turnaround for the finished product. This requires a return visit unless the patient plans a tourism trip staying the duration of time to allow for their more extensive dentistry and lab work to be completed. Photographs and video are included throughout the marketing process, focusing on the office, operatories, sterilizers, filtered water system, the dental staff, patient testimonials, and, of course, the savings patients experienced.

Testimonials are a popular way of influencing Americans to travel to Mexico and are easily provided using YouTube videos or similar format with actual patients describing pleasant experiences. In Tijuana, the testimonial message focuses on safety over the Mexican border by featuring elderly patients via YouTube commenting on how safe they feel while in Tijuana getting their dental treatment. “I was afraid before I came but I have had no problems…as far as safety over here, I feel safer here than I feel in areas of my own hometown.”4 This testimonial is potentially misleading by having an American assert that Mexican neighborhoods are safer than U.S. neighborhoods. I have traveled to many areas in Mexico, and I am aware there are places that you simply do not feel as safe as you do in the United States, especially after dark. This testimonial is a perfect example of misleading the public and shows how exaggerating the truth can be beneficial for financial gain in dental tourism.

Patients are not the only ones providing testimonials; there are quotes and recommendations by the dentists’ themselves on their dental websites. Some are a little rough in the translation. The wording in some of the advertisements was obviously misleading with intent of assuming quality or qualifications that are not accurate. The average patient will not see through this slight misinformation; however, the dental professional will.

A case in point is the advertising for a dental office in Algodones: “A Mexico border dentist usually receives similar standards of training as their U.S. counterparts;” “A Mexico border dentist is as good as or even better than those in other parts of the world.”5 A dental professional sees immediately that these statements are obviously misleading. “Receive similar standards of training” is not quite the same as an identical standard of training. The statement that their dentists compare or are better than those in other parts of the world may have some basis of truth if they are comparing only other third-world countries. Though not stated, a generalized statement of “other parts of the world” can imply inclusion of the United States in the comparison.

When border dental offices compete for American patients, the prime competition is with other dental offices in their location. If they can schedule a patient and get them to their office, this is money in their pocket vs. risking the patient choosing another office when they travel to the area unscheduled.

Once a “patient” arrives into the border city, hawkers bombard the tourists in hope of luring them to the specific office they are representing. Reputable dentists in Algodones call hawkers “jaladores, which means pullers.”6 The pullers are ultimate salespeople who do whatever it takes to get the person to their employer regardless of truth or ethics. Some jaladores may dress the part, wearing scrubs at the border for their sales pitch; others are walking advertisements by wearing signs and handing out cards; and some yell out that their dentist went to school at Harvard, even if it was only for a continuing education course.6

They may even degrade local dentists to gain business for their own employer. Not all dentists practice the jalador style business model. There is a group of dentists in Algodones who support change in the system of luring patients because the behavior is ethically wrong and gives tourists a poor perception of their city and business. However, a call for government intervention to stop this type of behavior has yet to occur.

What bothers U.S dentists who reside near these border dentistry cities is the Mexican dentists’ ability to advertise on the American side of the border. For example, Yuma is less than 10 miles from Algodones and the Mexican dentists advertise using the same methods as U.S dentists. One Yuma dentist resents the marketing and type of advertising he sees with Mexican dentists. He describes it as “predatory…you [go] across the border…they almost grab you and pass out cards. And they come across to Arizona and they advertise in our phone books, on our TV, and our radio.”6 “The problem with this … Mexican dentists are not licensed to practice in the United States … if they aren’t licensed here, they shouldn’t be able to advertise here.”6

Mexican dental tourism also advertises they will submit services rendered to American insurers for reimbursement. It is shocking to discover that dentistry in Mexico can be covered using U.S. dental insurance; however, our office stumbled upon this reality firsthand. Our experience involved a couple returning from Mexico after they had restorative work, a prophylaxis, and X-rays. They sought follow-up treatment in our office, and were patients of record, but were overdue according to our records.

Initially, we had no idea they had traveled to Mexico but we soon found out. We still did not know they had their dental insurance billed in Mexico and never considered it as a viable option; it was one detail our patients left out about their trip.

When our office billed their insurance for service rendered, we discovered they were just shy of being due for their six-month prophylaxis and were not due for X-rays. Their insurance declined payment to our office because they already paid the dentist in Mexico for treatment rendered within this six-month period.

Nonetheless, we were shocked that an American insurance company pays for treatment in Mexico. Our patients were upset because their insurance did not cover their visit at our office; the patients believed the insurance issue was our fault. Thus, they refused payment to our office on principle, and are now in collections.

