Anadolu Medical Center is located outside of the beautiful city of Istanbul. It is one of the most comprehensive, modern, and respected hospitals in the region. This multispecialty medical complex is not-for-profit, and is unique in Turkey, and much of the world, by virtue of affiliation and agreement with world renowned Johns Hopkins Medicine. Anadolu Medical Center and Johns Hopkins have combined in partnership encompassing all aspects of Quality Health Care and Continuous Medical Education.

“The patient rooms are homey, and comfortable with a beautiful sea view. Patient bed capacity is 209. There is an intensive care unit consisting of 59 beds and 8 operating rooms. The parking lot holds over 300 vehicles. Lighting, spaciousness, sea view, a manmade pond, natural plant life environment, abundance of green trees are part of the well thought details for a positive effect on patient care and treatment duration.”

• www.anadolumedicalcenter.com
• www.twitter.com/anadolumedical

Anadolu Medical Center has been designed with a focus on aesthetics, with special attention given to lighting, space, and the surrounding natural and manmade environment. These attributes were set in place with the intention of having a positive effect on patient care and recovery time. The award winning hospital was designed by the U.S. company, Rees. The center is serene and relaxing, and is located on a 42 acre piece of land. It is outside the reach of Istanbul’s big-city commotion and offers patients a quiet and nurturing place to receive care.

Anadolu Medical Center is home to both US board certified and trained physicians, and the foremost academicians of Turkey. The Center employs over 200 skilled physicians and serves over 3,000 international patients every year from over 50 countries. AMC has an outstanding nurse to patient ratio and the quality of care received is world-class. The Center’s multi-lingual nurses and staff are constantly improving their skills through training by Johns Hopkins faculty and provide excellent care for patients.

At Anadolu Medical Center, only the latest and state-of-the-art technology and equipment is used to assure the best possible treatment for patients. AMC is the first in Turkey with Cyberknife Radiosurgery®, the latest technology in cancer. The Center hosts clinical programs on special cases such as cancer, back pain, stroke, cardiac arrhythmia and breast health, and is always breaking new ground with a revolutionary, multi-disciplinary approach. Medical subspecialties include: PET-CT (Nuclear Medicine), New Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Quality Assurance:

AMC is an institute that has ISO 9001 – 2000 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001 (Environment Management System), OHSAS 18001 (Work Health and Safety) and has JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation and quality certificates.

Certifications: European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO)

 Click to view the Anadolu Brochure PDF

By Ron Johnson, M.D., F.A.C.S., Chief Medical Officer, Satori World Medical

David G. Jaimovich, M.D. is the President and Founder of Quality Resources International, the former Chief Medical Officer and Vice President for International Accreditation Services for Joint Commission Resources (JCR) and Joint Commission International (JCI), and a member of the Medical Quality Advisory Board of Satori World Medical.  I recently interviewed Dr. Jaimovich about his role at JCI, his new company and international quality in general.

Satori:  How is your role at Quality Resources International different from your work at JCI?

Dr. Jaimovich:  At JCI I was in charge of International Accreditation: surveying against standards of quality and patient safety.  JCI Standards address key issues relevant to medical travel, including evidence of quality and professional competence, and accreditation provides objective validation and serves as a benchmark, assisting patients in medical travel decision-making.  I am now involved in consulting, developing quality and performance improvement programs and patient safety initiatives as they relate to accreditation and improving the safety of patients in the hospital setting.  It is a more creative role, going beyond meeting standards to continuous improvement in quality and safety.

Satori:  Tell us about Quality Resources International.

Dr. Jaimovich:  Our mission is to collaborate with the healthcare community around the world, to help public and private entities improve the quality and safety of health services through education, consultation, technical assistance, practical tools and guidance.  We provide advisory services to Ministries of Health, we prepare organizations for accreditation, and we provide quality management information systems to evaluate the success of interventional changes, to show continuous improvement.  That is a big issue: sustainability of improvements.  We are also developing a fundamental framework for healthcare quality: this is a distillation of the fundamental elements of the standards from JCI and other national accrediting organizations, such as Trent, Accreditation Canada and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards.

