Bariatric surgery in USA In USA bariatric surgery, reducing the size of the stomach by gastric band or stapling procedures like Roux en Y gastric bypass, vertical gastric sleeve (Gastrectomy) or duodenal sleeve for many years strongly growth market. In USA in 2007 more 200,000 surgeries took place and for 2008 increase of 50% is expected. More than 2,000 surgeons are trained for bariatric surgery and more and more centers of excellence are created. Being one of the largest obesity countries (India and China are confronted with the same huge numbers) it seems that severe obese patients are really getting good care and the results are enormous. But is this situation ideal at this moment?
Downside in USA With the information that 1/3 of the total population of USA is suffering for obesity, at this moment 0,2% of obese patients are having surgery. It is a start if the numbers of obesity are not raising more than surgery can help it would. For these patient groups more than 80% will have good result. After 20 years of bariatric surgery worldwide this is one of the outcomes of surgery. But 0,2% is hardly any effect on obesity in USA, for real results like taking down diabetes, sleeping apnea, heart & vascular diseases caused by obesity the effect should be raised at least to 5% of the total obesity population. This means 5.000.000 surgeries/yearly. Is that realistic figure?
The downsides in USA is that most insurance companies will pay based on information on the Internet but the procedures can be quite long, sometimes 1-2 years, and not every company pays for surgery. Some companies pay only for gastric band surgery because of the costs.
Loans for financing surgery Another negative effect of the situation in USA is that when patients for what kind of reasons need to finance (or are uninsured for this type of surgery or uninsured at all) their own surgery they are forced to pay a high price for surgery in USA. Based on the Internet average price for gastric band surgery is 10,000 – 15,000 USD and after care is most cases separate and can add some thousands of dollars to this investment. Prices for gastric bypass are even much higher to 20,000 – 30,000 USD. A lot of people are creating financial problems for themselves to finance their surgery with loans. It is the reality at this moment.
Medical tourism for surgery? Is medical tourism the future for bariatric surgery to Americans? Medical tourism is for some type of surgery like cosmetic or dental surgery combined with nice and luxury stays at resort on an exotic island or country a nice way to undergo surgery, but is this the case for bariatric surgery too? Bariatric surgery what requires an intensive after care and check-ups to get the good results is not the most ideal scenario for medical tourism. Patients are not sure about the good quality of the surgeon, high or low expertise? These are not something like an international database for bariatric surgeons. And a lot of exotic countries have other hygiene guidelines and infection prevention than USA. For these reasons US surgeons are not very happy to perform after care to patients who underwent surgery abroad.
Outsourcing to India by bariatric surgeons
If medical tourism has his negative arguments, how about medical outsourcing of bariatric surgery to India? Outsourcing to India is in many sectors an interesting option like ICT, Financial business and Telecommunication. Would this be the help we are looking for to a large group of patients in USA, insurance companies and bariatric surgeons in USA? With this type of outsourcing US surgeons and medical insurance companies have full control to their patients in pre-op and post -op care and financially. But cheaper options for everybody, India can offer the same surgeries for less than half the cost in USA. If surgeons in USA would use this extra option to avoid medical tourism to some less experienced countries the patients would be the winners. In India bariatric surgery started since 2000 and with the high medical knowledge and expertise of good group of surgeons it would a very good option for outsourcing bariatric patients also in most private hospitals the video-conference options are THE method for the US surgeons to keep in touch with their patients and to see the surgery themselves. It saves money and higher volume of patients is possible. We see at Obesityasia, www.obesityasia.com, in the last year a strong growing interest of US surgeons and insurance company for this unique concept of outsourcing.
