by super | Aug 22, 2023 | Medical Tourism, Qualified Doctors
Recently Karnataka has emerged as a hot spot for health care tourism. Karnataka has the highest number of approved health systems and alternative therapies in India. Along with some ISO certified government-owned hospitals, private institutions which provide international-quality services have caused the health care industry to grow by 30% during 2004-05. Hospitals in Karnataka treat around 8,000 health tourists every year.
Bangalore and Mysore, together with their super-specialty hospitals and a range of good hotels – even a few ISO certified government hospitals – are being pitched at global tourists and businesspeople.
Still flush from the limelight it got from hosting little Noor Fatima, Pakistani heart patient, Karnataka is now looking at snaring at least 20 per cent of the 3.2 lakh total international inflow as healthcare tourists.
In a first-of-its kind concerted action from a State Government, it will showcase its top-class corporate and government hospitals and star hotels as the new business opportunity offering the best mix of cost-effective medical treatment and tourist proposition.
If Kerala tops in ayurveda treatments, Bangalore, with its unusual offer of a mix of traditional systems like ayurveda and yoga and modern medical expertise, was uniquely poised to capture the health tourism market that currently thrives in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. It has the highest number of approved health systems and alternative therapies. The department has done limited promotion campaigns in the country and in the Gulf, Pakistan and the UK to highlight what it can offer.
Founded in 2006, the multi-disciplinary super-specialty Wockhardt Hospitals, Bangalore today treats 250 patients per day in its OPD. Wockhardt had undergone many landmark surgeries in 2008. An open-heart surgery successfully performed on the smallest baby in the country, brain tumour surgery through nose, bypass surgery with valve replacement, and removal of tumour from the heart measuring 8x10x12 cm performed at the Hospital are the biggest achievements of this year. This Hospital is positioned as a super-specialty Hospital, with focus on cardiac, orthopaedics, neurosciences, minimal access surgery and women and child services. They are launching organ transplant programme and oncology center by the year 2009.
by super | Aug 22, 2023 | Medical Tourism, Qualified Doctors
Healthcare treatments in the western and Europe are costlier as compared to Asian countries. India has become a hub for medical tourism with thousands of patients visiting the country for medical treatments and surgeries.
International patients leave the domestic shores and fly to India for medical treatments. This concept has gained popularity since the last many years. Medical tourism in Bangalore and Hyderabad offers the latest facilities and procedures to the patients.
by super | Aug 22, 2023 | Medical Tourism, Qualified Doctors
Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka State, is one of the biggest and most happening cities in India. This city is a popular tourist destination and attracts millions of tourists from around the world. Bangalore is also an influential station for medical tourists. Why? Due to it’s umpteen number of world-class medical institutions and doctors who hold experience in their subject. These are the highlights of Bangalore Medical Tourism. Medical Tourism Agencies in Bangalore, look after these aspects for their health travelers.
You can reach Bangalore easily, as it’s connectivity by air to most of the major cities in the world is excelling. Here the same treatments cost you 10 times less than what you would be paying in USA or Europe with the higher success rate of treatments as compared to other developed countries
India is today amongst the best 5 countries in Medical Tourism gratefulness to the expansion of its private sector in current years, linked with worldwide known doctors (some of whom who disciplined themselves in countries like the U.S.) in top private hospitals that are accredited by the Joint Commission International & the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers.
In Fact, all new drugs and medicines launched in the world are launched simultaneously in India too. The highly skilled doctors trained in the West are available in Bangalore too. With practically no waiting period and prompt access to medical assistance for medical tourists. Besides, India has a rich cultural heritage that is worth exploring, making it an excellent tourist destination.
