By Angie Robert, Director of Marketing & Communications at Satori World Medical

Follow Global Health Networks and Medical Travel on LinkedIn for news on the medical travel industry, lively discussions, and the latest updates on Satori World Medical.

Global Health Networks and Medical Travel

As the cost of U.S. health care continues to climb, more Americans will turn to alternative solutions, like medical travel. This group will address the growing interest in global health care and medical travel, and help industry participants stay informed of timely discussion, news and trends.

Click here to join: http://www.linkedin.com/e/-koh5ys-gdhu2k59-4w/vgh/3356225/

By Angie Robert, Director of Marketing & Communications at Satori World Medical

Buncher Brings Nearly 40 Years of Health Care Management Experience

Satori World Medical, the leader in medical travel, announces the appointment of health care management leader James Buncher to its board of directors.

Spending nearly 40 years in the formation, financing and delivery of health care, Buncher will provide strategic input on the development of Satori and the overall Satori Experience™.  

“Jim’s joining the board comes at an exceptional time of growth for Satori,” said Steven Lash, president and CEO, Satori World Medical. “Jim has experience in successfully leading health care organizations, including his most recent position as CEO of Safeguard Health Enterprises – a dental and vision insurance company. We are expanding our dental network worldwide and his expertise in the dental industry will prove to be valuable in the build-out of this program.”

 Read the full press release here: http://www.satoriworldmed.com/content.php?id=109

Satori World Medical’s Global Transgender Program is pleased to announce the addition of Centre Metropolitain de Chirurgie Plastique by Pierre Brassard M.D., Medical Director, F.R.C.S.C, world-renowned gender reassignment surgeon in Montreal, Canada to our high quality network of hospitals and surgeons.

Satori World Medical’s Global Transgender Program offers individuals access to a high quality network of international hospitals and highly trained gender reassignment surgeons, at a signigicant cost savings of up to 30-50% on surgical procedures when compared to the same procedure performed in the U.S.

High Quality Network of Surgery Centers and Surgeons

With Satori, you have access to high quality surgery centers where procedures are performed in facilities designed to cater to U.S. patients. All surgeons are U.S./U.K. or equivalently trained and board certified and fluent in English. You can be confident you will receive high quality care.

High Touch Medical & Travel Services

A phone call to Satori World Medical is all it takes. You can focus on getting the care you need and Satori will do the rest. Our team of Gender Transition Advocates (GTA) guide you through every step; coordinating your care, transferring medical records, setting up a conference call with your international surgeon, scheduling your procedure, making hotel and airfare reservations and setting up your follow-up appointment with your U.S. physician upon your return. Our in-country concierge service will take care of your medical transportation needs during your stay.

Significant Savings of 30-50% on SRS Procedures

Typically a procedure in our network costs 30-50% less when compared to the same procedure in the U.S. That savings of 30-50% includes roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations. This savings enables you to finally afford the procedures you need.

For more information on our program contact Kevin Poling, Director of Patient Services at http://satoriworldmed.com/transgender/contactus.htm or (866) 613-9686
Visit us on our website at www.satoriworldmedical.com/transgender

Official Hospital Webpage: http://www.bumrungrad.com/

Bumrungrad International Hospital is a Joint Commission International accredited, multi-specialty hospital located in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. Founded in 1980, today it is the largest private hospital in Southeast Asia, with 554 beds and over 30 specialty centers. Bumrungrad offers state-of-the-art diagnostic, therapeutic and intensive care facilities in a one-stop medical center.

Bumrungrad International Hospital serves over a million patients annually. Over 400,000 of those patients are internationals. They include visitors from 190 countries around the world. The hospital has a medical coordination office staffed by doctors, nurses, and interpreters who serve the special needs of international patients.

The staff of Bumrungrad International Hospital includes over 700+ nurses and 945 doctors, covering 55 sub-specialties. The Red Cross gives Bumrungrad its top classification of “A” – defined as “a tertiary care center which should be able to provide quality care in all medical specialties including invasive cardiology, cardiac and neurosurgery.”