Patient experiences

Many patients return to our office for their complete dental care after receiving restorative dentistry in Mexico. Most returning patients are vocal about their experience. Surprisingly, they are truthful about the positives, negatives, and their fears as well. Many patients are pleased with going to Mexico for the money they saved as opposed to actually understanding the condition of their dentistry. They return assuming the work is equal to U.S. standards. They are not sure, however, so they always ask for our opinion.

Some patients traveled with friends intending to receive dental treatment in Mexico, but changed their minds at the last minute. One patient, seen in our office for years, brought her Mexican dentist’s business card to enable me to refer others to a “good” dentist in Algodones. She was unaware that ethically I could never refer a patient to receive dentistry in Mexico. Below are actual dental tourism experiences from Arizona residents. Not all the patients had bad experiences, but some definitely regretted their decision.

Table 2

Prevalent diseases in third-world countries (Mexico included)

Hepatitis A — transmitted through food and water
Hepatitis B — contracted through exposure to blood/infectious materials
Hepatitis C — viral infection contracted from blood contact through needles and medical exposure
Typhoid fever — Contracted through contact with feces, resulting effects are constant headaches. Mortality rate is 10%.
Amebiasis — water- or food-borne parasite resulting in intestinal illness, can affect blood, brain, and spinal cord
Shigellosis — bacterial infection found in water and food polluted by feces and contracted by hand-to-hand or hand-to-mouth contact. Mortality rate is 20% if untreated.
Tuberculosis — transmitted by the air, contracted through coughing, sneezing or sputum

Source: Trouble in Paradise: The untold story of dental tourism, brochure by Delta Dental of Arizona (2008)

• Example 1: This patient was from New Jersey, here for the winter, and presented with two broken posterior teeth. She made a trip to Algodones for medication and decided to have the crowns placed to save money. Upon returning to our office, the crowns appeared average or slightly above.

But when questioned, a few tidbits of information arose that were not all that surprising about her visit. The dentist required no medical history; absolutely no paperwork was required regarding the patient’s medical status or the fact that she requires antibiotic premedication. When I questioned her further, she stated she took the antibiotic because she knew better.

Not a single X-ray was taken, and the teeth were not evaluated for possible root canal treatment. When I asked, “What if the teeth needed root canal treatment?” she said that she guessed the root canal could be done after the crowns were placed if the teeth acted up.

• Example 2: A patient informed our office about having a problem with her new bridge recently placed in Mexico. She was in obvious discomfort. When examined by our dentist, he quickly saw the problem. Part of the patient’s cheek was cemented within the bridge placement. How the patient did not feel this before leaving Mexico was not clear. The patient never stated who cemented the bridge; a big assumption on our part is that the dentist was the one who cemented the bridge.

How a dentist or even a staff member can let a patient leave in this condition is shocking for us working in a high quality atmosphere. This patient was given two choices: our office would cut the bridge off, thus releasing the cemented cheek, and fabricate a new bridge, or she could return to Mexico for the original dentist to fix the mistake. She chose to return to Mexico.

• Example 3: A regular patient came in for his periodontal maintenance and it was obvious he had two implants placed since his last visit. When I questioned where he got the dental work, he said he had the implant surgery performed here in the United States (did not want to risk a surgical procedure in Mexico). To save money, though, he had the crowns placed in Mexico. While waiting for the crowns from the lab, this patient traveled to San Diego for a short vacation, returning a few days later to have the crowns seated in Mexico before returning back to Arizona.

Did this patient experience real savings? This patient merely spent the money saved on a short vacation, but in the end he was happy to have some fun in the sun while waiting for his implant crowns.

• Example 4: A patient lost a mandibular anterior tooth that required replacement. A single implant was recommended as the adjacent teeth were still in good condition. She decided to save money and get an implant placed in Mexico. The implant was placed, and an infection ensued. The new implant, along with two adjacent mandibular anterior teeth, were lost. Now the patient needs multiple implants, and at least three implant crowns or a bridge.

In this case, the patient did not save the money she anticipated; it actually cost her more financially and she endured additional pain and suffering from the poor implant care she received in Mexico.

Risks involved in dental tourism

Since money seems to be the primary factor for dental tourism, there are risks and standards that many patients are either unaware of or feel the risk is worth the savings. The foremost risk is the standard of infection control. In the United States, there are protections and standards in place to ensure optimal infection control and protection for patients receiving dental care. The agencies involved set and enforce these standards for U.S. dental practices. These agencies, boards of dental examiners and OSHA, require training and annual courses on the current infection control recommendations. They also require dental employees to receive the hepatitis B vaccine, which further protects the patient.7 These protections are not in place in Mexico. The patient receiving care there does not have the same assurance of patient safety or proper infection control.

