Medical Tourism Facilitators

Jonathan EdelheitCEO | Medical Tourism

Association®Jon@MedicalTourismAssociation.com | MedicalTourismAssociation.com

• Develop markets. • Build trust and credibility. • Identify reliable providers. • Understand complex arrangements and medical

procedures. • Make life-or-death preparations and decisions. • Reduce chance of error and increase positive

outcomes. • Sustain operations. • Continue education and network. • Serve as responsible industry ambassadors. 

The Good, the Bad – the Unknown

What Is Medical Tourism?

• Patients traveling. • Domestically.• Internationally.• For healthcare services.• Driving Factors -- affordability,

accessibility, or availability.

People traveling from one country or city to another country or city for medical and/or wellness services.

Medical Tourism/Wellness Tourism Defined

Who are the Customers?

• Healthcare consumers.• Cash paying.• Government paid.• Insurance company. • Employer paid.

Cash Paying

Employers, Governments & Insurers

Patient Profile• Patients traveling. • Domestically.• Internationally.• For healthcare services.• Driving factors: affordability,

accessibility, or availability.

Even super rich & famous travel overseas regardless of access to quality of care they have in their home

country.

Not always about Cost

Why Be A Facilitator?• 50,000-60 million medical tourists -- OECD

(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

• Medical tourism is a $100 billion industry and growing (Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, 2009).

• By 2017, at least $228 billion in medical care is predicted to leave the United States for foreign markets.

Medical Tourism as Revenue Source

• 1 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2012. Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

• Medical tourists spend 5-10 times more than a traditional tourists. Countries around the world have reported these figures, which correspond to longer medical tourism stays at destinations as well as participation in varied recreational activities.

• More than 80 percent of medical tourists who traveled overseas brought a companion (MTA Patient Survey, 2013).

• 60 percent of medical tourists stay in their destination countries for more than 10 nights (MTA Patient Survey, 2013).

Big Spenders!• Medical tourists spend 5-10 times

more than a traditional tourists (.• About 92 percent of total medical

tourism spending per patient is less than $30,000 (MTA Patient Survey, 2013).

• Medical tourists spend between $7,417-$15,833 per trip (MTA Patient Survey, 2013).

Value & Growth of Wellness Tourism?• $2 Trillion U.S. Dollars, conservative estimate,

according to SRI -- independent, nonprofit research organization -- $1 trillion of which came from the United States in 2012.

• 5 percent annual growth.

No Wonder!• Top priority of most governments –

ministries of tourism, health and economic development.

• Positively impacts local economy – creates jobs.

• Medical tourism is global – both developed and developing countries have made medical tourism a national priority.

Why Has it Grown So Much?

Medical Tourism Stakeholders

What Services do they Seek?

What Services Do They Seek?Medical Treatments in Demand with Past Medical

Tourists

Source: 2013 Medical Tourism Survey

Report by George Washington

University School of Business in

collaboration with MTA.

Dental Tourism• Large savings.• Fewer liability and quality issues.• Biggest area for future growth.• Easy to combine vacation + dental treatment.• Consumers in developed countries traveling to less-

developed nations.• Example: Western Europe to Eastern Europe, North

America to Latin America.

Medical Tourism Facilitators

• Guide patients through the process of securing and achieving quality and affordable treatments and procedures at attractive destinations – both internationally and domestically.

Who Wants To Be A Medical Facilitator?

• Few children dream about becoming medical tourism facilitators.

• As they mature, the numbers grow.

• By adulthood, so many are entering the field.

Medical Tourism Partners

• Work directly with patients.• Work directly with doctors.• Work directly with tourism consultancies.• Work directly with aftercare providers.

Facilitators - All Shapes and Sizes• Medical facilitators belong to large multi-

national corporations.• Medium-sized companies with fancy

internet marketing strategies.• Small mom-and-pop businesses.

• Individual patients segmented by:

• Medical procedure type.

• Geographic location.

• Demographics, such as age, race, religion, education, income level.

• Psychographics, such as values, interests, attitudes, and lifestyle (holistic medicine, wellness tourism).

Markets

Corporate market Individuals

Relationship driven Service driven

Small target market Larger target market

Longer sales process Shorter sales process

Buying decision based on reducing costs and increasing profitability

Buying decision often “price” or “desire” driven

Multiple decision makers One or two decision makers

Meeting face to face with decision makers

Communication by email and phone is enough

Differences – Self Funded, Fully Insured, Cash Paying

• Percentage, fixed-fee, or for corporate PEPM

• Referral fee -- most facilitators generate income by charging medical providers a referral fee for each client they send.

This is usually a commission percentage based on the package price of the procedure, though it can also be a set-fee per patient, regardless of the cost of the procedure.