Read more about Bumrungrad International Hospital on the Satori Website

Read more about What to Experience in Bangkok During Your Medical Stay

By, Kevin Poling, Director of Client Relations at Satori World Medical

The trend of medical tourism, where Americans are traveling outside the United States for medical care, is becoming more common due to the high cost of surgery in the U.S. Countries all over the world such as Thailand, India, Costa Rica, and Mexico are world-renowned for their medical and dental care.  Below are a few of the most popular procedures among medical tourists:

• Cardiac Surgery: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease, stroke and other vascular problems, is one of the deadliest and costliest health problems in the U.S. However, top quality healthcare for heart disease can be obtained internationally at a fraction of the cost than within the U.S. The average heart procedure in India costs a tenth of what it would for the same procedure in a U.S. hospital. The Asian Heart Institute, located in Mumbai, India, performs over 1,200 Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) procedures per year. They are affiliated with the prestigious American hospital The Cleveland Clinic, and provide world-class cardiac care. 
• Joint Replacement: Orthopedic procedures, such as hip/knee replacements are becoming more frequent due to the aging Baby Boomer population, and as Americans remain leading active lifestyles. Having an orthopedic procedure can be done overseas in high quality facilities that can save as much as 50% compared to having it done domestically.
• Cosmetic Surgery: Costa Rica, Thailand, Mexico, and Brazil are known for their plastic surgery. Average savings on plastic surgery procedures can be as much a 50%, while the quality of the care delivered rivals that of top U.S. hospital institutions. Top plastic surgery procedures include tummy tucks, breast augmentation, facelifts, and rhinoplasty.
• Dental Procedure: Having dental work done abroad has become popular since most health insurance plans do not cover dental procedures and the average cost savings for dental treatments can be as much as 75%, when compared to the cost in the U.S. Every year, highly trained reconstructive and cosmetic dentists provide dental treatments to thousands of patients travelling abroad for economical dental procedures. Popular dental tourism locations include Mexico and Costa Rica.

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

 In 2008 and 2009 the American Medical Association (AMA) and American College of Surgeons (ACS) issued guidelines on medical tourism, the rapidly growing trend of traveling outside the US for medical care.  These guidelines were in favor of patient choice and focused on quality of care and patient safety.  Now the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) is advising patients who are seeking surgical care internationally to help them make informed decisions.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists is an educational, research and scientific association of physicians organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient.

Below are a few of the questions the ASA suggests asking before traveling abroad for surgical care and how Satori World Medical meets or exceeds these criteria.  For the complete list of questions, click here.

Are the physicians who will be performing the procedure licensed specifically for the procedure, and is the facility accredited by a reputable organization such as the Joint Commission International (JCI)?

Find out what professional memberships, training and qualifications the physicians hold (e.g., surgeon, anesthesiologist, etc.).  Choosing an accredited facility ensures that the hospital proved it met certain standards of care intended to keep patients safe.  While most hospitals feature this information on their Web sites, you can find those accredited by JCI at www.jointcommissioninternational.org.  You should also make sure to research mortality rates, infection rates and other performance measurements.

As a quality baseline or “gating” issue, Satori World Medical only contracts with international hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) that accredits all US hospitals and healthcare organizations.  JCI sets over 350 standards of excellence for international hospitals to meet that ensure the quality and safety of patient care.  Moreover, our network of International Centers of Excellence have leading-edge technology, departments designed to cater specifically to international patients, and teams of US/UK or equivalently trained and board certified physicians that are English speaking.

Have I considered working with a medical tourism company?

Medical tourism service providers can guide you through the process by doing everything from transferring your medical records, to coordinating your travel logistics.  It is critical that you research them carefully because, as is the case with hospitals, they can vary in quality of service.  As a first step, you should check with the hospital where you are having the procedure, as it likely has a dedicated medical tourism group.

While high-quality care is available at many hospitals around the world, not all medical travel programs offer the same level of quality.  Satori World Medical has a robust quality assurance program and a strong patient advocacy and support program in place.  Satori’s primary focus is providing access to the highest quality patient care.  Our company has developed a proprietary quality management system which includes ongoing quality audits as well as a Nurse Patient Advocacy Program.

Who will be traveling with me for this procedure?

A support group can play a significant role in the overall outcome and experience associated with having a medical procedure abroad. If possible, patients should identify a family member or friend who can accompany them.  In addition to ensuring patients are receiving the best care possible, they can also play a motivational role, which can make the experience more comfortable and decrease recovery times.

Fundamental to Satori’s Business & Care Model is the belief that a companion should accompany the patient while traveling internationally for medical care, enhancing the ease of their trip, comfort, and quality of life while abroad.  Satori’s innovative model includes the cost of hotel and travel accommodations for the patient’s companion.

