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A marketing communications strategy will set out exactly how to promote an

organization, initiative, product or service across a whole range of different media – from
advertising campaigns to search engine optimization. It should set clear objectives so
that you can measure success and crucially, it should provide the best solution within the
available budget.  It is part of the marketing mix, which includes all the means by which
a company communicates directly with present & potential customers. It is the process
of presenting an integrated set of stimuli to a target with the intent of evoking a desired
set of responses within the target market & setting a channel to receive, interpret & act
upon messages & identifying new communication opportunities. Marketing
communication is a systematic relationship between a business and its market. There
are twelve different communication tools available to the marketer: personal selling,
advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relation, sponsorship, exhibitions,
merchandising, the internet, word of mouth and corporate identity. These
communication tools constitute the marketing communication mix. Each element of
these communication mix should integrate with other tools of communication mix so that
a unified message is consistently reinforced. Sales promotion comprises various
marketing techniques  which are often used tactically to provide added value to an
offering with the aim of accelerating sales and gathering market  in that particular
segment. In pharmaceutical marketing communication the main objective is to make an
impression and more important is to make an impression long lasting. In the current rat
race several national and multinational pharma companies have gained remarkably for
their exceptional communication  strategies for sales promotion.While many
pharmaceutical companies have successfully deployed a plethora of strategies to target
the various customer types, recent business and customer trends are creating new
challenges and opportunities for increasing profitability. In the pharmaceutical and
healthcare industries, a complex web of decision-makers determines the nature of the
transaction (prescription) for which direct customer (doctor) of pharma industry is
responsible . Essentially, the end-user (patient) consumes a product and pays the cost .

The pharmaceutical industry is the world's largest industry due to worldwide revenues of
approximately US$2.8 trillion. Pharma industry has seen major changes in the recent
years that place new demands on payers, providers and manufacturers. Customers now
demand the same choice and convenience from pharma industry that they find in other
segment. Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is poised for high consistent growth over the
next few years, driven by a multitude of factors. Top Indian Companies like Ranbaxy,
Dr.Reddy's , CIPLA and Dabur have already established their presence. Indian companies
have only recently entered the area. The Indian pharmaceutical industry came into
existence in 1901, when Bengal Chemical & Pharmaceutical Company started its maiden
operation in Calcutta. The next few decades saw the pharmaceutical industry moving
through several phases, largely in accordance with government policies. Commencing
with repackaging and preparation of formulations from imported bulk drugs, the Indian
industry has moved on to become a net foreign exchange earner, and has been able to
underline its presence in the global pharmaceutical arena as one of the top 35 drug
producers worldwide. Currently, there are more than 2,400 registered pharmaceutical
producers in India. There are 24,000 licensed pharmaceutical companies. Of the 465
bulk drugs used in India, approximately 425 are manufactured here. India has more
drug-manufacturing facilities that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration than any country other than the US. Indian generics companies supply
84% of the AIDS drugs that Doctors without Borders uses to treat 60,000 patients in
more than 30 countries. There can be several challenges for pharma marketing with
global channels opening up from all directions it has become an art of its own kind.
Some of the important aspects can be as the followings
a). Increased competition and unethical practices adopted by some of the pharma
companies.

b). Low level understanding of customer knowledge (Doctors, Retailers, Wholesalers).

c). Dissimilar customer perception.

d). Quality of medical representatives.

e). Recruitment process of medical representatives.

f). High training and re-training costs of sales personnel.

h). Busy doctors giving less time for sales calls.

i). Poor territory knowledge in terms of business value at  the level of medical   
representatives.

j). Valuing of prescription from each doctor in the list of each sales.
    person.

k). Unknown value of revenue from each retailer in the territory.

l). Sales forecasting from field sales level to actual level.

m). Absence of analysis on the amount of time invested on profitable and not-so-
profitable customers and lack of time-share planning towards developing customer base
for future and un-tapped markets.

The pharmaceutical distribution channel is indirect with usually three channel members
i.e. depot/C&F, stockiest and chemist. Pharmaceutical companies appoint one company
depot or C&F agent usually in each state and authorized stockist(s) in each district
across the country. Company depot/C&F sends stocks to authorized stockists according
to the requirement. Retail chemists buy medicines on daily or weekly basis from 
authorized stockiest as per demand. Patients visit chemists for buying medicines either
prescribed by a doctor or advertised in the media. Here patient is end customer and
doctor  is direct customer for any pharmaceutical company. But for the doctor, customer
(patient) is more important so he wants an effective supply chain management from
prescribed company. And for pharmaceutical companies their customer that is doctor is
more important that's why they emphasize more on supply chain management.
Ultimately end customer is benefited out of this.

