Medical Articles

10 tips for doing medical device business in israel

19wiosen.net — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:39:47 +0000

Israel is the only "western" country in the Middle East. With a population of 7.4 Million, it is well known for innovation, both from developing & export, & for technology adoption. The high level of medical care is led by a few university hospitals in the 4 major cities. Being a small country, one may feel that everybody knows everyone.

A few tips that may help a company considering entering the Israeli market:

Regulatory – if you have CE or FDA approvals you shall not have regulatory difficulties.
Reimbursement - Define the procedures of your product, most of the products don’t need special reimbursement (especially if they are a part of the procedure), if you need special reimbursement – it could take 1-3 years, but it does not prevent penetration of the products to the Israeli market to some extent.
Procedures opportunities - Define the KOL (Key opinion leaders) by the number of procedures, their activity and/or by number of patients that they see, not by their name. The use of media for personal PR may bias one away from the real high volume clinicians.
Define the market segment -

The Israeli market offers great opportunities for all the product segments:

ü Low cost products - The health expenditure in Israel is one of the highest worldwide. The MOH and hospitals try to reduce the expenditure on the medical devices.

ü New technologies: The regulatory and the reimbursement allow fast penetration to the market. However, pricing may pose a problem sometimes .But the private market (35% of the procedures) could be a great solution as a first penetration step.

Allocate the distributors – In Israel you will find a large number of medical distributors. You have to be careful, because Israeli people are very ambitious. You have to check their background, their products portfolio and receive recommendation from the KOL. Also, you have to manage a close and friendly relationship with them, while checking the opportunities all the time. It is recommended to allocate distributors who are familiar with the MOH and sick fund system, having a deep understanding in regulatory and reimbursement issues, having a good presence in the private market.
Define early adapters – most of the KOL in Israel are early adapters . But for innovative medical device, one has to define the relevant KOL, with commitment for the products and should have willingness for a long standing commitment, since the chances of moving away are high in case of Innovators.
High end technologies – If you have new technologies (and not “me-to” technologies that compete only in terms of price) divide your target for private market and public market. Technologies are found to grow faster, if penetration is performed via the private market first.
Rabbis – Israel is mainly a Jewish country. Although most of the peoples are not religious, a fair number of people consult with special rabbis known as "medical professionals". Rabbis are giving second opinion regarding the treatment, regarding the doctors & the technologies. In case of innovative, pioneering technologies, after getting the support of the right doctors, it's highly recommended to inform this group of influential people.

When to take your medication

19wiosen.net — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:43:41 +0000

Timing your medication appropriately can be crucial to the success of any treatment regime whether it be to cure a life-threatening condition or simply to alleviate troublesome symptoms.

When best to take a medication depends on the active ingredient, what product form the medication is in, the nature and severity of the condition to be diagnosed, prevented or treated, as well as individual diet and lifestyle. The detailing that your doctor or pharmacist provides often centers on maximizing the effectiveness and safety of the medication.

Getting as much of the active ingredient to be absorbed into the body can be an important goal of correctly timing your medication. Some medication is better absorbed when taken with meals or specific foods while the absorption of others is inhibited when taken in the same way. Extremely little of an osteoporosis medication like Fosamax (alendronate) already ever gets into the body, let alone reaches the bones, under fasting conditions from a single dose. This medication needs to be taken with plain water and without food or other drink, weekly on the same day in an upright position upon first rising. Already more than 99% of a single dose will be excreted out of the body under such conditions and if the medication is taken with food or at other times during the day, the amount absorbed can be further reduced by half or more.

Some medications may be safer to take with food rather than on an empty stomach. In better assuring the long-term safety of a painkiller class of medications known as NSAIDs, it may be advisable to avoid taking the medication aspirin for instance, on an empty stomach and to either take the medication with or after food or together with an antacid.