For example, “More than 90% of U.S. dentists are vaccinated against hepatitis B compared to only 21% of Mexican dentists.”7 However, hepatitis B is not the sole risk due to lack of standards and regulation. Several infectious diseases are more prevalent in Mexico compared to inside the United States, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, typhoid fever, amebiasis, shigellosis, and tuberculosis (see Table 2). In fact, “hepatitis, tuberculosis, and typhoid fever are increasing at epidemic rates along the Mexican side of our southern borders.”7

Table 3

Questions and considerations prior to dental tourism

How will you determine the qualifications and experience of the dentist who will be treating you in a foreign country?
How is payment processed?
If you have dental insurance, will the benefits cover treatment that is performed outside the United States, and if so, to what extent?
What happens if something goes wrong during or after treatment? Would you need to return to the country where you received treatment? Can you afford that?
If you need corrective care after you return, will that be covered by your dental insurance or will you have to pay out of pocket for another dentist to provide corrective care?
If something goes wrong after receiving dental care in another country, what are your legal rights?

Source: American Dental Association

U.S regulatory agencies requiring employee immunizations for hepatitis B alone has had a significant safety effect for employees and patients “particularly since standard precautions and routine vaccinations for dental workers were adopted (1985 and 1987, respectively). There have been no reported transmissions [of HBV, hepatitis B virus in the U.S.] from a dental worker to a patient since 1987.”8 The lack of sanitary conditions and regulatory infection control is a glaring problem in third-world countries and should be a serious consideration for Americans receiving dental work in a Mexican border city.

Another consideration is the training Mexican trained dentists receive compared to U.S. trained dentists. In the United States, there is the reassurance that “all American dental schools must be federally accredited. They offer the most highly skilled and technically advanced training, thus creating the most preeminent dental schools in the world.”7 Mexican dental training is not consistent compared to what dentists in the U.S. are required to perform and no uniform standard of care is in place. Without regulatory agencies, patients who encounter problems with their dentistry or health due to their procedures have “no legal or dental recourse in Mexico. [They] cannot file a complaint against a Mexican dentist and have the case judged by other dentists as [they] can in the U.S.”9

What ends up happening is obvious. The patient returns to the United States to have their problem fixed and repaired, whether it is botched dental work or a medical problem resulting from Mexican dental care.

Patients need to know their risks. As a result of more patients considering Mexican dentistry, it is imperative to review the questions and considerations outline in Table 3 with the patient before they undertake a trip for dental tourism. It may help them to reconsider and seek other options.

Safe alternatives

There are safer options for us to offer our patients who are considering a trip to Mexico or another third-world country for their dental care. First, introduce flexible alternatives in your office in an effort to keep patients here in the United States for their dentistry.

One option we offer our patients is an extended payment plan. This is especially helpful for patients who do not have dental insurance. Our office treats primarily geriatric patients and the majority does not have dental insurance. We have seen a positive response from our patients when they know they can make payments over a three-month period, without interest. This option enables them the opportunity to go ahead with their treatment plan. Others may respond to a cash discount or a senior-citizen discount when they do not have insurance.

Another consideration is to spread the patient’s restorative treatment over a longer period of time. This has been beneficial for many patients requiring extensive crown and bridgework that does not require immediate intervention. Simply treatment plan the most at-risk teeth and then complete a crown or two or one bridge each year. It is surprising how this makes the patient seem less overwhelmed compared to receiving a treatment plan in the tens of thousands of dollars. Of course, it may not be an option for serious dental decay, but for the more controlled patient with limited funds, it is a consideration.

A final option a patient may consider is to have needed restorative completed at a community-based dental clinic. This is for patients who simply cannot afford dentistry in a private practice dental office. In Arizona, community-based clinics are available but certain criteria limit accessibility, such as financial status, type of care, location, or long waiting lists for treatment. Some clinics restrict care to only children, low-income patients, veterans, or the homeless. One dental clinic for adults near our office has a three-year waiting list because the providers are volunteer dentists.

School settings are community-based options to consider for patients with a limited budget but plenty of time. Arizona has many dental hygiene schools but restorative options may be limited or may not be available. However, Arizona does have two new dental schools that offer reduced fees at 50% off usual and customary or more depending on the clinic. Reinforce to patients that all dental schools are required to have optimal infection control standards, licensed dentists who oversee their care, and costs are significantly less than in a typical dental office setting. If the patient has the time to devote to being a patient for the dental school, it may be a viable option.

It is our duty as dental hygienists to inform patients of the possible risks they may encounter when traveling to a third-world country for their dentistry. They need to know what these specific risks are as well as alternatives that are available for them to receive their needed dental work in the United States.

