Medical Departures: Recent Episodes

Paul McTaggart

Learn about the wonderful world of global and local medical care.

Korean medical tourism was down -80% in 2021 according to Korea Health Industry Development Institute(KHIDI)
Popular medical tourism areas like Gangnam continue to be ravaged by the impacts of Covid-19…clinics are closed or operating on skeleton crews.
Korean medical tourism relies heavily on inbound Chinese, Russian, Vietnam, Japanese and Thai patients..who just won’t be coming until late 2022, early 2023
According to IMTJ Magazine

disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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According to the Bangkok Post & Fitch Solutions

Tourist numbers in 2022 are expected to rebound significantly following two years of disruption as a result of the pandemic

emerging markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Brazil and India, arrival numbers will still be depressed compared to 2019 levels.

Mexico and Turkey will see the greatest recoveries, with forecast arrivals for 2022 comparable to pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

Medical tourism in 2022 is going to be a hell-of-alot better than 2021

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US healthcare spending grows 9.7% to $4.1 trillion, or $12,530 per person, in 2020
Health Affairs reports spending The share of the economy devoted to healthcare spending was 19.7 percent in 2020
Growth rate in 2020 was the largest jump recorded since 2002
"Federal spending increased rapidly in 2020 as the government increased public health spending to combat the pandemic and provided significant assistance to health care providers."

disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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CostaMed has 6X locations -
Cozumel - https://www.medicaldepartures.com/clinic/costamed-playa-del-carmen
Cozumel - https://www.medicaldepartures.com/clinic/costamed-cozumel
Tulum - https://www.medicaldepartures.com/clinic/costamed-tulum
Mahahual - https://www.medicaldepartures.com/clinic/costamed-mahahual
Puerto Morelos - https://www.medicaldepartures.com/clinic/costamed-puerto-morelos
Cancun - https://www.medicaldepartures.com/clinic/costamed-cancun

disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Thailand announces new 1 year medical tourism visa

The cabinet yesterday approved in principle a medical treatment visa scheme to attract wealthier foreign tourists under the government's medical hub policy - Bangkok Post
multiple entry visa under the Non-MT category will be valid for one year and is non-renewable, and the visa holder can be accompanied by up to three people.
Approved procedures = anti-ageing, coronary artery disease, cancer, dental care, and cosmetic surgery.
Tourists applying for this visa must have health conditions Thailand is able to treat and require more than 90 days of medical treatment
Applicants must have at least 800,000 baht to cover their expenses in Thailand
must make an appointment with hospitals at least 30 days in advance
They will also need accident and Covid-19 insurance policies with a minimum coverage of US$100,000 (3 million baht)
medical treatment visa scheme promoted by the Thailand Association of Tourism is intended to attract foreign tourists who can afford to pay for medical treatment in Thailand for a long period to boost much needed medical & tourism revenue during Covid-19 recovery

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Phuket medical tourism...what you need to know in under 60 seconds

What is the deal with medical tourism in Phuket, Thailand?
Best way to get around = Grab Taxi or rent motorcycle
Top 3 medical tourism destinations in Phuket -
Bangkok Hospital - Phuket
Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute
Apex Medical Center (Phuket)
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Bangkok medical tourism...what you need to know in under 60 seconds?

What is the deal with medical tourism in Bangkok, Thailand?
Major medical tourism districts in Bangkok = Sukhumvit, Silom,
Best way to get around = BTS (light rail) and Grab Taxi
Top medical tourism destinations -
Bumrungrad International Hospital
Bangkok Hospital (Bangkok)
Yanhee Hospital
Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital
BNH Hospital
Meko Clinic Bangkok
MedConsult International Clinic

disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Medical Tourism will rise like the Phoenix in 2022!

IMTJ just reported on the changing medical tourism landscape post Covid-19
Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) reported a -76% fall in international patients to Korea with numbers falling to levels not seen since 2010
Bangkok Dustit Medical Services is down -27% for international patient revenues
Malaysia’s revenue stream from international patients dropped 53%
I believe medical tourism will see brighter days ahead..be like the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes
Here’s why: 1) people love to travel 2) wait lists are increasing as hospitals are closed to elective surgeries to make way for Covid cases 3) healthcare inflation is skyrocketing around the world..making global healthcare a better value
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Medical Tourism Market Size to Hit US$ 286.1 Billion by 2030

Precedence Research, the global medical tourism market size is projected to hit around USD 286.1 billion by 2030
expanding growth at a CAGR 10.8% from 2021 to 2030.
Fastest Growing Market = Europe
Largest Market = Asia
countries such as Thailand, Singapore, India are the major destinations for the medical tourists owing to the availability of advanced medical technologies at affordable prices
the cancer segment dominated the global medical tourism market.
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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5.8M Brits are waiting for medical care...why?