For marketing different pharmaceutical products companies require more and more
skilled field force to develop good rapport with their direct customer (doctor). Moreover
field force should have good product knowledge and USP of their products over other so
as to convince doctors and PULL the demand for their products i.e. from Doctor to
Retailer to Stockist to CFA to company. In this system, doctors are the core customers
and the major thrust is given to build and retain these customer because they are pulling
the demand for products hence companies  also give main emphasis in building and
retaining these customers. All efforts are being put for generating secondary sales i.e.
from stockist to retailer. Now-a-days the companies are a  Ensuring of auto demand with
limited availability and maximum liquidation of the products is the main characteristic of
this approach. For retaining and developing customers, the companies normally provide
gifts like sponsorship for various conferences like RSSDI, FOGSI, APICON, UPCON etc.
For example Dabur having PASS (Professional Academic and Scientific Services)
activities for promoting its chronic therapy range. The relationship between clinicians and
representatives has always been good and pharmaceutical companies have provided,
and still provide, the major economical support for customers' continuous medical
education. Something needs to be done to find a solution to this problem that takes into
account the needs of both pharmaceutical companies and their representatives on one
side and physicians on the other, for a better professional interaction. Some times they
were also mixed with CSR activity sponsorship like free health camps, diabetic camps
etc. Of late the pharma companies also ventured into the rural areas and along with
doctors they are also approaching the RMP doctors to bridge the gap between the
product and their ultimate customers – the patients.

Over the last couple of years, pharma marketing professionals are slowly changing their
strategies. This drift is driven by market forces. Patients' understandings of the disease
and disease management have also seen a positive shift. Today, a doctor is subject to a
lot of questioning and reasoning by the patients both about the disease and disease
management. Hence, we see some of the products in the ''direct-to-consumer'' mode of
sale wherever the regulatory requirements permit. For Indian companies marketing
differentiation coupled with aggressive selling is the key. Even today more than 50 per
cent of Indian pharma market is rural and the ''GATT Effect'' will not be immediate in
rural India. To know the doctor's mind and also to occupy a place there with a brand;
the brand manager must be in the market with the doctors and understand the specific
needs of the doctors and design promotion.  Aggressive sales push at the doctor and
retailer level and consistent repeat visits can drive a brand ahead. An old saying is that
''Doctors have a very strong memory and hence forget what they do not want to
remember.'' The challenge to a marketing man today is to ensure that his brand falls in
the category of ''Want to remember'' with as many doctors as possible. This is an
extremely difficult task, needing a lot of innovative approach. This is precisely the real
task of a sales personnel in pharmaceutical marketing .Slowly and steadily the industry
is growing to beat all the possible hurdles away. Hopefully success is not far away.

PROMOTIONAL EXPENDITURES
The use of DTC ads on television and radio for prescription drugs has doubled since 1997
and reached $1.9 billion in 1999. By 2000, there were ninety-seven different prescription
products that had been advertised on television or in print ads. In addition to this advertising,
a separate budget was formulated for advertising and promotion to physicians, seminars, and
symposia, and the large force of medical service representatives who call on doctors,
pharmacists, and other health-care professionals. These representatives inform them about
their companies' products; that is, how to use them, the side effects to anticipate, and the
different dosage forms available for each product. They also provide starter doses (samples)
to physicians, which may be used to initiate treatment for a patient or, in some cases, to
provide medication for a patient who cannot afford to buy it. The total for all advertising and
promotion, including the medical service representatives, can run as high as 25 percent of
sales.

Some members of Congress feel that pharmaceutical companies are spending too much on
advertising and promotion, and some would even like to limit these expenditures. Such
restrictions are already in effect in Great Britain. Proponents of spending limits feel that they
would result in lower prices for prescription drugs; these same individuals do not believe that
the dissemination of information about new drugs and new treatment procedures would suffer
as a result. However, many in the health industry think that if physicians had to depend on
their medical journals for information about new drugs, they might not know about them for
several years. Meanwhile, their patients in need of the new drugs would be deprived of the
latest advances in medical care. In the United States, only 8.8 percent of health-care dollars
was spent on drugs. By comparison, in Canada 12.5 percent of the total health-care dollars
were spent on drugs. The advertising and promotion of prescription drugs, including the cost
for medical service representatives who call on the nation's physicians and other health-care
professionals, make up about 2 percent of the total health-care expenditures in the United
States.