Provide your patients with the facts. Mexico has no regulatory agencies that ensure patient safety as the U.S does for its citizens. There is no standard to which Mexican dentists adhere. This is why dentists in Mexico can operate much cheaper. They do not have to pay their employees a living wage comparative to the United States, and there is no malpractice liability.

The savings are not worth the risks when receiving dentistry in a third-world country. Only after patients are aware and informed will they be better equipped to avoid the lure and pull of the clever marketing directed at Americans in an attempt to get them south of the border.

Marcy Ortiz, RDH, BA, has been a practicing dental hygienist for 24 years, the last 15 years in a geriatric dental practice in Sun City West, Ariz. She is a 2010 Arizona State University alumna graduating summa cum laude. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She is the current vice president of education for Camelback Toastmasters in Glendale, Ariz. and was recently awarded 2010-11 Outstanding Area Y7 Toastmaster of the year. Marcy can be contacted at Ortiz7688@cox.net.

References

1. Find doctors around the world and save. All Medical Tourism. [Online] [Cited: September 26, 2011.] www.allmedicaltourism.com.
2. Salazar C. Los Algodones, Mexico, Has Become Dentist Capital of the World. Fox News Latino. [Online] January 19, 2011. [Cited: Aug. 12, 2011.] http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2011/01/19/los-algodones-mexico-dentist-capital-world/.
3. Mexican Dental Vacation. [Online] [Cited: Sept. 27, 2011.] http://www.mexicandentalvacation.com/.
4. Sam Dental of Tijuana. [Online] [Cited: Sept. 23, 2011.] http://www.goodsamdental.org/.
5. Dayo Dental. [Online] [Cited: Sept. 13, 2011.] http://www.dayodental.com/articles-mexico-border-dentist.php.
6. Browne D, Joffe-Block J. Americans Head to Mexico for Cheap Dental Care: Insurance Industry Remains Somewhat Divided On Cross-Border Coverage. KPBS. [Online] Feb. 9, 2011. [Cited: Sept. 13, 2011.] http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/feb/09/medical-maquila-insurers-are-following-americans-m/.
7. Delta Dental of Arizona. Trouble in paradise, The untold story of dental tourism: Dangers and risks of cross-border dentistry; Facts & issues: Delta Dental of Arizona, 2008.
8. Hepatitis B virus transmission in a dental office. Department of Health and Human Services for Disease Control and Prevention. [Online] 2011. [Cited: Sept. 15, 2011.] http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5516.pd.
9. Griego R. Mexico dental care is a health hazard. The Arizona Republic. [Online] April 19, 2008. [Cited: September 10, 2011.] http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0419satlet3-191.html.
Dental tourism

http://www.rdhmag.com/index/display/article-display/5521471992/articles/rdh/volume-31/issue-12/features/dental-tourism.html

MMedsolution Medical Tourism Resource
http://mmedsolution.com/

Medical strategies are different from marketing campaigns. Medical Strategies are use to catch the attention of numerous medical tourist that needs complicated medication while marketing campaigns are intended for casual international health and wellness traveler.

The psychological profiles of international patients seeking medical procedures that are complex require marketing plans featuring competent, confidence building messages rather than the “fun in the sun” campaigns designed for medical travelers seeking low acuity treatments. Understanding the different between these two market segments is vital to achieving success in the medical tourism industry.

There are differences in motivational factors among individuals having an orthopedic or cardiac procedure compare to someone having a minor cosmetic on dental medication. Understanding their differences is essential for marketing campaign creations that will catch the attention of numerous health travelers.

More and more countries are now placing vast priority on medical tourism as their identify the importance to the industry. Competition on attracting international patients that needs serious medical treatment is

As more and more countries identify medical tourism as a national priority, competition for international patients who require complex care are a ripe target in that they purchase high cost, high margin medical care as well as staying in country for an extended period of time. These types of international visitors are a substantial value added to the local economy and are going to be the focus of more and better targeted marketing efforts, Marketing tips and other helpful hints will be provided as part of Mr. Stackpole’s presentation to help organizations secure the types of clients they seek.

Established in 1991, Stackpole & Associates provides marketing, market research, and business development solutions for providers, consumers, and customers in healthcare, senior living and human services. For the medical tourism industry, Stackpole & Associates can help businesses identify prospective clients globally with a focus on the US, UK and Canada, and then ensure that the products and services offered to those customers carry the right message in the right way. The company is an active member of the Medical Tourism Association.

Mmedsoolution Medical Tourism Resource

Dimebon Results Medical Trials

www.mmedsolution.com

Merida resident and American Alan Graham, the founder and director of MTY and former non-profit executive states, “It just doesn’t make good sense, health-wise and money-wise for patients to be deprived of a new heart valve or shoulder surgery. Or pay two to four times what they should for gastric bypass surgery or a face-lift or dental veneers, when Merida is less than a 2-hour non-stop flight from Houston or Miami.”