The Financial Times reports that NHS England hospital waiting list jumps by 100,000 in a month
Let’s unpack the stats -
More than 5.8m people waiting for care in September
4.35m patients had been waiting for planned surgery a year ago.
12,500 waiting more than 2 years for treatment (primarily knee & hip joint replacement)
I am Canadian and surgical wait time is common
From referral by a general practitioner to consultation with a specialist. The waiting time in this segment 10.5 weeks in 2020.
the total number of procedures for which people are waiting in 2020 is 1,224,198. This means that, assuming that each person waits for only one procedure, 3.2% of Canadians are waiting for treatment in 2020.
Median wait time in Canada = 22.6 weeks
I love that you don’t go bankrupt in Canada or the UK for your medical bills (like in the United States) but everyone knows someone who is on the waiting list a) suffering from excessive wait times b) has ‘had a medical emergency’ to jump the queues or 3) died on the wait list
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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What does Google’s travel recovery trends for 2022 mean for medical tourism?

Google’s study reports Travel is rebounding after a brutal year and a half for the industry
Thirty-six percent of people around the globe are now participating in some sort of travel activity
When it comes to holiday travel, 30% to 40% will plan trips a month or more in advance, while the majority will make plans less than a month ahead of time
85% of U.S. travel marketers say that offering flexible bookings and cancellations will be important this year,
Globally, 78% of adults agree that COVID-19 vaccine passports should be required of travelers to enter their country
As COVID-19 cases rise, fall, and rise again, it’s no small feat to understand travel restrictions, rules, and exemptions as they change.
hardly surprising that many travelers are planning domestic trips instead of international travel for the holidays.
Source: Google-commissioned Ipsos COVID-19 Tracker, AU, BR, CA, CN, FR, DE, IN, IT, JP, MX, RU, ZA, KR, ES, U.S., and U.K. ~n=500–1000 online consumers 18+ per market. Sept. 9, 2021–Sept. 12, 2021.
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Nobody is talking about the Sun's Turkish delight story

The Sun reports on a mommy make over in Turkey
Just £8k for a mummy makeover
Kayleigh Baldwin-Wilkinson, 28, size 22 and now a size 10
spent £3,200 on her weight loss surgery (gastric bypass), she went on to spend £4,500 a year later to help remove excess skin from her weight loss, as well as breast lift and implants.
Before
After
Quote = “I saved for the surgery and it has definitely paid off already. I feel amazing. It's bizarre because it has all happened in a year.”
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Thailand opens to 10 countries for medical tourism

Exciting news that (my adopted country) Thailand has opened
IMTJ reports that Thailand is now open to 10X countries
China, Germany, Singapore, the UK and the USA
The Thailand Ministry of Foreign affairs has provided these great infographics

disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with

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10 easy ways for Australians to find a plastic surgeon in Thailand

1. Word of mouth
1. Google - look for reviews
1. TripAdvisor - look for reviews
1. FB groups - Bangkok Expats
1. Agents- Health Tourism - look for reviews
1. Agents - Medical Departures - look for doctor qualifications
1. RealSelf - look for reviews
1. Visit the doctor’s website, FB page, IG page, Twitter, YouTube
1. Compare 3X doctors.
1. get a price quote...they won’t display their prices but you can visit. Prices can vary in same city up to 40%..even just across the street!
1. Ask for past patients to speak with
Make your decision
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Here’s the top 5 medical tourism destinations for people in Chicago

1.Cancun
1. Playa del Carmen
1. Mexico City
1. Guadalajara
1. Costa Rica
Bonus Turkey
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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10 easy ways for Australians to find a plastic surgeon in Bali

1. Word of mouth
1. Google - look for reviews
1. TripAdvisor - look for reviews
1. FB groups - Bali Bogans
1. Agents- Restored Getaways - look for reviews
1. Agents - Medical Departures - look for doctor qualifications
1. RealSelf - look for reviews
1. Visit the doctor’s website, FB page, IG page, Twitter, YouTube Pages
1. Compare 3X doctors.
1. get a price quote...they won’t display their prices but you can visit. Prices can vary in same city up to 40%..even just across the street!
1. Ask for past patients to speak with
Make your decision
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Here’s 7 steps to find a plastic surgeon in NYC

