MEDICAL TOURISM

INTRODUCTION

‘Medical Tourism’ is a combination of two leading service industries – the Healthcare and
the Tourism industry. It is a concept where two leading industries in any country, the
healthcare and the tourism industry join hands to provide healthcare services to people
beyond the boundary limits of their home country.

‘Medical Tourism’ has become one of the fastest growing industries over the years, where
people travel for getting medical or health-related treatments and combine it with a much-
needed break to enjoy the culture, diversity, and food of a different country. ‘Medical
Tourism’ provides people with accessibility, state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure, and
quality, all at affordable prices.

As per the Medical Tourism Market Report - 2015, India is the foremost destination as it
provides the highest quality treatment at lowest cost. The concept of medical tourism started
way back thousands of years ago. It is a social practice that started in the healthcare field in
the ancient times. Researchers have found that several sites found in India, Persia, Egypt, and
Greece had several travellers across them solely for the purposes of getting medical
treatment.

Over time, in a place, certain areas grew in fame with respect to their success in treating
certain ailments. This fame may have been due to a specialist who was good at treating
people, due to the presence of certain elements, such as minerals or mineral springs that may
cure illnesses, or due to the ancient knowledge of a certain culture, such as Ayurveda, Unani,
Homeopathy etc. ‘Medical Tourism’ offers highly-competitive healthcare packages at prices,
which are much lower than those in the western countries.

It helps patients avail healthcare services using state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology,
which may not be available or may be too expensive in their country. Patients can enjoy a
combination of healthcare, as well as tourism, as these two industries together join hands to
offer packages tailored together. Apart from the lost cost healthcare offerings, medical
tourism also helps the patients avail high-quality healthcare services.
Medical tourists are not restricted to just availing ‘needed’ healthcare services but due to the
attractive offerings, they can now avail even ‘wanted’ healthcare services, including cosmetic
ones and elective surgeries, which they may not be able to afford in their countries. Patients
can now afford to undertake treatment of critical illnesses for prolonged periods also due to
the affordability and reduced waiting time for such services.

‘Medical Tourism’ enables medical tourists to enjoy the culture, food, people, and diversity
packaged with tourist attractions in a foreign country and at the same time avail healthcare
services. People can now enjoy and avail wellness treatments and rejuvenation therapies,
involving holistic improvement involving of the mind, body, and soul offered by some
countries due to their rich ancient knowledge of such treatments, such as Ayurveda,
Naturopathy, Unani, Homeopathy etc

THE PROBLEM

Despite having high per capita income in developed countries. Medical surgery costs about
$100-120k USD in US which is not affordable to many. whereas, in India, it costs only $15-
20k USD which is easily affordable by many. There are several patients who seek medical
treatment abroad but the problem comes in as they don’t have prior knowledge about country
rule & regulations, Visa procedures, type of facilities available, which cities to choose, what
hospital to go to, and what will be the cost of accommodation and travel. will it be safe for
me or not?

There are several major problems in medical tourism are.

Poorly Trained Surgeons

In any country the India included there will be good surgeons and bad. And just as there are
great surgeons abroad, there are also some surgeons who are less talented, less trained, and
less experienced.
Regardless of what procedure you are getting or where, you should always do some
preliminary research into the surgeon or physician who will be treating you as well as the
hospital you will be treated at.

A physician should be trained in the specific area of medicine that is appropriate for your
procedure. For example, you should not be having plastic surgery from a surgeon who was
trained to be a heart doctor. It isn’t good enough to be a physician, the physician must
be trained in the specialty.

Quality of Staff
Nurses are a very important part of healthcare, and the care they provide can mean the
difference between a great outcome and a terrible one.

A well-trained nurse can identify a potential problem and fix it before it truly becomes an
issue. A poorly trained nurse may not identify a problem until it is too late. The quality of the
nursing staff will have a direct impact on your care.

Quality of the Facility

While researching healthcare facilities for your procedure, One need to learn not just about
the quality of the facilities themselves, but about the country's healthcare system as a whole.

In some countries, there is a marked distinction between public hospitals and private
hospitals. In Turkey, for example, private hospitals are considered on-par with hospitals in
the states, while many locals will advise you to steer clear of public hospitals if you can.

Flying Home After Surgery

Any surgery comes with risks, including infection and blood clots. Flying home increases the
risk of blood clots, especially on long-haul flights that are longer than four hours.
Unplanned Illness
Any time you travel abroad, you run the risk of catching an illness that you have never been
exposed to or that your body is not prepared to fight off. This is especially a concern when
spending time in a foreign hospital.