MTY matches medical travelers with board certified, English-speaking surgeons who have had training, continuing education, or affiliations in the United States. And MTY conducts consumer evaluations of the selected hospital to insure superior medical care for patients.

Patients traveling to Merida for medical care through MTY can expect substantial savings of 35% – 75%. Medical travelers discover that they are informed of hospital and surgery costs – before they decide on their surgical trip. Since the American-Canadian MTY team is located in Merida, the company has the advantage of maintaining personal contact with hospital administrators and individual doctors.

Continues Graham, “Here in Merida our close relationships allow us to be effective in negotiating the very best surgery and hospital fees for our patients – without sacrificing the highest level of medical quality.” Besides authoring a series of articles on medical tourism, Graham has received all of his medical and dental care here in Merida, Yucatan – including major surgery – for the last half-decade.

MTY team members make all medical arrangements, in-person. Patients can expect their experience in cosmetic, weight loss, orthopedic, oncology, cardiovascular, fertility, vision, or dental procedures to be equal to – and usually better than at home. And MTY also coordinates non-medical arrangements including transportation, hotel, patient monitoring, communicating with patient’s family, and meeting special needs. Patients are met at the airport by their countrymen who accompany them throughout their medical stay.

Medical tourism is growing by more than 30% each year. By 2015 it is estimated that between 10 and 20 million Americans and Canadians will travel outside of their country for medical care.

Medical Traveler Yucatan is partnered with Merida’s Star Medica Hospital, a new state of the art, pristine, high-tech facility. It is the number one choice for thousands of Canadians and Americans who live in Merida. Star Medica is a current applicant for the prestigious JCI-accreditation.

As for safety, patients can be secure in the fact that Merida, with a metropolitan area of just over a million (including the nearly 10,000 Americans and Canadians who live in Merida and the state of Yucatan), enjoys a reputation as being a very safe city. Merida’s distinct geographic advantage – far away from the violence of other North American cities – contributes to its standing as a city where you can still stroll the streets at night.

Medical Traveler Yucatan (MTY) is located in Merida, Yucatan near Cancun and is a quick flight from most U.S. and Canadian cities. Quality care, substantial savings, safety, and easy access make medical trips to Merida a practical decision. This, combined with the fact that MTY’s U.S.- Canadian team is on-location at the patient’s destination, presents new options to Americans and Canadians seeking sound medical solutions.

source: pr.com

Puerto Morelis Dentist

Cancun Cheap Dental Crowns

Cancun Dentist Cosmetic Dentistry

Medical Tourism Resource

http://www.mmedsolution.com

Previously known as the sports and salsa capital of South America, Cali now counts some 50,000 visitors a year who are looking for cheaper and higher-quality medical treatments.

Almost a third of the city’s medical tourists arrive from other countries and, according to Cali’s trading association, the majority are from the U.S. and Spain.

According to the report, many people – predominantly women – travel to the city for plastic surgery treatments.

Cali has become one of the country’s best equipped cities for providing specialized health care. The city has a total of 105 doctors who belong to the Colombian Association for Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Reconstruction, 61 of whom belong to the Ibero-Latin American Foundation for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Proportionately, Cali has the most working plastic surgeons in the country, with five surgeons per 1000 people. Second are Bogota and Barranquilla with four surgeons per 1000 residents.

Cali also offers 40 specialized clinics, second only to Bogota which has 60.

Medical tourism is one of Colombia’s biggest industries and one that continues to grow in strength. Foreigners are increasingly traveling to the country to undergo medical procedures, due to its competitive prices. For example, cosmetic surgery in Colombia costs around one quarter of the price it would cost in the U.S.

source: colombiareports.com

For others, it calls to mind hospital beds, surgeries and doctors.

Medical tourism — in which patients travel to other countries for medical procedures — has, in some form, been around “for centuries,” said Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association, an organization that helps promote international medical travel.

But over the past five years, advances in technology and medicine combined with growing health care costs in the United States have caused interest in the practice to skyrocket, with no signs of slowing down.

“It will only become more common in the future,” Edelheit said.

Procedures performed in Israel cost, on average, 50 to 70 percent less than they do in the United States. Bypass surgery in Israel costs approximately $35,000 — in the United States, the same procedure runs about $120,000.

For the more than 15 million Americans who are unemployed and the 46 million without health insurance (as of 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau), those kinds of savings may be the only impetus necessary.

“Uninsured patients are looking for good and quality medical treatment all over the world, for a better price,” said Natalie Steiner, vice president of marketing for Global Health Israel, an organization that works to promote medical tourism in Israel.