CODE OF PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING

PRACTICES
The member companies of the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America
(PhRMA) have worked together to create guidelines for the ethical promotion of prescription
pharmaceutical products.

The pharmaceutical industry undertakes:

 that all products it makes available for prescription purposes to the public are backed by the
fullest technological service and have full regard for the needs of public health: to produce
pharmaceutical products under adequate procedures and strict quality assurance;
 To have the claims for substances and formulations on valid scientific evidence, thus
determining the therapeutic indications and conditions of use;
 To provide scientific information with objectivity and good taste, with scrupulous regard for
truth, and with clear statements with respect to indications, contraindications, tolerance,
and toxicity;
 To use complete candor in dealing with public health officials, health-care professionals, and
the public, and to comply with the regulations and policies issued by the Food and Drug
Administration.
 Information on pharmaceutical products should be accurate, fair, and objective, and
presented in such a way as to conform not only to legal requirements but also to ethical
standards and to standards of good taste.
 Information should be based on an up-to-date evaluation of all the available scientific
evidence and should reflect this evidence clearly.
 No public communication should be made with the intent of promoting a pharmaceutical
product as safe and effective for any use before the required approval of the pharmaceutical
product for marketing for such product is obtained.
 Particular care should be taken that essential information as to pharmaceutical products'
safety, contraindications, and side effects or toxic hazards is appropriately and consistently
communicated subject to the legal, regulatory, and medical practices of the United States.
 Medical representatives should be adequately trained and possess sufficient medical and
technical knowledge to present information on their company's products in an accurate and
responsible manner.
 Symposia, congresses, and the like are indispensable for the dissemination of knowledge
and experience. Scientific objectives should be the principal focus in arranging such
meetings, and entertainment and other hospitality should not be inconsistent with such
objectives.
 Scientific and technical information should fully disclose properties of the pharmaceutical
product as approved in the United States based on current scientific knowledge and FDA
regulations.
 Samples may be supplied to the medical and allied professions to familiarize them with the
products or to enable them to gain experience with the product in their practice. The
requirements of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987 should be observed
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Medical Care in India

India’s expansive health-care infrastructure offers specialized treatment in every field. Given
the size and scope of the subcontinent, India has plenty of room to accommodate a diverse
range of medical facilities. The result is one of the world’s most competitive and
comprehensive health-care scenes, which maintains high international standards at some of
the world’s lowest prices.

Aside from the high quality of care available in India, the country also fosters a high level of
enthusiasm often overlooked in Western hospitals. Indians are proud of their country’s
leading role as an international health-care provider, and this is easily seen through the
attentive and enthusiastic care provided by physicians and nurses.

Medical tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in India. Prestigious, mainstream hospitals

often rely on their own reputation to draw international patients. Meanwhile, smaller (though
highly qualified) clinics often team up with travel agencies to create holistic medical tourism
packages that include accommodation, medical procedures and in many cases, sightseeing
tours.

The remarkable success of the medical tourism field means hospitals are able to attract first-
rate doctors and nurses. Many mistakenly assume that any accomplished physician would
leave India in search of a career in the West. Instead, many of the world’s leading doctors are
found right here in India.

A number of influences keep highly-acclaimed specialists here, including family ties,

national loyalty and a desire to assume a leading role in the country’s burgeoning medical
scene. What’s more, a number of government-sponsored programs send students overseas to
study at prestigious universities, requiring them to return and perform a few years’ domestic
service in return.

The lack of waiting lists in India is especially attractive to those suffering from grave
illnesses such as cancer or heart disease. As hospitals expand and new clinics are built, India
continues to offer first-rate facilities, including private recovery suites and personalized care
at affordable prices. Experts project annual growth as high as 30 percent in the coming years.

Compare the burgeoning health-care scene in India with that in the US, where rising costs
and ineffective health insurance programs have put a stranglehold on the health-care industry
leading to lay-offs and understaffed hospitals. India, on the other hand, is home to some of
the world’s fastest-growing medical infrastructure, meaning hospitals here employ more
nurses and secondary staff. Patients receive more attentive care and in many cases, better
treatment.
Hospitals are staffed with competent English speakers. English is the language of India’s
elite, taught at an early age to children across the country. What’s more, English is the
language of parliamentary proceedings in India, so even working class and impoverished
Indians have some level of exposure to English. Visitors can rest assured that they’ll have no
problem communicating with their doctors and nurses, who are happy to explain treatment
and offer recovery advice in English.

opportunities
 For example, the pharmaceutical industry’s opportunities could include recently published
research, an increase in health-conscious consumers, increased demand for
pharmaceutical products, changes in Food and Drug Administration standards or
decreases in employee health care costs.

