Medical tourism in India is booming and it has been doing so vigorously now for quite some time. Chennai, the nation’s health capital is home to 150 international patients on a daily basis. Currently, the medical tourism industry in India is valued at USD 310 million. The rise to USD 6 billion is all going to happen in the next three years.
While this is good news for patients abroad, it is greater news for businesses in India that cater to medical tourism. For example, Dr. Rajiv Rane, Founder of Plan My Medical Tip (www.planmymedicaltrip.com) says that this attention to India was due for a very long time. “When people opt to get operated, they’re looking mainly at three things—price of surgery, quality of infrastructure, and experience/skill of the doctor. India has them all in perfect balance.”, he says.
While a lot of patients raise their concerns about quality standards in India, it is important to know that India has 21 healthcare facilities that are accredited by the Joint Commission International. India is mainly popular for treatments such as alternative medicine, bone-marrow transplant, cardiac bypass, eye surgery, in vitro fertility treatments, hip replacement, and even cosmetology.
Tourism is an equally important part in this ballgame and a lot of people worry about getting extensions on their visa later on. As the duration of stay depends on the type of surgery undertaken and post-surgery treatment, patients want to know how these issues can be dealt with. Mr. Anurav Rane—Joint Founder, Plan My Medical Trip—has a solution to that too. He says, “Patients are already involved in getting themselves or their loved ones treated and don’t have the time to take care of travel formalities. To make their experience in our country (India) more comfortable, we also have Dziner Travel Concepts as our partner. This company takes care of all the necessary documents and approvals on the patients’ behalf, so that their comfort is given topmost priority.”
With an increasingly expanding customer base, let’s hope that more and more people take such humble initiatives for the greater good of all patients in the world.