Active ingredients can require a specific dose and timing strategy to be most effective. This is especially so for different types of antibiotics in treating infections. An antibiotic medication like cloxacillin may require four times a day dosing to maintain effective blood levels in treating a skin infection while ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic of a another class that acts differently, may only require once or twice a day dosing to treat a urinary tract infection.

The product form can play an important role in when and how often a medication is taken. Long-acting, delayed or sustained release preparations can work to release the active ingredients of a medication product differently or consistently throughout a day allowing the medication to be therapeutic despite being dosed only once instead of multiple times in a day. In managing blood pressure for instance, chronotherapeutic medication has been developed to work in tandem with the body's natural circadian rhythms and in effect, to best tackle the peak blood pressure that tends to occur upon awakening. Innopran XL (propranolol) can be taken just once at night before sleeping. Technology allows the release of the medication's active ingredient four hours after taking it, with resulting peak blood levels that coincide with the morning spike in blood pressure.

The nature of a medical condition can also help to determine when it is best to take a particular medication. Cholesterol is synthesized by the body, often during sleep in the night hence the arising notion that it may be most advantageous to dose cholesterol-lowering medication like Zocor (simvastatin) or Mevacor (lovastatin) in the evenings. Conditions like migraine, fever and gout may have acute symptoms that occur unpredictably and can often require medicating regardless of the time of day.

Incorporating individual diet and lifestyle patterns often facilitates compliance with taking medication and can be crucial to effectively treating a chronic condition like diabetes without unduly reducing quality of life. To best control the condition, insulin injections may be administered as well as oral medication taken before, with or after food to coincide with specific anticipated spikes in blood sugar levels. In consultation with the treating doctor, oral medication may be timed with meals or scheduled for consumption either consistently in the morning or the night to facilitate lifestyle and compliance.

When specific medications are used to moderate elements of diet and nutrition, taking these consistently with meals can be important to treatment success. A weight-loss medication like Xenical (orlistat) is often best taken with meals or times of food intake that involve the most consumption of fats as these get bound by the medication and are passed out from the body. The cholesterol-reducing medications colestipol and cholestyramine also act in a similar way and are best taken with meals.

Timing medication for best outcomes can be especially important when having to take five or more medications consistently. In such cases known as polypharmacy, it becomes increasingly important not just to match medicating with specific time slots before, with or after food, but also to space out the different medications appropriately so as to avoid negative interactions that could lead to ineffective medicating or even direct harm to health.

In timing your medication, discuss the various considerations with both your treating doctor and pharmacist. This will optimize a safe and effective medication regime and better your treatment outcomes.

Best places for medical tourism

19wiosen.net — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:54:07 +0000

Medical tourists from different countries travel for health care purposes to those countries having quality healthcare services at reasonable prices. So they spend extra money on travel, health care and accommodations on the places of treatment. Medical tourism is an old concept because thousands of years ago people traveled for medical purposes or for spiritual treatments to different countries. Many factors are considered while choosing a destination place for medical tourism such as high healthcare services and costs, waiting for certain procedures, availability and affordability of international travel, quality and latest technology used in the treatment.

Some of the most popular places include Europe, Japan, Middle East, UK, United States, Canada and Costa Rica. These places are popular due to the quality of their health care services, technology and competency of physicians. The hospitals of Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Cuba and Turkey are popular for Cosmetic surgery treatments. Surgeons of South American countries like Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Argentine lead in plastic surgery due to their experience and knowledge. Plastic surgery is very common in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Colombia and US. Slovakia, Belgium and Poland are entering in the business of health care and medical tourism.