Israeli doctors, hospitals and universities have also become highly respected both in the medical community and among patients, through the development of new technology and Israel’s state-of-the-art facilities.

“The reputation of the Israeli doctor is quite good all over the world,” said Eliezer Hod, marketing development director for the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

And as patients begin to experience success, word travels quickly through the community. “People often learn about medical tourism through word of mouth,” Hod said.

The vast increase in online access to information about medicine through the Internet has also played a big role in driving patients overseas in recent years.

Many people already rely on the Web for medical information when they can’t reach their provider, don’t have health insurance or are simply looking to become more informed. With Web sites making international doctors seem as close as your living room, trust builds and the idea of seeing a doctor in another country seems less questionable.

“The Internet is very strong in promoting medical tourism. I believe that this tool will become even more strong in coming years,” Steiner said.

To arrange for procedures, patients are connected directly with a specialist or hospital after contacting a tourism office or an organization such as the Medical Tourism Association. They will either be provided with a medical tourism facilitator, who acts as a middleman between patient and doctor, or have their contact information given directly to Israeli providers.

“We send the proposal to a few people in Israel who specialize in these operations, then they respond directly to the client,” Hod said.

For the most part, facilitators do not charge patients, but rather work off commissions from Israeli hospitals.

Both public and private hospitals in Israel accept international patients, with some, such as Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem and Assuta Medical Center in Tel Aviv, making a concerted effort to recruit patients from all over the globe.

Services available to foreign patients encompass nearly every specialization of medicine, ranging from cancer treatment and orthopedics to cosmetic surgery and weight loss procedures, like gastric bypass. Some of the most commonly sought procedures among Americans traveling to Israel are oncology and heart surgery.

But the most popular procedure, and the one that tourism officials and representatives hope to push to the United States market, is in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Unlike most countries, the Israeli government covers IVF procedures for two children for couples who are having difficulty conceiving. Their success rate is, by some measures, as much as 15 percent higher than other parts of the world. And the cost difference is staggering: an IVF cycle in Israel costs between $3,000 and $4,000, as compared to $16,000 to $20,000 in the United States.

“Because Israel provides IVF free to residents, they have much more expertise and better outcomes than other countries,” Edelheit said.

The full length of a patient’s stay in Israel varies depending on the procedure, but is generally about two weeks, Edelheit says. Some patients may opt to stay in a “recovery resort,” a place designed specifically to cater to those who are recently post-operative.

Through these extended stays, and the fact that most patients do not travel alone, the benefits of medical tourism extend beyond the patient.

“It has a positive effect on the local economy,” Edelheit said.

Adds Steiner, “The money that we get from medical tourists we can use to develop our medicine, to buy more medical equipment and to become more” technologically advanced.

Despite a thriving medical community and what looks to be a bright future for medical tourism, there are still reminders of the political tension in the area. A brochure released from Israel’s Office of Tourism in Los Angeles that focuses on pediatric care offers the following description of its services: “As the only purely rehabilitation hospital in Israel catering for children, Alyn specialized in rehabilitation
techniques for conditions such as trauma and head injuries from terrorist attacks. … ”

Medical tourism is not currently covered by most insurance companies in the United States, but some are looking to incorporate the option into benefit packages.

“Companies that have a lot of Jewish [employees] or Israeli people have a reason to offer medical treatment in Israel,” Steiner said.

Technological advances will, she adds, shape the future of medical tourism, as doctors and patients become more comfortable communicating via the Internet and as health care becomes global.

“I believe that in few years you will find consultations via the Internet,” Steiner said.

For now, American patients will have to be content with capitalizing on the benefits of medical tourism – and maybe get a vacation out of it, too.

source: Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, Contributing Writer

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Some six million Americans are expected to benefit from these services offered by Medical Tourism Experts (MTE), which opened its headquarters last April 24.

“This is the potential market of MTE just for 2010. This number is likely to increase in the coming years,” Ambassador Willy Gaa said in a speech at the inauguration of the office headquarters.

MTE is a company engaged in marketing the Philippines as a destination for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery, dental surgery, and reconstructive plastic surgery. Other treatments like bariatric surgery, neuro surgery, laparoscopy, heart bypass, knee and hip replacement, and kidney transplants are also available.

“(We) aim to place the country in the world map as top destination for people seeking relief from their ailments, or for those needing cosmetic corrections at only a fraction of what it would cost in their home countries,” MTE president Rolly Malig said.

MTE exclusively contracts with major hospitals in the Philippines , which have been accredited by the Joint Commission International for quality assurance.

Only reputable certified surgical specialists in those institutions are commissioned to provide the procedures.

