Health Tourism

Medical tourism is becoming more popular with prices for treatment abroad becoming highly attractive for UK patients. It is believed that more than 50,000 people from the UK travel for treatment abroad (Source: International Passenger Survey 2005). There is no doubt that medical tourism from the UK is on the increase helped further by the recent European ruling that the National Health Service must fund treatment in the EU if patients face “undue delay”.

Medical tourism is a term that has risen from the rapid growth of international healthcare where people from all around the world are traveling to other countries to obtain general medical surgery, cosmetic plastic surgery and dental surgery at a fraction of the cost of healthcare in the USA. At the same time as receiving surgery abroad, patients can experience the excitement and adventure of the cultural attractions their destination country offers. Overseas surgery is quickly becoming a safe and viable option to healthcare in the United States and Canada. There are many reasons for the increased popularity of medical travel services: Exorbitant healthcare costs in industrialized nations Long waiting lists for surgery in countries offering socialized healthcare Ease and affordability of international travel Favorable currency exchange rates in foreign countries resulting in low cost surgery Rapidly improving technology and standards of care in many countries Proven safety of healthcare in select foreign nations International accreditation of foreign hospitals U.S., U.K. and Australian board certified surgeons operating in select foreign countries More and more people are traveling abroad as an affordable, enjoyable, and safe alternative to having medical, dental, and cosmetic surgical procedures done in their home countries. Currently medical tourism patients are traveling in large numbers to Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey - places where the quality of affordable healthcare is equal to anywhere else in the world and yet the cost is significantly lower. These regions also offer numerous options for touring, sight-seeing, shopping, exploring, and relaxing. Medical Tourism Health Tourism Medical Travel Medical Outsourcing It has been mentioned that overseas healthcare, sometimes referred to as medical tourism, medical travel, health tourism, or medical outsourcing is expected to become a mulit-billion dollar industry by 2012. Whether you call it medical tourism, medical travel, health tourism, or medical outsourcing, the concept is the same. It appears as though this concept of traveling abroad to receive health care is going to become a viable option for many years to come. Many options exist for the medical tourism patient - from purely elective procedures such as face lift, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, liposuction, tummy tuck, breast augmentation, orthodontics and LASIK, to more serious procedures such as knee replacement, hip replacement, gastric bypass surgery and cardiac bypass surgery. Medical tourists can now obtain essentially any type of medical or surgical procedure abroad in a safe and effective manner for a fraction of the cost that they would face in America. The cost savings are enormous! Although "medical tourism" has been the descriptor for this new emerging industry, it is important to know that MedRetreat has a different philosophy on the concept of traveling abroad to receive your surgery. We understand the seriousness of receiving high quality medical care and then allowing your body to recuperate from the surgery. No gimmicks...no marketing hype. The tourism part of the process should be viewed as the least important factor. Many companies are using the term "medical tourism" as a motivator to attract clients into this new emerging concept of overseas medical care, we do not. To effectively become the leader in providing healthcare abroad, our emphasis is placed on the efficacy of our hospital partners regardless of the physical location of their facility. In this respect, we will remain the leader of facilitating global healthcare in a safe and affordable manner. A word of caution: Be very careful if attempting to plan your own medical travel program. There are many issues that are not apparent to the first time medical tourist. One small oversight can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful surgery abroad. By working with a full service medical tourism service agency, you will greatly reduce the possibilities of something going wrong. Take this process of health tourism very seriously. After all, it's your health and welfare. To receive a complimentary quotation for your individualized medical tourism package, simply complete the Membership Form (step 3 above) to have access to one of our U.S Program Managers who will guide you through the entire process.

