Dubai to boast new medical facilities by 2017

Posted on February 6, 2014 | Comments Off on Dubai to boast new medical facilities by 2017

A new multi-million dollar hospital by MAG Group will boost medical tourism to Dubai.

A major realtor has announced plans to develop a new healthcare complex, catering for growing demand for private healthcare in Dubai which is driven by local demand and medical tourism.

hospital-patientCT06feb2014

Dubai-based MAG Group has signed a joint venture agreement with Dubai Healthcare City (DHC) to develop mixed-use project in Dubai Healthcare City at an estimated cost of around AED800 million (US$217m).

The development is still at the concept design stage and scheduled for completion at the end of 2016. Once finished, the complex will include two hospitals, a clinic, a residential complex, a hotel, retail space, a mosque, and an automated car park.

Addressing officials from DHCC, Moafaq Al Gaddah, Chairman of MAG Group said; “The healthcare sector in Dubai is on the cusp of a sustained period of growth and will need to build medical facilities for the future.

According to Mr. Al Gaddah, this growth is being fuelled by natural growth in the local population and in the number of expatriate arrivals as the economy expands. He also cited the growth of private health insurance due to changes in government employment policy, and Dubai’s growing status as a medical tourism hub for the Middle East.

As a marker of growth, data from the Dubai Health Authority shows that total inpatient visits to healthcare centres grew by a CAGR of 9%, between 2006 and 2011 totalling 183,000 visits in 2011. By that time almost 57% of all inpatient facilities were in private hands, as inpatient visits to private healthcare centres grew by a CAGR of 18% over the same period, a clear sign of changing preferences in Dubai.

It is a similar picture for outpatient care. Outpatient visits to private healthcare centres grew by a CAGR of 8% between 2006 and 2011. The private sector now dominates outpatient care, with 73% of all outpatient visits in 2011.

source: http://www.traveldailymedia.com / Travel Daily ME / Home> News> Hotel & Spa> Tourism / February 02nd, 2014

Comments Off on Dubai to boast new medical facilities by 2017

Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics

Gallery

GSWS board welcomes two new execs

Posted on February 5, 2014

Jean-Claude Baumgarten, current chairman and ceo of Crewe Associates and Gina Diez Barroso de Franklin, founder, president and ceo of Mexico City-based Grupo Diarq, have been named to the board of directors of the Global Spa and Wellness Summit (GSWS). … Continue reading →

Comments Off on GSWS board welcomes two new execs

Medical Tourism

Posted on February 4, 2014 | Comments Off on Medical Tourism

Medical care in the U.S. for seniors appears to be in jeopardy and soon not even available at all for ages 75 and above. Even now, qualification for Medicare for any age may be means-tested. I believe that it may become illegal in the U.S. to hire private physician care outside of Medicare.

Medical care in the U.S. was already collapsing fast, and now Obamacare seems certain to absolutely destroy what’s left. Therefore, this might be the time to educate yourself on medical tourism, especially if you are 75 or older.

Medical care in foreign countries appears to be better in many places than in the U.S. with much lower cost. Of course, I am fully aware that U.S. citizens are addicted to “free” medical care after retirement age. But “free” medical care in the U.S. is not that good.

To begin your search, go to Google and type in “medical tourism.” There is a lot of information available. Already, more than 1 million U.S. citizens are medical tourists.

I have spent some time reading about medical tourism in Thailand, which appears to be one of the preferred destinations for medical treatment for many Americans. Of course, there are many countries that are very receptive to medical tourism. The cost is considerably less than in the U.S. — many times, less than 50 percent.

There will most of the time be no wait. Surgeons are among the best in the world, adhering to international standards with first-class facilities.

There is a wide range of treatments available with private recovery if you desire. I have learned that the medical tourist establishments are eager to correspond with great confidentiality and offer low-cost, longer patient stays for recovery.

Contact around the world in our day with email and Vonage phone service is affordable to everyone. Vonage phone service is very good and getting better, costing a minimum of about $30 a month for calls worldwide.

Those of you who have gold and silver coins, they are good money anywhere in the world. And after the next run-up rally, these coins will be very valuable compared to paper money.

source: http://www.personalliberty.com / Personal Liberty Digest / Home / by Bob Livingstone / January 29th, 2014

Comments Off on Medical Tourism

Posted in Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

The new regional hub for cosmetic surgery

Posted on February 3, 2014 | Comments Off on The new regional hub for cosmetic surgery

A French-based forum for plastic surgeons and dermatologists opined that the strongest global growth for aesthetic procedures will be in the Asian market.

BotoxCF03feb2014

Bangkok : 

Thailand is aiming to become the regional hub for cosmetic surgery, a market that could help earn it an estimated RM20.4 billion (US$6.8 billion) over the next five years.

Thailand is already the leading country for medical tourism in Southeast Asia.

The country’s medical council and a number of plastic surgeons have urged the government to support their efforts to promote cosmetic surgery in Thailand.

Private hospitals, hotels and associations of dentists and physicians have also launched the Medical Tourism Association, which proposes special cosmetic surgery packages for medial tourists.

For example, a breast-surgery package being marketed in the UK would include return airfare, a stay at a luxury hotel in Bangkok and a shopping trip. Total cost will be around RM30,600( US$10,200).

A similar surgery alone in the UK would set the patient back by around RM51,000 (US$17,000,) the association said.