“With President Obama’s crusade for lower health costs in full swing, many Americans are left wondering where they’ll find quality treatment.

The answer is likely south – as in, yes, Mexico – but trends indicate the border-crossing phenomenon may also be growing at home.

There was a time when traveling across the border for prescription drugs or dental treatment –  much less a surgical procedure – meant returning with a botched boob job or worse, but many U.S. tourism companies are taking the plunge, sending their clients to Mexico, Costa Rica and beyond for medical treatments that rival those at American hospitals at half or even one-third of the cost.

A San Diego-based medical tourism company, Satori World Medical, offers a procedure list that includes everything from plastic surgery to spinal fusion at 40 to 80 percent of the cost of the same procedure done in the U.S…”

Click to read the full article on San Diego News Network

By Keith Mendoza, Director of Sales of Satori World Medical

The continual rise in employer-funded healthcare costs has prompted more U.S. companies to explore innovative alternatives to traditional health insurance plans. As such, insurance brokers and advisors are continually looking to partner with companies that can provide solutions that lower employers’ healthcare costs while offering benefit programs that their employees will value.

Employers are now integrating medical travel programs into their benefit plan designs. Through such programs, their employees have the option to travel to international Joint Commission International (JCI) hospitals to undergo select surgical procedures at an average cost of 40-80 percent less when compared to a hospital in the U.S. That 40-80 percent savings is generated even after factoring in all hotel accommodations and roundtrip airfare for the patient and a companion.

Through medical travel programs, the employee who receives medical care internationally is able to retain dollars they would have otherwise spent if they had chosen to have their procedure done domestically. Employers who have incorporated a medical travel program allow the individual to waive their copays, deductibles and coinsurances. Additionally, a feature that is unique to the Satori World Medical program is its financial sharing concept, whereby a portion of the savings of global healthcare is passed along to the employee through a tax-advantaged, employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). Because the savings of global healthcare are so significant, many employers are establishing HRA’s and funding a portion of the savings generated to their employees.

Here’s how it works: An employee selects the employer option to go to Mexico for a major medical procedure through the Satori Global Network™. All out-of-pocket cost for the individual are waived and the employer deposits a fixed dollar amount (between $5,000-$10,000) in the employee’s HRA, representing an employee’s share of the savings. The funds deposited are tax-deductible to the employer and tax-free to the employee. The employee can then use those funds to pay for future medical expenses, such as premiums, deductibles, co-pays, prescriptions, and more. The funds roll over annually, so essentially the employee can cover their out-of-pocket medical expenses for several years by choosing to go internationally for a major medical procedure.

Why medical travel is attractive to employers and their employees:

• Significantly reduces healthcare cost. Employers have the opportunity to save dollars on their surgical claims experience. Many medical travel programs do not charge a Per Employee Per Month (PEPM) or network access fee. Savings are based on utilization, so there is no need to invest dollars in the medical travel program up front.
• Gives moderate income employees the opportunity to hold onto dollars otherwise allocated for out-of-pocket expenses. Typically, medical travel programs waive all out-of-pocket expenses for the employee and offer a cash incentive. A medical travel option empowers employees with the ability to choose where they receive their care based on quality and price. Employees have the opportunity to avoid going into medical debt for a major surgical episode. 
•  Meets the needs of a culturally diverse workforce. A large share of the workforce in the U.S. is comprised of Hispanics, Filipinos, Asian-Indians, Vietnamese, and Chinese employees. Companies with largely diverse workforces have a vested interest in meeting the health and welfare needs of their employees.

The fact is that opportunities and innovation in healthcare delivery exist all throughout the world, whether it’s in India, Mexico or Singapore. Embracing these opportunities allows organizations to be at the forefront of providing innovative alternatives to lowering healthcare costs. Medical travel essentially is a cost savings strategy that is tangible, and just makes sense.

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 next highlighted destination in the Satori Global Network™ is Metro Manila, which is a metropolitan area home to many neighboring cities including Manila, the capitol of the Philippines.

Your ‘to do list’ while in Metro Manila:

• Visit the Malacanang Palace in Manila
• See the three-century-old Pasig Cathedral
• Browse the Pasig City Museum and Plaza Rizal
• Shop the super-malls in Manila
• Spend the afternoon at Luneta Park, home of the Rizal Monument

Transportation

Transportation in Metro Manila via the roadways can be difficult if you do not leave the driving to the locals. It is best to stick with taxis, buses, minivans or jeepneys – or even the railway systems if you are going longer distances. Transportation in Metro Manila is extremely cheap compared to US standards, and is generally easy to navigate if you know your destination. Driving a car is not recommended for those who do not know the area, as local drivers are very comfortable with the roadways and often follow the driving laws loosely, at best.

