This recent webcast featured industry expert Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association, who presented "Medical Tourism Facilitators: the Good, the Bad, and the Unknown" an informative and provocative webcast that will provided current and potential medical tourism facilitators with the tools to: Develop Markets Build Trust and Credibility Identify Reliable Providers Understand Complex Arrangements and Medical Procedures Make Life or Death Preparations and Decisions Reduce the Chance of Error and Increase Positive Outcomes Sustain Operations Continue Education and Network Serve as Responsible Industry Ambassadors View the session Questions & Answers and download the whitepaper here: http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com/en/medical-tourism-facilitator-webcast-gbu.html

1. Medical Tourism
Facilitators
Jonathan Edelheit
CEO | Medical Tourism Association®
Jon@MedicalTourismAssociation.com | MedicalTourismAssociation.com

2. • Develop markets.
• Build trust and credibility.
• Identify reliable providers.
• Understand complex arrangements and medical procedures.
• Make life-or-death preparations and decisions.
• Reduce chance of error and increase positive outcomes.
• Sustain operations.
• Continue education and network.
• Serve as responsible industry ambassadors.
The Good, the Bad – the Unknown

3. What Is
Medical Tourism?
• Patients traveling.
• Domestically.
• Internationally.
• For healthcare services.
• Driving Factors -- affordability, accessibility,
or availability.

4. People traveling from one country or city to another country or
city for medical and/or wellness services.
Medical Tourism/Wellness Tourism Defined

5. Who are the Customers?
• Healthcare consumers.
• Cash paying.
• Government paid.
• Insurance company.
• Employer paid.

6. Cash Paying

7. Employers, Governments & Insurers

8. Patient Profile
• Patients traveling.
• Domestically.
• Internationally.
• For healthcare services.
• Driving factors: affordability, accessibility, or
availability.

9. Even super rich & famous travel overseas regardless of access to
quality of care they have in their home country.
Not always about Cost

10. Why Be A Facilitator?
• 50,000-60 million medical tourists -- OECD (Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development).
• Medical tourism is a $100 billion industry and growing
(Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, 2009).
• By 2017, at least $228 billion in medical care is predicted to
leave the United States for foreign markets.

11. Medical Tourism as
Revenue Source
• 1 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2012. Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
• Medical tourists spend 5-10 times more than a traditional tourists. Countries around
the world have reported these figures, which correspond to longer medical tourism
stays at destinations as well as participation in varied recreational activities.
• More than 80 percent of medical tourists who traveled overseas brought a companion
(MTA Patient Survey, 2013).
• 60 percent of medical tourists stay in their destination countries for more than 10
nights (MTA Patient Survey, 2013).

12. Big Spenders!
• Medical tourists spend 5-10 times more than a
traditional tourists (.
• About 92 percent of total medical tourism
spending per patient is less than $30,000 (MTA
Patient Survey, 2013).
• Medical tourists spend between $7,417-$15,833
per trip (MTA Patient Survey, 2013).

13. Value & Growth
of Wellness Tourism?
• $2 Trillion U.S. Dollars, conservative estimate, according to SRI --
independent, nonprofit research organization -- $1 trillion of
which came from the United States in 2012.
• 5 percent annual growth.

14. No Wonder!
• Top priority of most governments – ministries of tourism,
health and economic development.
• Positively impacts local economy – creates jobs.
• Medical tourism is global – both developed and
developing countries have made medical tourism a national
priority.

15. Why Has it Grown So Much?

16. Medical Tourism Stakeholders

17. What Services do they Seek?

18. What Services Do They Seek?
Medical Treatments in Demand with Past Medical Tourists
Source: 2013 Medical
Tourism Survey Report by
George Washington
University School of
Business in collaboration
with MTA.

19. Dental Tourism
• Large savings.
• Fewer liability and quality issues.
• Biggest area for future growth.
• Easy to combine vacation + dental treatment.
• Consumers in developed countries traveling to less-developed nations.
• Example: Western Europe to Eastern Europe, North America to
Latin America.

