By Kevin Poling, Director of Travel of Satori World Medical

Satori World Medical offers many choices in destinations to receive medical care. Whether you are traveling internationally for a shoulder or knee replacement or even a cosmetic procedure, such as a facelift, you and your companion can take some extra time on your trip to enjoy the amenities of your hotel and experience the rich cultural areas in which our International Centers of Excellence are located.

The second of the destination cities of the Satori Global Network™ I am highlighting is Bangkok, the capitol and largest city of Thailand.

Your ‘to do list’ while in Bangkok:

• Visit some of Bangkok’s many temples, palaces, and mansions
• Experience the Bangkok Waterways
• Visit Bangkok’s prominent museums and monuments
• Browse the art gelleries – Bangkok has some of the most striking art galleries in the world!

Transportation

Most of Bangkok’s downtown area can be quickly navigated via the Bangkok Skytrain. There are two main lines which cover a large metropolitan area and are relatively cheap when you buy multiple ride passes – if you are planning on doing a lot of exploring. Bangkok also has an MRT train system which provides close access to chinatown and a lot of popular tourist destinations.

If you are looking to travel via the waterways, there are many aquatic busses and river taxis running throughout the canals and Chao Phraya River. Canal boats are quick and cheap, and avoid the large amounts of traffic throughout Bangkok. Most routes throughout the canals include English signage, so you can be sure you are getting off and on at the right stop.

There are also plenty of taxis, tuk-tuks, and mortocycle taxis. Tuk-tuks are small three wheeled contraptions that can be a lot of fun, but also be a bit uncomfortable. Motorcycle taxis are extremely fast, dangerous, and should probably be avoided, especially on a medical stay!

Tours

Bangkok offers a variety of tours, including river tours, Thai temple and palace tours, and dinner cruise tours. Start off with a city and temple tour covering the very ornate and breathtaking Wat Arun, Wat Pho and Wat Benjabophit temples, and concluding at the infamous Grand Palace. If you feel like being outdoors, spend the morning exploring temple ruins and spend your afternoon aboard a luxury cruiser on a day trip to Ayutthaya. Bangkok offers a number of learning experiences which do not require as much walking and exploring such as the Bai Pai Cooking School. Teach yourself (and your companion) how to make your favorite Thai dishes at home!

Shopping

Bangkok is home to all types of shopping malls and street markets. One of the best parts about shopping in Bangkok is that prices are a lot cheaper than we are used to in the United States. Clothing, electronics, and medicine can all be bargained down to a fraction of the cost of what one would pay in the US. A great place to go shopping is Sukhumvit, which is a main road lined with a lot of boutiques and shopping plazas.

Culture

If you are near the Grand Palace, you will surely want to visit the Bangkok National Museum. This museum holds a wealth of Thai history, art, and artifacts – the largest in the country. To experience some more recent Thai history, check out the Royal Thai Air Museum. This museum displays some of the most rare antique military aircraft, as well as modern jets and royal helicopters. There are also many houses throughout Bangkok that are open to the public, such as the Kamthieng House or M.R. Kukrit’s home, that can offer a first hand insight to the culture of Thailand.

Dining

You guessed it – the best Thai food can be found in Bangkok! There are also a variety of restaurants featuring world-class international cuisine. There are many places where tourists can find top quality meals, at relatively cheap cost when compared to the rest of the world. Some even more exotic tastes can be found throughout Bangkok, such as deep fried insects! One can easily find some scorpions, grasshoppers, or other varieties that are said to be quite tasty with a bit of soy sauce. It all depends on what you are willing to explore!

View more of Satori World Medical’s popular destinations

References
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok
[2] http://www.bangkok.com/

Satori World Medical offers many choices in destinations to receive medical care. Whether you are traveling internationally for a shoulder or knee replacement or even a cosmetic procedure, such as a facelift, you and your companion can take some extra time on your trip to enjoy the amenities of your hotel and experience the rich cultural areas in which our International Centers of Excellence are located.

The second of the destination cities of the Satori Global Network™ I am highlighting is San Jose, the capitol and largest city of Costa Rica.

Your ‘to do list’ while in San Jose:

• Visit some of the botanical gardens – or even the Butterfly Farm
• Experience the rich cultural heritage by taking a tour of the city
• Experience live music at one of the many venues the city has to offer
• Shop for jewelry or arts & crafts at the local markets
• Visit one of the many museums featuring gold or jade treasures from the past

Transportation

Aside from Satori World Medical’s concierge services, there are many transportation options in San Jose. It is quick to hail a taxi, catch a bus, or even rent a car for traveling farther distances. Many of the attractions are spread throughout the city however, so you will always be close to a new adventure!

Tours

There are a lot of tour busses traveling throughout the city on any given day. Most will pick you up directly from your hotel, and many of them lead to some of the famous museums, the volcanoes, coffee farms, or even the Butterfly Farm. The Butterfly Farm is home to 80 species of butterflies which live in a large enclosed garden, similar to an aviary. By paying admission price, you are guided on a 2 hour tour of the gardens, and can see the many stages of butterfly life – all while the butterflies float and flutter around you!

Shopping

There are many art galleries throughout San Jose, as well as jewelry studios. Some studios and galleries also incorporate schools, so there is a wide variety of styles and quality available for purchase. Jewelry ranges from 18-karat white and yellow gold, to pure silver – as well as some other works which focus on gemstones, or less expensive alloys focusing on metalwork. There are many markets throughout the city in which you can find some one-of-a-kind items that cannot be purchased anywhere else in the world.