A large number of Americans are going abroad for health care although the facilites of health in US are also availabe. There are many intermediary companies which provide help in medical tourism. These companies offer global health care at reasonable costs. There are different commissions and societies which care for the quality and standards of the hospitals available for medical tourism. Counteries such as Malaysia, Thailand, India and Costa Rica have many infectious diseases as compare to Norht America and Europe . So medical tourists need to stay for some time in the country which they choose for health care because travel soon after surgery can create many complexities. Tourists having breath and heart related problems avoid long flights and combine their vacation tours with medical tours.

th American Places

The quality of healthcare in Canada is not less than that of America but medical tourists can save 30 to 60 percent of their costs as compare to America. Medical tourists can save up to 80 on healthcare services in Costa Rica as compare to US. Costa Rica is popular for cosmetic procedure, dental, weight-loss and orthopedic surgeries. Knee replacement surgery is very cheap so patients travel to Costa Rica for medical tourism. Patients from all over the world travel to cuba for the best quality of healthcare services and fine reputation of their doctors. Medical tourists of Europe and Latin America travle to this destination because of its situation and save up to 60 to 80 percent as compare to the charges in US. The hospitals of cuba are best known for cancer treatment, cosmetic surgery, joint replacement, eye surgery and addictions rehabilitations. the government of cuba has taken many steps to increase income from medical tourism and patients of US, Canada and UK visit cuba for medical treatments. Dominincan Republic is very popular destination for hip replacement, bariatric surgeries, plastic surgeries, knee replacement, eye surgeries and all other medical treatments. Medical tourists can save from 50 to 75 percent as compare to the costs in US. The plastice surgery and dentistry healthcare services of Mexico are appreciated by all the world. The costs of these treatments are one-fourth to one-fifth of American costs. The quality of health care services in Mexico is very high and medical tourists are satisfied.

Quality health services, location and dollar as the official currency are the reasons that Panama is famous for its medical services. The medical professionals of Panama are trained by US and use the latest technology to provide quality healthcare services. Medical tourists can save more than 50 percent of healthcare costs as compare to Europe and US. Dental implants, assisted reproduction, cosmetic dentistry, plastic surgery, cardiology, orthopedics and pulmonology are the popular procedures in medical treatments. Surgeons of Brazil have gained world wide fame in cosmetic surgery.

South American Places

Orthopedic surgeries , Cosmetic surgery, transplant surgery, eye surgery and cardiovascular are popular procedures in Colombia. Healthcare services in Colombia are cheap and foreigners can get human organs from Colombia. The doctors of colombia are experienced and have worked in many counteries of Europe and US.

Asian Places

China has gained popularity in stem cell treatments. The medical professionals of India are popular for hip resurfacing, heart surgery and areas of advanced medicine. The treatment costs in India are very low which is nearly one-tenth to the treatment costs of US. The healthcare service in Malaysia are also very popular and the doctors of Malaysia are trained in the hospitals of US and UK. New Zealand is a popular medical tourism destination for fertitlity treatments and non-acture surgical procedures. The doctors are trained in the hospitals of UK and US. The costs of healthcare services are very low as comparet to US. Thailand is popular in organ transplant and cardiac surgery at lower prices.

Europe

Moreover British and Canadian medical tourists don’t wait long and travel to Germany for medical treatments. Novel cancer and spine surgery are well treated in Germany at lower prices. Dentistry services in ukraine are provided at lower costs. High class material and equipment is used in dental clinics and hospitals.

How india’s mission to be the #1 medical tourism destination can benefit you

19wiosen.net — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:51:42 +0000

Copyright (c) 2008 Medical-Tourism-Guide.com

The Medical Tourism Council (MTC) of Maharashtra has a mission of making India the #1 medical tourism destination in the world. The members are working diligently to bring together corporate interests in both the medical sector and the tourism sector. The vision is to offer world class medical services to foreigners in a land that offers exotic vacations as well.

Countries such as India have been quick to recognize that the Western world is not providing timely and affordable medical care to its citizens. In both the United States and Canada, it is not uncommon to wait for more than 4 months to be seen after a referral is made. Then, there is more waiting time while tests are scheduled. Additional time passes waiting for the test results. If the result is that there is a need for a procedure, it could be several more weeks before surgery is scheduled. Non emergency medical attention may be extended for up to two years. There is basically no wait time in foreign countries such as India.

