Medical tourism in India has emerged as the fastest growing segment of tourism industry. Due to high cost of treatments in the developed countries, particularly the USA and UK, has been forcing patients from such regions to look for alternative and cost-effective destinations to get their treatments done. Medical tourism is also being actively promoted by most of developing countries like India, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines.
India highly expertise in surgeries and cost efficiency attract tourist here. The main reasons for the growing popularity in medical tourism in India are:
- Low cost of medical treatments than other developed countries.
- Availability of proficient medical expertise ,technology and diagnostics centers,
- Quality and availability of care for the patients.
- Development of internet facilitates people to search better and cost effective destinations for treatment.
Photo of Patient after Hip Resurfacing Surgery at Apollo Hospital, Chennai (Photo: Health Base)
India medical tourism uses cost leadership strategy providing quality lifesaving medical surgeries at relatively lower cost as compared to other nations .The cost comparison of India and other nations as follows:
| Procedures | US | India | Thailand | Singapore |
| Heart bypass | 1,30,000 | 10,000 | 11,000 | 18,500 |
| Heart valve replacement | 1,60,000 | 9,000 | 10,000 | 12,500 |
| Hip replacement & Knee replacement | 43,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 |
| Hysterectomy | 20,000 | 3,000 | 4,000 | 6,000 |
The Indian medical tourism industry is presently at a nascent stage, but has an enormous potential for future growth and development. This requires strategic planning to expand this sector.
Medical Tourism
Strategies to promote medical tourism in India
Cost leadership strategy: To provide quality treatment at economical cost assist in gaining competitive advantage
Product differentiation:
Medical Tourism in India
- Providing world class treatment in all medical fields especially surgeries not covered by insurances policy (Rhinoplasty, cosmetic surgery)
- Providing integrated treatment that includes both modern and traditional methods (Ayush, Unani, Yoga and Naturopathy etc.)
- Superior value-added non-medical care services such as, on-line service for medical arrangement, travel arrangement, , luxury service apartments for patients’ and their relatives, hotel selection and reservation , medical transportation, one-to-one nursing care service, and etc. It helps in creating differentiation from the competitors
- Promotion: Healthcare service providers participate in travel marts, travel fairs, trade fair, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, and advertise in travel magazines, through websites etc.Advertising for Medical Tourism: Showing ads related to it in various print media,TV, social media, websites etc. in most expected countries. Advertisements stress on advantageous factors like reliability, quality, technology and cost.
- Public Relation in Medical Tourism: Some representatives should be appointed by hospitals to handle customer query.
- Joint ventures and Alliances:Indian hospitals should tie-up with foreign institutions for assured supply of medical tourists. Specifically they may tie-ups with capacity constrained hospitals and insurance providers. Not only to hospitals but can tie up with foreign organization for providing health services to their employee.
- Hospitals can open their own hospitals in foreign nations and outsource the patient for surgeries in India
- Integration of hospitals with travel agencies for providing health services to their tourist in India.
- Liberalization and extension of medical visa by govt
- Organization of student exchange programmes, seminars, conferences with this foreign nation (US, UK etc.)
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