• Commissions on lodging and tours.

Revenue Models

Domestic Medical Tourism

• Growing trend within medical tourism.

• Healthcare consumers traveling regionally.

• For example, 40 percent of U.S. employers will implement in future.

Europe – Huge Regional Medical

Tourism Hub

Getting Started• Obtaining patient

passports and visas.• Booking patient flight and

lodging accommodations.• Securing patient

transportation, recreational therapy and sightseeing tours.

Price of Success• Identify reliable healthcare providers.• Understand complex travel arrangements and medical

procedures.• Breakdown language and cultural barriers.• Serve as liaison and mediator between patient and

healthcare provider.• Make critical preparations related to life or death.

Marketing and Brochures?

• Build beautiful websites and brochures and they will come?

• Send emails to corporate buyers and they will wend patients?

• Don’t travel to meet potential clients? • Long-term relationship – inviting person from across

globe to take scary trip for healthcare? - “Healthcare Trust.”

• My favorite - random messages to people that are canned.

• “Relationship-driven business.”

Internet Marketing• SEO? Google “Panda” new

algorithm.

• Buying leads?

• Advertising on Google?

Do You Know Your Stuff?• Privacy Laws - HIPAA, SOPA, etc. misspelled, not

knowing what your doing.• Misrepresenting your compliance.• Do you really have a liability policy or patient

waiver? Is it good?• Does your contract with your hospital protect you?• Are you “vetting” doctors or letting the hospital?

Industry Ambassadors

• Medical tourism facilitators can make the difference in a patient’s decision to travel.

• Medical tourism facilitators are the face of the industry – its promoters and ambassadors.

Sounds Easy?• Some patients have limited or are

entirely without health insurance.• Some patients need immediate care.• Most patients are afraid.

Medical Tourism Safety?• Facilitator concerns.Quality.Liability.

Quality Accreditation• There are many organizations which grade

hospitals based on a standard. These organizations then grant accreditation if these standards are met. Organizations include:• Joint Commission International (JCI) – some 170

outside the United States.• Other International Accreditations.

Healthcare Reform in the US – “Obamacare”• Healthcare reform doesn’t reduce costs.• Costs are rising significantly.• More treatment delays.• Evolving insurance coverage.• Confusing.

Employers & Insurance Companies

• Future of health insurance policies global policies

• Many of the policies being developed globally in developing countries offer “travel benefit.”

• Different levels of policies and travel• Local.• Regional. • Global.

• Local expatriate opportunity • Whether they are traveling patients or

expatriates, they are all international patients and need special services.

Global Health Insurance Policies

Opportunities for International Patients

Centers of Excellence & Specialization•Hospitals marketing themselves as centers of excellence.•Without this - patients are making their own decisions – insurers have no power to steer hospitals not building brand for specialization.

Global Health Insurance Challenges

Building a Global Medical NetworkContracting with Hospitals Easy? No!!!!

Legal Concerns for Medical Tourists

– BEST PRACTICES• Medical complications.• Proper waivers.• Proper insurance. • Choosing quality hospital.• Choosing quality doctor.• Choosing right facilitator.

WeakestLinks in Chain

• Some medical tourism facilitators make promises they can’t keep.

• Some medical tourism facilitators are biased toward certain healthcare providers.

• Some medical tourism facilitators inflate prices.• No one benefits – not the industry, nor patients or

well-intentioned medical facilitators.• Fraud - fake clinics, commission-focused vs.

quality, stealing money from patients• Fake buyers• Don’t misrepresent your staff or # of patients

Why Do the Right Thing?• Markets are emerging at destinations

all across the globe.• Competition for healthcare dollar is

peaking.• Healthcare consumers can no longer

be fooled.

By 2030, almost half of all Americans will be age 50 or older (approximately 183 million).

More than six of every 10 “Baby Boomers” will suffer from multiple chronic conditions.

By 2030, 10 times more knee replacements will be performed.

Same rise in elderly population around the world.

Silver Tsunami in Future

Ethnic Wellness/Medical

Tourist• 54.1 percent of Hispanics and 56.8 percent of Asian-

Americans living in the United States said they would consider traveling overseas for medical care.

• This statistic may remain consistent with other ethnic groups, such as those from the Middle East and European-Americans.

• No cultural or language barriers.

Tourism Has No Role?Skiing After Knee Replacement

1.Set realistic goals.

2.Develop action plans and timelines to reach goals.

3.Measure results.

Implementation guidelines

• For example:

• Have a well-positioned website up by end of year.

• Visit five hospitals in next three months.

• Contract with 10 hospitals by 2014.

• Service 100 customers by end of 2014.

