Medical Tourism Industry News

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS194948+20-Oct-2009+BW20091020

(10/31/09) ALEXANDRIA, La.--(Business Wire)-- The CHRISTUS Healthy Living Spa - the first Murad Inclusive Health Center in the state of Louisiana, opened its doors Friday to the public. The innovative, state-of-the-art wellness center incorporates the Inclusive Health philosophies of world-renowned skincare and healthy living pioneer, Howard Murad, M.D. Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA and founder of Murad, Inc., into individually tailored consults, programs and treatments. Murad`s Inclusive Health approach is a groundbreaking method to understanding health and beauty which goes beyond preventative care to address the needs of the whole body on a cellular level. Visitors to the Spa will receive health consults based on these philosophies, so that they can begin on the road to living healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Study Reveals Deadly Toll of Being Uninsured

(09/20/09) Twelve is quite a prolific number. The revered clock has twelve hours displayed on its face, there are twelve months in a year, and twelve people sit on a jury. Every twelve minutes, there is a television commercial, a car is stolen, and another name is added to the national organ transplant list. But these pale in comparison to another event researchers say occurs every twelve minutes in the United States—a person dies, primarily because they lack health insurance and cannot get the medical care they need. Researchers at Harvard Medical School looked at data on 9,000 patients aged 17 to 64 who were tracked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics through the year 2000. (Those 65 or older were excluded since they are covered by the Medicare insurance program.) The analysis revealed that 45,000 Americans die each year in large part due to lack of insurance, a figure 2.5 times higher than an estimate from the Institute of Medicine in 2002. “We’re losing more Americans every day because of inaction ... than drunk driving and homicide combined,” said study co-author Dr. David Himmelstein, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard.

World’s Largest Medical Tourism Conference Announces Pre-Conference African Patient Workshop

(09/13/09) West Palm Beach, FL, September 12, 2009 --(PR.com)-- World’s Largest Medical Tourism Conference Announces Pre-Conference African Patient Workshop. This workshop will address: Thousands of patients leave certain countries in Africa each year for high quality healthcare. Learn what it takes and how to attract African patients and how to deal with African patients cultures, customs and expectations. The pre-conference workshop is Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 8:00am- 5:00pm, with a break at 12:00-1:00pm for the networking lunch.

How Coconut Oil Could Help Reduce The Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

(09/13/09) A new study in animals demonstrates that a diet rich in coconut oil protects against 'insulin resistance' (an impaired ability of cells to respond to insulin) in muscle and fat. The diet also avoids the accumulation of body fat caused by other high fat diets of similar calorie content. Together these findings are important because obesity and insulin resistance are major factors leading to the development of Type 2 diabetes. The study is also interesting because it helps explain human studies showing that people who incorporate medium chain 'fatty acids', such as those found in coconut oil, into their diets can lose body fat.

TransEnterix Announces Positive First-in-Man Results With New Laparoscopic Surgical Platform

(09/13/09) Officials with TransEnterix announce that surgeons from the United States and Paraguay have successfully performed first-in-man studies of its revolutionary single-incision, single-port, four-channel laparoscopic surgical platform called the SPIDER™ System. The SPIDER System - short for Single Port Instrument Delivery Extended Reach - allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive abdominal surgeries entirely through the umbilicus, leaving no visible scar. It's the first single-port system to offer surgeons true triangulation and other critical techniques common in multi-port laparoscopy.

Consumer Alert: Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures Should Not Be Taken Lightly

(09/13/09) Today, there are more ways than ever before to "get a little work done." From skin fillers to fat-reduction procedures, the options are endless for those looking to improve their appearance and boost their self-esteem. But with so many physicians and options from which to choose, consumers can be confused about where to start and who to trust to perform a cosmetic procedure. At the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academy Meeting 2009 in Boston, dermatologist C. William Hanke, MD, MPH, FAAD, clinical professor at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, offered advice to help patients determine if a cosmetic procedure is right for them, including questions to ask the physician to ensure a safe and effective result or outcome.