Tours

There are many touring packages available in Metro Manila, but some of the places to visit are so large, they are practically tours in themselves! One place that is a must see is the Manila Ocean Park. It is the largest oceanarium in Asia and one of the most advanced. The park is set in a large center which also hosts many restaurants, and a large shopping mall, as well as a hotel. Also, take a tour through Chinatown for a different perspective on Chinese culture, as Chinese presence in the Philippines pre-dates even the arrival of the Spaniards over five centuries ago. All throughout Metro Manila, you can find great cuisine at great prices as well as great shopping, which we will get into next…

Shopping

The Metro Manila shopping experience can please shoppers on both ends of the spectrum. Those looking for high end boutiques and luxury items will be pleased to know that the malls in Manila are an experience like no other. Even when compared to some of the largest malls in the United States, the size of these malls alone is incredible. They contain everything from department stores, to schools, spas, convention centers, apartments, museums, art galleries and more, not to mention the numerous shops and boutiques. It is recommended that you allocate at least half of your day for shopping in any of the major malls. On the other side of the spectrum, you have tiangges. This is more of a bazaar experience. Here, shoppers can bargain with local vendors and even buy wholesale items at dirt cheap prices. You can find almost any item you can think of here, and again, serious shoppers should allocate a lot of time for this shopping experience because there is just so much to browse.

Dining

If you have ever tried Filipino food then you know you are in for a real treat when you visit Manila. The Filipino lifestyle includes a lot of eating – and by this I mean up to five meals a day! When looking for a great dining experience in the greater Manila area, visitors need look no further (please do though!) than the Greenbelt in Makati. Here is where visitors can find the largest variety of foods, from unique and trendy, to traditional and time tested. Another great place to look, especially for a more classy dining experience, is The Fort Strip and Serendra. This is in Global City, Taguig, and offers the newest and most exciting options in entertainment and dining.

View more of Satori World Medical’s popular destinations

References
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila
[2] http://www.manila.gov.ph/
[3] http://wikitravel.org/en/Metro_Manila

By, Keith Mendoza, Director of Sales of Satori World Medical

Approximately 1 million Californians cross the border every year to seek medical and dental care in Mexico, as reported in a study done by UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research. Many U.S. Hispanic employees living along the border have taken advantage of the increasingly popular option of accessing health services in Mexico, given that procedures can cost as low as one third of the price in the U.S. Cultural and linguistic preferences are also other strong motivators for Hispanic employees seeking medical care across the border.

Through The Satori Cross Border Network™, employees will gain access to high quality providers which include SIMNSA – Sistemas Medicos Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. SIMNSA physicians and clinics in Tijuana, Mexicali, Rosarito and Tecate. Members can choose over 200 certified physicians across the U.S.-Mexico border. This gives U.S. Hispanic employees & their dependents, who prefer to receive their care in Mexico, access to quality medical care at a reduced cost. Moreover, all network claims are submitted to the plan sponsor in English using U.S. insurance industry standards.

Additionally, employees can choose Satori Global Network™ hospitals for non-emergency surgical procedures at our contracted JCI accredited hospitals, located in the Western Mexico and Costa Rica. Some of the surgical procedures available are Cardiac, Orthopedic, Bariatric and Spine.

Features & Benefits
• Over 200 primary care physicians and specialists along the California/Mexico Border
• Medical clinics are in close proximity to border
• Grupo Medyca, a state-of-the-art outpatient surgical center
• Provides practical and economical healthcare to both employers and their cross border workforce
• Online Lab Results through InterLab , one of the most modern and technically advanced laboratories in Mexico
• Digital Records give any participating physician the capability to view patient’s medical records online, 24 hours a day
• Information Safeguards meets specific HIPAA and other electronic medical record standards

Significant cost savings combined with the access to high quality, culturally sensitive facilities in Mexico makes a Cross Border program an attractive option to the California workforce.

For more information about The Satori World Medical’s Cross Border Network™, visit http://www.satoriworldmedical.com/crossborder or email Keith Mendoza at k.mendoza@satoriworldmedical.com