Satori:  You have travelled widely, been involved with the evaluation of many hospitals and other healthcare organizations worldwide.  What is your view of the level of patient care – quality and safety – at the best international healthcare facilities, such as Satori World Medical’s International Centers of Excellence – and would you be comfortable receiving care at these facilities yourself? 

Dr. Jaimovich:  Quality and safety are now front and center for many hospitals and healthcare systems around the world.  There is a tremendous drive, a “tsunami” of quality and safety.  US hospitals have been doing this for a long time, there has been a plateau for some.  International facilities are on a steep curve, a big push coming from the World Health Organization, Ministries of Health – and Tourism -, payers, and multinational companies.  For myself, I would have no reservations about having surgery or other care at international facilities that meet high quality and safety standards, have transparent validated results and who have been accredited by an international accrediting organization.

Satori:  Thank you Dr. Jaimovich.  More information about Dr. Jaimovich and Quality Resources International is available at www.qrintl.com  More about Satori World Medical is available at www.satoriworldmedical.com.

By Steven Lash

As reported in the recent Financial Times article, “Travel Sickness,” the rising costs of healthcare in developed countries is having a positive effect on countries like Mexico, Thailand and India where medical care is available at a fraction of the cost. According to a recent report by Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, medical tourism is likely to expand at 35 percent a year by 2012. This means an economic boost and advanced infrastructure for developing countries.

The number of internationally accredited medical facilities is growing rapidly. There are now more than 200 international hospitals which have received accreditation by Joint Commission International, the international arm of the U.S. accreditation body for domestic hospitals in the U.S. Foreign governments are investing in world-class facilities to complement the influx of Western medical tourists and tourism bureaus are reaping the benefits of Westerners combining medical procedures with exotic vacations. Ideally, this will have a trickle down to improved health systems for those countries’ citizens, as stated in the Financial Times article.

International accreditation benefits everyone. It raises healthcare standards and increases competition, which raises the bar even in the public sector. In South Korea, for example, the government has launched a public-private initiative designed to do just this. The Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion was established in 2007 to develop world-class healthcare infrastructure and to promote Korean healthcare to international patients.

Domestically, U.S. health insurers are buying into the growing trend of medical tourism, as well. Blue Cross of South Carolina, for example, has brought hospitals in Europe, Asia and Latin America into its network of coverage. State governments have also taken notice of the financial opportunities medical tourism provides. Although the bills have not yet passed, both West Virginia and Colorado have proposed legislation that would provide incentives to insurers that include medical tourism in their plans.

To make medical tourism a seamless, high-quality and convenient healthcare option for more and more U.S. patients, employers and payors, companies like Satori World Medical have entered the marketplace to offer a “one-stop-shop” for medical travel. Through such programs, all services and procedures for the patient are arranged by a reputable medical travel partner to ensure that all aspects of the patient’s care and travel are properly handled, from helping the individual select his or her surgeon and hospital abroad and transferring his or her medical records to the destination hospital, to handling all travel details, such as flights, hotel, ground transportation, etc.

Companies, such as Satori World Medical, also offer fully integrated medical travel plans that employers can add to their existing employee benefit offerings at no cost, whatsoever, because the savings are achieved through utilization. Additionally, with the Satori World Medical program, for instance, the participating patient directly receives a portion of the savings as well – anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 per procedure is deposited into an employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). This offers everyone a compelling reason to participate in medical travel – the employer, payor and the individual receiving care.

As reinforced by this Financial Times article, as medical costs in mature markets continue to soar, medical tourism will continue to rapidly evolve in developed and developing nations, alike.

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

Last Friday, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions released its 2009 Medical Tourism Report, “Update and Implications, which serves as an update to Deloitte’s medical tourism study, “Consumers in Search of Value,” issued last year.

According to Deloitte’s findings in 2009, all indications show that as the cost of healthcare continues to rise, more Americans will seek alternatives to obtaining quality and affordable medical care and fuel the demand for global healthcare.

