Best Medical Treatment in India for Foreigners

Medical tourism in India is a growing sector. Defined as the phenomenon when people go abroad to obtain medical treatment, it has become the latest buzzword in the healthcare industry. This has led to the rise of the misconception that it is perhaps an untrustworthy sector, for it is still in its infancy. The reality is far from it. While yes, perhaps the term “medical tourism” is fairly new, the idea itself is not. The first documented cases of medical tourism can be traced back to the height of the Greek Empire, with pilgrims traveling from eastern Mediterranean to Epidauria searching for cures for their ailments. Further, although historically medical tourism has indeed been linked to the phenomenon of people from developing nations going to prominent medical centers in developed nations, with time, and perhaps as a result of unfettered capitalism, the tide itself is shifting. Every year more people arrive in the other half, looking for cheaper, more accessible healthcare. And this is where India comes into the picture.

There are several advantages of medical tourism in India. As a result, over the years, medical tourism from Africa to India and from countries such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iraq, Maldives, Oman, Yemen, etc. have been on the rise. Further, affordable medical treatment packages have also attracted patients from developed nations such as US, UK, Germany, as well. Not only healthcare services in India are available at a cost-effective rate, especially when compared to the West, they are delivered by world-class, highly skilled, and trained professionals. Some of the most popular and best medical treatments in India for foreigners include heart bypass surgery, knee replacement surgery, breast implants, liposuction, IVF treatment. For the purpose of comparison, compare the following: a heart bypass procedure can run up to US$ 144,000 in US when it can be done in India for US$ 5,200; a hip replacement surgery can cost up to US$ 50,000, when in fact it could be done in US$ 7,000 in India; lasik (for both eyes) cost about US$ 4,400 in the US, when it costs only US$ 500 in India.

It is important to note that the low cost of these services does not mean low quality of services. Healthcare is cheap in India as compared to other “western”/”developed” countries because of lower labour costs. A large population means a large batch of readily available pool of labour – doctors, nurses, janitors, etc – and this brings down the cost per head per hour, especially when compared to the West. Further, low labour costs bring down the taxation on the same since the two are directly correlated.

Streamlined processes, advanced technologies, state-of-the-art infrastructures, specialised & interdisciplinary care, along with highly knowledgeable and skilled doctors, supported by a thoroughly trained and compassionate staff makes India one of the premium destinations for healthcare service providers in the world. India has an abundance of highly skilled professionals. In fact, we've got so many talented doctors, the new stereotype of "doctor" in Hollywood is that of an Indian. Further, although India is a land of diversity and thus has thousands of languages – the Constitution itself mentions 22 “scheduled” languages – English is widely used as the language for official correspondence. Most Indians receive all of their education in English and thus are quite fluent in it. Further, the best hospitals in India are well equipped in dealing with regular influx of medical tourists who have specialised teams trained to make the patient comfortable during their stay. Such hospitals have specific programs that take into consideration the cultural and ethnic background of the patients to provide a ‘home away from home’ stay.

It is important to note that owing to its rich tradition of ancient practices such as Ayurveda and Yoga, there are various types of medical tourism in India. India is one of the top destinations for wellness and rejuvenation. Over the last couple of years in particular, thanks in part to globalisation bridging the gap between the “East” and the “West,” the world has taken an interest in not just the science behind the alternative medicinal practices of Naturopathy and Siddha, the history of Ayurveda, and the practice of Yoga, but also in the multi-dimensional concept of physical, mental and emotional well-being and their documented benefits. The country sees a steady influx of tourists from United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, etc. at a number of wellness and rejuvenation resorts across the country, that offer not just the best ayurvedic treatment in India but also personalised wellness programs.

Choosing to opt for medical tourism is not an easy decision. There are, understandably, a number of factors that patients must consider before their trip. With myths and misinformation abound, it is important now more than ever to conduct thorough research. Once these misconceptions are out of the way, you will discover that medical tourism in India 2020 is not only cheap and affordable as advertised, but safe and effective to go with it.