Threats

Read more: SWOT Analysis of Pharmaceutical Industry | eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/about_6694152_swot-analysis-pharmaceutical-
industry.html#ixzz1IIragi9K
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Research has shown that marketing to repeat customers is both far cheaper and far more
effective than drawing new clients. The advent of the internet has made this process much
easier and significantly cheaper to accomplish. Therefore, building a strong contact database
should be a top priority of any business's marketing objectives.

Growing your customer base is not particularly complicated, but deserves more attention than
many business owners give. Here are the basics of keeping contact recruitment at the
forefront:

Website
Every business needs a good website, and every website should provide an easy way for
potential customers to opt in. Whether you offer periodic newsletters, coupons, or just
informative messages to your site visitors, a simple signup form is the first step to building
your contact list. The signup form should be simple -- if you ask for too much information,
most people won't fill it out. Just a name and email is a good start, as you can always follow
up with a more detailed questionnaire or survey. Be sure the opt-in form is on every page,
near the top, and stands out. There are plenty of free, customizable widgets that are easy to
add to an existing website.

Social Networking

If your site is up and running, your business should also be represented on the social
networks like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Be sure your profile page includes links to
your website and one that takes them directly to the opt-in form. Post frequent status updates
(3 to 4 per week), and balance the messages to about one direct ad for every six or seven
interesting, non-advertising postings. Sign up to follow or friend other businesses or profiles
that are likely to draw your target market, and look for groups or directories that will post
your business profile for free.

Online Marketing

Everything you do to promote your company online should also promote your website and
opt-in program. All emails and newsletters should include a call to action for the reader to
forward to a friend, all pay-per-click ads should visibly include your web address. Be sure all
your online messages, whether small ads or weekly newsletters, reflect the image you want to
portray and target the audience you need to target and include content that will encourage
your loyal customers to forward them on.

Offline Capturing

Not all of your potential customers are going to find your business through an internet search.
Therefore, building your contact database must be a priority offline as well. Your web
address should be included on all printed materials -- business cards, brochures,
advertisements, coupons, etc. All networking efforts should include a request to add the new
contacts to your mailing list and every public event or appearance should include an opt-in
signup sheet or form. If you have a commercial location, be sure that everyone who comes in
is added to the contact list...and you might as well ask those who call in as well.

Building your contact database is an important step in developing a loyal customer base. Put
in the time and effort to both grow your contact list and nurture those relationships.

About the Author-K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur with a J.D. from Duke University, is
founder of LaunchX and blogs about starting a business. The LaunchX System is designed to
help entrepreneurs start a business based on a step-by-step process. Visit LaunchX.com to
learn more about marketing your business startup.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5616607

Building an E-mail Address Database

E-mail marketing works, there's no denying it. Its key advantage over other Internet
marketing methods is that it enables you to contact the customer instead of forcing the
customer to contact

you. This ability is especially useful when something that your customers need to
know as soon as possible has happened. Whether you've just released a new product
or decided to cut your prices by 10%, the fastest way to spread the word is via E-mail.

However, unless you want to give your company a bad name, you can't simply start sending
E-mails to people that haven't agreed to receive them. The only ethical and reasonable way to
advertise via E-mail is to first obtain a permission, or an opt-in request, from the receiver.
The trouble is that this can't be done via E-mail, as it would be similar to asking someone
whether you can ask them a question. What's the point in doing that, when you've already
done what you wanted them to allow you to do?

Getting people to opt-in

Due to the above reasons, creating your own opt-in E-mail database is not an easy task. In
addition, because of privacy concerns and the fear of spam, many people are reluctant to give
out their E-mail address without a good reason to do so. These fears can be soothed by
creating a strict privacy policy and sticking to it, but it's harder to convince your visitors that
it would be in their best interest to reveal their E-mail address to you. Fortunately, there are
some time-tested solutions available for that problem as well:

1. Arrange a sweepstakes with an attractive grand prize, for

example one of the more expensive products sold on your site. Require everyone who wants
to enter the drawing to give out his E-mail address and agree to receive occasional E-mails from you.

To get the best possible results, it is advisable to declare that the winner will be contacted via
E-mail and needs to claim the prize within 7 days in order to receive it. By doing so, you'll
eliminate the problem of people giving out bogus E-mail addresses in order to avoid
receiving advertisements.

