Back Ground to a new concept of Indian Medical outsourcing

Can Delhi be a successful model for medical tourism?

AIIMS is a destination for patients from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Mauritius, Malaya and Pakistan. Besides regular patients from the Middle-East, an occasional patient from the US drops in. Patients from Pakistan, especially children with heart afflictions, have been regularly coming to AIIMS’ heart centre.

According to Dr. Gupta, AIIMS was made for the entire South-East Asia populace and since it is a government institute there are no plans to attract more foreigners.

The attractions at AIIMS include cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, cancer treatment and ophthalmic procedures. “The services are charged on actuals and ours being a government institute we are not angling to make money but are here to serve the people,” stressed Dr. Gupta.

The Metro hospitals and Heart Institute, Noida, also manages to attract patients from Nepal, hutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and a few from Maldives and the Gulf region. Their motto is to extend excellent health services to people who travel here for health care and also for tourists who need health care while their stay in India.

Indian hospitals getting recognition from international insurance companies will bring in more patients from abroad, says Anil K Maini, head, marketing, health care business, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre.

The centre is emerging fast as a favourite destination for patients from neighbouring countries, Africa and CIS. With BUPA recognition, patients from the UK are coming here for treatment. About 1,000 patients from abroad are treated in Escorts on an annual basis.

Although only a few hospitals are making conscious efforts to increase the existing inflow of health tourists, nobody denies the huge potential medical tourism has. And it will not be long before its full potential is realised, provided we cultivate the service mind set, put in place an accreditation system and project our capabilities overseas through multiple media.

<< Previous