20. Medical Tourism
Facilitators
• Guide patients through the process of securing and
achieving quality and affordable treatments and
procedures at attractive destinations – both
internationally and domestically.

21. Who Wants To Be
A Medical Facilitator?
• Few children dream about becoming medical tourism facilitators.
• As they mature, the numbers grow.
• By adulthood, so many are entering the field.

22. Medical Tourism Partners
• Work directly with patients.
• Work directly with doctors.
• Work directly with tourism consultancies.
• Work directly with aftercare providers.

23. Facilitators - All Shapes and
Sizes• Medical facilitators belong to large multi-national
corporations.
• Medium-sized companies with fancy internet
marketing strategies.
• Small mom-and-pop businesses.

24. • Individual patients segmented by:
• Medical procedure type.
• Geographic location.
• Demographics, such as age, race, religion, education, income level.
• Psychographics, such as values, interests, attitudes, and lifestyle (holistic
medicine, wellness tourism).
Markets

25. Corporate market Individuals
Relationship driven Service driven
Small target market Larger target market
Longer sales process Shorter sales process
Buying decision based on reducing
costs and increasing profitability
Buying decision often “price” or
“desire” driven
Multiple decision makers One or two decision makers
Meeting face to face with decision
makers
Communication by email and phone is
enough
Differences – Self Funded, Fully Insured, Cash Paying

26. • Percentage, fixed-fee, or for corporate PEPM
• Referral fee -- most facilitators generate income by charging
medical providers a referral fee for each client they send.
This is usually a commission percentage based on the package
price of the procedure, though it can also be a set-fee per patient,
regardless of the cost of the procedure.
• Commissions on lodging and tours.
Revenue Models

27. Domestic Medical
Tourism
• Growing trend within medical tourism.
• Healthcare consumers traveling regionally.
• For example, 40 percent of U.S. employers
will implement in future.

28. Europe – Huge Regional
Medical Tourism Hub

29. Getting Started
• Obtaining patient passports
and visas.
• Booking patient flight and
lodging accommodations.
• Securing patient transportation,
recreational therapy and
sightseeing tours.

30. Price of Success
• Identify reliable healthcare providers.
• Understand complex travel arrangements and medical procedures.
• Breakdown language and cultural barriers.
• Serve as liaison and mediator between patient and healthcare provider.
• Make critical preparations related to life or death.

31. Marketing and Brochures?
• Build beautiful websites and brochures and they will come?
• Send emails to corporate buyers and they will wend patients?
• Don’t travel to meet potential clients?
• Long-term relationship – inviting person from across globe to
take scary trip for healthcare? - “Healthcare Trust.”
• My favorite - random messages to people that are canned.
• “Relationship-driven business.”

32. Internet Marketing
• SEO? Google “Panda” new algorithm.
• Buying leads?
• Advertising on Google?

33. Do You Know Your Stuff?
• Privacy Laws - HIPAA, SOPA, etc. misspelled, not knowing
what your doing.
• Misrepresenting your compliance.
• Do you really have a liability policy or patient waiver? Is it good?
• Does your contract with your hospital protect you?
• Are you “vetting” doctors or letting the hospital?

34. Industry Ambassadors
• Medical tourism facilitators can make the
difference in a patient’s decision to travel.
• Medical tourism facilitators are the face of the
industry – its promoters and ambassadors.

35. Sounds Easy?
• Some patients have limited or are entirely
without health insurance.
• Some patients need immediate care.
• Most patients are afraid.

36. Medical Tourism Safety?
• Facilitator concerns.
Quality.
Liability.

37. Quality Accreditation
• There are many organizations which grade hospitals
based on a standard. These organizations then grant
accreditation if these standards are met. Organizations
include:
• Joint Commission International (JCI) – some 170 outside
the United States.
• Other International Accreditations.

