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Andhra Pradesh
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Hyderabad
Concept failed to ‘mature’ due to lack of synergy between Tourism Department and hospitals Insurance companies prefer sending patients only to JCI certified hospitals 
Health trail: Patients at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad. HYDERABAD: A decade back, when medical tourism was introduced in twin cities, it was touted as the next big sector, with a potential to match the growth of information technology and biotechnology. Ironically, IT and biotech have forged ahead, while medical tourism is still struggling to emerge out of its embryonic state. Presently, flow of foreign patients can be at best described as ‘modest’. In a day, only about 15 to 20 patients from Bangladesh, Middle East, Sri Lanka, are admitted at Apollo, Care and L.V. Prasad Eye Institute. Given the presence of best doctors, when compared globally, this is modest. Patients from Europe and U.S, with a lot of wealth to spare for tourism, are few and far between. Authorities admit that the concept has failed to ‘mature’ due to lack of synergy between Tourism Department and hospitals. “Despite top-notch facilities, foreign patient flow here is not even one per cent of Bangkok, where this concept was introduced recently,” is a common refrain among officials. Although services are cheap, professionalism and savvy promotion have been found wanting, they feel. Food, language, hygiene and efficient approach towards simple things like picking patients from international airport and smooth handling of ‘travel papers’ at immigration, continue to hamper the sector. Absence of sustained marketing of tourism and healthcare potential of India in Europe and U.S. is also a reason for lukewarm response. “Our tourism potential is great and it has to be linked with healthcare system, which is best globally. Government has to play a big role. It’s a matter of taking planned and systematic approach towards it,” feels Dheeraj Gorukanti, Director (Business Development), Yashoda Hospitals. Corporate hospitals did their best to expand facilities and even took Joint Commission International (JCI) certification, a US-based healthcare accreditation provider. JCI certification is a must, as insurance companies prefer sending patients only to JCI certified hospitals. “We have JCI certification, exclusive chefs and wards and interpreters. But we need to offer more like a tourist package, where we lack,” summed-up General Manager (International Marketing) Apollo Hospitals’ Radhey Mohan.
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