The MTC is targeting several Western markets. One of those is the 43 million uninsured in the United States. What happens to the average person from a developed country, who is uninsured and in need of a heart bypass? If not aware of the option of medical tourism, the uninsured worker will face the choice of going without the surgery, or of withdrawing his life savings, or taking out a loan in order to pay for the surgery. The same worker can obtain the surgery in another country for $10,000 vs. $70,000 in the US. He can get a knee replacement for $6,000 vs. $50,000! Although still a large amount of money, it is much more attainable abroad than in the home country. The cost of services in India is approximately 1/3 less than other Asian countries that are competing as the destination of choice for medical tourists.

The Medical Tourism Council is also doing heavy marketing campaigns to Western insurance companies. More and more, it is the insurance agent who suggests (and in some instances, mandates) having the surgery done in another country. An increasing number of insurance companies are not only agreeing to overseas medical services, but are advocating or insisting that the patient obtain the less expensive services as a medical tourist. They are recognizing that outsourcing medical services to India will save tens of thousands of dollars in payouts, even if they need to pay airfare in addition to the medical bills.

The Indian Finance Minister recognizes that the opportunity exists to rebuild the infrastructure of the country, by generating medical tourism revenue. While the MTC is busy marketing, the government of India is working to ensure that state of the art facilities are built and that accreditations are secured. India is experiencing a medical tourism growth rate of 15-20% annually, and it is anticipated that 2.3 billion in revenue will be generated by 2012. The monies can then be used to provide a better lifestyle, including medical services, to the citizens of India who are living in poverty. It is anticipated that the flourish in the medical tourism industry will provide 40 million jobs to Indians.

India has long since been recognized for its top education systems. The universities are producing between 20,000 and 30,000 new doctors and nurses a year, designed to staff the state of the art hospitals across the country. Upon graduation, many travel to developed countries for further training. In the past, many of the graduates who have left their homeland to work in the developed countries have not returned to India. They have continued practicing in the developed nations, choosing to reap the benefits of the high salaries that countries such as the U.S. offer. The trend is reversing and now many of the doctors who have practiced as some of the top surgeons and specialists in developed countries are now returning to set up specialty clinics and hospitals. India now offers over 200 specialty services and is recognized worldwide to be on par with the best in the world.

The medical tourist destined for India need only decide which part of India they would like to visit and recover in. For those wanting the hustle and bustle of city life, a destination would be Delhi. Agra offers the medical tourist one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. Rajasthan borders the Thar Desert and has a history of romance and heroism. Goa is the home of miles of golden sand beaches and palm trees, and Kerela is the location of the networking of forty four rivers. Muntui (Bombay) is the equivalent to Hollywood in the United States and is the finance capitol of India. For those wanting to absorb the cultural mecca of India, with music and world class art, coffee and fragrances, one would want to travel to Karnataka, in South India.

The collaborative goal, powered by the vision of the Medical Tourism Council, is to make India the number one destination choice in the global medical community. The low costs and high quality services, the education of world renowned doctors, the cutting edge technology, the state of the art resort type hospitals and the beautiful vacation spots are all being highlighted by the MTC, and India is quickly moving to the forefront of the global medical tourism industry!

Step-by-step guide to medical tourism

19wiosen.net — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 06:15:06 +0000

Going overseas for surgical treatment can be overwhelming for anybody. After all, it’s not like going to a hospital down the road where you have been to before and know all the doctors and nurses. To be successful in your pursuit of low-cost high quality medical treatment, there is a step by step process that you must follow to gain confidence in your decision, get the right care and save money.

STEP 1: FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE TREND OF MEDICAL TOURISM

Find out why everybody is raving about it and why they are willing to travel half the world for it. Learn from the experience of others. Read news and articles on the subject. Check out the frequently asked questions that medical tourists have at https://www.healthbase.com/hb/pages/medical-tourism-faq.jsp.

STEP 2: RESEARCH ON THE MEDICAL PROCEDURE

Find out all you can about the medical procedure in question – problems it solves, follow-up care needed, physical therapy required, etc. This will help you clear 3 doubts: is the procedure right for your condition; are you the right candidate for the procedure; and should you go abroad for it.

