The business of medical tourism: Destination branding

The business of Medical Tourism is nothing new, however, the levels of competition and innovation it has seen recently on a global scale are.

Countries are constantly seeking to re-brand themselves. Even where this does not occur at a national level, often smaller groups of forward-thinking individuals do so at regional levels. In this context, medical tourism bears some significance:

What exactly is Medical Tourism and Country Branding?

For those who are new to these concepts: Medical tourism is a rapidly growing global industry estimated to be worth $20Billion per annum. It is essentially where patients choose to visit other countries to perform medical procedures as opposed to their home country.

The reasons vary widely, but generally, it is due to a combination of factors such as cost, expertise, increased privacy, or anonymity. Country branding, is essentially where a government makes a coordinated and planned effort to make the country or its regions are known for specific activities. This can notably extend to more areas such as medical, agricultural, engineering expertise, etc. The wider the range of activities, the more power it has to attract special segments of year-round tourists. This, in turn, introduces people with a much higher spending power than budget travelers to countries and regions.

Recent history of Medical Tourism:

Countries like the United States, France, and Switzerland had a history of medical innovation which meant that wealthy individuals who may have doubted local expertise would travel there to perform certain specialist advanced procedures. Despite the fact that South Africa made name for itself when Dr. Chris Barnard performed the first heart transplant, it was slow to capitalize on the global market due to its location and other complicating factors.

The globalization of medicine occurred thanks to rising income levels in developing countries, who in turn has sent many students abroad to acquire specialist knowledge: These medical professionals often returned to their home countries with the ability to make advanced procedures accessible beyond the borders of the traditional leading countries. More recently, VISA complications to travel to the US and UK, as well as the perceived hostility the new US president, actually means that people on Brazilian, Russian, and South African passports can travel to more countries than US citizens – if you were to exclude the US/EU from the world map. This puts countries like SA, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina, and others in a favorable position to compete for the global market.

South Africa and Medical Tourism:

South African Universities always provided the NHS in the UK, Australia, and Canada with graduates to alleviate severe staff shortages. Over time, many medical professions earned a solid reputation: Ask the average bloke on the street in many Sydney neighborhoods for a recommendation – and chances are you’ll end up at a South African practice.

Whilst competitive factors may have caused some countries to disavow SA medical professionals by revoking recognition of their qualifications, the word is out already and people now travel to SA for a wide variety of treatments: Cosmetic dentistry, hair implants, long-term physiotherapy rehabilitation, and much more. The fact that SA experiences summer when it is winter in Europe further helps attract people who seek to escape the northern hemisphere during winter. Organizations such as “Hair options”, “Southern Implants” and “The Life Healthcare Group” are examples of ones who play a role in promoting SA as a top destination for Medical Tourism.

Europe and Medical Tourism:

Of late, new additions to the European Union, such as Romania and the Czech Republic made significant strides in promoting Medical Tourism. But whilst dentistry in the former country has a good reputation and cosmetic surgery is trusted in the latter, they often operate parallel price policies, where a website in the local language charges less than one that has been translated into English.

Here, for example, South Africa can take a lesson: Price transparency and a single price for all nationalities is the key to winning trust in this sector. People from within the EU also travel around for medical procedures or may combine them incidentally with their annual holidays: The same dental procedure that costs 180 Euro in Ireland and the UK, may cost 90 Euro in Spain and 55 Euro in Greece. As Greece is seeking to rise from the ashes of recession – across Athens (from Piraeus to Glyfada) Doctors are luring in foreign patients, delighting them with their skills. Multi-national groups taking advantage of lower wages are also popping up all over the Greek capital.

Succeeding in this business – what it takes:

1. Competitiveness: Competitiveness both in quality, price is essential given today’s consumer behavior, where comparisons are made in an instant.
2. Cross-cultural awareness: Medical professionals experienced with different cultures can better relate to each, according to their particular needs. What are the top traits of a Medical Professional in New York, Sydney, and Hong Kong – and how can a local practitioner deliver meet the same expectations, if not exceed them?
3. Trust and legal: Trust in the legal environment is essential. Often it is a matter of managing perception. For example, if a country pulls out of the ICC it would be more essential to use alternative means to demonstrate a legal environment where patients are protected.
4. Demonstrating exceptional expertise: Due to barriers and perceptions, often foreign Doctors need to go the extra mile to demonstrate their expertise. Some do this by displaying social proof and reviews, others by speaking at conferences and showcasing their speeches via Youtube and Linkedin.
5. Partnering with the government: When regional governments are on board, they can do a lot to facilitate and support the process. This includes local tourism boards, particularly where destination branding is concerned.

Conclusion:

• In an era where social proof and independent media replaces “fake news” – and a few countries no longer dictate the status quo of the global consumer and traveler, those medical professionals who genuinely strive to deliver excellence can bring prosperity to all corners of the earth, as opposed to a few select capital cities.
• Geopolitical trends, aging demographics in Europe and the US as well as the rise of medical costs in North America, indeed place other countries in a better position to deliver excellence to this global market.
• If you live in a country where there is a good balance between the quality of healthcare and affordability – you may belong to a small group of people in the world who are unlikely to require tourism for medical purposes.

Ghostwriter of the article. Published in thesouthafrican.com. [Text altered].