Medical tourism is for many years high topic in India. Indian governments of Tourism and Health are investing better structures for years. But evaluation makes that the actual flow of patients in relation to expectation that is is still not huge. Despite the tremendous infrastructure, good private hospitals and very good and high level medical education (one of the best of the world).
Chosing for medical tourism is in most cases a choice to have surgery for affordable price, good and for most european countries even much better service, combined with luxury resort holiday or travel.
Medical tourism is in most cases used for cosmetic or plastic surgery and dental surgery and for the last years bariatric surgery is become an important type of surgery for this type of tourism. Bariatric surgery or with other words obesity surgery like gastric banding, Roux en Y gastric bypass and Vertical gastrectomy/Sleeve has become in Europe and USA one of the most important types of surgery. Everybody who has more details about the tremendous results from bariatric surgery knows that this type of surgery will become number one surgery worldwide in the next 10 years. Solving hypertension, diabetes, sleeping apnea, joint problems and other medical issues within 1-6 months after surgery in most cases is one of the biggest motivators.
In 2007 in Europe and USA more than 350.000 operations were carried out but with the enormous rate in obesity worldwide (In Europe obesity is calculated between 10-35% of the total population depending of which country and USA is approx. 30-35%). Bariatric surgery in India started 8 years ago and approx. 20 surgeons are focusing to bariatrics. A lot of surgeons in India are starting up but can’t be considered as experienced surgeons of course. Especially for stapling surgery like Roux en Y gastric bypass and Vertical sleeve expertise makes the difference between safe and risk full surgery.
Nevertheless India will play an important role in medical tourism for bariatrics sooner or later. But one of the major questions what medical tourists will ask themself if I’m traveling and spending money anyway who will it benefit. Only the surgeon and hospital or can it benefit more people? India has besides very high diabetes and obesity rate also still one of the highest poverty situations of the world. Would it be fantastic if medical tourism would really increase to high number of patients and it would direct benefit also to the poor. This would be one big opportunity.
With strong believe we started as Obesityasia, www.obesityasia.com with help of foundations for healthcare projects in Pune to make a small difference in one of our hospitals for bariatric surgery. One of the private hospitals in Pune, Poona hospital, established in 1986 by late Shri Dongreji Maharaj foundation, is offering free and also concessional surgery to lower socio-economic strata for many and many years. With this motivation and this agreement to the Indian society and to medical tourists we all make small difference with medical tourism.
The future will tell if others in India will follow and if they can make the same effort to medical tourists. Especially for those lower socio-economic Indians who suffer for diabetes and obesity to get bariatric surgery instead of getting blind, get legs and arms amputated or dying after heart stroke. By this way and good structure guided by the Indian governments we call together an make huge difference.
July 6, 2008 at 2:17 am |
I’m an uninsured U.S. senior citizen and had to seek affordable medical care for my severely injured rotator cuff. My search and it’s result in using a medical concierge service is too long to post here, but is described near the bottom of the page in this link to my testimonial: http://www.medtogo.com/rotator-cuff-repair.html
Please be aware that I’m not an employee of, or being compensated in any way by the organization that assisted me so well; I only want to inform those hapless uninsured citizens like myself that there’s hope for finding quality, affordable medical care.
Sincerely,
Jack Brooks
July 9, 2008 at 8:25 am |
Bariatric surgery in India has started almost 8 years ago and at Obesityasia you find the surgeons, dr. Shah and dr. Todkar with the largest surgical expertise at obesity and diabetes. Almost 1/3 of all procedures in India are performed by them and they are the first bariatric training center surgeons in India. Also the first procedure of India took place in Pune.
For our organization U.S. citizens are one of our ways to help obese patients with good and affordable surgery. For those who come from abroad we have special coordinator from the Netherlands with more than 10 years of medical expertise in bariatric surgery.
We are very open to providing companies, medical insurance companies and surgeons from US or Europe to give their patients the best possible care.
We encourage you to bring insured and uninsured patients to our organization.
With your information we also contacted Medtogo and we are waiting for their answer to our services.
July 16, 2008 at 11:22 pm |
At 5′10″ and 196 lbs I am not morbildy obease but slightly over weigh and therefor not a candidate for Gastric ByPass surgery. However I am a diabetic and have trouble controlling my energy levels, concentration and blood sugar.
I have discovered that a certain part of Gasric ByPass Surgery has proven to create a state in patients where blood sugar falls back into it’s former pre diabetic levels making insulin injections unnecessary.
There is no approved procedure for this in the US. I would be willing to travel in order to have surgery that would help. I would consider becoming a volunteer for a study if necessary.
Jeffrey McWilliams