2. Open a discussion forum on your site. By only allowing registered users to post, you can
collect E-mail addresses and deter pranksters from writing abusive messages at the same
time. However, if you decide to use this method to build your list, be very careful. Sending
advertisements too frequently to the regulars of your forum may cause them to move
elsewhere and thus reduce the traffic to your site.
3. Start publishing a newsletter. Although it requires quite a bit of work, an interesting
newsletter quickly gathers subscribers and increases the size of your E-mail database. An
additional advantage of having a newsletter versus a simple E-mail announcement service is
that you'll be able to submit to the multiple newsletter directories on the Internet.
4. Continue to allow everyone to access most of the content on your site, but also add a
"Members only" area that contains articles or other information that is valuable to your
visitors. Give out free memberships, but require members to register, reveal their E-mail
addresses and allow you to send them an E-mail advertisement every now and then.
 This idea is especially suitable if you're eventually planning to charge for some of the
content you provide. The step from requiring your visitors to register to requiring
them to pay is smaller than moving from giving everything for free to fee-based
access.

5. Whenever you ask your visitors to give out their E-mail address, remember to offer them the
possibility to join your opt-in mailing list at the same time. Do you have a form on your site
that allows the visitors to contact the webmaster or the sales department? Perhaps you
have a Tell-A-Friend script that asks for the sender's E-mail address and name? Both are
excellent opportunities to suggest subscribing to your E-mail announcement list or
newsletter to your visitors.
What is Medical Tourism
Ever wondered what would it be like if getting treated for ailments and
medical problems becomes interesting and fun filled? Impossible isn't it? But
the truth is that it is possible now! Medical tourism is the answer. This
phenomenal new method of getting treated has grown extremely popular in
nations around the world and involves people traveling to other countries to
obtain medical, dental, and surgical care while at the same time touring,
exploring and experiencing the attractions of the country one is visiting. It is
a growing business in Asia. Foreigners often come to this side of the
continent to get therapies and treatments, which are extremely expensive in their own countries.

The recent growth in medical tourism has been due to exorbitant costs of healthcare in industrialized nations, ease and
affordability of international travel, rapidly improving technology and standards of care in many countries, and most
importantly the proven safety of healthcare in select foreign nations. With a whole gamut of medical treatments like joint
replacements, facial and dental surgeries to cancer care, nations are drawing a stupendous number of patients from
abroad.

India has always lured its fair share of tourists, drawn to the country's awe-inspiring travel scene marked by its Temples,
the breathtaking Himalayas and its rich culture. But this attraction is gaining ground due to the cost of medical
treatment, which is 1/5 of costs in the West. A study has indicated that the increasing number of foreign patients flocking
to India for treatment could propel the country's earning to Rs.100 billion (US$ 2.3 billion) through 'Medical Tourism' by
2012.
The Confederation of Indian Industry and Mckinsey consultants jointly conducted a study and concluded that the
number foreigners visiting India for treatment is expected to rise by 15 percent every year.

India is promoting its healthcare sector as a tourist attraction. Today Indian doctors have become a mighty influence in
medicine across the world - from North America and Great Britain to East Africa, Malaysia, and Singapore. High health
care costs in developed countries, has patients looking overseas for medical treatment. Taking advantage of this, India
is capitalizing on its low costs and highly trained doctors to appeal to these medical tourists. The quality of services
found in India is often better than found in United States or UK. Add to this the cheap airfare and traveling cost which
means that people in need have the options to combine their medical requirements with tourism at practically no extra
expense.  The western countries do not cover insurance for Maxillo facial and dental surgeries, so India is becoming the
preferred destination for these treatments.

India’s finest-rated education system is not only churning out the best of computer programmers and engineers, but also
an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 doctors and nurses every year. To promote the concept, government is helping in
issuing medical visas to the country, which in turn will bring more and more health tourists. Its leadership in the industry
of medical tourism has led its estimate of 40 percent growth turn into reality this year. The country is not only improving
as a tourist destination but also a medical tourism destination where various medical treatments are performed by
qualified professionals using the latest technology at par with western standards at only a fraction of the price. The
growth of medical tourism in Indian sector has now alarmed the U.S. based hospitals because of the rapid growth of
patients coming to India to accomplish medical treatments by being attracted to lower costs and apt services.
Medical Tourism
You are here » Gour Kanjilal » New Trends » Medical Tourism    