• Achieve sales of $200,000 by 2016.

• Employ xxx number of people by 20016.

A good idea is to list your goals by year. Also make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable.

Set Realistic Goals

• Becoming a successful medical tourism facilitator does not happen over night.

• The process may take months, and success is often dependent on external factors, such as the economy, competition, and the quality of your providers.

Set Expectations

Consumer Experience• All about positive

consumer experience.

• Word-of-mouth industry.

• Over-deliver/exceed expectations.

Action Plan• Develop business plan.• Identify target market. • Identify healthcare

consumer market “needs.”

• Choose destinations and partners.

• Begin marketing.

Solutions Unanswered

• 36 percent of all medical travelers are satisfied with their facilitators.

• Medical knowledge, availability and attention to detail leave much to be desired (2013, MTA Medical Tourism Survey Report).

Industry Beacons• Enroll in continuing education.• Achieve certification status.• Attend conferences.• Network.• Set an example.• Learn from other facilitators and network.

International Healthcare Research Center

• The International Healthcare Research Center (IHRC) promotes  and provides transparency and improves global healthcare quality, population health management, expanded access to care, and the consumer healthcare experience. IHRC is a 501c (3) nonprofit research center, headquartered in the United States.

Platform to Gain Connectionsto Succeed in Medical & Wellness Tourism

Industry

6th World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare CongressLas Vegas, Nov. 3-6, 2013

www.MedicalTourismCongress.com

• Up to 2,000 attendees• 100 countries. • More than 100 expert speakers• Thousands of one-on-one networking meetings.

• Executive Summits• Ministerial Summit.• Medical Director Summit

Event Highlights

Benefits of Certification•Learn medical tourism best-practices.•Transparency.•Enjoy two (2) years Medical Tourism Association® membership. •Be featured in the most relevant directories, MedicalTourismAssociation.com and Medicaltourism.com•Continuous Education.How to Get Certified?

1.Attend 6th World Medical Tourism Congress™ and get certified! 2.Get comfortably certified online at your pace.

Get certified today at: www.medicaltourismcongress.com

Certified Medical Tourism Specialist

Real Benefits of CMTS

• Learn: Certification provides education about best-practices and allows you to achieve professional certification in the medical tourism industry.

• Transparency: Through our examination, you are telling prospective customers that you have been reviewed by an outside third-party about your knowledge of best-practices.

• Education: Through online continuing education, you will stay up to date on industry updates, concepts and trends which will help you continuously build your business and improve your business-practices.

• Network and share: By being connected to the MTA network and certified as CMTS, you enjoy two years of membership which provides access to our member network, educational resources online, direct patient inquiries if you are a facilitator or travel agent, and visibility to assist in developing and delivering your brand in target markets. 

 

Diploma

Business Card

LinkedIn Profile

• Increase networking opportunities. • Access patient leads. • List your contact information, corporate profile & logo on main B2B and B2C industry sites.• Enjoy 2-for-1 registration to World Medical Tourism Congress.• Recieve 20 percent discount on advertising in Medical Tourism Magazine™.• Access market research, trends & analyses.• Use Medical Tourism Association® logo on your

website. • Get discounts at medical tourism conferences. • Enjoy educational webinars.

Learn more at: www.MedicalTourismAssociation.com

Benefits of Medical Tourism Membership

$200.00 off Registration & Certification

for the Conference.

Us Discount Code: MTFDISCOUNThttp://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/attendee-registration

/

Expires  07/31/2013

Medical Tourism Facilitator

•Learn how to develop your business and market. •Understanding best-practices. •Looking for the return-on-your investment. •Identifying current and emerging market trends in insurance, corporate benefits and cash-paying patient bases.

Membership Categories• Hospitals.• Specialty clinics• Facilitators.• Corporate members.• Travel/Hospitality companies.• Government/Healthcare clusters.• Industry Associations/Chambers.• Spa/Wellness.• MTA-certified members

* Two years of membership for CMTS only.

Membership Benefits• Increase your networking opportunities.• Gain exclusive access to patient leads and listings on MedicalTourism.com• List your contact information, corporate profile & logo on

MedicalTourismAssociation.com• Enjoy 2-for-1 registration to the World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare

Congress, an annual MTA event.• Receive 20 percent discount on advertising in the Medical Tourism Magazine

™, the official publication of the Medical Tourism Association®.• Access market research, trends & analyses through our members-only

platform.• Introduction to all members through a customized networking email.• Use the Medical Tourism Association® logo on your website.• Get discounts at medical tourism conferences throughout the world.• Enjoy educational webinars.

Thank youfor your attention

Direct questions: Jon@MedicalTourismAssociation.com

MedicalTourismAssociation.com