Candela Receives Registration Approval To Market The Alex TriVantage Laser In Brazil

(09/13/09) Candela Corporation (NASDAQ:CLZR) announced that it has received registration approval from the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) to market the Candela Alex TriVantage® multi-wavelength, q-switched laser system in Brazil. "Until now, providing high quality and effective treatment for pigmented lesions and multi-color tattoos meant that Brazilian doctors needed to own at least two different lasers. With Alex TriVantage's Laser-Pumped-Laser (LPL) technology, a greater number of doctors will be able to offer a wider variety of services assured of the ability to provide treatment regardless of the patient's skin color," said Candela President and Chief Executive Officer, Gerard E. Puorro. "This approval increases the number of Candela products marketed in Brazil, enabling us to offer a more complete range of highly effective aesthetic laser solutions."

New Treatment For Receding Gums: No Pain, Lots Of Gain

(09/13/09) Tufts dental researchers conducted a three-year follow-up study that examined the stability of a treatment option for receding gums and found that complete root coverage the goal of the surgery had been maintained. This specific tissue regeneration application, developed at Tufts, reduces the considerable pain and recovery time of gum grafting surgery. The case study of six patients is published in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Periodontology. "Patients have a less invasive treatment option for receding gums and we now have evidence to support the stability of this relatively painless procedure. Instead of leaving the dental office with stitches in the roof of their mouth, a patient leaves with a small bandage on the arm that can be removed in an hour," said Terrence Griffin, DMD, associate professor, chair of the department of periodontology, and director of postdoctoral periodontology at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston

Plastic surgery popular despite economic woes: poll

(07/24/09) NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Most women under 50 have not turned their backs, or faces, on cosmetic beauty-enhancement, despite the state of the economy. While the recession continues, a poll of 1,000 women carried out this month showed that 63 percent aged 18-34 and 73 percent of women aged 35-49 thought positively of age-camouflaging procedures.

America's Best Hospitals: The 2009-10 Honor Roll

(07/16/09) America's Best Hospitals, an annual ranking of the country's elite medical centers, is a tool for patients who need medical sophistication most facilities cannot offer. Unlike other rankings and ratings that grade hospitals on how well they execute routine procedures like outpatient hernia repair or manage common conditions like low-grade heart failure, the U.S. News approach looks at how well a hospital handles complex and demanding situations--replacing an 85-year-old man's heart valve, diagnosing and treating a spinal tumor, and dealing with inflammatory bowel disease, to name three examples.

On MSN - By Angie C. Marek for SmartMoney: Look abroad for cheaper health care

(07/14/09) More patients -- and insurance companies -- are turning to overseas facilities for lower-cost medical procedures. And the quality of care often rivals that of the US. This unusual blend of tourism and medicine doubled last year, with roughly 1.5 million Americans heading abroad for medical care in 2008, according to consultancy Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. They're traveling all over the map -- to destinations from Turkey to Thailand and Costa Rica -- for procedures ranging from perfunctory dental work to six-hour bypass surgeries. To hear the hospitals abroad tell it, no procedure is out of the question now that more of them boast new affiliations with big-name U.S. hospitals and medical schools.

Official: World's oldest man dies at 113

(06/19/09) TOKYO – Tomoji Tanabe, the world's oldest man, died in his sleep at his home in southern Japan on Friday, a city official said. He was 113. "He died peacefully. His family members were with him," said Junko Nakao, a city official in Miyakonojo on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. Tanabe died of heart failure, she said. Tanabe, who was born Sept. 18, 1895, had eight children — five sons and three daughters. The former city land surveyor also had 25 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren, according to a statement from the Miyakonojo city. He was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest man when he was 111 years old.

Overseas, Under the Knife

(06/10/09) ONE consequence of the high cost of medical care in the United States has been the rise of medical tourism. Every year, thousands of Americans undergo surgery in other countries because the allure of good care at half the price is too good to pass up. Average total fees at well-regarded hospitals like Apollo and Wockhardt in India are 60 percent to 90 percent lower than those of the average American hospital, according to a 2007 study by the consulting group Mercer Health and Benefits (where Dr. Milstein is affiliated). Even compared with low-cost American hospitals, the offshore fees are 20 percent to 50 percent lower. Most medical travelers seek cosmetic procedures like facelifts and liposuction, but an increasing number have high-risk operations like heart surgery and joint replacement in places like India, Singapore and Thailand.