STEP 3: FIND OUT IF MEDICAL TOURISM IS WHAT YOU WANT

Medical tourism is not always a good choice for non-emergency medical treatments. Sometimes transportation costs may outweigh the possible savings achievable by going abroad. In some cases, the time required for the surgery abroad may be too much for you to spare. Or, the surgery you need may not be available abroad with a reputable health care provider.

STEP 4: LEARN ABOUT MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS

Some countries have the reputation for top-quality cardiac surgery while others for world-class orthopedics and yet others for cosmetic procedures. So make your selection wisely. Sometimes distance can also play an important role in your decision-making, like in the case of small dental jobs. You should also prepare yourself for culture differences.

STEP 5: LEARN ABOUT INTERNATIONAL FACILITIES AND SURGEONS

When researching on any health care provider try to find answers to the following:

Does the hospital or clinic employ the latest equipments and technology? Do they have expertise in the medical procedure you are seeking? What accreditations and awards do they have? Are the surgeons qualified enough? Where did they receive their education and training?

Answering these questions will give you a fair idea of the standard of quality of the provider.

STEP 6: ARRANGE ALL YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS

You will need them at the time of pre-consultation with your overseas surgeon as well as when you go abroad for surgery. Depending upon the condition you are treating, medical records you may need are: X-Rays, X-Ray reports, MRI's, health histories, photographs, immunization record, prescriptions, etc..

STEP 7: REQUEST AND COMPARE QUOTES

Costs of health care vary from country to country and provider to provider. So request for quotes and compare them. Your selection of a particular provider and country should be based not just on low cost but also on quality as well as distance.

STEP 8: CHECK WITH YOUR INSURANCE FOR COVERAGE

With the numerous benefits that medical tourism offers, today some insurance companies have medical tourism plans. So, if you are covered under an overseas medical treatment plan, your insurer might cover your medical tourism expenses in full or in part. So check with your health insurance company for coverage details.

STEP 9: ACQUIRE YOUR PASSPORT AND VISA

If you and/or your travel companion (if any) do not have a passport, you will need to acquire it. Check with the foreign country’s embassy if a visa is required for entry and apply for it accordingly.

STEP 10: PLAN YOUR ITINERARY

When planning your itinerary, allow ample time for recovery. Be prepared to stay longer/shorter than expected. If you have travel or tourism on mind, allow time for that as well.

STEP 11: BOOK TICKETS AND ROOMS

Book tickets for yourself and your companion. After your surgery, you can choose to relax at a resort or in a hotel or go traveling in the foreign country. So if possible, make arrangements beforehand.

STEP 12: APPLY FOR TRAVEL INSURANCE PLAN

Consider purchasing one of the short-term health and emergency assistance policies designed for travelers. Travel insurance gives medical tourists coverage for unforeseen problems, from a canceled flight to a serious illness.

STEP 13: APPLY FOR MEDICAL FINANCE LOAN

If you do not have enough money for your medical treatment overseas, you may consider applying for medical loan or dental loan. Loan processing companies provide patient payment plans for plastic surgery, dental procedures, bariatric procedures, dermatology treatments, hospital, etc.

STEP 14: PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR RECOVERY

In certain cases, you may need to prepare your home for recovery. For example, if you are seeking affordable hip resurfacing surgery abroad, you may want to rearrange furniture in your house in advance before you leave to aid during the recovery stages.

STEP 15: PACK YOUR BAGS AND TAKE THE TRIP

Ensure that you have packed comfortable clothing. Bring some local currency, travelers checks, and one or two major credit cards. Keep important contact information handy. Bring all the required medical records. Remember to carry all your medical reports as well as any medicines in your carry-on luggage. Finally, take your well-planned medical trip and return home happy and healthy!

The above step by step medical tourism guide will help you with most aspects of medical tourism.

