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Vacations geared to surgical precision
By Joy Lu (HK Edition)
Updated: 2009-06-12 07:36
HONG KONG: If there was a book citing destinations for so-called medical tourism in Asia, Taiwan probably wouldn't be among the first places mentioned. Medical tourism is no joke. It's a rapidly expanding field and many countries and regions are looking for a slice of the action. India, Thailand and Singapore already are vying to attract medical patients from wealthier nations. South Korea has become established cosmetic surgery Mecca for aspiring Asian beauties. There's Hong Kong, where private hospitals were accredited by the trusted Trent scheme of UK by 2001. Even the Chinese mainland has established a reputation for its cutting-edge stem-cell therapy. With the Taiwan government putting medical tourism on the agenda for economic development only two years ago, Taiwan is a late comer. "Taiwan hospitals used to be all about health care for local people. We didn't realize we could develop medical tourism until we saw many other Asian countries had been doing it for years," said Chao Heng-tai, Taipei Medical University Hospital's Director of Business Development. Medical care is an area in which Taiwan takes great pride. "The National Health Insurance" (NHI) was introduced in 1995. Today, 99 percent of Taiwan residents are covered and high-quality health care at reasonable prices is pretty much taken for granted. The Economist once ranked Taiwan's health care system the second best in the world. NHI leveled the playing field and cultivated a good competitive environment for Taiwan hospitals. By setting a standard fee table for procedures, "the Bureau of National Health Insurance" has effectively upheld the transparency of hospital charges, Chao said. Competitive pricing is probably Taiwan's biggest draw for patients. Chao estimated surgery in Taiwan cost only a third of similar procedures in the US. Even when compared with Asian peers including Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong, the pricing is about 30 percent lower. "And English is no problem to Taiwan doctors. Most of them have been trained overseas," he said. But low prices alone are not enough to lure patients across borders. Another key consideration would be hospital's specialty, said Huang Chih-kun, Chief of E-Da Hospital's International Endoscopic Obesity Center. It may sound strange for patients in one medical-tourism capital to venture into another territory for treatment. But in practice, it makes perfect sense. "Because each hospital has its specialty," Huang said. The minimally-invasive gastric bypass surgeries at E-Da, for example, are available from only one doctor in Hong Kong. "In Hong Kong, it would cost NT$400,000-500,000 ($12,000-15,000). In Taiwan, it's NT$300,000-400,000. NT$100,000 is a good reason to have the operation in Taiwan," he said. Privacy is also an factor. "Many people don't want their conditions known ... If they have the operation in Taiwan, they have a great excuse for disappearing for a few days: a holiday in Taiwan," Huang said. The Kaohsiung-based E-Da is one of the first in Taiwan to tap the overseas markets, with patients from Hong Kong, Chinese mainland, Australia, New Zealand as well as the US. The hospital's mother company, E-Da Group, has embarked on a project to build a 1,000-bed hospital to treat cancer patients from all over the world, Huang disclosed. Huang said US insurer Blue Cross is in talks with E-Da on plans to refer underinsured American patients to the hospital, he added. "Insurance companies, medical tourism agencies and online will become three important channels for patients to find Taiwan hospitals." Michelle Chow, a project manager of Taiwan Non-governmental Hospitals and Clinics Association, said its 30 member hospitals' international tourism revenue totaled NT$530 million last year. The estimate for this year is NT$630 million. Huang has high hopes for Taiwan's medical tourism. Aside from low price and high quality, the fun element of medical tourism is also in favor of Taiwan. "Taiwan is a beautiful island with beaches and mountains. And Taiwan is famous for its cheap, delicious food. This is also an attraction," he said.
(HK Edition 06/12/2009 page2) |