In the report, Deloitte forecasts that barring any tempering factors such as supply constraints, increased domestic competition, or governmental policies, outbound medical tourism (the practice of receiving medical care internationally) could reach upwards of 1.6 million patients by 2012, with sustainable annual growth of 35 percent.

One key driving factor fueling the industry’s growth is the emergence of medical travel programs that are being offered as a benefit option to individuals through their health plans. More U.S. employers are looking at medical travel programs as a way to reduce their employee healthcare expense while still providing access to high-quality providers at top institutions worldwide.

In the report, Deloitte highlights the introduction of pilot programs, whereby health plans and employers are offering global healthcare programs as a built-in benefit option for covered individuals, with the hopes that such plans will be expanded on a broader scale.

Satori World Medical has created a fully integrated, high-quality global healthcare program that can be easily added to an employer’s benefit plan design at no cost to the plan sponsor. What makes this program so unique is its innovative financial sharing model, whereby for the first time, the employee receives a direct and meaningful portion of the savings of medical tourism. By receiving care at any of the Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited hospitals in the Satori Global Network™, the employee is eligible for a deposit of thousands of dollars in an employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). The money deposited is tax-free to the employee and can be used to fund their future medical expenses for several years.

According to Paul Keckley, the Executive Director for the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, “Medical tourism has transitioned from a cottage industry to an acceptable alternative for elective care that’s safe and cost effective if coordinated by reputable health plans and providers. “   He continues, “With health care costs increasing at six percent per year for the next decade, and medical tourism offering savings of up to 70 percent after travel expenses, we anticipate that the industry will recover from the current economic downturn and attain 35 percent annual growth in the coming years.  The concept of “value” in health care is not new.  Medical tourism represents another mechanism for value purchasers of health care services.”

Deloitte’s 2009 report is a solid indication that the demand for medical travel will continue to soar, and we’re glad to be at the forefront of delivering high-quality healthcare solutions that America’s workforce will value.

To learn more about Deloitte’s latest findings on medical tourism, you can download the complete 2009 report here.

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

Last Tuesday’s 14-9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee to move the fifth and final healthcare reform proposal through the panel brought the nation closer than ever before to assuring quality and affordable healthcare coverage for all Americans.

An important provision of the healthcare reform program is to create a new insurance marketplace – the Exchange – that allows people without insurance and small businesses to compare plans and buy insurance at competitive prices. Additionally, new tax credits will be provided to help people purchase insurance and to help small businesses cover their employees.

“The Obama Plan: Stability & Security for all Americans” summarizes the Obama Administration’s key objectives for comprehensive health reform:

• Reduce long-term growth of healthcare costs for businesses and government
• Protect families from bankruptcy or debt because of healthcare costs
• Guarantee choice of doctors and health plans
• Invest in prevention and wellness
• Improve patient safety and quality of care
• Assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans
• Maintain coverage when individuals change or lose their job
• End barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions

So how does global healthcare fit in?

As an active member of the global healthcare industry, one key topic of debate has been how healthcare reform will affect the demand for global healthcare programs.

In looking at how well aligned the guiding principles of medical travel are with the objectives of U.S. healthcare reform, I’m even more confident that medical travel will continue to play an integral role in bringing quality, affordable healthcare to Americans.

President Obama’s proposed $900 billion healthcare reform package promises to control rising healthcare costs, guarantee choice of doctor, and ensure high-quality healthcare. Each of these key objectives is achieved by global healthcare programs, such as Satori World Medical.

• Ability to control rising healthcare costs: The costs of healthcare internationally are substantially lower than the costs of comparable care in U.S. hospitals, on average 40-80 percent less per procedure (which factors in the costs of travel and accommodations for the patient and a companion). As such, medical travel programs offer employers the opportunity to control the rising costs of healthcare and make affordable healthcare options available to their employees.

