Transparency and fraud in health tourism

One of the criticisms of purchasing services via the Web is that you can't always be sure with whom you're dealing with really. This is especially true in the field of health and medical tourism. When you visit a site about medical tourism:

How do you know who is behind the site? How can you say what they really know about the health tourism and healthcare in General? How do you know if you can trust them? How do you know where the patient's money is going?

Next month, I am speaking at the annual Conference of European health Fraud & corruption Network (EHFCN) in Edinburgh. The theme of the Conference is "Cross-Border health in Europe: a gateway to fraud and corruption?".

The European health Fraud & corruption Network (EHFCN) is the only European organization dedicated to the fight against fraud and corruption in the health sector across Europe. The network represents 23 federations in ten countries, which provide health care services to millions of people in Europe.

Second EHFCN, "the health sector seems to be particularly vulnerable to corruption. The large amounts of money involved and the complexities of many health systems play a role as well as the fact that there are many processes with high risks of bribery "
And now he is turning his attention to the health tourism.

As a Web publishing company in the health sector, it is important that the treatment abroad is transparent and that when we are publishing health advice in our various Internet sites, is to ensure that the information is written by qualified medical professionals. We are confident that all our sites undergo certification process of the Health On the Net Foundation. (Recommend that all sites health go through this process). And our company has a Medical Director to oversee what we do-Dr Nick Plowman of St. Bartholomew's hospital in London.

But in the world of medical tourism, there is a problem with the lack of transparency and there is significant potential for fraud?

While researching my presentation in the EHFCN Conference, I took a look at transparency in medical tourism. I did the usual searches on Google and came across health-tourism.com first: she says that it is "a medical tourism guide, bringing you reliable and objective and useful information that will help you plan your trip medical".

While I was browsing the site, I came across this:

Transparency Award of medical tourism-"we created the transparency of medical tourism. This is a emblem assigned to sites of medical tourism suppliers whose information site meet the criteria below ".

Now, let's be clear, individuals in health-tourism.com can be honest and decent people, with the best medical travellers ' interests at heart. But it was his "medical tourism transparency Award" that caught my attention. Health-tourism.com says that "the objective of the prize is to encourage providers to provide the necessary information on their Web sites – making it easy for you to make an informed decision.

Then I put Health-tourism.com through a test of "transparency".

I looked around the site ....

He says that it is executed by Global locate Care. I can't tell who they are or what their qualifications. This disclaimer long says "the contents of this website has not been reviewed or prepared by medical professionals. And he says that the "relationship between the user/visitor and FGC is governed by the laws of Cyprus". Why Cyprus? I can't find all names at all. I can't find out who is the owner of the site or enterprise. I can find an address-1B, Pinetree Boulevard, old bridge, New Jersey.

I'm a curious person ....

I did some digging for information on locating global service. But all I could find ... was another website-half relies on www.findglobalcare.com WikiCompany and an entry with no information about the company.

So I thought I'd pay a visit to 1 Pine Blvd, old bridge, NJ 08857, United States, using Google Maps Streetview. (Not the web is a wonderful thing?). I'm not an expert on U.S. arrchitecture, but judging by the Real Estate sigh out there and the building, this looks like an apartment building. But those who live there? And who is behind the business? And what he or she knows about health tourism?

Then I checked out the domain name. It is registered for Udi Shomer, Illinois. Maybe he is behind the business? Who is he? I do not know. But it is not a common name, and the Web may have some information about it?

There are only ten results of a search for "Udi Shomer" on Google. (Hey, that is close to being a Googlewhack!). Let's take a look at Shomers UDI on the Web:

There is a Udi Shomer that has an entry in the Lonely Planet Guide to Thailand. There is a page listing of Tai Chi in Thailand. And there are some references on Israeli job sites (I think). And that's it.

There is a clear message to tourists doctors who use the Internet to research health services.

Look (carefully) before you leap!

And if anyone knows who manages health-tourism.com, ask them to contact you, so I can fill the gaps.

Medical tourism: the answer to the problem of global health?

A recent article from McKinsey International highlights the magnitude of the challenge that the leaders of the Governments of developed countries will have to deal with sooner or later. The article analyzes the growing proportion of the wealth of a country that will be dedicated to the health of its citizens in future years.

In Europe currently around 9% of GDP is spent on health care. in the USA is higher, more close to 16% of GDP. Over the past fifty years, the increase in expenditure in OECD countries Healthcare has been above 2% of GDP ... which means that healthcare is taking an increasing share of national wealth. But what happens if this continue? McKinsey says that "If current trends continue to 2050, most OECD countries will spend one fifth of GDP on health care. By 2080, Switzerland and United States will dedicate himself more than half of GDP for him and until 2100 most other OECD countries will reach this level of spending. "

These are quite startling statistics! There is a decent article analysis, outlining the factors of supply and demand that drive growth and offer some arguments why this trend won't or can't continue at this rate. However, the harsh reality is that whatever the Governments and their citizens, they will be confronted by the weight of ever increasing health care costs.