Concept of electronic medical billing with benefits

19wiosen.net — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:18:23 +0000

In the electronic medical billing, complete information about patient are available such as detailed treatment charges, the insurance provider's data and doctors info in the computer system. In the current scenario, most of doctors are able to produce latest medical technology and electronic medical billing to their clients means patients.

With the help of electronic medical billing software system, it allows us to entering absolute information about medical claim billing to the computer system. The medical billing is automatically transferring to the connected telephone line to the remote fax which is produce exact copy of the billing documents. But in the electronic medical billing, there is no requirement of paper at all.

There are some exclusive advantages of electronic medical billing define as under:

You can save training and research time
You can save operational time
You can save time as well save money

The Medical Billing Programs involves following factors:

* Medical Billing and Coding Computer Applications

* Medical Terminology

* ICD-9 Coding

* Advanced Medical Coding

* Medical Office Management

If you are looking for a person who is able to accomplish medical billing requirements or searching for medical billing specialist and medical billing company, then you are at right place because this article will provide it for you. Electronic medical billing is highly growing field in healthcare industry. Every year doctors are spending hours of hours in this task to get the reimbursement as quick as possible.

You can increase efficiency by choose right outsourcing medical billing organization to outsource medical claim processing, medical data entry and medical billing need. You can also find number of offshore medical billing companies in the health care outsourcing industry.

Offshore Medical Billing- is one of the best outsourcing medical billing companies offering a wide range of services. Contact us for more details at: http://www.offshoremedicalbilling.com OR e-mail us at: info@offshoremedicalbilling.com

Offshore medical insurance claim billing at just $2/hr

19wiosen.net — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:30:10 +0000

Medical coding is the process of transforming descriptions of medical diagnoses and procedures into universal medical code numbers. Coding is usually done in the doctor's office or clinic. Doctors provide the codes and outsource their billing to medical billing companies. The concept of medical coding outsourcing is starting from the requirements of additional needs of medical coding specialists to accomplish those other main medical tasks which are managed by the medical coding specialists from healthcare outsourcing organization such as hospitals, private clinics, nursing homes etc. Outsourcing medical coding service has been widely implemented in the medical coding industry today. Currently the trend of medical coding business is growing opportunities for experienced and expert medical coders who are providing medical coding services to those who has required. What are the Benefits of Outsource Medical Coding? Accuracy is important factor in the medical coding services. Through outsource medical coding, you can achieve better accuracy. Get maximum benefits of experienced and certified medical coding specialist who are enabling to do with enough equipments and good infrastructure. Quality audit will make medical coding services accurate and increase the accuracy of coding. Through outsource medical coding; you can get access of latest technology, trained coders, quality controller and proper environment for coding. All this helps you for clearing the claims cleanly. Practices will save money in using medical coding services. Your practice is in business to make money and provide a service. Bottom lines will increase when outsourcing for medical coding. To outsource medical coding to famous and well managed offshore medical coding company, contact our corporate medical coding company. Offshore Medical Billing is a leading outsourcing medical coding organization having more than 17 years of experience in the health care industry. Know more information about our medical coding and get Instant Quote by visit our website at: http://www.offshoremedicalbilling.com/medical_coding_services.php OR Just sends e-mail us at: info@offshoremedicalbilling.com

Medical coverage – benefits of insurance medical care

19wiosen.net — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:56:33 +0000

We often get a very little time from our busy schedules to take care of our health. Worries, anxieties, meeting deadlines and working round the day affects health in many ways. We realize the importance of health only when a disease starts affecting some part of our body; hampering the overall health. In such cases, having sufficient health insurance or medical insurance prove to be of great advantage.

Mediclaim health insurance induces many medical benefits for your absolute well-being. The medical cover of the health insurance or medical insurance policy benefits includes the medical charges in case you have sustained injuries or contracted any disease. In case of a serious injury or disease, you need medical treatment recommended by a medical practitioner. Hence, mediclaim health insurance in such times provides maximum coverage and security.