Satori World Medical, for example, is designed to be added to any employee benefit plan design at no cost to the employer. Additionally, the employee receiving care through the Satori Global Network™ is provided with a 100 percent medical benefit, which includes no responsibility for any of out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays, deductibles, etc. One feature that is also unique only to Satori World Medical is the ability for employers to share a portion of the savings of global healthcare with their employee who elects to receive care through the Satori Global Network™. Typically, the employer will deposit funds into the employee’s Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). The deposits in the HRA are tax-free to the employee and tax-deductible to the employer. The funds deposited can then be used by the employee to offset his or her future out-of-pocket medical expenses.

• Ensure High-Quality Care: The growing access to high-quality medical care outside the U.S. has been one of the most important reasons for the increased interest in medical travel programs in the U.S. There are more than 200 Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited hospitals around the world, many of which have quality standards that rival leading U.S. hospitals. These institutions are staffed by U.S./U.K. or equivalently trained and Board Certified physicians and registered nurses that are fluent in English. They also offer state-of-the-art medical equipment and techniques, spacious private rooms with modern amenities, and excellent patient care and quality outcomes. Therefore, while the costs of care internationally are significantly lower than in the U.S., patients still have access to some of the best care in the world.

As U.S. healthcare reform becomes a closer reality for America, I am optimistic that the fundamental changes it offers will only further fuel the demand for global healthcare programs.

By Kevin Poling, Director of Travel at Satori World Medical

The growing realization that high-quality healthcare is available in many parts of the world for a fraction of the cost than within the U.S., has prompted more American patients to become medical travelers. But where are the best medical tourism destinations and why? Below are some of the most recommended medical travel destinations according to Satori World Medical, as well as the most trusted consumer guide to healthcare abroad, Patients Beyond Borders – 2nd Edition, by Josef Woodman.

1. Costa Rica: According to Patients Beyond Borders, some 15 percent of Costa Rica’s international tourists visit this small country for medical services, which are predominantly cosmetic surgery and dental care. Costa Rica is one of the top five countries most visited by Americans for medical treatment. Costa Rica has hundreds of board-certified physicians, surgeons, and dentists, mostly practicing in or near San José. Costa Rica is also becoming increasingly popular for eye surgery and other elective procedures, such as bariatric surgery (for weight loss) and orthopedics. For medical travelers heading to Costa Rica for surgery, CIMA/San José, Hospital La Católica, and Clínica Bíblica are among the medical tourism industry’s top picks.

2. India: India’s medical travel industry, also according to Patients Beyond Borders 2nd Edition, is growing at an annual growth rate of 30 percent per year. Largely responsible for that growth is the increasing number of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans seeking treatment there. Particularly, India has become a hub for patients seeking cardiac and orthopedic surgeries, which are on average 80 percent less expensive when compared to the cost of treatment at home, based on estimates from Satori World Medical. In particular, India offers among the best cardiac care in the world with Centers of Excellence, such as Wockhardt Hospital (Mumbai), Apollo (New Delhi and Chennai), and the Asian Heart Institute (Mumbai) at the top of the list.

3. Turkey: For surgical procedures, ranging from orthopedic and cardiac, to cosmetic surgery, Turkey is an excellent choice. In fact, Turkey now has more than 30 Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited hospitals and healthcare facilities. JCI is the international arm of the U.S. hospital accrediting body, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), ensuring the highest standards in quality and patient care. Prices in Turkey are very competitive, and the quality of healthcare is consistently outstanding. Two of the top-rated hospitals in Turkey that are highly recommended are Acibadem Healthcare Group and Anadolu Medical Center.

4. Mexico: More and more American patients are opting to travel to Mexico for plastic and cosmetic surgery, dentistry, weight loss, and orthopedic surgery. Mexico is popular for medical tourists because it offers high-quality healthcare services within close proximity to U.S. and Canada. For U.S. patients who appreciate shorter flights and travel time, Mexico is an ideal choice. According to JCI, there are now eight JCI-accredited hospitals and medical facilities in Mexico. For patients seeking surgery in Mexico, two hospitals that Satori World Medical recommends are Christus Muguerza and Hospital San José Tec de Monterrey.