Medical Tourism What's called medical tourism � patients going to a different country for either urgent or elective medical procedures � is fast becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the patient can't wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a physician in private practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery. And more patients are coming from poorer countries such as Bangladesh where treatment may not be available. Medical tourism is actually thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that continued for 2,000 years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from Germany to the Nile. In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry beyond the wealthy and desperate. Countries that actively promote medical tourism include Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now entering the field. South Africa specializes in medical safaris-visit the country for a safari, with a stopover for plastic surgery, a nose job and a chance to see lions and elephants. India India is considered the leading country promoting medical tourism-and now it is moving into a new area of "medical outsourcing," where subcontractors provide services to the overburdened medical care systems in western countries. India's National Health Policy declares that treatment of foreign patients is legally an "export" and deemed "eligible for all fiscal incentives extended to export earnings." Government and private sector studies in India estimate that medical tourism could bring between $1 billion and $2 billion US into the country by 2012. The reports estimate that medical tourism to India is growing by 30 per cent a year. India's top-rated education system is not only churning out computer programmers and engineers, but an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 doctors and nurses each year. The largest of the estimated half-dozen medical corporations in India serving medical tourists is Apollo Hospital Enterprises, which treated an estimated 60,000 patients between 2001 and spring 2004. It is Apollo that is aggressively moving into medical outsourcing. Apollo already provides overnight computer services for U.S. insurance companies and hospitals as well as working with big pharmaceutical corporations with drug trials. Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, the chairman of the company, began negotiations in the spring of 2004 with Britain's National Health Service to work as a subcontractor, to do operations and medical tests for patients at a fraction of the cost in Britain for either government or private care. Apollo's business began to grow in the 1990s, with the deregulation of the Indian economy, which drastically cut the bureaucratic barriers to expansion and made it easier to import the most modern medical equipment. The first patients were Indian expatriates who returned home for treatment; major investment houses followed with money and then patients from Europe, the Middle East and Canada began to arrive. Apollo now has 37 hospitals, with about 7,000 beds. The company is in partnership in hospitals in Kuwait, Sri Lanka and Nigeria. Western patients usually get a package deal that includes flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and often a post-operative vacation. Apollo has also reacted to criticism by Indian politicians by expanding its services to India's millions of poor. It has set aside free beds for those who can't afford care, has set up a trust fund and is pioneering remote, satellite-linked telemedicine across India.

Erco Travels was formed in New Delhi (India) on 1999, as a fully independent branch office of Erco Reizen B.V., Erco travels have office in different countries like India, Netherlands, Belgium and Mauritius. Through this office we are engaged in handling incoming and outgoing tourist to all over India and Indian Sub-continent. We have fully dedicated operational staff and around 28 representative offices to handle our clients on this part of the world. Erco Travels Pvt. Ltd. is recognized by Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of India and member of IATO ( Indian Association of Tour Operators). Erco Reizen B.V. (Netherlands) commenced business as a Travel agent and Tour Operators from The Netherlands in 1988. In Last 14 years Erco Reizen emerged as one of the prominent Travel agents and Tour operators in The Netherlands and in neighboring countries. Erco Reizen is selling Air tickets to almost all countries in the World and operating Groups and Individual tours to India, Mauritius, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, United States, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and many other destinations. Erco is a member of IATA (International Air Transport Association) and SGR (Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden), to give more trust and professionalism to our clients. In continuation to our commitment for clients we have established 06 offices, 03 in The Netherlands and 01 each in India and Mauritius and Belgium. Erco has well trained and professional staff, who are specialized in different fields viz. air ticket bookings, hotels bookings, tour planning and customer care executives to take care personally for all clients. Our staff is always attentive and active for requirements from the clients and do best to solve their problems at earliest possible. Erco Reizen Belgium, established in 2002 as a service office for Tours of Erco Reizen in Belgium Market. Erco Travels (Mauritius) Co. Ltd. is incorporated in 2002, keeping the motive of maximum clients satisfaction with own staff to its most popular destinations.