Bangalore is one of the top hubs for Medical Facilities, here’s a list of renowned Medical Tourism Agencies in Bangalore:
Gulf Corner Medical Tourism is known for the exceptional value they provide to their clients. UF Medical Tourism has an association with the best hospitals in India, professionals and experienced surgeons. They cater to all the chapters of medical tourism. Also, guides you at every step by connecting you to India’s top qualified doctors. Even for the best in class hospitals for the best medical treatment. In Fact, they help clients in choosing the best location according to their requirements and tackles traveling hassle too.
by super | Aug 22, 2023 | Hospitals Translator, Medical Industry, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Hospitals India, Treatments
INTRODUCTION
Medical tourism occurs when patients travel internationally to obtain privately funded medical care. Medical tourism is a global practice, with hospitals and clinics in a diverse array of destination countries vying to treat such international patients. India is one of these destination countries. In this document we provide an overview of Bangalore, India’s nascent medical tourism industry. This overview has been generated based on information gleaned from media and policy sources, field notes taken during site visits to public and private health care facilities in the country, immersive observational research,
and informal conversations with various stakeholders in Bangalore’s medical tourism industry.
Our research group is interested in developing a better understanding of the health equity impacts of medical tourism on destination countries. In other words, we are interested in understanding if and how medical tourism is helpful and/or harmful to people living in destination countries and their health. India is one of four countries that our work is focused on, which is why we have produced this profile. The medical tourism industries in Barbados, Guatemala, and Mexico are also being examined. We are studying the medical tourism industries and their impacts in these countries as part of an international grant funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. You can learn more about our research
In the sections that follow we offer some general information on Bangalore and its health system before going into detail about key developments in its medical tourism industry. Complementing the main text, five Appendices provide additional detailed insights. Appendix 1 offers a content analysis of the media coverage of medical tourism in Bangalore. In Appendix 2 we provide a narrative synthesis of policy documents regarding medical tourism in Bangalore, Karnataka and India. Appendix 3 is a summary of key agencies and actors involved in medical tourism development in Bangalore and India. Appendix 4 is a map of the medical tourism facilities in Bangalore, and Appendix 5 offers the trade and investment treaties in India.
1.0 THE CONTEXTUAL SETTING
1.1 The Karnataka State
Bangalore is the capital city of the state of Karnataka, one of the four southern states of India. The state has a geographical area of 191,791 km2, or 5.83% of
India’s total geographical area, making it the eighth largest Indian state. Karnataka has a very diverse set of cultures, geographies, and languages, and is known for its emphasis on intellectual capital. It is also the only state which shares borders with all the other southern states. It has four natural regions –
the coastal region, the Western Ghats Region, the northern plains and the southern plains (Planning and Statistics Department, Government of Karnataka [PSD-GOK], 2006).
Karnataka has 30 districts, 176 sub-districts and 29,340 villages (Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs [GOI-MOHA], 2011). It has a total population of 61,130,704. The population density is 319 people per km2. The rural population of Karnataka comprises nearly 62% of the population, Figure 1 – Location of Karnataka State although this is down from nearly 66% in 2001, indicating increasing urbanization in the region. The literacy rate in the state is 75.6% (Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, 2011). The sex ratio is one of the most balanced in the country (968 females for every 1,000 males) in comparison with the national sex ratio (933 females for every 1,000 males). The Gender Equity Index (GEI) for education enrolment in Karnataka in
Figure 2 – Location of Bangalore
2009-10 was .9882, where 1 equals perfect equality in male and female education. For India the GEI for education was .66 in 2012 (Social Watch, 2012). Karnataka is ranked 12th in India on the Human Development Index (HDI) at 0.519; higher than the overall HDI for India at 0.467 (Gandhi, et al., 2011). The life expectancy at birth (projected for 2011-2015) is 68 years for males and 72.3 years for females (Central Bureau of Health Intelligence [CBHI], 2011).
1.2 Bangalore
Bangalore, officially named Bengaluru, lies in the southern part of Karnataka It has a pleasant climate throughout the year, with moderate temperatures ranging from 18°C to 32°C. It is the fifth largest metropolis in India, with a total population of 9,588,910 in Greater Bangalore, nearly 91% of whom reside in the urban area. Population growth in Bangalore was 46.68% over the past decade. The sex ratio is less balanced with 908 females for every 1,000 males. The literacy rate in Bangalore is 84% (GOI-MOHA, 2011). Bangalore is also a knowledge hub, with premier institutes like the Indian Institute of Science, National Institute for Advanced Studies, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Space Research Organization, and many more housed in the city. Also, due to its prominent IT industry it is also known as the ‘Silicon City’ of India. Due to its greenery, parks, and tree lined streets, it is also called the ‘Garden City’ of India. In 2000, Wired magazine identified 46 global hubs of technological innovation; Bangalore ranked 11th and was given a score of 13 out of a possible 16 points (United National Development Programmed, 2001).