5. Singapore: According to Patients Beyond Borders, Singapore has been an international healthcare destination since the 1980s. In 2006, more than 400,000 international patients visited Singapore. The country offers 13 JCI-accredited hospitals and centers, specializing in a variety of practice areas, from orthopedic and spine surgery, to cardiac care and women’s procedures. Medical travelers considering Singapore as a destination will receive high quality care at any of the JCI-accredited hospitals throughout the country. Among them include National University Hospital and Parkway Group Healthcare, Asia’s second largest hospital network.

Regardless of where medical travelers choose to go for their surgical procedures, they should always first contact a professional global healthcare company, such as Satori World Medical, to coordinate every step of their trip and ensure that all important details are taken care of.

By Conni Nelson, Satori World Medical

A few weeks ago, I discussed the financial burdens of America’s escalating healthcare costs on today’s early retirees and the employers funding their health plans into retirement. This has become an increasingly pressing issue for the 3.8-million early retirees in the U.S., between the ages of 55 and 64, who do not yet qualify for Medicare and are being forced to now carry a greater portion of their own medical expenses into retirement.

One promising solution to this problem, which I discussed in my previous blog post, is medical travel, whereby patients travel internationally to receive quality healthcare at a fraction of the cost than in the U.S. So, now I’d like to delve into specifically why early retirees are especially ideal candidates for medical travel.

•  Early retirees are more likely to need common surgical procedures, which fall within the specific specialty areas of many of today’s Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited, international hospitals: It is a well-known fact that as people age, they become more susceptible to health problems. According to the American Heart Association, for instance, U.S. heart disease accounts for nearly $438 billion in medical procedures, and more than 38 million American adults age 60 or higher have one, or more, types of cardiovascular disease. Cost-prohibitive surgical procedures are much less expensive in other parts of the world. A prime example is heart surgery in India. The quality of care and patient outcomes in India’s hospitals are among the best in the world. Yet, the average heart procedure in India costs a tenth of what it would for the same procedure in a top-rated U.S. hospital. An article published last year in Health Affairs offers an interesting perspective on this.

•  Growing prevalence of U.S. employers that are reimbursing their employees for participation in a global healthcare program: Many of the common procedures that early retirees need are also eligible for reimbursement by an employer to the employee through a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). These funds can then be used to cover the patient’s future medical expenses for years to come. Specifically, under Satori World Medical’s proprietary business model employers will fund a portion of the savings to their employees through a HRA and, as an added incentive, waive all out-of-pocket costs including co-pays and deductibles when an individual selects the Satori Global Network™ for their medical procedure.

•  Early retirees have more free time than other demographics: Medical travel programs are also a good fit for people in early retirement because they generally have more time to travel. Therefore, they are more likely to participate in a medical travel program. Additionally, early retirees are typically on a fixed income and would greatly benefit from the economic incentives available through a global healthcare program which can supplement their existing incomes into retirement.

Unfortunately, the rising costs of healthcare continue to place a significant burden on many early retirees and their employers. However, the good news is that access to high-quality, affordable healthcare is available throughout the world, and for many reasons medical travel is an ideal option suited for Americans entering retirement.

By Keith Mendoza, Director of Sales, Satori World Medical

An article published by The Associated Press earlier this week, entitled “Insurers aim to save from overseas medical tourism,” by Tom Murphy, discusses why more U.S. insurers are starting to offer medical travel programs as part of their existing health plans.

According to the article, the four largest commercial U.S. health insurers — with enrollments totaling nearly 100 million people — have either launched pilot programs offering overseas travel or explored it. Several smaller insurers and brokers also have introduced travel options for hundreds of employers around the country.

However, in his article, Murphy also points out that growth of medical tourism within the insured market has been slow in part because patients and employers have concerns about care quality and legal responsibility if something goes wrong. Also, patients who have traditional plans with low deductibles may have little incentive to take a trip.

