Hotels, airlines and travel agencies are finding opportunities in medical tourism. Medical travel certification is a way to ensure business success in medical tourism.

1. Julie Munro
President, Medical Travel Quality Alliance
MTQUA.ORG
Presented at PATA Summit
April 2013, Bangkok
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MEDICAL TRAVEL QUALITY ALLIANCE

2. Opportunity in medical tourism
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3. Vacationer says,
“I want an experience
that I will always remember!”
Medical traveler says,
“I want an experience
that I can quickly forget!”
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4. Challenge in medical tourismChallenge in medical tourism

5. What is medical tourism?
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Download Volume 3 of Best Practices in Medical Tourism
http://www.mtqua.org/home-2/what-is-medical-tourismhttp://www.mtqua.org/home-2/what-is-medical-tourism/

6. Medical tourism is health care.
Your customers are patients.
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7. Medical tourism is not going away.Medical tourism is not going away.
How does a travel agent gainHow does a travel agent gain
respect and trust?respect and trust?
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11. Medical travel agents
run contests
for plastic surgery -
? unnamed hospitals
? unnamed surgeons

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One agent puts contest winner’s
private consultation on public You Tube,
and becomes a cause celebre on
Australian television show, Current Affair.

13. To a traveler,
a “package” means only one thing –
make one phone call to the right person
to get everything done.
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 Book flights
 Get accommodations
 Make hospital appointments
 Schedule the procedure

14. Medical tourism is not a vacation.
Medical tourists are notholiday goers.
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15. Wellness tourism is not medical tourism.
 Alternative therapies and wellness treatments
 Most dental treatments
 Some non-invasive cosmetic procedures (Botox,
facial fillers, spot liposuction, fat injections)
 Acupuncture
 Ayurveda
 Mineral waters
 Colonic cleansing
 Most executive check-ups
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16. Foundation of medical tourism –
discretionary procedures
 Total Knee Replacement
 Coronary Artery Bypass
Graft
 Kidney Transplant
 Arthroscopic Surgery
 Fertility Treatment
 Microdiscectomy
 Liposuction
 Hip Resurfacing
 Weight Loss Surgery
 Cancer Treatment
 Plastic Surgery
 Dental Implants
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17. These discretionary procedures are nearly always
invasive procedures
 Total Knee Replacement
 Coronary Artery Bypass
Graft
 Kidney Transplant
 Arthroscopic Surgery
 Fertility Treatment
 Microdiscectomy
 Liposuction
 Hip Resurfacing
 Weight Loss Surgery
 Cancer Treatment
 Plastic Surgery
 Dental Implants
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18. Syringe
Scalpel
Canula

19. Complications that can occur
Cardiopulmonary: Cardiac arrest during surgery
Deep vein thrombosis
Pulmonary emboli
Surgery-related: Hemorrhage
Infection
Anesthesia-related: Pneumothorax
Hypotension
Post-operative related: Sepsis
Urinary tract infection
Pneumonia
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21. Opportunities in medical tourismOpportunities in medical tourism
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Opportunities in services
•Advance planning & advice
• Exchange of medical records
• Pre-surgery instructions
• Special accommodations
• After-care and recovery management
• Follow-up care at home
• Possible complication and special needs
at destination or at home

23. Opportunities at point of origin
•Book hotel, ground transportation
•Work with local hospital or doctor
•Represent destination hospital
•Represent destination facilitator/care manager
(pre- and post- travel)
•Broker services for all
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24. Opportunities at medical destination
•Refer customers to hospital, clinic or doctor
•Work with hospital or doctor (ground services)
•Work with patient as facilitator /care manager/
patient representative
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25. ethicsethics
safetysafety
privacyprivacy
securitysecurity
marketingmarketing
transparencytransparency
communicationcommunication
cultural awarenesscultural awareness
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Know the boundaries between tourism and health care.
Gain trust and respect by understanding and applying
best practices in medical tourism.

26. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

27. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

28. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

29. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

30. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

31. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

32. Medical Travel Quality AllianceMedical Travel Quality Alliance
Quality and safety in medical tourismQuality and safety in medical tourism
WWW.MTQUA.ORGWWW.MTQUA.ORG

33. In medical tourism, lives are at stake.In medical tourism, lives are at stake.
Be a responsible participant.Be a responsible participant.

34. Be a certified participant.Be a certified participant.
For more information, email quality@mtqua.org

35. Be a respected participant.Be a respected participant.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T !
R-E-S-P-E-C-T !

36. Download the
Medical Tourism Certification brochure
http://www.mtqua.org/home-
2/download-medical-tourism-
certification/
for information about
certification for
hospitals, doctors, clinics,
agents, facilitators,
and other medical tourism
service providers.