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Q: What opportunities are available as a result of the emerging medical tourism market?
David Miller: In the past, the medical tourism market was predominately described as high-net worth individuals who were marketed to by big name clinics. Now, we are observing around 85 percent of the patients being transferred to the United States from Latin America and the Caribbean have insurance, and the payors are more involved. Once the payors become more involved there is a quest to save money. The market is expanding as insurance companies and providers are searching for cost saving options for their patients.
Another emerging opportunity in medical tourism is the services of specialty hospitals and surgery centers. We are marketing specialty and boutique hospitals to payors, referral sources and third-party administrators, and we are hearing that if we can bring the specialty hospital to the market providing the same or better quality while saving people money, they want that as an option. The outcomes of many surgical centers are on par with internationally branded facilities, but the cost savings associated with ASCs are considerable. Larger, internationally branded facilities can have scheduling issues and back-logs, whereas ASCs provide immediate access to quality physicians.
Q: Are you seeing any travel trends with medical tourism emerging? What expectations are there going forward?
DM: Medical tourism is a growing market and continues to change, providing increasing patient options both domestically and globally. The biggest trend we are noticing with medical tourism is that people want access to quality healthcare, and that cost is not always the primary motivation. Another trend is that medical tourism is happening inbound to the United States and within the United States.
We initially thought certain states would receive more inbound activity, based on location to the patients’ country of origin, but we’ve found that people are traveling throughout the United States for treatment. Decisions are made on a relational level, between surgeons and referring physicians or individuals choosing cities where family members live. Patients are accessing care all across the United States and that really brings ASCs to the market because of the cost and quality deliverables at ASCs.
Q: How can ASCs capitalize on these medical tourists?
DM: ASCs need to have a procedure or physician that stands out. They require something attractive to the healthcare community. Many ASCs are centers of excellence in a procedure such as joint, spine or bariatric. Other ASCs have unique outpatient procedures such as joint replacements with 23-hour stays, so people can go in and have their orthopedic surgery and return home quickly. We also need standout physicians.
These are the things our global business development team can talk about besides geography — center of excellence, unique outpatient procedures or recognized physicians. It helps when we can position the ASC. Our global business development team can talk about physicians, techniques and economic savings and payors are going to direct patients wherever they need to go for that care.
Q: How can medical tourism fit into an ASC’s overall plan for strategic success?
DM: Medical tourism can provide additional revenue streams into an ASC. ASCs are in an ideal position to market their services because they know their costs and outcomes, therefore they can create some great package pricing options and market the opportunity well.
The primary need for an ASC to be successful in the medical tourism market is the desire to engage. ASCs must be willing to work with international patients and adjust to cultural variances.
ASCs should consider building partnerships to enter the medical tourism market. Establishing the facility in medical tourism can be very expensive when analyzing the cost of branding, marketing, networking with international referral sources and building the supporting technology. These are areas which our providers find beneficial.
While analyzing the medical tourism industry, we realized that the largest missing element is technology which allows providers to communicate. We spent time and money developing our proprietary technology to facilitate a great patient experience, connecting the patient and physician together in real time, through enhanced communication. Because of our technology, we can assist patients through the entire process, from home / airport pick up, delivery to the specialty hospital and then to the hotel.
Q: Should providers adopt a travel program or can they just accept medical tourists?
DM: We have seen providers do both, the important aspect providers need to remember is the patient experience. Many times this experience is more than how the patient is treated, but also the family.
At Nueterra, we strive to focus on the overall experience. If the patients want to bring family members, we can give them suggestions on what is available to do besides the treatment. If they desire tourist-related options or need transportation, we can assist in providing all the information and collaboration. Our goal is to provide an excellent patient experience that includes providing activities and assistance to the family.
Q: What initiatives or steps should ASCs consider to build a competitive medical tourism program?
DM: Be culturally aware of whom you are seeing and deliver an excellent patient experience. You must be culturally relevant from the food they eat to separating the men and women if that is what their culture demands. You have to consider many societal differences when you care for international patients.
Patients want to return to a better quality of life and have a great experience with excellent outcomes. We are finding international travelers who have a great patient experience will go back and tell their family members who then become your patients as well.
Q: What potential for program failure should ASCs be aware of and how can they avoid these scenarios?
DM: The program will fail if ASCs are not able to deliver a great patient experience, or if they are not international patient-ready. Not having the technology or understanding of who your client or patient is and not allowing the opportunity for easy access will quickly lead to failure. I think ASCs really need to access a program experienced in medical tourism that can make them aware of all considerations before they begin seeing international patients.
Q: What is the key to developing a successful medical tourism program for ASCs?
DM: Know yourself and know your patients.
An ASC really needs to understand what they can deliver which is a differentiator, whether they are a center of excellence, offer unique procedures or employ stand-out physicians. Patients desire excellent experiences and outcomes. By understanding what you can deliver and why that is needed, an ASC can be position itself for success. These facilities should play to their strengths and understand the value of their services.
ASC leaders also need to learn what patients really want. Our experience is that patients don’t want to replace their local physician and neither do we. We emphasize with all of our partners that together, we are improving the delivery of healthcare. Many of our patients are seeking care which is not available locally, so they are connected to us to provide that specialty care. A great medical tourism program for an ASC is recognizing it is a large global partnership — caring for people and improving lives.
Q: Where do you see medical tourism headed in the future?
DM: The medical tourism market continues to grow. I believe it will become more defined and refined in the future. We will continue to see more payors and patients having access to insurance, which makes it easier for them to travel. Medical tourism is not just high-net worth individuals anymore.
I also think we will see a strategy around self-insured employer groups, which Nueterra Global Alliance is just beginning to implement. They are looking for an alternative way to save money and some have started sending their employees and families to international locations because of affordability.
The future of medical tourism is not only internationally based. As consumers continue to become savvy, I believe we will experience medical travelers crossing state lines to save money. Technology is a big part of the future of medical tourism and it is creating a lot of opportunities for companies which have integrated it into their plan. Healthcare is not restricted to local or geographic boundaries, and the medical tourism market is validated through market revenues. People want access to quality healthcare and through technological advances, the future of medical travel is unparalleled.
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