 New Trends
Cost effective private medical care in collaboration with the tourism   :: Eco Tourism India
industry for patients needing surgical or other forms of specialized
treatments is the trust of medical tourism concept.   :: Scene of India Tourism
  :: India Destinations
 Health Tourism is now a common form of vacationing and covers   :: Outbound
a broad spectrum of medical
    services. It mixes leisure, fun relaxation together with wellness &
  :: Tenth Plan
Health care.   :: Tourism Surge
 Many people from developed world had been coming to India &   :: Boom Time in India
even they come now in more
    numbers for the rejuvenation promised by Yoga & Ayurvedic
  :: Incredible Medical India
massage.   :: Medical Tourism India
 Now with a good blend of top class medical hospitals with   :: MICE SEGMENTS
doctors of international repute, our
    hospitals are being considered for hip replacement or brain
surgery lot of foreign patients
    including from developed countries like UK and US are coming to
India.
 Affluent nations with high medical care costs look for effective
options & India has proved to
    be very competitive which have good hospitals very salubrious
climate, advanced medical
    facilities & built in tourism medical options.

Things are going in favour of India as compared to Singapore,

Thailand, in view of high quality expertise of medical professionals,
backed by the latest equipment in use & nursing facilities and above
all cost effectiveness of the medical packages.

India has gained high reputation for handling very specialized

treatments like cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, Joint
Replacement, Orthopedic Surgery,Gastroentology, Ophthalmology,
transplants including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Oncology,
Rheumatology, Dermatology, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery and
General Surgery.

Indian corporate hospitals are on par if not better than the best
hospitals in any parts of the global & thus become a preferred
medical destination.

In addition to the cost part, top class medical care, a big draw for
foreign patients. And the very minimal or hardly any waitlist as is
common in Europe, USA is the favourable point for India. In fact
priority treatment is offered today in Indian hospitals to foreigners.

The Apollo Group, Escorts in New Delhi, Jaslok & Hindjas in Mumbai
are of great repute other corporate hospitals include Dr. L.V. Prasad
Eye Hospital in Hyderabad. NM Excellence in Mumbai, in Vellore, all
have been handling a steady increasing flow of foreign patients.
What makes India unique is the costs are much less almost one
third of those in Asian Countries & one tenth of UK/USA or Canada
and more patients are now from poorer countries like Bangladesh
where treatment may not be available.

Now the country is moving into a new area of "Medical Outsourcing"

where sub contractors provide services to the overburdened
medical care system in western countries.

It is estimated that medical tourism could bring between $1 billion

to $2 billion US into the country by 2012. The MC Kinsey report
which has shown the above estimate has also estimated that
Medical Tourism to India is growing by 30% a year.

India's top related education system is helping in its growth by

churning out 20,000 to 30,000 doctors, engineers, nurses each year
which helps to sustain the growth.

As understood from sources, Apollo Hospital treated 60,000 patients

2001-04.

Dr. Reddy had negotiations with British National Health service for
treatment of their patients at a fraction of the cost in Britain for
either govt. or private care. Infect Apollo Hospital is aggressively
moving into Medical outsourcing.

India is now promoting easy import of modern equipment. Apollo

now has 37 hospitals with about 7000 beds. The company in
partnership with Kuwait, Srilanka and many other countries.

According to study conducted by the C.I.I. & MC Kinsey Consultants

last year some 150,000 foreigner visited India for medical
treatment with number increasing between 15% to 20% per year.

With an increasing number of foreign patients India could earn Rs.

100 billion through Medical Tourism by 2012 is their study report. It
is not only the cost but competency which is India's selling point -
through its bench mark is cheap safe and best alternative.

In one article in USA I read about costs comparison - Instead of

paying $ 2,00,000 for a mitral valve surgery in US a patient could
travel to India & receive the same treatment for $ 7000 US.
Similarly rather than paying UK15000 Pound for hip resurfacing in
UK a patient can get the same treatment for UK 5000 Pound in
India including surgery, airfare & hotel stay ( Bloomberg Market &
Magazine source).

A number of private hospitals also offer packages designed to

attract foreign patients, with airport transfer, Hospital bed, car
service, in room internet access, private chefs and the trend is
health holiday combining surgery with Yoga holiday or trip to Taj or
hill station etc. The post surgery care is the best selling point of
Indian medical tourism.

Medical Tourism is going to be major foreign exchange earner as

increasing number of patients unwilling to accept long queue in US,
UK and high cost now will travel to India under go surgery with
traditional therapies like Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and other
naturo therapy. On India's high specialized medical treatment at an
affordable with no waiting time is my feeling.