Case Demonstration on Quality: Medical Tourism in Thailand

Enlarging the Scope of

Medical Tourism: Quality
Consideration

Source: Ian Youngman from www.imtj.com/articles/2008/truth-behind-the-statistics/ 1

 Dealing with Human Capital Risk in Thailand

Treatment: Medical Wellness: Spa Healthy Life Style: Traditional Medicines,

Services Services Foods, and Herbal Products

National strategy
during the Abhisit
Administration in 2009:
Enlargement with local
knowledge, products
with the emphasis on
SMEs and private firms

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Reasons for Medical Tourism Growth: Thailand is trying to build the
case to attract medical tourists from these reasons.
1. Lower cost (Initial Reason)
• No insurance/inadequate insurance (particularly patients from the US)
• Plastic and cosmetic surgery
• Cosmetic dentistry/extensive dental reconstruction
• Bariatric surgery and subsequent body contouring
• Gender reassignment procedures
2. Shorter waiting lists (Initial Reason)
• Countries with National Health Service (particularly patients from , the
UK, Europe, and Canada)
3. Procedure not available in home country (Initial Reason)
• Newly developed procedures not approved by regulatory agencies
• Procedures unavailable or restricted by society and/or legal system
4. Privacy and confidentiality (Initial Reason)
5. Tourism and vacations (Emerging Reason)
• Luxurious accommodations and excellent service
• Exotic vacation destinations
6. Growing healthcare expectation- wellness (for Generation Y),
value-added services, and quality (Emerging Reason)
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Source: www.asian-oasis.com 7
Source: www.thailand-delights.com
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www.thailandmedicaltourismcluster.org 13
Source: www.medicaltourismmag.com/article/domestic-medical-tourism-a-neglected-dimension-of-
medical-tourism-research.html 14
Quality management: learning from service convergence (from Bumrungrad
and Bangkok Hospitals)

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Quality Strategies: Bumrungrad International Hospital
1. 2002: Prime Minister’s Export Award
2. 2002: First hospital in Asia to be accredited by the American-based Joint
Commission International (JCI)
3. 2004: Asia Money magazine’s “Best Small Cap Company” award,
4. 2005: First hospital in southeast Asia to be re-accredited by JCI,
5. 2008: Wall Street Journal Asia readers ranked Bumrungrad first in the
Quality category and fourth overall among most admired Thai companies.
6. 2008: Bumrungrad International - the first hospital in Thailand, won the
"Tourism Authority of Thailand" Award of Excellence in the category of
Health Tourism at the 7th Thailand Tourism Awards.
7. 2008: Bumrungrad was named “Thailand’s Most Innovative Company” by
Chulalongkorn University’s School of Business.
8. 2008: Bumrungrad won 1st Place as “Best Website for International
Medical Travel” at the 2008 Consumer Health World Awards event in the
US capitol.
9. 2008: Bumrungrad was reaccredited by the US-based Joint Commission
International (JCI).
10. 2008: Bumrungrad became the first privately-owned Thai hospital
recognized by the Thailand Quality Award (TQA)

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Counter Service at BKK Airport

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Some of the key services for international patients (Feeling, Family, and Food):
• Providing the 24-hour service to help coordinate scheduling of procedures, attendant
family questions during treatment, and follow-up care planning, document work, etc. on
the 24 basis at International Medical Coordination Office.
• Available customer service representatives who speak English, Thai, Arabic, Bengali,
Cambodian, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Special
arrangements can be made for other languages.
• Operates its own desk in the arrival area (Area C) of Bangkok’s International Airport.–
providing door-to-door services
• Enhancing foods by hiring outstanding chefs from 5-star hotels in the rotation manner

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What is “quality” for medical tourism?
1. Cost though comparison
2. Trust through accreditation
3. Technological advancement through operational equipments
4. Qualified staffs through certification and language proficiency
5. Customer care through closed attention and understanding of
cultural differences
6. Adaptation of excellent practices by other service providers through
door-to-door services, visa extension, and other value-added
services such as tour/ sightseeing, spa/ wellness, and visiting
doctors from home countries.

Thailand: Risk consideration and impacts on quality

1. National Level: Human Capital Risk
2. Organizational Level: Reputation and Market Risks

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Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand

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The highlights of medical tourism in India are as follows:
1. India has world-class medical facilities, with excellent staff in all areas of medical care
2. Consultation with leading doctors or specialists
3. Indian hospitals are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipments
4. Low cost medical treatment or health checkups
5. Luxurious rooms within affordable ranges
6. Accommodation for attendants or accompanying family members are provided
7. Ayurveda Therapy and Spa resorts available for relaxing and refreshing
8. Exclusive Indian cuisines, Indian movies, Indian music and Indian dance
9. Diversified cultural heritage in the different states
10. Some top tourist destination spots like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutab Minar etc.
11. Holidaying, family reunions, festive occasions and medical checkups–all in one tour to
India

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“Quality” Ranking by Medical Travel Quality Alliance or MTQUA
1. Prince Court Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2. Asklepios Klinik Barmbek, Hamburg, Germany
3. Clemenceau Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon Clemenceau Medical Center, Beirut,
Lebanon
4. Fortis Hospital, Bangalore, India
5. Wooridul Spine Hospital, Seoul, Korea
6. Bumrungrad International, Bangkok, Thailand
7. Anadolu Medical Center, Istanbul, Turkey
8. Bangkok Hospital Medical Center, Bangkok, Thailand
9. Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore
10. Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai, India

What creates outstanding medical treatment abroad?

MTQUA’scriteria considered. These are not listed in their order of importance.
1. Medical quality and outcomes
2. International patient communication and care management
3. International patient marketing
4. Value for service
5. Patient safety and security
6. Transparency and disclosure
7. Attention to other unique needs of the medical traveler
8. Website
9. Management
10. Partnerships, alliances and external support
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Case Assignment 2:
1. Identify national or state strategy in promoting and supporting medical
tourism in India.
2. Identify the leading hospital in India based on your opinion and examine its
key quality attributes which makes it famous and internationally known

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