Phuket, the Pearl of the Andaman, is considered to be the end of the rainbow for travelers around the globe because of its exotic sun, sea, and sand harmoniously combined with the peaceful way of life of its people. The enchantment of Phuket lies not only in its sandy shores but also in its history. In historical records of over a thousand years ago, Phuket was known as an important trade port. Ptolemy’s Geographia, recorded in the year 157, shows that sea captains knew Phuket under the name of Jang Si Lang or Junk Ceylon, a cape between Suwannabhumi and the Malaya Straights. In 1603 the Dutch came to Phuket and started a tin trade on the island. In those times Phuket was divided into two different communities; one was the Thalang community, located on the northern and middle parts of the island, its people being Thai. The other community was located on the western and southern parts of the island, inhabited by Portugese, French, Dutch, Chinese, Indian, and British, mainly dealing in the island’s tin trade and the trade of other merchandise. This led Phuket to develop both commercially and culturally over the centuries to what has become the Phuket of today that is still a culturally-mixed, multi-national community, the difference being that Phuket is now a major tourism destination well-known across the world and not a major tin trade port. Today Phuket is a peaceful tourism destination on an island in the Andaman Sea, surrounded by 39 nearby islands, such as Raja Island, Kaew Island, Naka Yai Island, Naka Noi Island, Hay Island, Maphrao Island, to name a few. Tourists also know these islands well, as they also provide a haven for tourists to relax in. Get to know Phuket and fall in love with its charms Laem Phrom Thep For sunset lovers, this is the most spectacular place to view Phuket's greatest live show. Laem or cape Phrom Thep is a dramatic headland stretching into the sea, forming the most south-end of the island. Although the evening experience can become crowded at times, this place is without doubt one of the most breath-taking vistas on the island. Scuba Diving As the center for diving, Phuket boasts world-renown diving sites around the Similan, the Surin, and the Phi Phi islands. With visitor's luck, special treat could include a memorable encounter with the gigantic whale sharks, the largest fish but also one of the most benign creatures in the sea. Courses and equipments areavailable at main beaches. Beginner courses are relatively inexpensive. Therefore, if you are considering experiencing the underwater world for the first time, there is no better place to begin. Phuket Fantasea Intended as Thailand's ultimate themepark, Phuket Fantasea represents a new dimension in nighttime entertainment. Cuttingedge technology is used to achieve fantastic effects for performances which evolve around Thai myths and legends. The shows features hundreds of performers in spectacular costumes as well as troops of trained animals. It is located on Kamala Beach, just 9 kilometers from Patong Beach. Golfing in Phuket Due to the great property boom of the 1990's, Thailand is home to dozens of world-class golf courses, at least two of which are on this island, the Phuket Country Club and the Blue Canyon Country Club. Built on former tin mines, both courses make clever use of existing landscape created by their previous owners. Phuket Country Club was established in 1989, and can boast to be one of Southeast Asia’s finest resort golf courses, having held the LADIES KOSAIDO THAILAND OPEN 1992 and PRINCE BERNARD CUP tournaments. Phuket Country Club, a 27 - hole golf course, is ideally located midway between Phuket Town and Patong Beach. Apart from the “Old Course” - a challenging 18 - hole resort golf course and the “Country Club Corse” - a 9 - hole championship layout course, there is also a Recreation Center and a 52 - bay Driving Range Facility. The two club houses provide a panoramic view over the golf course with a 25 - meter swimming pool with poolside refreshments, restaurant, snooker room, banquet / conference room, locker rooms with sauna and golf clinic with American / Thai teaching professionals. The restaurant menu provides excellent Japanese, local Thai and Western food. The Blue Canyon Country Club comprises of two different styles. The Lakes Course has been designed to cater to a wide range of golfers. From the championship tees, target driving areas are set at 27 yards to accommodate today’s long hitters, enabling the Lake Course to be the venue for a world - class tournaments. The Canyon Course was designed with minimal disruption to the natural landscape. This feature, along with the use of existing canyons and rubber plantations helped create the masterpiece that the Canyon Course is renowned as today. Weather in Phuket Weather in Phuket can be divided into two seasons-the rainy season and the hot season. The rainy (low) season runs from April to November and the hot season (high) season is during December to March. Since the climate in Phuket is tropical, the weather is warm throughout the year, with daytime temperatures ranging between 24 to 36 degrees Celsius. During April and May is the period with the highest temperatures, although May is one of the most humid months of the year with an average of 25 days of rain during the month. The best time for visiting Phuket is between November and February as it rains least and the temperature is not too high. The peak tourist season is during December and January. For those who prefer a more quiet holiday and does not mind a bit of rain, May, June and September are the months to come to Phuket.

Recover Discover facilitates world class, high quality and affordable medical treatment in India. We also help clients experience the rich natural and cultural and historical facets of India. Recover Discover has been formed by professionals from diverse fields who have a combined work experience of over 100 years. Our team consists of professionals in the fields of Travel, Technology, Marketing, Insurance, Nursing and healthcare etc. We have wide representation in Canada and the US and have a large network of Doctors who support us. Our Medical Board includes medical professors whose students currently practice in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, among other countries. Know more About Us. In India, Recover Discover has made alliances with top healthcare institutions e.g. Apollo Group, Wockhardt Hospitals, Escorts Heart Institute etc. In the area of Alternative therapies, Dermatology and Spa treatments, we have partners who are leaders in their respective fields. Know more about Our Partners. Our alliance partners cover the entire range of healthcare needs and are fully geared for any kind of surgical intervention. Recover Discover will provide you with one free consultation via teleconference with a Physician to help you make an informed decision before opting for treatment in India. In addition, Recover Discover has made an alliance with a tour operator who is among the top 5 in India. This means that no matter which city you opt to have your treatment done in, our representative will always be available. Recover Discover will make your trip to India as smooth and rewarding as possible, while ensuring that you are given the best possible medical treatment. Our staff will help plan your vacation travel schedule if your attending Physician/Surgeon agrees that it will be okay for you to travel pre or post surgery. Recover Discover does not charge you - the client - for its consulting services. You pay our alliance partner directly for all medical/wellness treatments. Payments to all our alliance partners can be made by Credit Card, Wire Transfers, Travellers Cheques or Cash. To better understand the process we follow in dealing with your query, kindly refer to the process flowchart appended below.