Culture

Aside from the vivid nightlife and various tours, San Jose offers a great amount of museums and parks to explore. Some notable museums include the Museo de Jade Marco Fidel Tristan (Jade Museum), which features a very large collection of jade artifacts from the pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico and Central America, and the Museos del Banco Central de Costa Rica (Gold Museum), which displays one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian gold in the world. INBio Park is an educational center in which visitors can tour two large pavilions which house trails that re-create the ecosystems of rainforests and dry forests. INBio Park is a great way to get a taste of the tropical climate, without having to do all that rigorous hiking!

Dining

There are a great deal of restaurants in San Jose, offering fine international cuisine. Dishes range from a wide variety of meat and fish, but also include some tasty vegetarian options. San Jose is home to some of the greatest coffee you will ever taste! Most restaurants in San Jose also offer a great selection of South American wines, ranging from the renowned Mendoza malbec from Argentina, or fine pinot noir from Chile.

View more of Satori World Medical’s popular destinations

References
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose,_Costa_Rica
[2] http://www.frommers.com/

By Kevin Poling, Director of Travel of Satori World Medical

Satori World Medical offers many choices in destinations to receive medical care. Whether you are traveling internationally for a shoulder or knee replacement or even a cosmetic procedure, such as a facelift, you and your companion can take some extra time on your trip to enjoy the amenities of your hotel and experience the rich cultural areas in which our International Centers of Excellence are located.

The first of the destination cities of the Satori Global Network™ I am highlighting is Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, and fifth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.6 million. Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural and financial centre of Turkey [1].

Your ‘to do list’ while in Istanbul:

• Take a tour of the Bosphorus
• Take a quick city bus tour of Istanbul
• Experience shopping like you never have before
• Try some fresh seafood on the Bosphorus
• Listen to live music at one of many venues throughout the city
• Explore the cultural richness and history at one of Istanbul’s renowned museum
• Create your own adventure! Istanbul is home to many avenues and cosmopolitan districts which are just waiting to be explored… You won’t have to go far to find a new and exciting experience!

Transportation

Istanbul is connected via a series of railways, trams, funiculars, a light rail transit system, as well as busses, various motorways and plenty of sea transportation. The city is mostly surrounded by sea, so there are many ferry and sea bus systems available to explore surrounding areas, such as the Princes’ Islands.

Tours

Many tour programs are available, especially throughout the summer months, when tour boats take many tourists up the Bosphorus, while making stops on the Asian side and in Anadolu Kavagi. There, tourists can enjoy live music and dine on fresh fish. City bus tours are also available throughout Istanbul, and often cover most popular areas of the city within a couple hours. This gives tourists an opportunity to seek out areas of interest, and easily return to explore them more thoroughly.

Shopping

Istanbul is a shopping Mecca, and tourists can find anything from modern world class brands, to spices, jewelry, and more in any of the cities shopping districts. Many places such as the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar are known for finding one of a kind items, as well as a vast selection of crafts and pottery from the thousands of shops and vendors located within. Modern shopping malls are also found throughout the city, and shoppers can treat themselves to luxury items from around Asia, Europe and also a large collection of world-famous fashion brands.

Culture

There are many entertainment options throughout Istanbul, as the city is becoming increasingly rich in cultural, social, and tourist-friendly activities. Year round, one can catch an opera, ballet, or enjoy Turkish theater, while seasonal festivals offer world class orchestras and concerts featuring many world famous musicians.

There are many renowned museums throughout the city, including the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, which is one of the largest archaeological museums in the world. Istanbul Modern is an art museum which frequently hosts exhibitions from famous artists worldwide (not to mention a great website!). There are also other historical museums which feature vintage machines and transportation vessels from the past including trains, submarines, aircraft, and other items. Truly a great collection of both modern and past perspectives! [2]

Dining

Istanbul is known for its seafood and wine houses, which can be found lining the Bosphorus and Marmara Sea on the southern end of the city. There are also numerous cafes, pubs, taverns, and open air spaces, in which tourists can experience live music and local talent first hand. Contact us today to speak to a Travel Care Coordinator and get started on your medical travel experience.

View more of Satori World Medical’s popular destinations

References
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul
[2] http://english.istanbul.com/

By Jessica Yarbrough, Marketing & Communications Manager, Satori World Medical

Recently, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions released the 2009 Medical Tourism Report, “Update and Implications” exploring the state of the medical tourism market since last year’s study. According to Deloitte, there are several emerging U.S. healthcare trends that will fuel the demand for medical tourism. Below, highlighted are a few of the key drivers:

• Increased demand for outpatient surgery – The number of outpatient surgical procedures performed in the U.S. tripled from 1996 to 2006. Approximately 35 million patients had outpatient surgery in 2006 alone. Growth is attributed to enhanced technology which allows patients to return home post-op, decreasing lengthy stays in hospital. Patient demand for surgeries has also increased the number of outpatient surgical centers. Outpatient surgeries represent 75% of medical tourism procedures and typically require high out-of-pocket expenses for the patient. As more consumers are faced with paying thousands of their own dollars for surgical care, medical tourism will become a more attractive alternative.

• Increased sophistication of medical tourism operations – The medical tourism industry is adapting to meet the quality needs of the U.S. payor market. Facilitators, who emphasize quality in their patient care model, including coordination of post-op care, safety, outcome data and transparency, will be most attractive to health insurers and employers which are considering adding a medical travel benefit.

• Increased globalization of the U.S. workforce – In the next 25 years, more than half of the U.S. workforce will be of second-third generation descent. As more employees express a desire to return to their ancestral home for care, more insurance plans and employers will incorporate medical travel programs to meet the needs of their culturally diverse workforce.

Other growth drivers outlined in Deloitte’s report include increased coverage and demand for dental and cosmetic surgery, increased access to low-cost global transportation, and increased acceptance by employers and health plans. As the industry continues to mature, it is evident that medical tourism will become a widely accepted option for individuals to receive high quality, cost effective care.