Medical insurance and cheap medical health insurance covers costs of blood, oxygen, Operation Theater, appliances, anesthesia, X-rays, dialysis, chemotherapy, medicines and drugs, pacemaker, accident insurance, medical insurance, artificial limbs and cost of organs. Those who offer standard Medical health insurance benefits, also provide cashless facility at a variety of hospitals. In this case, those who have tied up with the insurer can enjoy this cashless facility, they do not have to bear a large portion of the amount from their own pocket, because it's directly managed by the Third Party Administrator (TPA).

Mediclaim health insurance plans including cheap insurance plans and other benefits like health care management and medical care also feature as a part of the medical cover for pre-hospitalization (30 days) and post-hospitalization (till 60 or 90 days after release) costs. However, it only covers the disease or accident, for which you were hospitalized. The medical health insurance cover also includes the amount spent for an organ transplant. However, these are payable by the health insurance policy within limits.

Some of the leading private players are taking initiative in health care management and cheap insurance plans. They have started providing medical care, medical benefits, cheap health insurance plans, accident insurance and dental insurances. Medical and Health Insurance in India covers Individual Medical Insurance, Group Medical Insurance and Overseas Medical Insurance. The Medical Insurance cover includes hospitalization charges and repayment of the amount spent in case of diseases or surgeries.

Under a single Health Insurance policy you get dental insurance done. You can compare medical insurance plans and choose the one that is cheap. The private players cover dental treatment, injuries and emergency. Find out a cheap dental insurance policy to cover your treatment costs. Several insurance companies cover accident insurance for both individuals and families. NRI Accident Insurance and Personal Accident Insurance are some of the most popular accident insurance plans on offer. This way you can make a smarter choice with all the innovative plans that are offered and live with peace of mind.

What you need to know about emerging trends in medical tourism

19wiosen.net — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:59:42 +0000

Copyright (c) 2008 Medical-Tourism-Guide.com

Medical tourism is commonly described as the practice of obtaining medical services in a foreign destination. Although this niche market is now being capitalized on and becoming better known, the practice of traveling abroad for services is not new.

Switzerland, in particular, has long since been attracting the rich and famous to its beautiful surroundings, for innovative procedures and a relaxing vacation. There are many sources that site Switzerland as the pioneer of medical tourism.

Medical tourism is not just for the rich and famous anymore, and Switzerland is not the only destination. About ten years ago, countries in Asia realized that the opportunity exists to fill the unmet needs of millions worldwide.

For nearly a decade, the concept of medical tourism has been misunderstood and received bad media coverage in developed countries. Today not only has that trend reversed, but medical tourism is being embraced as a viable option for people in need of affordable medical care. Well known newspapers and television networks are doing pieces medical tourism as a whole and are spotlighting individuals who have taken advantage of the cost saving option.

What is driving the expansion of the medical tourism industry? Countries such as India have been quick to recognize that the Western world is not providing timely medical care to its citizens. In both the United States and Canada, it is not uncommon to wait for more than 4 months to be seen after a referral is made. Then, there is more waiting time while tests are scheduled. Additional time passes waiting for the test results. If the result is that there is a need for a procedure, it could be several more weeks before surgery is scheduled. Non emergency medical attention may be extended for up to two years. There is basically no wait time in foreign countries such as India and Thailand.

Another driving force is the outrageous and ever rising costs of medical insurance. It is not uncommon for a family to be quoted $1,000 or more for monthly insurance premiums, which only covers a portion of the bill, AFTER the $5,000 annual deductible is met! That equates to $17,000 in out of pocket payments before the insurance coverage kicks in. The average worker cannot afford $17,000 and in many instances, that figure far supercedes the annual income! In the United States, there are 43.3 million uninsured people.

What happens then, to the average person who is uninsured and in need of a heart bypass? If not aware of the option of medical tourism, the uninsured worker will face the choice of going without the surgery, or of withdrawing his life savings, or taking out a loan in order to pay for the surgery.