The company also has a distinguished panel of US-based surgical consultants trained in various specialties that examines and screens patients prior to their flight to the Philippines .

If needed, these medical professionals will again examine the patient after they have returned to the United States .

A comprehensive package, which includes hospitalization cost, professional fees, domestic and international airfares, land transportation, accommodation, and a vacation at a resort in the Philippines , is offered. The service package is tailored to the client’s preference and choice.

For his part, Ambassador Gaa said the launching of the Las Vegas-based MTE is “timely and significant.”

“The National Competitiveness Council – a public- private partnership- specifically identified health and wellness tourism as an area that will help enhance the Philippines competitiveness and generate jobs for many Filipinos,” he said in his speech.

“MTE is clearly on track to provide further impetus to the rising trajectory of this industry in the Philippines . We are pleased that our kababayans here in the US will be instrumental to the further growth of the health and wellness industry,” he added.

source: asianjournal.com

According to the latest data on state-wise tourist arrivals available with FICCI, a total of 23.4 lakh foreigners visited Delhi in 2008. The total foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India during the period was 53.6 lakh.

At the second spot, Maharashtra was close with 20.6 lakh visitors, followed by Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the FICCI-Evalueserve study on India Inbound Tourism said.

Mumbai and Pune are the biggest attraction among foreigners in Maharashtra, which is the third largest state.

While Tamil Nadu is famous for its beaches, hill stations, heritage sites, temples and wildlife, Uttar Pradesh is a popular destination due to the presence of religious and historical sites including the world famous Taj Mahal.

The study said one-third of foreign tourist visiting India travel to Rajasthan, which is known for palaces, art and culture.

The North-east region — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura — which offers numerous leisure and adventure is emerging as a significant FTA destination.

Meanwhile, another study by FICCI-Evalueserve said the medical tourism sector was not affected in 2009 even when the FTAs to India declined to 51.6 lakh from 53.6 lakh in 2008.

FTAs in 2009 declined primarily due to the global economic slowdown and Mumbai terror attacks, it said.

“The reasons are not far to seek. All medical procedures, including hospitalisation and recover costs are relatively low in India as compared to Europe and America,” it said.

The number of medical tourists in India is expected to reach 10 lakh by 2012, with India’s share in the global medical tourism industry reaching 2.4 per cent. The domestic market is likely to reach Rs 4,400 crore by 2012, the study said.

source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

The number of foreigners who are heading to Korea for cosmetic procedures and pricey plastic surgery is on the rise.

More than 50,000 tourists traveled to Seoul for medical procedures last year, according to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. The city government hopes to lure foreigners in need of affordable but high quality medical services that often cannot be found in their homeland.

“We plan to promote Seoul’s outstanding medical services in cooperation with other big international events such as the G-20 summit in November,” Choi Hang-do of the Urban Competitiveness Headquarters told The Korea Times.

Previously, many people went to Korea for less invasive cosmetic surgery procedures, like Botox injections. But now patients are flocking to Seoul asking for complex plastic surgery procedures at a fraction of the price charged in other countries. In addition, foreign patients are seeking out Korean doctors to perform procedures that were developed by Korean surgeons, like autonomous fat grafts and facial bone corrections.

Last year, the city opened the Seoul Medical Tourism Support Center, and city officials plan to select collaborative medical institutions to help promote medical tourism across various sectors, including dermatology, plastic surgery, and dentistry. They also plan to strengthen overseas marketing campaigns. The Seoul government sees medical tourism as a big revenue booster since, on average, medical visitors tend to stay longer and spend more money than general tourists.

The South Korean government is supporting the nation’s medical tourism industry in the hopes of securing the country’s future as a key destination for patients seeking treatment abroad.

source: theplasticsurgerychannel

What this means to you is easier bookings , more deals , faster service for medical tourism – slots may have well opened up for therapy that were not available before.  Not only may you get in quicker, get more attention at care but as well you may even be able to command specials at the various hospitals and health care providers overseas but as well may be able to consider medical procedures , health care tests and medical facilities that may have been out of your reach or filled to capacity , with no open slots for patients previously.