And that is why health care is becoming global, medical tourism is being talked about as one of the solutions. Increasingly, Governments will not be able to provide and consumers will not be able to afford health care they need. The global market in healthcare expands to meet the growing demand of consumers and Governments to low-cost treatment abroad. And this is where enter the medical tourism.

Reference: healthcare Costs: a market-based view: International McKinsey

Health tourism increases the EU directive on cross border healthcare

After a delay of six months, was finally released the EU proposal for directive on patients ' rights in cross border healthcare. It provides an additional stimulus to the already growing number of medical tourists who seek hospital treatment in other EU countries. Its aim is to create a formal framework for crossing the border healthcare and remove obstacles that patients face if they wish to travel for treatment in other EU countries.

I'll try to answer some of the questions people are asking about this new directive and its impact.

Why do we need a directive on cross border health care?
The directive arose from a desire to create a European market in healthcare and in part as a result of the judgments of the European Court that have upheld the rights of patients to obtain reimbursement for treatment in other countries where they were subjected to "delay" in their own country.

What does it cover?
The directive proposes a series of events in cross border healthcare, including reimbursement of medical tourists, patient safety and quality issues, European cooperation on health, evaluation of new medical technologies and standards for health and patient information transfer between Member States.

How will it affect the UK NHS patients?
In April this year, was extended to choice of NHS patients in the United Kingdom, giving patients the right to opt for treatment anywhere in the United Kingdom. Directive, with effect, extends this patient choice anywhere in the EU, provided that the processing is available at a cost that is equal to or less than the NHS cost.

Under the directive, the NHS will be asked to establish a system for direct payment or reimbursement. This means that patients will not have to finance the treatment and then claim the cost of NHS. They will have to finance their travel and accommodation expenses. Without prior approval is required from NHS Trust or primary health care of the patient.

This does not mean that patients in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in the European Union can choose to treatments abroad that are not covered by the NHS. Thus, if a new drug or a new procedure is available in another country, the patient cannot obtain payment for it.

How many patients will choose treatment abroad?
Who knows? Patients may decide to travel abroad because:

Surgeons and hospitals with the best results for your treatment may be available elsewhere in Europe. Hospital infection rates may be smaller in other European countries. Faster Treatment may be available elsewhere.

It is important to note that:

There is no requirement for the patient suffer "delay" in treatment. The patient will have a reference from a GP. Patients cannot skip waiting list in other countries .... which is one reason why don't we see large numbers of travelling to the United Kingdom for the treatment of patients. They will join the end of the existing UK patients queue. And since the United Kingdom is one of health care providers more expensive in Europe, this will also discourage an inflow of patients from countries with lower costs.

How will it affect the NHS?
Depends on how many patients UK opt for treatment abroad. If the NHS can prove that the number could be so great that could affect planning and financing of health care facilities in the United Kingdom, then it can make an application to set up a system of "prior approval" means that a patient would have to apply for treatment abroad. This is unlikely, I believe. Is an admission of failure of the Government that the NHS cannot compete in a competitive European market.

In general the directive has to be a good thing for NHS patients and United Kingdom. He could reduce burdens on NHS waiting lists and offer economy where the cheapest treatment is available in other EU countries. This would also mean that hospitals NHS would face increasing competition and would improve its performance relative to other health care providers in Europe.

What else is covered by the Directive?
In addition to clarify the position on medical tourism within the EU, the directive also covers:

The establishment of common principles in terms of ensuring patient safety and ensuring the quality and continuity of care. Stimulate greater European cooperation on healthcare including creating "Reference networks" that would create a concentration of knowledge, training and resources for specific diseases and health problems. Establishment of a European network for the assessment of new medical technology. Setting standards of health, in particular the transfer of information and treatment of patients between Member States.

When it comes into force?
Is a draft directive, therefore, has to pass through EU mechanisms to be officially adopted as policy. But it is a part of a consultation process that has been going on for three years, so it is likely to become reality.

Good news or bad news for the medical tourism industry?
Undoubtedly good news! It will add the credibility of medical tourism and will mean that people become more familiar with and confident traveling for treatment. It will also reinforce the need for an improvement in the standards and business practices in the industry. (See code of practice for medical tourism abroad of treatment).

Ultimately, it will result in a greater choice of patients and more people will choose to travel for treatment abroad.

For patients seeking treatment, now that can't wait until the directive enters into force, can download tab in treatment outside of medical tourism or visit the treatment abroad.