The same worker can obtain the surgery in another country for $10,000 vs. $70,000 in the US. He can get a knee replacement for $6,000 vs. $50,000! Although still a large amount of money, it is much more attainable abroad than in the home country.

Those in the medical tourism industry recognize that time is a precious commodity. Another aspect to the trends of medical tourism is to market to those who have little vacation or sick leave available to them. Multitasking is not new in the business world, and countries desiring to attract the medical tourist are appealing to those who would like to have an exotic and affordable vacation, but may feel they need to forgo it, in light of the upcoming surgery in the spring. Many countries are marketing their accredited, resort type facilities, and the amenities of the surrounding countryside to those in need of medical services.

We are truly living in a global medical community that knows no borders. With the Internet readily at the fingertips of anyone desiring to use it, information about various facilities, services, and destinations can be searched out. An emerging trend is for the facility to offer "inclusive" packages. That is right! You and a companion can now surf the internet and find an exotic location to have your serious surgeries, or one of a more cosmetic nature. On site travel agents are standing by, offering a package that includes discounted airfare, ground transportation, all meals and accommodations in a resort type facility, with internationally trained doctors and medical staff who will be extremely attentive before, during and after your procedure. The price will undoubtedly be about 1/6 of the cost of just the medical procedure in a developed country.

The bottom line is that medical tourism is here to stay. India has a goal of becoming the number one destination in the world. Other countries are setting similar goals. As they begin to compete with each other, vying for our business, services and options are increasing while the costs remain low. Most countries are seeing a growth of 20-30% in medical tourism, as medical services in the Western countries are being outsourced.

Medical malpractice pennsylvania see’s some relief

19wiosen.net — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:30:11 +0000

People living in Pennsylvania know that obtaining and keeping a reputable doctor is harder than it seems. Medical professionals in Pennsylvania have been forced to leave the state because the rate of medical malpractice insurance in Pennsylvania was so high. Pennsylvania doctors could not in effect afford to practice medicine in the state causing reputable doctors to leave. However, with the current medical malpractice insurance freeze apparent more doctors are able to afford practicing medicine, for now at least. What many people might not realize is that the rate of medical malpractice insurance directly stems from the actions of medical professionals. Medical professionals that commit acts of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania directly drive up their own rates. This is because as more acts of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania are incurred, the more their insurance company has to pay out the victims. In severe cases of medical malpractice Pennsylvania, settlements go upwards of $5 millions dollars. And when many of these happen per year, you can see why medical malpractice insurance rates are increasing.

In order for acts of medical malpractice Pennsylvania to decrease, the standards of care from medical professionals need to go up. Paying more attention to detail is a big step that can help to decrease medical malpractice. If medical professionals take more time and care on each patient acts of medical malpractice will go down. The problem with this is that despite the care that doctors provide, all hospitals and individual practices are all businesses, and businesses need to make money. When more time is paid to each consumer, it takes longer to provide care for the gamut of patients. Therefore my conclusion comes to the point that more quality medical professionals are needed in the medical industry. I do not mean that we need cookie cutter doctors being produced quickly in a system that does not value the true worth of a quality doctor. What we need are quality doctors that are able to pay the attention needed to their patients to ensure great care without that little thing called medical malpractice incurring.

With the recent medical malpractice insurance freeze, Pennsylvania has seen some relief. It has seen relief from the decreasing rate of medical malpractice. It has seen relief from better more quality care being instituted in its hospitals and individual practitioners offices. Pennsylvania has seen some relief, but many are worried what is going to happen when the freeze is unfrozen. We are hoping that the officials sorting out the problem are doing a good job in finding a solution to our medical malpractice in Pennsylvania problem. If you have found yourself victim to Medical malpractice Pennsylvania , please don’t hesitate and contact a lawyer as soon as possible. A medical malpractice Pennsylvania lawyer will be able to stand up for you in a court of law and start your path to justice. Don’t let substandard medical professionals get in your way from living a healthy life.