The Impact of Swine flu on the Travel Industry | InfoFork.com – UK travel company DialAFlight reports that after a two week slump in sales of airline tickets to Mexico and Cancun levels are gradually picking up and getting closer to the normal seasonal average. (PRWeb May 13, 2009) Read the full …

Hong Kong Tourists driven away by swine flu outbreak – eTurboNews.com – Swine Flu’s May 1 appearance in Hong Kong helped drive the number of tourists visiting the Chinese territory down by 13.5% from the same month last year, the South China Morning Post reported. Visitors from mainland China — who spend …

Visa Report Shows Increase in Inbound and Outbound U.S. Tourism … – Travel Industry Wire, 40 Percent of Respondents Plan to Travel Abroad in the Next Two Years; 83 Percent Modifying Plans Based on Economic Environment; Fewer Than One in 10 U.S. Adults Say Swine Flu (H1N1) Has Impacted Travel Plans …

Swine flu hits hostels where it hurts – thUMBRELLA – Why is travel rubbish at Twitter? At every travel industry conference I’ve attended recently, there has been a speaker banging on about the benefits of using Twitter. Read more » … Swine flu hits hostels where it hurts. Hostel operators are suffering the financial effects of increasing cases of swine flu in Australia as travellers cancel bookings and Singapore issues a travel safety warning for Melbourne and the state of Victoria. Brisbane hostel BUNK Accommodation …

Royal Caribbean: Swine Flu Hurt Operations – Travel News Story … – The swine flu outbreak is yet another hurdle cruise operators have had to contend with during the recession. The industry had already been struggling to keep its ships filled with vacationers, as many had curtailed their discretionary …

Is swine flu just a bonanza treat for the pharmaceutical industry … – The 1976 Swine Flu fiasco. Once WHO declares a Phase 6 Pandemic Alert, all hell could break loose with governments and population going into panic, cancellation of international travel, severe domestic travel restrictions and other …

Holiday travel ‘unaffected’ by swine flu | Tourism and Hospitality – However, corporate travel remained more or less the same for the European and North American sectors. Darshana Cabraal, Arabian Oryx operations manager, told Khaleej Times that swine flu is not affecting the travel industry as much as …

Mexico’s tourist industry recovering from Swine Flu outbreak – Although some travel companies did suspend their holidays to Mexico, the Swine Flu virus did not cause the widespread death and disruption that was initially feared, and the Foreign Office has now lifted its warning against ‘all but …

Crunch Time for Travel Promotion Act in U.S. Senate – Travel and tourism exports accounted for 8% of all U.S. exports and 27% of services exports. Without some help, the industry is set to lose over 250000 jobs in 2009, what with the economic downturn, the AIG effect, swine flu and other …

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Medical tourism or medical travel is not an entirely new concept. Until recently, medical tourists were usually a very select few who chose to travel for elective surgeries such as tummy tucks and face-lifts, combining surgery with a holiday in a far away locale that ensured both privacy and a pleasant stay. As well, there were also a limited number of people who sought experimental medical treatments for illness and diseases such as cancer in foreign clinics. Today there is a swelling rank of medical tourists comprised of ordinary citizens who seek a wide variety of health care services and medical care outside of their home country, and every year that number grows.

For some, medical tourism or international medical travel can literally be a lifesaver, enabling patients to access quality medical services that they might not otherwise be able to afford. In the United States, patients without private health insurance can be faced with exorbitant medical bills for even the most routine surgeries. Sometimes a heartbreaking choice must be made – to have a life saving operation and suffer extreme financial hardship or to not have the procedure and deal with the health consequences. For those who are fortunate enough to have private health insurance, some may find that their insurer does not cover all medical procedures or that their insurance plan imposes unreasonable restrictions. In Canada, where public health insurance pays for most medical care, it has been well documented that unacceptably long wait times are forcing patients to take matters into their own hands and head off shore for timely medical treatment.

Medical tourism has garnered much media attention of late. Word is rapidly spreading about the excellent medical care that is available for bargain prices in countries such as Thailand, Hong Kong, and India. In the book, ‘Patients Without Borders: Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, World-class Medical Tourism,- author Josef Woodman investigates this growing industry. He reports in depth about the high quality of care available in foreign hospitals and how patients, who have surgery performed overseas, can save up to 80 percent. By example, a heart bypass in India can be had for a fraction of the price of one in the United States.

India has become one of the world’s leading destinations for medical travelers. Over the years, India has developed a stellar reputation with medical tourists, due to its state-of-the-art medical facilities that offer advance medical procedures, such as hip resurfacing, knee replacement, heart surgery, kidney transplant and abdominoplasty, at prices that are a fraction of those charged for similar procedures in North American hospitals. ‘Axiom Health Solutions works with Indian hospitals that are staffed with some of the most highly trained surgeons and professional medical personnel available. Huge investments have been made by each hospital group to ensure the highest of standards and the most modern facilities and equipment obtainable. In many cases the success rate in these hospitals is higher than those of American hospitals.

The future of medical tourism looks bright. Factors such as improved technology and standards of care and the availability of companies that specialize in arranging medical tourism packages makes international travel for medical services a very attractive proposition. Undoubtedly, the driving force behind the rise in medical travel is the high price of medical services in North America factor that is unlikely to change in the near future.

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