38. Healthcare Reform in the US
– “Obamacare”
• Healthcare reform doesn’t reduce costs.
• Costs are rising significantly.
• More treatment delays.
• Evolving insurance coverage.
• Confusing.

39. Employers & Insurance
Companies

40. • Future of health insurance policies  global policies
• Many of the policies being developed globally in
developing countries offer “travel benefit.”
• Different levels of policies and travel
• Local.
• Regional.
• Global.
• Local expatriate opportunity
• Whether they are traveling patients or expatriates,
they are all international patients and need special
services.
Global Health Insurance Policies
Opportunities for International Patients

41. Centers of Excellence & Specialization
•Hospitals marketing themselves as centers of excellence.
•Without this - patients are making their own decisions – insurers have no
power to steer hospitals not building brand for specialization.
Global Health Insurance Challenges
Building a Global Medical Network
Contracting with Hospitals Easy? No!!!!

42. Legal Concerns for Medical Tourists
– BEST PRACTICES
• Medical complications.
• Proper waivers.
• Proper insurance.
• Choosing quality hospital.
• Choosing quality doctor.
• Choosing right facilitator.

43. Weakest
Links in Chain
• Some medical tourism facilitators make promises they can’t keep.
• Some medical tourism facilitators are biased toward certain healthcare
providers.
• Some medical tourism facilitators inflate prices.
• No one benefits – not the industry, nor patients or well-intentioned
medical facilitators.
• Fraud - fake clinics, commission-focused vs. quality, stealing money
from patients
• Fake buyers
• Don’t misrepresent your staff or # of patients

44. Why Do
the Right Thing?
• Markets are emerging at destinations all across
the globe.
• Competition for healthcare dollar is peaking.
• Healthcare consumers can no longer be
fooled.

45.  By 2030, almost half of all Americans will
be age 50 or older (approximately 183
million).
 More than six of every 10 “Baby
Boomers” will suffer from multiple
chronic conditions.
 By 2030, 10 times more knee
replacements will be performed.
 Same rise in elderly population around
the world.
Silver Tsunami in Future

46. Ethnic Wellness/Medical
Tourist
• 54.1 percent of Hispanics and 56.8 percent of Asian-Americans
living in the United States said they would consider traveling
overseas for medical care.
• This statistic may remain consistent with other ethnic groups, such as
those from the Middle East and European-Americans.
• No cultural or language barriers.

47. Tourism Has No Role?
Skiing After Knee Replacement

48. 1. Set realistic goals.
2. Develop action plans and
timelines to reach goals.
3. Measure results.
Implementation guidelines

49. • For example:
• Have a well-positioned website up by end of year.
• Visit five hospitals in next three months.
• Contract with 10 hospitals by 2014.
• Service 100 customers by end of 2014.
• Achieve sales of $200,000 by 2016.
• Employ xxx number of people by 20016.
A good idea is to list your goals by year. Also make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable.
Set Realistic Goals

50. • Becoming a successful medical tourism facilitator does not
happen over night.
• The process may take months, and success is often dependent on
external factors, such as the economy, competition, and the
quality of your providers.
Set Expectations

51. Consumer Experience
• All about positive consumer
experience.
• Word-of-mouth industry.
• Over-deliver/exceed
expectations.

52. Action Plan
• Develop business plan.
• Identify target market.
• Identify healthcare consumer
market “needs.”
• Choose destinations and
partners.
• Begin marketing.

53. Solutions Unanswered
• 36 percent of all medical travelers are satisfied with
their facilitators.
• Medical knowledge, availability and attention to
detail leave much to be desired (2013, MTA Medical
Tourism Survey Report).

54. Industry Beacons
• Enroll in continuing education.
• Achieve certification status.
• Attend conferences.
• Network.
• Set an example.
• Learn from other facilitators and network.

