MEDICAL TOURISM
Medical tourism is where the healthcare services are sought and delivered outside of the home country of the customer, wherein people travel to other countries for medical, dental, and surgical care while at the same time they can experience a vacation and totally come into contact with the attractions of the country they are visiting. This new type of tourism has been increasing in demand as people living in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Europe are already well travelled. The new technology of Internet has also contributed to the acquisition of more reliable information of other parts of the world. A person from any part of the world can easily find superbly well trained doctors that perform the same procedures as doctors in, let’s say, the United States, at a fraction of the cost.
The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States are seeking treatment at a fraction of the cost at home. From Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the patient can't wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a physician in private practice. Thus the health care system in these nations is getting everyday more expensive with exorbitant prices and long lists for patients to receive treatment. There is also the issue that a large percentage of the population in countries such as the US and Canada has no health insurance or receives minimal coverage. Cost savings of medical tourists are enormous because international travel is more affordable and most important because medical and surgical procedures cost a fraction of the prices.
For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective surgery.
And more patients are coming from poorer countries such as Bangladesh where treatment may not be available.
In India , medical tourism is growing rapidly. Many factors are bringing Medical tourists to New Delhi . The combination of scenic beauty, cultural diversity, strategic geographical position , excellent connectivity being the capital of the country….but most important of all, our medical professionals are well trained around the world, use the latest technologies and medications, and have earned a reputation of quality professionals . So India offers ,
- Less cost for the same standard of care as compared to their own local private healthcare providers
- Excellent quality of care with highly trained surgeons & clinicians
- World class quality of equipment & facilities
- Quality of overall experience including preoperative planning and postoperative physiotherapy.
- Prompt access to treatment by senior & experienced clinical staff
Why does this cost so much less?
The real question is why are U.S./ Europe medical costs so high? India’s health care systems haven't been overburdened by administrative costs the way U.S./Europe systems are. Services for almost everything, anywhere in the world cost less than the U.S./Europe not because they are cheap, but because US/Europe prices, especially for health care, medications, etc., are inflated to cover expensive, unseen and sometimes unnecessary costs and paperwork. Also the value of $1 USD/EURO buys more in India than US/Europe.
Delhi - Capital of India
Delhi is the capital city of India. It is one of India's fastest growing cities. It has sprawled over the West Bank of the river Yamuna, straddling the river. The city has two distinct parts, Old Delhi & New Delhi. Delhi is the most widely used entry point into the country, being on the route of most major airlines. It is well linked by rail, air and road to all parts of the country. The remains of seven distinctive capital cities - among them Shahjahanabad and Qutub Minar - can be seen. Here, museums, art galleries and cultural centers attract the finest exhibitions.
Delhi blends an historic past and a vibrant present. Delhi has some of the finest museums in the country. Legend has it that the Pandavas, the august heroes of the epic Mahabharata, originally founded Delhi, then called Indraprastha, around 1200 B.C. Present day Delhi is built around the ruins of seven ancient cities.
Delhi- the commercial hub has many tourist attractions to offer. Visit vibrant shopping complex of Connaught Place, Delhi Haat for handicraft goods and delicious food bonanza. Pay a visit to Red Fort and Qutub Minar to view the excellence of Mughal architecture.
Or just drop in at Janpath- for buying a variety of cheap and best items. If you are looking for spiritual peace, visit Lotus temple, which is also famous for its marvellous architecture and heavenly beauty. Take a stroll at Rajpath. Or pay a visit to India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhawan for viewing monuments made during British era.
Delhi - a canvas that reflects the complexities, contradictions, beauty and dynamism of a city where the past co-exist with the present. Many dynasties ruled from here and the city is rich in the architecture of its monuments. Diverse cultural elements absorbed into the daily life of city have enriched its character. Exploring the city can be a fascinating and rewarding experience...
Some of the monuments in Delhi are ………….
BAJAJ SPECIALIST CLINICS
Having trained extensively in the UK , Germany and Australia , Dr Pushpinder Bajaj along with his staff provide world class orthopaedic service to the patients . We have treated a large number of Foreigners , Expatriates settled in India , members of their family from abroad , tourists , and NRI’s and their families here in the last 8 years and have performed a significant number of surgical procedures also .The Centre is on the panel of most Diplomatic missions including the British , American , German , Japanese , French ,Australian , Canadian , Pakistani , Libyan , Israel & Brazil High Commissions . The list of patients treated here includes various Diplomats and also the American , British , Australian , Japanese , New Zealand high commissioners/Ambassadors .
These patients feel at ease here because both staff and doctors speak perfect English. They also report that they have been treated with utmost respect and feel the staff are genuinely interested in the person as an individual instead of feeling like a number. These patients feel very pleased with the treatment or procedure received , especially knowing that we are accustomed to working with the same state of the art medical equipment and technology used in the United States and Europe.
