MEDICAL TOURISM 

            Medical tourism has grown to be a huge industry in India.  In fact, Medical tourism is expected to grow by 30% every year in India.[1] Also, 1 million people a year from 50 countries have gone to India as medical tourists to have a procedure done.[2]  The main reasons that foreigners travel to India for treatment is for cost and for treatment that might not have gotten if they were in their home country.  India has been successful in gaining medical tourists in recent years by getting the government involved and using clever marketing in persuading medical tourists.

The Indian’s government has been instrumental in promoting medical tourism in India.  In 1991, neoliberal policies in India have allowed for rapid expansion in the private healthcare sector in India.[3]  Since 1991 private healthcare in India has grown in a lot, making India among the top 20 countries in the world for spending in private healthcare.[4]  In terms of GDP, 4.5 to 5% of private spending of healthcare is part of India’s GDP, while public spending on healthcare is only 0.9% of India’s GDP.[5]  Public expenditure for healthcare in India is valued at $10 billion a year, while $50 billion a year is spent on private sector healthcare.[6]  This shows that private spending for healthcare in India is increasing a lot and becoming more important for India’s economy, while only the elites, 10% of the Indian population, can afford and use these facilities.[7]   The government continues to promote medical tourism in India by giving tax breaks and concessions for foreigners seeking medical attention in India.[8]  Lastly, recently the government created a medical visa that lasts up to one year.[9]  In turn, the government continues to promote medical tourism, especially through the private healthcare sector in India.

Due to the the importance of medical tourism for the development of countries, like India, the government has become active in promoting medical tourism by strategically marketing foreigners to come to India for medical tourism.  The Indian government has been promoting medical tourism by holding promotional events and trade shows to attract foreigners in their home countries.[10]  Brochures, websites, and other marketing tools are also being used to gain medical tourists from abroad.[11]  Also, facilitators are a tactful way of promoting medical tourism.  These facilitators and brokers who live in the patients’ home countries are available to help with the process of seeking medical tourism in India.[12]  The extent of the promotional materials in Western countries indicates that the Indian government is active in promoting and seeking medical tourists.

Cost is a huge factor when people seek to travel to India for medical treatment.  Dramatic growth in medical tourism in India is likely fueled by the low costs of procedures in India, as medical procedures cost on average 10% of the cost of the same procedure if the procedure was performed in the United States or another Western country.[13]   For example, in the United States an open heart surgery can cost up to $150,000, while in India at the best hospitals open heart surgery can cost between $3,000 and $10,000.[14]  There are even services to make medical tourism even more affordable by providing package deals with flight, procedure, and hotel all included in the price.[15]  Thus, medical tourism in India is enticing for foreigners looking for cheaper alternatives for medical procedures.

In developed countries many procedures are not offered so elites travel to India to have their medical procedure done.[16]  In India innovative and cutting edge technology are being used in combination with traditional India practices, like yoga and Ayurveda, to provide a one-of-a-kind medical experience.[17]  Also, corporate hospitals are being recognized and approved as accredited hospitals internationally, giving Indian hospitals a good reputation for foreigners looking for medical procedures in India.[18]       

            In contrast, doctors in India are concerned that medical tourism will effect the poor in India who have little access to medical care already.[19]  Indians who are poor still have access to insurance policies that allow them to have healthcare, however, the rich foreigners are taking space and resources away from the locals.[20]  Also, doctors are concerned ethically if they should be providing healthcare to foreigners rather than natives.[21]  As a result, medical tourism is already becoming a problem because it limits the access and availability of medical procedures for those who actually live in India.

            Medical tourism has shown to be a good option for foreigners seeking a more cost effective and more innovative type of treatment.  However, this has led to problems with natives being pushed out of healthcare by prioritizing wealthy foreigners and the private healthcare system in India.  Subsequently, the Indian government should be cautious about expanding and promoting medical tourism too much in the future because providing too much service to foreigners will likely cause problems with pushing locals out entirely to being able to get any medical attention or procedure. 

[1] “Indian Medical Tourism to Touch Rs 9,500 Cr by 2015: Assocham - The Economic Times,” January 6, 2009, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/indian-medical-tourism-to-touch-rs-9500-cr-by-2015-assocham/articleshow/3943611.cms.

[2] Amit Sen Gupta, “Medical Tourism in India: Winners and Losers | Gupta | Indian Journal of Medical Ethics,” Indian Journal of Medical Ethics Vol. V No. 1 (March 2008): 5.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid., 5.

[7] Ibid., 4.

[8] Ibid., 5.

[9] Priya Shetty, “Medical Tourism Booms in India, but at What Cost? - The Lancet,” The Lancet Volume 376, No. 9742 (August 28, 2010), http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)61320-7/fulltext?elsca1=TL-270810&elsca2=email&elsca3=segment.

[10] Valorie A. Crooks et al., “Promoting Medical Tourism to India: Messages, Images, and the Marketing of International Patient Travel,” Social Science & Medicine 72, no. 5 (2011): 727.

ut entirely to beings even being able to get any medical attention or procedure.  l likely cause problems with locals even beig

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] “Indian Medical Tourism to Touch Rs 9,500 Cr by 2015: Assocham - The Economic Times,” January 6, 2009, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/indian-medical-tourism-to-touch-rs-9500-cr-by-2015-assocham/articleshow/3943611.cms.

[14] Amit Sen Gupta, “Medical Tourism in India: Winners and Losers | Gupta | Indian Journal of Medical Ethics,” Indian Journal of Medical Ethics Vol. V No. 1 (March 2008): 4.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Ibid.,4.

[17] Priya Shetty, “Medical Tourism Booms in India, but at What Cost? - The Lancet,” The Lancet Volume 376, No. 9742 (August 28, 2010), http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)61320-7/fulltext?elsca1=TL-270810&elsca2=email&elsca3=segment.

[18] Amit Sen Gupta, “Medical Tourism in India: Winners and Losers | Gupta | Indian Journal of Medical Ethics,” Indian Journal of Medical Ethics Vol. V No. 1 (March 2008):  5.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ibid.