I completely agree that these are valid and important issues that anyone should address and consider before participating in a global healthcare program. Leading global healthcare companies, such as Satori World Medical, are addressing these common reservations by developing global healthcare networks to provide patients access to high-quality care, as well as provide more incentives for employees/individuals when they choose to travel for medical care.

First I’d like to comment on the issues of medical quality and patient safety and how medical quality is being addressed by today’s global healthcare companies. Our company has established a high-performing global healthcare network of Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals. JCI is the international accreditation arm of the U.S. hospital accrediting body, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), which works to ensure that all international hospitals meet the same quality and safety standards as leading U.S. hospitals.

Other key features of Satori World Medical’s Quality Assurance Program™ include a highly qualified Medical Quality Advisory Board, full-time Chief Medical Officer (CMO) on staff that is a Board Certified surgeon, and onsite due diligence visits made by our CMO to each of our network hospitals. As part of our program, Satori World Medical arranges follow-up care for every patient before he or she even leaves the country.

But that then begs the question, even if the quality of care is high why would somebody choose to undergo a surgical procedure outside the U.S. unless he or she had a meaningful incentive to do so? This is one of the biggest challenges to integrating medical tourism programs into the insured marketplace.  Satori World Medical has created a unique financial shared savings model that offers employees a direct financial incentive for choosing to undergo surgery at any of the hospitals within the Satori Global Network™. We feel that providing not only the employer and payor with a meaningful economic benefit to participate in our medical travel program, but the employee as well, is critical to ensuring our program’s widespread adoption within the insured marketplace.

Through Satori’s Health & Shared Wealth Program™, U.S. employees actually share directly in the economic benefits of medical travel. Through the Satori program employees are eligible to receive thousands of dollars funded in a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) by selecting the Satori Global Network™. Qualifying procedures include cardiac, orthopedic and spinal surgeries that are typically expensive within the U.S hospital system.

Additionally, there is no recurring monthly or fixed cost to employers or payors to integrate the Satori Global Network™ into their existing health plan design. On average, the cost savings per procedure, range anywhere from 40-80 percent, including the costs of travel and hotel accommodations for the patient and a companion.

We applaud the Associated Press for focusing on this important topic and as the industry continues to mature, look forward to seeing more U.S. employers, payors and patients benefit from global healthcare programs.

By Conni Nelson, Satori World Medical

Faced with the unrelenting rising costs of healthcare in the U.S., affordable medical insurance remains a critical issue for millions of early retirees (ages 55 to 64) who are not yet eligible for Medicare benefits. Currently there are about 80 million baby boomers heading towards retirement, and an estimated 3.8 million early retirees and dependents that rely on their employer for some sort of health insurance.

But with medical costs increasing at staggering rates and more companies significantly scaling back on retiree health benefits, the status of employer-sponsored retiree medical coverage has become an issue of considerable concern.

In fact, according to Reuters, a recent study conducted by Fidelity Investments, the world’s largest mutual fund company since 2002, the amount retirees need to cover healthcare costs has risen 6 percent a year on average in the U.S. — about double the average U.S. inflation rate in that period.

In response to the rising costs of healthcare and loss of medical benefits into retirement, global healthcare benefit programs are becoming an intriguing option for more U.S. companies due to the enormous cost savings available on high-quality medical care in other countries around the world.

For instance, heart surgery in Singapore, Thailand, or Turkey costs anywhere from 40 to 80 percent less than in a U.S. hospital (including the costs of travel, hospital fees, etc. for the patient and a travel companion). Meanwhile, the quality of care delivered rivals many leading U.S. hospitals.

These hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the global arm of the organization that accredits U.S. hospitals. They have U.S./U.K. trained and Board Certified surgeons, medical staff that is fluent in English, state-of-the-art amenities, and the latest innovations in medical technology and techniques. Many of these hospitals even have direct affiliations with top U.S. hospitals and medical universities, such as Johns Hopkins, Harvard Medical and Tufts University School of Medicine, to name a few.