The food is often very different in foreign hospitals, and in some areas, there is a risk that
even the water will be upsetting to your body.

Language Barriers

If Someone is having surgery in a country where English is not the primary language, you
will need to make preparations in order to be able to communicate with the staff.

He/she may be pleasantly surprised to learn that the staff speaks your primary language well.
If not, then you will need to consider how you will make your wishes and needs known to the
surgeon, the staff, and others you will meet.

THE SOLUTION

We offer an all-encompassing solution to travellers looking to receive medical treatments

abroad. This can include doctors with English-speaking capabilities, arranging transportation,
booking accommodation and more. Even packages that include the ability to combine
medical services with leisure activities, sightseeing and shopping, can be put together.

The Benefits we will be providing are

Lower Costs

Medical tourists can save anywhere from 25% to 90% in medical bills, depending on the
procedure they get and the country they travel to.There are several factors that play into this:

 The cost of diagnostic testing and medications is particularly expensive in the United

States.
 The cost of pre- and post-procedure labor is often dramatically lower overseas. This
includes labor costs for nurses, aides, surgeons, pharmacists, physical therapists, and
more.
 High cost of malpractice insurance—the insurance that protects medical professionals
against lawsuits—in the United States.
 Hospital stays cost far less in many overseas countries compared to the United States.
In other words, quality care, hospital meals, and rehabilitation are far more affordable
abroad for many people.

For someone who doesn't have insurance, or someone having a procedure that is not covered
by insurance, the difference can be enormous.

Culture and Language

Many immigrants prefer to have treatments and procedures done in their country of origin—a
sensible decision, considering just how much language barriers alone can affect the quality of
their care.

Furthermore, at least 25% of immigrants and noncitizen residents in the United States are
uninsured, compared to 9% of American citizens. Children with at least one noncitizen parent
are also more likely to be uninsured.
Practicalities aside, many people choose to have their procedure done in their country of
origin simply because it allows them to be close to family, friends, and caretakers who can
assist them through their recovery.

Insurance Incentives
Some insurance companies have started promoting medical tourism.5 The reason behind this
is simple: savings for the insured means savings for the insurance provider and vice versa.
Several insurance providers, including Aetna have programs specifically geared at promoting
safe medical tourism. Some insurance providers even offer financial incentives for medical
tourism, like discounts on medical bills.

That said, many insurance companies will not pay for surgery performed outside of the
country unless it is an emergency.

Vacation in a Foreign Country

Medical tourists often take advantage of their stay in a foreign country to travel for pleasure
by scheduling a vacation before or after their procedure.

This is an especially inexpensive way to travel to a foreign country, especially if their

insurance provider is paying for the flight and the cost of staying is low. 

Bypassing Rules and Regulations

Some travellers seek surgery abroad to bypass rules that are set in place by their own
government, insurance company, or hospital. These rules are typically in place to protect the
patient from harm, so getting around them isn't always the best idea.
For example, a patient may be told that their weight is too low to qualify for weight loss
surgery. A surgeon in a foreign country may have a different standard for who qualifies for
weight loss surgery, so the patient may qualify overseas for the procedure they want.

Talented Surgeons
Surgeons in certain countries are known for their talent in a specific area of surgery. For
example, Indian surgeons are often touted for their strong plastic surgery skills.
 EMPATHY MAP

Empathy maps are an efficient tool used by designers to not only understand user behavior,
but also visually communicate those findings to colleagues, uniting the team under one
shared understanding of the user. Originally invented by Dave Gray at Xplane, the empathy
map was made in an attempt to limit miscommunication and misunderstanding about target
audiences, including customers and users.

When conducting user research, you learn a lot about your users—through what they say and
do, as well as through more subtle clues like body language and facial expressions. An
empathy map visualizes all these findings; it presents the data you gather about your users
during the research phase in a condensed, easily digestible format.
Essentially, an empathy map is a square divided into four quadrants with the user or client in
the middle. Each of the four quadrants comprises a category that helps us delve into the mind
of the user. The four empathy map quadrants look at what the user says, thinks, feels,
and does.

Why do we use empathy maps?

We use empathy maps because they help us understand our user’s needs and goals in a more
nuanced, but organized way. By looking at their needs through the four lenses (says, thinks,
feels, does), we can also see the complexity of their needs at times (for example, when they
say one thing and do another), and find solutions that meet them where they are.

We have interviewed several users to understand their need and problems and after
interviewing the user and understanding their need we have created the empathy map for our
business idea.