1.3 Economy of Karnataka
Karnataka’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2012-2013 (at constant prices) was 56 billion USD with a per capita income of 818 USD, and a growth rate of 5.9% over the previous year. The three most important sectors contributing to the state GSDP were the agriculture sector with 15.3%, the industry sector with 25.9%, and the service sector with 58.8%, which has become increasingly important in recent years owing to the IT sector boom. In 2009-2010, the overall unemployment rate in the state was 4.2% and the youth unemployment rate was at 7%, comparing favorably with overall figures from India of 6.6% and 9.4% respectively. In 2009-2010, 23.6% of the population (14.2 million people) lived below the poverty line, even though there was an improvement of 9.7 percentage points when compared with the 2004-2005 data (Planning, Programmed Monitoring & Statistics Department, Government of Karnataka, 2012-13). The Gini coefficient of consumption, an equality measure where 0 equates to perfect equality (all persons have an equal portion of what is being measured) and 1 equates to perfect inequality (one person has all of what is being measured), for Karnataka in 2004-2005 was 0.23 for rural areas and 0.36 for urban areas (PSD-GOK, 2006).
1.4 Health Indicators
The infant mortality rate in 2011 for Karnataka was 35 per 1,000 live births, while the corresponding figure for India was 44 (Sample Registration System [SRS], 2012). The maternal mortality ratio in 2007-2009 was 178 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births, while for India the ratio was 212 (Office of Registrar General, 2011). The crude birth rate for Karnataka was 18.8 per 1,000 people, while India’s was 21.8; the crude death rate was 7.1 for both Karnataka and India; the natural growth rate for Karnataka was 11.7 per 1,000 people, India’s rate was 14.7 (SRS, 2012). Table 1 provides an overview of the various indicators for Karnataka and India.
In Karnataka, 71.6% of births were attended by skilled personnel, both within institutions and home deliveries, in 2007-2008; while for India overall it was 52.3% (International Institute for Population Sciences [IIPS], 2010). Karnataka has a high level of childhood immunization, with 76.7% of children having complete immunization, 85.1% immunized for measles, and 84.8% for diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus; compared to 54%, 53.5%, and 63.4% in India overall, respectively (IIPS, 2010). In 2011, among children less than 5 years of age, there were 49 deaths from acute diarrheal disease (out of 591,989 cases), 182 deaths due to pneumonia (out of 1,629,997 cases), one death each due to diphtheria and measles, and no deaths due to neonatal tetanus or whooping cough (CBHI, 2011). Overall, Karnataka’s health indicators are in the middlegame in comparison with the other 27 Indian states.
by super | Aug 22, 2023 | Hospitals Translator, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Hospitals India
Best Multispeciality Hospital in Bangalore India
India is one of the fastest growing medical destinations in the world. It is estimated that the medical tourism rate in India will have an expected annual growth of 30% by the end of 2015. That would mean, that the ground-breaking medical infrastructures and facilities that India has been proposing, is gradually (yet very effectively) having an immense inflow of foreigners. Why this attraction, you ask?
The most evident reason that one could derive would be low cost, and one would not be all that wrong in thinking so, but it is more than just that! It is the growth of India in terms of its technology and its standards.
Indian medical institutions are equipped with medical and therapeutic procedures that are combined with world class facilities making it an ideal location for cost effective and high quality medical solutions that are of international standards.
A city like Bangalore would be at the centre of this attraction because of its social scenario it is a salad bowl! People from different cultures come to Bangalore with disparate mother tongues. Thus the only common language, English has become quite widespread; the foreigners would not find much language barrier in Bangalore. Moreover, Bangalore has some of the latest equipment and the cost for medical treatment here is comparatively cheaper which makes it a hub for medical tourism.
