Friday, 31 December 2010

Wales .... the latest medical tourism destination for patients from the United States?

A recent news on CNN attracted my interest when presented a patient U.S. that traveled to Wales (United Kingdom) for breast surgery to save money. It was titled "' I can't afford surgery in the United States, ' says bargain shopper". Is an interesting story that shows how the media can sometimes put a viewpoint on a story to create news, but it does highlight some real opportunities for suppliers of medical tourism.

The story (see CNN video) tells us about Godfrey Davies, an American, who needed surgery of sinusitis. He tells how he "planned on a mission to find a surgeon accessible" and was shocked by the costs that he was going to incur in the United States. The story was picked up by a multitude of other web sites that took it at face value.

If you see the video, you get an impression. If you dig a little deeper, you really begin to understand the full story and where this patient fits within medical tourism market.

As a Brit, I found a bit strange when I viewed the video. My first impression? Here is a story about a guy American travel all the way to the Wales for surgery .... Why would he do this? And why Wales? But then I dug deeper. He was indeed a story about someone who started life as a "dude Welsh", became a guy "American" and went home for an operation. There is a track on your behalf (Davies ... is a Welsh surname) and your accent a little weird (is a Welsh accent). Godfrey comes from Wales. Is where your family lives. It is a United Kingdom and bearer of a U.S. passport. He married an American and became a u.s. citizen in 2002. He didn't have health insurance in the United States because he believes that the prize of $ 1000 per month in quotation marks is very large. He says that "with the relief and health, I would have to pay more in more than three and a half months than back home to Wales."

So what medical tourism companies learn from this story?

Firstly, don't take News at their nominal value. Sometimes there is a logic behind a news story that the media does not expose always fully. Can do less interesting news. In this case, it is understandable that a weight (as opposed to an American) can choose the Wales as a medical tourism destination.

Secondly, it highlights that one of the key factors in why people Select medical tourism destinations. Godfrey Davies chose Wales because it is an excellent game cultural, there is no problem of language for him and he feels 100% safe there. And it's cheap!

Godfrey went to the hospital in Bancyfelin Werndale IMC, Carmarthenshire. Is part of BMI Healthcare, a leading provider of independent healthcare with almost seventy hospitals and clinics throughout the country. To give another example, I myself had a total knee replacement in a hospital healthcare BMI near London, BMI Clementine Churchill Hospital. How much would it cost for the replacement of the knee in an American hospital? $ 50000. How much it cost me in the United Kingdom? £ 10000 all-in ($ 15000). The price of United Kingdom is cheaper than Korea ($ 17.800) and not far prices that Americans pay in countries such as Thailand ($ 12000) and Singapore ($ 10.800). Taking into account the cultural and language match and the lowest cost of travel, if you were an American destination would you choose?

Thirdly, it is a great example of the kind of American tourists doctors that some companies of medical tourism should be target .... people from their own country. Thus, the opportunity for a greater and more realistic u.s. Korea medical tourism providers based is more likely to be Korean Americans. Target the easy victory, if you want to succeed.

Fourthly, it supports the argument that the United Kingdom may actually be a medical attractive tourism destination for patients of the United States. Despite the different accent, there is no language barrier! There is a public health system that delivers excellent results. And there is a system of private hospital which already offers treatment for patients from all over the world who travel to the United Kingdom for access to quality health care and expertise. And. .... as demonstrated Godfrey Davies, you can save a huge amount of money on UK prices.

As the cost of special treatment in the United Kingdom?

In addition to treatment abroad, also we are UK several health information sites. One is Private Healthcare UK. He will tell you everything you need to know about the particular treatment in the United Kingdom.

If you want to know which particular treatment costs UK go to private hospital treatment-what does it cost? and select an operation.

And if you're an American (or weight) and intends to follow in the footsteps of Godfrey Davies, you can obtain a quotation for UK surgery by filling in the enquiry form for the treatment of private hospital, UK.

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