Bariatric surgery for weight loss

(05/01/09) Fox29 - By Geri K. Metzger, myOptumHealth: Bariatric surgery is generally thought of as a last resort for weight loss. But it can be an important and sometimes life-saving option for some. Those who typically are candidates for bariatric surgery are severely obese. They often also have serious weight-related health problems, such as diabetes, sleep apnea or heart disease. There are several options for bariatric surgery. They all restrict food intake. Some procedures also interfere with the body's ability to absorb calories and nutrients. They do this by surgically bypassing part of the small intestine. Am I a candidate for bariatric surgery?

Chicago Tribune: Mexico the new dental destination - Americans flock to border town

(04/28/09) Chicago Tribune - March 24, 2009 - By Oscar Avila: Mexico the new dental destination: Americans flock to border town that takes bite out of high prices found in U.S. clinics. Los Algodones (Mexico), population 4,000, is home to about 350 dentists geared to foreign patients, including snowbirds from Chicago and elsewhere in the upper Midwest. Their treatment comes at a huge discount—70 percent or more—from what Americans pay at home, a reality that many patients call an indictment of U.S. health care.

BusinessWeek: Lack of Insurance Drives Dental Tourism

(04/28/09) BusinessWeek: Special Report, November 9, 2008, By Catherine Arnst. Lack of Insurance Drives Dental Tourism With only half the U.S. population covered by dental insurance, Americans are flocking overseas for high-quality, low-cost dental care. The U.S. is facing a dental crisis. Only about 50% of the population has dental insurance, compared with the 85% who have medical benefits. Medicare doesn't cover dental procedures, despite the fact that aging teeth are just like aging bodies—vulnerable and brittle. That means more and more patients will be traveling abroad to take care of their pearly whites.

Medical Tourism Association: Releases First Patient Surveys on Medical Tourism

(04/21/09) Medical Tourism Association: This survey is extremely important to the solid growth of the medical tourism industry by providing a better understanding why patients are traveling and where they are traveling to as well as insight to increase international patient flow. Medical Tourism Association Official Patient Survey Results Q1. How did you find out about medical tourism (traveling internationally for medical care)? Internet,"48.8%" Q2. How did you research your information for medical tourism on country destinations and hospitals? Internet,"73.2%"

Medical tourism insurance for companies launched

(04/02/09) Texas-based US Risk Underwriters has launched a new professional liability product for the medical tourism industry called MedTour Pro for Employers. This and related MedTour products only cover treatment outside the US for US-based travellers, agencies and employers. MedTour Pro for Employers is designed for US companies that provide freedom of choice to their employees, including an option to obtain medical services abroad.

UNITED STATES: Deloitte survey casts shadow on medical tourism

(04/02/09) In its second annual study on healthcare trends, Deloitte finds a favourable shift towards intra-bound medical tourism among Americans who would consider seeking treatment in another US city than going abroad. The results of the “2009 Deloitte Survey of Healthcare Consumers” are vastly different from the previous year’s, which showed that Americans would consider travelling overseas for treatment - particularly if they can achieve 50 percent savings on international-standard healthcare. In this year’s results, 43 percent of the 4,000 Americans – aged 18 and above – say they are prepared to travel out of their local area to undergo a test, procedure, or treatment if it would cost 50 percent or less than when done in their home city. In fact, eight percent have travelled for care outside of their local community as medical tourists.

CNNHealth.com: Lower costs lure U.S. patients abroad for treatment

(03/27/09) CNNHealth.com --- For most Americans CNN spoke to, it came down to finding the best value. "If I could have afforded my procedure in the United States, I would have taken it, but that was not my option, I had to get online and look for a Plan B." Giustina said. Story Highlights: -- Study: More than 6 million from U.S. will travel abroad for treatment in the next year -- Companies creating a niche in the service industry as medical travel planners -- Hospitals market upscale accommodations, Western-trained surgeons