Bangalore,a cultural mix
Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka. With a population of over 6 million, Bangalore is the third largest city in India and 27th largest city in the world. Bangalore is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country, with over 62% of the city’s population comprising of migrants from other parts of India. A multicultural city, Bangalore has experienced a dramatic social and cultural change with the advent of liberalization and expansion of the information technology and business process outsourcing industries in India. IT companies in Bangalore employ over 35% of India’s pool of 1 million IT professionals.
Places of interest
The garden city of Bangalore is famous for its beautiful parks, avenues, palaces, museums, impressive buildings, heritage centers and excellent shopping malls. These qualities make it a magnificent place to visit, a delightful destination in its own right as well as the gateway to Southern India.
by super | Aug 9, 2023 | Hospitals Translator, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Hospitals India
Being a medical interpreter is a highly specialized profession. It is for this reason that many translators do not dare to go into this field. In fact, many think that they need an official medical qualification in order to be a medical interpreter. In general, interpreters in healthcare settings must be fluent in a language pair. In order to become a certified medical translator, a person requires certification, pass language proficiency tests and gain experience.
With the increase in a number of hospitals today, the demand and importance of interpreters in healthcare are also increasing day after day. It involves the translation of numerous documents, informed consent forms, study agreements and budgets, patient information etc. Moreover, it covers translation of medical device, patient’s medical histories, medical market research surveys and more.
Importance of Certified Medical Translator
Have you ever wondered why interpreters are important in every healthcare? The reason is very simple. In order to improve the service offered by any health care center, the figure of a medical translator is crucial. Interpreters have the ability to provide extra assistance both to doctors or any other medical specialist and patients. Some examples to prove the need for a medical translator in any health center are
To help patients with legal advice
To give proper medical instruction through easy communication
To save lives during emergency situations
Certified medical translators are a necessity of working with and overcoming verbal barricades in patient’s relation. Unfortunately, according to the medical interpreter’s stories, most of the healthcare organizations services are either poor or have no translator services at all. Therefore, patients who are limited to LEP (English – proficient) often do not receive quality health care.
Generally, patients suffer when a doctor and his patient have unsatisfactory communication. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that due to an improper or incomplete conversation between doctors and patients, misdiagnosis and improper treatment are far more likely to occur.
Types of medical interpreter
There are two types of Medical interpreters, general Medical interpreter, and Specialist Medical translators.
General Medical Interpreter: This type of translator requires having a basic knowledge of the medical field. His work is to translate documents for common people (who have the least knowledge of medical). They work for the administration of hospitals by providing patients with accurate information. However, these medical interpreters need training to understand the basics of medical idioms and other aspects that are important to understand and translate.
Specialist Medical Interpreter: On the other hand, a specialist medical translate technical and scientific records. These documents contain specific information such as medical journal articles. Therefore, a specialist translator must possess a thorough understanding of the specialization, including all the medical terms. The interpreter is given the complete job of interpretation and translation of the medical documents.
Reasons healthcare providers need interpreters
In general, patients need the assistance of a certified translator to understand and rely on information given by the doctor. Therefore, accurate medical translation is essential to provide the highest quality health care. There can be various advantages and disadvantages of using interpreters in health care. Below are a few advantages of using translation services in the healthcare industry:
Reduces patient risk
Complies with government regulation
Raises the quality of medical care
Provides accurate medical histories
Boosts your community reputation
Furthermore, they are now a major requirement in hospitals and medical associations, helping doctors and patients to work together. The biggest advantage of having medical interpreters is to make the job easier and faster.
Disadvantages of not having an interpreter in health care centers
Inaccurate medical documents and reports
Increases risk of misunderstanding and misdiagnosis
Inaccurate communication
Weakens patients satisfaction
Fails to comply with laws and regulation
Minimizes reimbursements and maximizes penalties
There are many cases happening around medical industry is facing issues of miscommunication between patients and doctors. This is the reason why medical interpreters are important. Medical companies and hospitals are investing on medical interpreters and companies that offer the service. This makes things easier and communication becomes smooth.