Health and medical tourism-a growing business

Health and medical tourism is a growing business. Increasingly UK patients are opting to go as far as Brazil, South Africa and Malaysia for cosmetic surgery. But growth is not restricted to "o" pinch no tuck holiday ". According to the annual survey of Norwich Union healthcare index health Nation, nearly half of patients travelling to another country for treatment are doing it for large operations, such as cardiac surgery and hip replacement.

An estimated 50000 British travel abroad for surgery private annually (International Passenger surgery 2005). But what is the attraction? Why are people willing to put his health into the hands of surgeons from another country?

The main driver is obviously cost. By traveling to Belgium for treatment, a patient can save 40% on the cost of going in particular in the United Kingdom: choosing to South Africa, a savings of 50% is possible. and, by choosing to countries like Croatia, Poland and India, saving more than 60% can be expected.

For cosmetic surgery, low cost, the ability to combine recovery with relaxing holiday and perhaps have surgery hung to friends made popular holiday destinations such as Spain and Tunisia are attracting patients UK.

For elective surgery, there are other factors play a role. There is no doubt that real or perceived risks of MRSA and hospital acquired infection in the United Kingdom, some patients have convinced that they will be "safer" in a hospital abroad. Data published by the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System2 show that the proportion of resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is certainly top pair in the United Kingdom (44.5% in 2002) than in countries such as Belgium (19.2%), Czech Republic (6.2%) and Netherlands (1.0%). But that does not show that the incidence of hospital acquired MRSA infection.

A significant trend is growing part of medical tourism market to be taken by health care providers "in development". Dental tourism is growing in Hungary with people moving to dental implants in 25% of the costs of UK. Countries like Croatia, Poland and the Czech Republic are actively market their services to patients UK and India can become a major supplier of medical tourism. A study of the Confederation of Indian industry and McKinsey estimated medical tourism could be worth £ 1.21bn until 2012. The Indian Government has created a system for fast-track visas Indian doctors and hospital groups see a huge potential market for their services. Year 150000 patients from abroad visited India for the treatment and the number is increasing by 15% per year.

The internet has played a key role in expanding treatment options for private patients in the United Kingdom. Similarly that the British Internet shop for consumer products, "applicants treatment" are using the Internet to research treatment options to compare the costs of the United Kingdom and abroad. Developed in response to patients who want more information about the options abroad and overseas suppliers wishing to promote their services to the United Kingdom public dedicated web sites, such as treatment Abroad (http://www.treatmentabroad.net/).

The U.S. reform of health and medical tourism

Caroline Ratner at IMTJ has just published a summary of the u.s. reaction to Obama's health reforms in the sector of medical tourism, then I suppose I'd better play my comments into the mix.

Firstly, I would like to stress that I'm not the world expert on reforms of the health of the u.s.! (A exist?) But I have been asked by the media UK recently for commenting on reforms and, in particular for comparisons with the health system of the United Kingdom. It has been interesting to watch from afar as a nation is having to deal with the rising costs of health care and demands for increased spending on health care.

It is recognized that the United States are one of the health care systems more expensive in the world, spending 15.3% of GDP of the country in health care (statistics from who). Compare with approximately 8.2% of GDP for the United Kingdom and similar to other European countries. Despite high costs, the USA Gets atrocious value for money with what it spends.

Take a look at these comparisons:

The United Kingdom spent less than half of the per capita value compared to the USA, but provides a similar number of doctors, nurses, more and more beds per 10 thousand people. Not bad Value for taxpayers ' money.

Despite these facts .... that the debate about health care reform in the United States, the NHS UK has been used as an example of "how not to do it" and at one point those who fight against the reforms launched a series of television ads using "tragic" stories from the national health service in Britain to challenge Barack Obama plans. The reality of UK NHS is something different ... it works pretty well most of the time and costs the nation, half of which the United States spends (as a percentage of GDP). If. .. .you were U.S. political and could wave a magic wand that would transform the US healthcare system during the night to a NHS system of universal health care, free (in most cases) at the time of delivery, And would cost the country half the money .... what would you do. It is a no-brainer. But there's no magic wands.

The perception of NHS abroad is very different from NHS experience within the United Kingdom here is a pair of recent quotes, typical of industry commentators about medical tourism and health reforms from the u.s.:

"People of the United Kingdom and Canada is (sic) which do not seek treatment outside their countries due to denied health insurance or financial constraints, is due to the high costs of care and long waiting times for elective surgery" (reforms) will also create potentially lengthy wait times for medical procedures that will create situations as in Canada and United Kingdom, where patients traveling outside their country because of long queues for major surgeries.

Note the references for the long lines and long waiting times in the United Kingdom. This type of comment uninformed and warns does little for the credibility of the medical tourism industry. Is political dogma.

