Identifying International

Marketing Opportunities
in Medical Services
Ajay S. 4B
Akanksha Sharma 5B
Barkha Jain 16B
Komal Agarwal 25B
Venkatesh Kumar 55B
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE EMERGENCE
OF INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FOR MEDICAL
SERVICES:
The demand for medical service is likely to witness a progressive increase as the proportion of elderly rise in
the developed markets, putting added pressure on their resources.

Patients in the wealthy countries not covered under health insurance schemes look for affordable
medical care, hence they go to low cost medical destinations such as the developing countries.

Developing countries increasingly achieve medical competence to offer various services at a fraction of
the cost.

The advent of Internet facilitated increased and speedy flow of information about diseases and
their remedies across borders among patients, doctors and other stakeholders.

Rising frequency of international travel with decreasing fares and liberal visa regimes especially aimed at
travel for medical purposes.

WTO has significantly worked towards the liberalization of trade in healthcare services, thereby making the
process easier.
Indian Medical Tourism
In October 2015, India's medical tourism sector was estimated to be worth US$3 billion Cost
It is projected to grow to $78 billion by 2020
According to the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the primary reason that attracts
medical value travel to India is cost-effectiveness, and treatment from accredited facilities at Quality of Care
par with developed countries at much lower cost.
The Medical Tourism Market Report: 2015 found that India was "one of the lowest cost and
highest quality of all medical tourism destinations, it offers wide variety of procedures at
about one-tenth the cost of similar procedures in the United States. Ease of travel
According to a CII-Grant Thornton report released in October 2015, Bangladeshis and
Afghans accounted for 34% of foreign patients, the maximum share, primarily due to their
close proximity with India and poor healthcare infrastructure.
Language

Alternate
treatment: Yoga
and Ayurveda
Cross-country analysis of major destinations of medical tourism
Destination Country of origin Strengths Weakness

Thailand USA, UK Cosmetic surgery, organ Patients face language barrier

transplant, dental
treatment, joint
replacement
Jordan Middle East Organ transplants, fertility Politically instable image of the country.
treatment, cardiac care
India Middle East, UK, Cardiac care, joint Air and water pollution, tedious police verification for
Bangladesh, replacements, lasik, medical tourists, no agreement with insurance
developing cosmetic surgery companies, inadequate transport facility, corruption
countries and delay in issuing visas

Malaysia USA. Japan, Cosmetic surgery Long waiting lists and lack of equipment
developing
countries
South Africa USA, UK Cosmetic surgery, Lasik, Inadequate human and infrastructural capacity
dental treatment
Cuba Latin America, Vitiligo, night blindness, Economic constraints and restrictions on medicines,
USA cosmetic surgery low pay of doctors, poor infrastructure, poor provision
of equipment, frequent shortages in availability of
medicines
Selection Process

Price
Advantage
Which county specializes in the
To cope kind of treatment I need?
Quality of
with bio-
medical
ethical
facilities Cost analysis (travel cost, cost of
regulations
FACTORS the procedure etc.)
THAT
INFLUENCE
DECISION-
MAKING Geographical distance and
number of people on the waitlist
Cost of Country
travel familiarity

Bio-ethical regulations in place

Geographical
proximity