Coming to us direct rather than through a medical Tourism operator is beneficial because of :
- Assurance of being treated by a senior specialist with sufficient experience of dealing with foreigners and expatriates
- Full backup of pre and postoperative care at the centre
- We would give you a reasonable package including your pre , operative and postoperative charges . Accommodation , tickets , transport and other travel arrangements would be taken care of by reliable travel agents and the overall cost would be significantly lesser . It will also allow flexibility of the stay
Kindly go through these sites which will provide a list of doctors empanelled with the Diplomatic missions in India .
- http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/medical_information2.html
- http://geo.international.gc.ca/asia/new-delhi/site/health-en.asp
- http://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Japanese/Medical/delhihospital.html
- http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Japanese/Medical/delhihospital.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpushpinder%2Bbajaj%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
- List of healthcare providers used by the British High Commission.
Some of the common procedures offered here are :
- TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT
- RESURFACING ARTHROPLASTY
- CEMENTED AND UNCEMENTED OPTIONS
- TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT
- UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT
- HIGH FLEX KNEES
- GENDER SPECIFIC KNEES
- TOTAL SHOULDER REPLACEMENT
- ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY OF KNEE/SHOULDER/ANKLE
- ACL/PCL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE KNEE.
- ROTATOR CUFF REPAIR OF THE SHOULDER
- SURGERY FOR RECURRENT DISLOCATION OF SHOULDER / KNEE
- ALL SPORTS SURGERY
- COMPLEX TRAUMA MANAGEMENT
To give an idea of prices , a Standard Knee Replacement costs about 3000 pounds here whereas in the UK, a similar surgery using the same implants and medical consumables costs around 10,000 pounds.
For any inquiries , you may get in touch with us through email with as many medical details as possible mentioning some dates and we will respond to you about the feasibility of the procedure & a detailed travel itinerary with dates , cost , and give you contact details of a reliable travel agent who will take care of your travel arrangements . You do not need to make any payment to us before arrival but the travel agent may require some pre payments depending on your needs .
All your medical record will be confidential with us and not disclosed to any unauthorised party
Precautions to be taken before travel :
There are fewer regulations, regarding health in India, applicable to foreign tourists. These regulations are more of the nature of prevention than anything else. Do see the WHO website for international travellers for further details
Yellow Fever
Any person (including infants) arriving by air or sea without a certificate can be detained in isolation for a period up to 6 days if arriving within six days of departing from an infected area or has been in such an area in transit, or has come by aircraft which has been in an infected area and has not been disinfected in accordance with Indian Aircraft (Public Health) Rules, or those recommended by WHO. Various countries in Central and South America and Africa are regarded as being infected, enquire at the concerned Indian Mission for an up to date list. When a case of yellow fever is reported from any country, that country is regarded by Government of India as infected with yellow fever and is added to the above list.
Malaria
Malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country excluding parts of the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Sikkim. No certificate is required, but a course of anti malaria pills is recommended for all travellers to India.
Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4 hour intervals), and wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.
Cholera
Travelers proceeding to countries that impose restrictions for arrivals from India or from an infected area in India on account of cholera are required to possess a certificate. In any case, an inoculation against cholera is recommended.
General Tips
- Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, make water safer by both filtering through an “absolute 1 micron or less” filter AND adding iodine tablets to the filtered water. “Absolute 1 micron filters” are found in camping/outdoor supply stores.
- Watch out for spicy dishes, especially at the outset of your tour. Avoid eating food from road side stalls. Eat unpeeled fruits and avoid fresh salads, especially in small hotels. If you are forced to eat food at some place that you have doubts about, make sure the food is served hot.
- Always use an insect repellent if you find yourself in a mosquito-prone area. But remember, not every place is mosquito-infested and low temperatures in winters kill most bugs in the northern plains and hills.
- If traveling in scorching heat, remember to drink enough water, use hats, sunglasses & UV lotions. Do not venture out in the mid day sun.
- In India, most modern medicines are available over the counters in drugstores, but it is wise to travel with a reserve stock. If any prescription drugs are required, bring enough for the duration of the trip. It is advisable that you carry a small health kit which should include remedy for upset stomachs, some antiseptic cream, mosquito repellant cream, suntan/uv lotion, etc.
- Pharmacies or chemists are available in every little town and village and you can buy medication. In case you need to see a doctor for a specific condition, ask for help from your hotel (most have doctors on call) . The cost of visiting a doctor is fairly low compared to western countries.
Caution:
This document is not a complete medical guide for travellers to this region. Consult with your doctor for specific information related to your needs and your medical history; recommendations may differ for pregnant women, young children, and persons who have chronic medical conditions.