6 Major Differences Between Healthcare in the US and India

Comparing the healthcare systems of two of the world’s largest democracies highlights the changes we can make to improve the infrastructure in our country while bringing to the fore some of our potential strengths. While prima facie, it might appear that the United States has perfected its healthcare spending, access, and infrastructure, recent socio-political movements and the call for universal healthcare by its citizens show cracks in the uthopia.

No doubt, the US holds a significant edge over India when it comes to healthcare services. Perhaps the difference in the availability of doctors per 1000 (0.62 for India and 2.55 for the US) is reflected in the difference between the average life expectancy in the two countries (69 years for India and 78.7 years in US). However, it is important to note how unfair this comparison is. Challenges imposed by a developing economy exert a significant influence over the healthcare system in India. The US, on the other hand, already a “developed nation,” has its own challenges. The following are the differences between Indian healthcare and US healthcare on some key aspects.

1.Public health ecosystem : India lags far behind developed nations in the public health arena. A large proportion of the Indian population still lacks adequate access to proper sanitation, clean drinking water, proper nutrition --  long-standing challenges for the country. While the US has overcome the challenges that obstruct the construction of an effective healthcare infrastructure in a country, it is dealing with its own set of issues, such as limited healthcare access and high expenditure.

 2. Privatisation of Healthcare : Both the US and India lack a universal healthcare system for its citizens. While the lack of a public healthcare system and unfettered capitalism has allowed private firms to run amok in the US, leading to the call for “Medicare For All” by its citizens, in a country of the size and population such as India, the healthcare delivery system is itself driven by two players -- public and private. The government controls the public healthcare system and aims it at providing basic primary and secondary healthcare services to a wide coverage area in the country; the private sector concentrates more with facilitating high-end tertiary and quaternary care in major metropolitan cities.

 3. Out-of-pocket expenditure : A lack of a comprehensive public healthcare system means citizens in both countries are forced to pay out of their own pocket for medical expenditures -- almost 70% in India and around 10-12% for the US.

4. Differentiation in states : Since the US is a federation of states, each state has its own separate rules and regulations. That makes it tricker to have, in the current scenario where there is no public healthcare system in place, a common health insurance policy valid across all states. India, on the other hand, is a republic, and the same rules apply across all states. Therefore, a health insurance policy will have the same rules and regulations across the country. 

5. Healthcare spendings as a % of GDP : In India, the total expenditure on healthcare as a percentage of GDP is just 1.2% of its GDP, while the US spends 18% of its GDP on healthcare. Clearly, from the Indian standpoint, there is considerable scope for improvement. The Indian government’s allocation seems to be lagging on a global level. India needs to first compete with its counterparts before it can aim for the US healthcare spending.

6. Drug prescription :  When it comes to buying drugs, the US laws are quite stringent and require proper prescription from a medical authority. In India, on the other hand, several scheduled drugs and medicines are available without a prescription and this facilitates the illegal sale and use of limited or banned drugs.

Despite all the differences stated above, India still holds certain advantages over the US, especially when it comes to the cost of medical procedures and treatments. For example, when it comes to comparing surgery in India vs US, a heart bypass surgery can cost up to US$ 144,000 in America, when the same can be done in US$ 5,200 in India. Similarly, knee replacement surgery can cost anywhere around US$ 50,000 in America. The same procedure can be done in US$ 6,200 in India. Affordable and attractive packages have helped boost medical tourism in India and have attracted patients not just from its neighbours like Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iraq, Maldives, Oman, Yemen, etc, but also from developed nations such as the US, the UK, Germany, etc. Further, India has an abundance of highly skilled professionals. In fact, we've got so many talented doctors, the new stereotype of "doctor" in Hollywood is that of an Indian. No doubt, the plethora of Indian doctors in the USA has also helped boost their healthcare system as well.

Healthcare in India is one of the country’s largest sectors, both in terms of revenue and employment. While on the revenue side of things, the healthcare market is expected to increase threefold to US$ 133.44 billion by 2022, on the employment side, the number of doctors – not counting nurses and other support staff – has seen an increase from 827,006 in 2010 to 841,104 in 2017. With a rise in investments both from public and private bodies to capture this market, the healthcare industry is expected to grow exponentially. We might not be there yet and there is indeed a considerable scope of improvement, but we are on the way for sure.