The global market for aesthetic procedures grew by 10%  in 2012 and is expected to grow at the same rate in 2013.

According to a report by IMCAS, a French-based forum for plastic surgeons and dermatologists, released in January 2013, the strongest growth will be in the Asian market.

It is predicted that the Asian market, where nose and eyelid surgeries, as well as breast augmentation and liposuction are popular, will see a 14% growth.

Currently, the global market for plastic surgery has a value of around RM18 billion (US$6 billion), the IMCAS report said.

Middle East market

In Asia, China has the highest number of people undergoing cosmetic surgery, followed by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

In Thailand, rhinoplasty, double eyelid and sex-change operations are most popular among foreign visitors from Asia and neighbouring countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Furthermore, a rising number of medical tourists from the Middle East is seeking cosmetic surgery in Thailand following a boom in demand in wealthy oil states such as the UAE, as well as in Lebanon and Iran.

The most sought-after procedures for this group in Thailand include male breast reduction, liposuction and rhinoplasty.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nationals are one of the main source markets for medical tourists to Thailand.

Of the 140,000 Arab patients visiting Thailand in 2011, 40% came from the UAE, and others mainly from Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar.

So crucial is this market that last year Thailand offered this group a visa fee exemption for medical purposes only.

Prices for cosmetic surgery in Thailand range from

Breast Augmentation: RM9,600 (US$3,200)

Breast Reduction: RM12,000 (US$4,000)

Breast Lift: RM9,600 (US$3,200)

Male Breast Reduction: RM8,400 (US$2,800)

Liposuction: RM5,400 (US$1,600)

Tummy Tuck: RM10,200) (US$3,400)

Body Lift: RM27,900 (US$9,300)

Full Facelift: RM21,600 (US$7,200)

Nose Reshaping: RM6,300 (US$2,100)

Nose Implant: RM 2,010 (US$670)

Eyelid Surgery: RM2,400 (US$600)

Botox Injection: RM1,200 (US$400)

Penile Surgery: RM4,500 (US$1,500)

Vaginal Surgery: RM2,490 (US$830)

Sex Change: RM27,000 (US$9,000)

Source: Hospital price lists

This report first appeared in http://www.investvine.com

source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com / FMT News / Home> Features / by Arno Maierbrugger / January 27th, 2014

Comments Off on The new regional hub for cosmetic surgery

Posted in Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Medical Treatment/Health Treatment Subject By Speciality, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Work on first phase of $1bn Intl Medical City to start soon

Posted on February 3, 2014 | Comments Off on Work on first phase of $1bn Intl Medical City to start soon

Oman-Medical-CityCT04feb2014

Muscat :

The promoters of the International Medical City (IMC) project planned in Salalah say they have made significant headway in preparing the groundwork for the actual physical development of the estimated $1 billion scheme. Phase 1 of the ambitious development, touted as the “change agent” that will eventually place the Sultanate of Oman on the world health tourism map, is expected to be kicked off in the coming months, according to a key representative of the Saudi-based Apex Medical Group, which is overseeing the implementation of the prestigious venture. Almost all of the major milestones leading to the commencement of work on the project have so far been achieved, said Dr Naeema Aziz, Chief Operating Officer. They include permits and licenses, as well as studies necessary to advance the project through to the groundbreaking stage, Dr Aziz told delegates attending the Focus Day proceedings of the Oman Construction Summit 2014 at Crowne Plaza Muscat yesterday. The three-day event has been organised by IQPC of Dubai in association with Global Exhibitions & Conferences of Oman.

The massive development, designed to position Oman as a global medical tourism hub, will be constructed on an 866,000 sq metre site leased from the Ministry of Tourism. It will essentially feature three major components — a healthcare resort with staff accommodations, healthcare complex, and healthcare education complex — development of which will take place over two phases. The centrepiece is a 530-bed multi-tertiary hospital catering to 21 different specialties. Underlining the progress made thus far in the development of the scheme, Dr Aziz said the engineering design of the project infrastructure has been completion, with a Request for Proposals (RfP) due to be floated soon for the construction of the main hospital. “We are in the process of prequalifying the designers and contractors for the healthcare component of the project. For the detailed engineering design and construction of the hospital, we have decided to approach specialised firms that have substantial experience in this field,” the Chief Operating Officer said.

Also ongoing is the detailed engineering design of the hospitality component (centring on the healthcare resort). “We are in the process of appointing a detailed hospitality designer, an EPC (engineering-procurement-construction) contractor, and a technical supervisor,” Dr Aziz said, adding that negotiations are ongoing with two potential candidates for the operation of the healthcare resort. Over the 2014-2015 timeframe, the focus will shift to the infrastructure development of the project, as well as the engineering design of the healthcare component and the hotel apartments. The main multi-tertiary hospital is slated for pre-commissioning in 2016 ahead of its planned launch in the second half of 2017, she said. Phase 1 of the project, towards which around $300 million have been earmarked by the promoters, will generate significant contracting, service and other business opportunities for local and international companies, Dr Aziz added.
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)

source: http://www.main.omanobserver.om / Oman Daily Observer / Home> Business / by Oman Observer> Business / by Conrad Prabha / Sunday – January 26th, 2014

Comments Off on Work on first phase of $1bn Intl Medical City to start soon

Posted in Associations/Organisations/Government/NonGovernment, Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Healthcare Cities, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Medical Treatment/Health Treatment Subject By Speciality, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas