History of Medical Tourism in the Philippines

Friday, January 15, 2010

Philippines had an Initial head start on Medical Tourism

Via Business Mirror:  Although the Philippine government only started promoting medical

tourism in 2006, Philippine hospitals have been receiving foreign patients for over three

decades now. There was a time when some Philippine hospitals were considered the best in the

region, with people from as far as the US seeking medical treatment here.

When Imelda Marcos put up the Philippine Heart Center in 1975, it became an important center

for cardiac care in the Asia-Pacific region because of its foreign-trained medical personnel,

state-of-the-art facilities, and advanced medical care and research. The Heart Center was at the

forefront of developing bio-prosthetic valves and prototype medical equipment. It was a

trailblazer in coronary angioplasty in the region.

Medical tourism in the Philippines 

Although foreign nationals have been coming to the Philippines for medical treatment as early

as the 1970s, medical tourism as a government program only took off in 2006 when the

Departments of Health, Tourism, Foreign Affairs, and Trade and Industry identified the Health

and Wellness Services Program as one of their flagship programs.

The Philippine Medical Tourism Program has four domains: full hospital care and treatment;

specialty clinics (e.g., eye, dental, and cosmetic services); wellness and spa centers; and

retirement and long-term care for the elderly.

According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, cataract surgery costs $950 in

Thailand, $1,424 in the Philippines, and $1,014 in Malaysia. Liposuction in the Philippines costs

$1,400. Patients in Thailand have to spend $1,365 only for the same procedure.

Total knee replacement surgery is more expensive in the Philippines at $5,639, compared to

$5,500 in Thailand and $4,342 in Malaysia. India boasts that its medical rates are 40% to 60%

lower than the rates in the US and UK.

Philippine medical professionals are also fluent in English, which reduces the possibility of error

and misunderstanding between doctor and foreign patient. Medical professionals in the country,

particularly the nurses, are known for their hospitality, skills, and excellent patient care, which

makes them in demand in foreign hospitals abroad. 

Medical Tourism

The Philippines has been growing as a tourist destination of choice for health and

vacation because of our world class physicians, modern technology, and our uniquely

Filipino brand of caring and compassion at great values for money with only a fraction of

the cost in developed countries. We are home to some of the best hospitals and stand-

alone specialty clinics in the world, offering world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities,

topped with the distinct warmth of the famous Filipino hospitality. We also have some of

the world's best spa retreat resorts and tour destinations in this part of the earth.

 Medical Tourism by 2015 Medical Preview  5/18/201

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Manila Bulletin, 18 May 2010 Over the last few years, a new trend in the healthcare industry known as Medical Tourism has gained popularity among highly industrialized countries. Patients from advanced countries seek medical care abroad for various reasons, from reduced costs to the availability of world-class medical facilities and professionals and the much more personal care received from healthcare professionals in other countries. The Philippines has become a significant figure in this industry in the last few years. The most recent projection is that the Philippine medical tourism industry will become a $3-billion industry by 2015, with an average of around 200,000 foreign patients expected to come to the Philippines every year. The promotion of the medical tourism industry started in 2006 when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued Executive Order 372 which aims to develop the Philippines' communication, logistics, and health and wellness industries. Since then, the Philippines has steadily moved up in the regional market with the

continuous renovation and upgrading of its hospitals to meet international standards. In the Central Philippines tourism super-region, there are now 44 hospitals and health facilities accredited for medical tourism by the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Tourism (DoT). Three of these medical facilities have been accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), an international organization providing accreditation for hospitals and other healthcare facilities worldwide. With our state-of-the-art facilities in many hospitals, an expanding pool of competent health care professionals with good English communication skills, reasonably priced medical services, and the innate hospitality of Filipinos, we are bound to be one of the major players of the expanding global medical tourism industry.