Here are the facts about waiting lists from UK:

The average wait time reference to NHS treatment is about 8 weeks. It is often much shorter. Any person suspected of having cancer has the legal right to expect no more than 2 weeks to see a specialist that any person referred to elective procedures has the legal right to start treatment within 18 weeks if there is a significant waiting list in your area, you have the right to exercise the choice of patients and go to another hospital anywhere else in the country to avoid waiting. (internal medical tourism). You can also compare result data, infection rates and many other data online through NHS Choices, if you have severe and fatal problem, there is virtually no waiting list. That's why I always knew a patient from British heart surgery that went abroad for treatment. Nevertheless, I'm amazed regularly by overseas providers or ignore the consulting companies that call me to discuss your plans to attract British patients abroad for surgery, as the heart.

And some recent experience "real life here is".

The Manager of Web communications at my company recently celebrated the birth of their first child. Unfortunately, the birth was 27 weeks so it was not easy for him or his wife. The child stood in Pediatric ICU for a few weeks at a local hospital and was recently transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London for cardiac surgery. He's happy with the care of NHS? .... Yes. It cost him a penny? .... Not. My wife has a recurring problem inflammatory on the back of the eye. She has regular reviews of local NHS eye unit and recently went to a minor procedure. Was urgent, so she doesn't have to wait. She went to the eye drive high-end NHS eye brandnew in Stoke Mandeville Hospital. How long she expect? .... a week or so. As she pays? .... Nothing?

British floods Are patients abroad for treatment due to "long lines" and "long waiting times"? Not. Most tourists doctors UK isn't patients requiring elective surgery that they cannot obtain or will not wait on the NHS. The reality of health care is that patients want treatment accessible (or free) close to home, or within your country. Before they even consider going abroad for treatment, they explore all avenues for treatment within their own country. The NHS has his faults, of course, but no system is perfect. And it would change our NHS for the current American model? No, I couldn't pay them ..... or as an individual or as an employer!

So, Obama's health reforms will lead to a massive rise of medical tourism, as some have suggested? Not.

Medical tourism will continue to grow as more patients become aware of the possibility of low-cost treatment abroad. But never forget that whatever each patient is affordable health care in their own door .... and traveling for treatment is for many a last resort.

HEALTH AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

Characterized by a world-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art medical equipment, excellent accommodation facilities for the patient and the attendant, trained nursing staff, an efficient administration, highly experienced and qualified specialists, and dedicated after-care services, you'll know you've made the right decision by coming to a health tourism hub. Any treatment, basic or advanced, any procedure, urgent or elective, you can surely find it here. Talking of treatments, something novel and effective has come up vis-à-vis diabetes mellitus. An ailment that afflicts pains on millions of people around the world, once you are detected with you have to live with the pain and suffering that it brings along, but not anymore. Your lives finally stand to change for the better, courtesy stem cell therapy. Although this advanced form of treatment helps a multitude of diseases and conditions, those that ail from diabetes mellitus stand to benefit a lot. Extensive research has been put through before doctors have proclaimed it as an effective way out of this diabetes. In fact, embryonic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of diseases like diabetes is one of the most promising branches of stem cell therapy research today. Medical tourism hospitals offer these advanced procedures and medical services for an unbelievably affordable price, something that you'll have to shell pots of money for in your own country. One very happy news is the fact that embryonic stem cell transplantation is proven to be effective in cases of both diabetes Type I and II. Traveling to a medical tourism destination makes all the sense for the simple reason that it is not affordable and within everyone's reach, you can also access your required treatment in no time at all. The advancement of several medical discoveries, treatments, technologies and procedures is what these hospitals strive for and offer. And, thanks to their innovative, qualified and experienced approach to medicine, you get nothing less than world-class physicians, surgeons and facilities.

EU-border Healthcare directive increases the health tourism

The new directive EU health across borders which should be announced today plans to lift the restrictions on patients traveling to treatment in other EU countries. Patients who wish to travel to other EU countries for medical treatment will be able to recover the cost of NHS treatments and will only have to pay their travel and accommodation costs, as well as any top-up fees if foreign hospitals charges are higher than the NHS cost.

The directive can revolutionize the way we experience healthcare in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. The directive takes the concept of choice of patients to a new level. Competition European hospitals could request changes very necessary within the NHS. Successive Governments of the United Kingdom made token gestures for introducing market forces within the NHS. the NHS ranked 17 of 29 European countries recent euro index of consumer health, now faces effective competition on the European market.

The directive will provide a framework for crossing the border healthcare and will deal with issues such as quality of care, patient safety, method of financing and transfer of patient information. There are also plans to introduce "European reference networks" that would gather medical expertise across Europe and encourage greater collaboaration between centres of excellence.