WE HAVE INTERVIEWED USERS

After interviewed several users we able to understand their problem and created
an empathy map based on that.
BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS
A business model canvas is a visual framework that identifies factors affecting your business
concept in a one-page document. Compared to a traditional business plan, it treats developing
and testing a business idea as a concise visual exercise. Introduced by Alex Osterwalder and
Yves Pigneur in “Business Model Generation,” it has since helped entrepreneurs understand
their businesses’ competitiveness and viability in their target market.

Key Elements of Business Models canvas are.

Key Partnerships
The key to any medical tourism business’s success is its network of partnerships with
other organizations.

International healthcare providers

Tour operators:

Insurance companies

Local hospitals and clinics.

Key Activities

To ensure the successful operation of our medical tourism business the key activities are

• Research in-country medical and healthcare providers

• Book medical appointments and arrange transportation

• Liaise with international healthcare partners

• Arrange accommodation and visas if required

• Provide support

Key Resources
• A website for booking
A website that allows customers to find and book the necessary healthcare services in
their desired location.

• A team of customer service representatives

With experience in the medical tourism industry, they can guide customers through the
booking process and answer any questions they may have

• Marketing personnel
Responsible for making sure the business is well-known in the local and international
market

• Financial resources
The business will need resources to pay for any medical services incurred or to cover any
customer refunds.

• Connections with international healthcare providers

Essential to facilitating the transfer of medical services

• An in-depth understanding of the various national healthcare systems

In order to ensure that customers receive the necessary services in accordance with their
specific needs.

Value Propositions

• High quality medical care at an affordable price

• English-speaking doctors and nurses

• Convenient, worry-free booking process

• Inclusion of sightseeing, shopping, and leisure activities in vacation packages

Customer Relationships

• Providing personalized advice and support to customers: Connecting with

customers on a personal level is essential for building trust and long-term
relationships. This is especially true for medical tourism customers, who seek unique
specialized services and care.

• Offering follow-up care and guidance: It's important to establish a connection with

customers by providing post-treatment guidance and advice. This helps patients
receive the most optimal care and can also aid in developing long-term relationships
with customers.

• Developing relationships with local healthcare providers: It's important to build

relationships with local healthcare providers by partnering with them. This helps
ensure that customers have access to quality care in the most cost-efficient way.
Additionally, these partnerships can help increase customer loyalty and trust

Channels

• Website for bookings

 A website will be developed that will act as a platform for marketing the services of the
business and for customers to conveniently book their desired services.

• Email campaigns and newsletter

The business will fill the customer's inboxes with newsletters and promotional emails to
stay in touch with them and inform them of the services being offered.

• Social media presence

The business will be updated on popular social media accounts to post advertisements and
updates.

Customer Segments

• International travellers seeking cost-effective medical care

• Looking for reliable medical services

• Willing to travel in order to obtain quality health care

• Recreational travellers wanting to combine a medical service with a vacation

• Looking for a convenient, affordable healthcare solution while on vacation

• Seeking a getaway with medical care options

Cost Structure

Cost Structure includes the costs required to run a business.

 • Personnel: Salaries of medical staff

• Marketing: Advertising costs on the platform

• Forecasted Medical Costs: Medicines

• Technology: Website development and maintenance

Revenue Streams

• Booking fees
Fees charged for booking and organising travel arrangements, as well as obtaining
medical services

• Commission from medical providers

Commissions earned from medical service providers and doctors.

• Commission from third-party services

Commissions earned from transportation and accommodation companies, as well as other
third-party services.

• Premium services (insurance) and packages 

Fees charged for additional services or packages.

The various components and factors of this canvas serve as a foundation upon which to build
a robust business plan and strategy. This canvas contains best practice components that, when
properly implemented and managed, can result in a successful medical tourism business.
The customer segment, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams
and resources are essential to this business model, and the canvas provides entrepreneurs with
a quick and easy way to view and understand these components holistically. All factors
should be regularly reviewed to ensure they are aligned with the business’s goals and
objectives.

In summary, the business model canvas has helped to identify the primary components
required for a successful medical tourism business and gives entrepreneurs a free-form tool to
capture their insights, ideas and vision. It is the responsibility of entrepreneurs, to begin with
a great idea and use the canvas to turn that idea into a successful business.

CONCLUSION

Medical tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world The global medical tourism
market size was estimated at USD 115.6 billion in 2022 and it is expected to reach around
USD 346.1 billion by 2032.

Along with the opportunity we have also identified the problem after the identification of the
problem. we interviewed foreigners and created an empathy map to understand their
problems in a very precise way and to validate our problem. To make our business idea
understandable we made the Business model canvas to summarize everything and now we
have the solution to address our identified problem. The solution is Imediyatra which aims to
provide medical services to those who are seeking medical treatment in foreign countries.