1. Word of mouth
1. Google - look for reviews
1. ZocDoc - look for reviews
1. Yelp - look for reviews
1. RealSelf - look for reviews
1. Visit the doctor’s website, FB page, IG page, YouTube Pages
1. Compare 3X doctors.
1. get a price quote...they won’t display their prices but you can visit. Prices can vary in same city up to 40%..even just across the street!
1. Ask for past patients to speak with
1. Make your decision
disclaimer this is not medical advice - this is meant for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified medical professional before starting or changing medical treatment.

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Here’s 1 tip to Save 70% on your beard transplant in France

Here’s 1 tip for French to save up to 70% on their hair transplant
Go to Turkey
What do you do if you are losing your hair?
What to do if you don’t have a full beard?
Go to Transes Hair Transplant in Istanbul Turkey to get your FUE, FUT, DHI hair transplant
Hair transplant = 2100 EUR
Beard transplant = 2000 EUR
Inside Medical Park a JCI certified Hospital

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1 tip to save you up to 70% on your rhinoplasty in New York City

In NYC you are paying too much for a rhinoplasty
Fly 4 hours from JFK to Cancun
Save 70% on your rhinoplasty at Dr. Panama plastic surgery in Cancun
Rhinoplasty - $1,990 - 2,487
Real Self price= $7,675
Pearlman Plastic Surgeon in NYC = $10-$30k
Book today visit Medical Departures or Call us Toll Free

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1 tip to save you up to 40% on your hair transplant/rhinoplasty in Dubai?

Where - Estetik International
Hair Transplant - 9147 AED
Rhinoplasty - 17874 AED
Book today - October 31st and save another 20%
20% discount on all hair transplants and rhinoplasty

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You won’t believe that 77% less foreign patients went to South Korea in 2020

Let’s talk about the inconvenient truth of IMTJ’s article
The Korean Health Industry Development Institute reported that foreign patients were down 76.5% from 2019 (in 2020)
These stats include both expats and true foreign patients not residing in S. Korea
Cosmetic Surgery suffered the biggest YoY drop at -82%
The report estimated that the overall trend would continue this year
Medical Departures backs up these findings with our own data from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand
We thought Asia would be FIFO, but it looks more like FILO = Recovery is expected in Q3-Q4 2022

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Save 70% on your hair transplant in UK

Here’s 1 tip for Brits to save up to 70% on their hair transplant
What do you do if you are losing your hair?
And you don’t look like the Rock, Jason Stathom, Patrick Stewart, Vin Disiel
Go to Estetik International in Istanbul Turkey to get your FUE, FUT, DHI hair transplant at a 70% savings vs. the UK

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1 tip to save you up to 70% on your Mommy Makeover

Here’s 1 tip to save you up to 70% on your Mommy Makeover
Go to Istanbul, Turkey and save 70%
A mommy makeover is a combination of 3X procedures to put everything back to where they below Prior to having kids) = tummy tuck, liposuction, breast lift
Surgery takes 10-12 hours at clinics like = Estetik International
Recovery time = 10 days at clinics like = Istanbul Aesthetic Center
Average cost = 7,000 EUR at clinics like = Hisar Hospital
To get more details contact Medical Departures

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What is an FUE hair transplant?

Stands for Follicular Unit Extraction
The MOST popular of the three hair transplant techniques 3X (FUT, FUE, DHI)
surgeon will harvest the hair follicles one by one and re-insert them to the baled parts.
Advantages = minor scarring (unlike FUT), quicker recovery time (5-7 days), less discomfort post surgery i.e. no strip of skin removed,
Disadvantages = longer surgery time up to 12 hours in total (vs. 6 hours)
Cost in Turkey = 1 EUR per graft, 1,900 EUR - 2k grafts

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What is an FUT hair transplant?

Stands for Follicular Unit Transplant
Also known as the strip process and the ‘oldest’ of the 3X (FUT, FUE, DHI)
Process involves taking a strip of hair from the back of the head
Advantages = less expensive, less time in surgery (4-6 hours in just one session)
Disadvantages = causes scaring from strip removal, healing time is longer due to strip removal, harder to do multiple hair transplants (you generally need more than 1X treatment to get thick hair)
Cost in Turkey = 1.7- 2 EUR per graft, 1,300 EUR - 2000 EUR

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