55. International Healthcare
Research Center
• The International Healthcare Research Center (IHRC) promotes
and provides transparency and improves global healthcare
quality, population health management, expanded access to care,
and the consumer healthcare experience. IHRC is a 501c (3)
nonprofit research center, headquartered in the United States.

56. Platform to Gain Connections
to Succeed in Medical & Wellness Tourism Industry
6th
World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress
Las Vegas, Nov. 3-6, 2013
www.MedicalTourismCongress.com

57. • Up to 2,000 attendees
• 100 countries.
• More than 100 expert speakers
• Thousands of one-on-one
networking meetings.
• Executive Summits
• Ministerial Summit.
• Medical Director Summit
Event Highlights

58. Benefits of Certification
•Learn medical tourism best-practices.
•Transparency.
•Enjoy two (2) years Medical Tourism Association® membership.
•Be featured in the most relevant directories, MedicalTourismAssociation.com
and Medicaltourism.com
•Continuous Education.
How to Get Certified?
1.Attend 6th World Medical Tourism Congress™ and get certified!
2.Get comfortably certified online at your pace.
Get certified today at: www.medicaltourismcongress.com
Certified Medical Tourism Specialist

59. Real Benefits of CMTS
• Learn: Certification provides education about best-practices and allows you to achieve professional
certification in the medical tourism industry.
• Transparency: Through our examination, you are telling prospective customers that you have been
reviewed by an outside third-party about your knowledge of best-practices.
• Education: Through online continuing education, you will stay up to date on industry updates,
concepts and trends which will help you continuously build your business and improve your business-
practices.
• Network and share: By being connected to the MTA network and certified as CMTS, you enjoy two
years of membership which provides access to our member network, educational resources online, direct
patient inquiries if you are a facilitator or travel agent, and visibility to assist in developing and
delivering your brand in target markets.

60. Diploma

61. Business Card

62. LinkedIn Profile

63. • Increase networking opportunities.
• Access patient leads.
• List your contact information, corporate profile
& logo on main B2B and B2C industry sites.
• Enjoy 2-for-1 registration to World Medical
Tourism Congress.
• Recieve 20 percent discount on advertising in
Medical Tourism Magazine™.
• Access market research, trends & analyses.
• Use Medical Tourism Association® logo on your website.
• Get discounts at medical tourism conferences.
• Enjoy educational webinars.
Learn more at: www.MedicalTourismAssociation.com
Benefits of Medical Tourism Membership

64. $200.00 off
Registration & Certification
for the Conference.
Us Discount Code: MTFDISCOUNT
http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/attendee-registration/
Expires 07/31/2013

65. Medical Tourism Facilitator
•Learn how to develop your business and
market.
•Understanding best-practices.
•Looking for the return-on-your investment.
•Identifying current and emerging market
trends in insurance, corporate benefits and
cash-paying patient bases.

66. Membership Categories
• Hospitals.
• Specialty clinics
• Facilitators.
• Corporate members.
• Travel/Hospitality companies.
• Government/Healthcare clusters.
• Industry Associations/Chambers.
• Spa/Wellness.
• MTA-certified members
* Two years of membership for CMTS only.

67. Membership Benefits
• Increase your networking opportunities.
• Gain exclusive access to patient leads and listings on MedicalTourism.com
• List your contact information, corporate profile & logo on MedicalTourismAssociation.com
• Enjoy 2-for-1 registration to the World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress, an
annual MTA event.
• Receive 20 percent discount on advertising in the Medical Tourism Magazine ™, the official
publication of the Medical Tourism Association®.
• Access market research, trends & analyses through our members-only platform.
• Introduction to all members through a customized networking email.
• Use the Medical Tourism Association® logo on your website.
• Get discounts at medical tourism conferences throughout the world.
• Enjoy educational webinars.

68. Thank you
for your attention
Direct questions:
Jon@MedicalTourismAssociation.com
MedicalTourismAssociation.com