Many common procedures that early retirees need, such as orthopedic and cardiac procedures, are eligible for reimbursement from their employer via a tax-advantaged Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). These funds can then be used to cover the patient’s future medical expenses for years to come. Specifically, under Satori World Medical’s proprietary business model employers will fund a portion of the savings to their employees through a HRA and, as an added incentive, waive all out-of-pocket costs including co-pays and deductibles when an individual selects the Satori Global Network™ for their medical procedure.

As a result, not only does the employer and payor receive a financial benefit through dramatically reduced healthcare expenses, but the employee does as well. This offers early retirees a real and meaningful financial incentive to opt for receiving medical care outside the U.S. Meanwhile, there is no cost to the employer or plan sponsor to provide this benefit option to retirees as part of their existing employee health plan design.

As healthcare costs continue to escalate and more Americans are heading toward retirement, there is now more than ever a need for cost effective alternatives to delivering healthcare.    With high-quality healthcare available outside the U.S., thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses that consumers can save and an economic benefit of $5,000-7,000 on the table to offset future expenses, medical travel is becoming a more attractive alternative for many Americans.

By Steven Lash, President & CEO, Satori World Medical

America’s crippling healthcare costs, coupled with the availability of high-quality medical care in other parts of the world at a fraction of the cost than in the U.S., are just a couple of the key factors fueling an increased national interest in medical tourism.

As the industry continues to mature, more U.S. employers are beginning to offer medical travel programs to their employees as part of their health insurance.  As President & CEO of Satori World Medical, the leading global healthcare company, I am often asked to provide insight into why every employer isn’t offering a medical travel program in their benefit plan design.  It is evident that there is high quality, cost effective health care available outside the U.S, however, common concerns over medical quality, patient safety and a general lack of understanding about medical travel and the differences that exist among the various facilitators, seem to be challenges to widespread adoption. That of course then raises the question:  How are these challenges overcome? So, let’s explore each of these specific concerns, and their possible solutions.

Medical quality and the lack of universal quality standards in place for medical travel:  There are well-respected regulatory agencies around the world, such as Joint Commission International (JCI), established to ensure high-quality standards in medical care at international hospitals. However, medical travel companies and international hospitals are not actually required to meet any specific universal set of quality guidelines. So how does one ensure the quality of care for a patient undergoing surgery in a foreign hospital? Well the answer to that question is to be well informed about the specific quality assurance programs that different medical travel companies offer.  Only participate in a global healthcare program that SOLELY contracts with JCI-accredited hospitals, conducts regular on-site due diligence visits to every international hospital within its network, and has a full-time Chief Medical Officer on staff that is a Board Certified surgeon.

Lenient malpractice laws in some foreign countries and financial protection if something goes wrong: Another common concern among patients considering medical travel is built-in protection from an unforeseen health complication that might take place while they are traveling or receiving care in a foreign hospital. Patients should protect themselves from such risks by 1) participating in a program like Satori World Medical, which follows the same quality standards as today’s leading domestic health networks and 2) verifying that the company offers a comprehensive personal accident insurance policy in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.

The stresses and safety of international travel and long flights: Patients also commonly fear the stresses and health issues that can occur when traveling to foreign countries or taking long flights. Patients can avoid this problem by choosing a medical travel company or program that does all of the planning and legwork. A couple of important questions to ask include:

-   Does the company offer a comprehensive, preliminary medical screening of all patients to assess their overall health and determine whether they are eligible candidates for medical travel? If so, what does that process entail?

-   What are the types and levels of services provided to ensure a comfortable and safe medical travel experience? For instance, only work with a company that handles all details for patients and their travel companion, such as making flight reservations and hotel accommodations, arranging ground transfers to/from the airport, etc. Also, inquire about whether the program covers the cost of a travel companion. Travel companions are important to helping medical travel patients feel safe and comfortable.

When it comes to all matters of healthcare, knowledge is the key to success. While there are certainly understandable concerns surrounding medical travel, with the right information and decisions, medical tourism can be an extremely safe and viable cost-saving option for many U.S. companies.