(MENAFNEditorial) In the GCC some governments have provided generous financial incentives and guaranteed numbers of public patients to top-rated international academic medical centers. All in an attempt bring these big brands to manage and/or open new facilities in the region. The hope is to create competition and to raise the standard of care to a point that it will eventually stave off 'reverse medical tourism' from their countries, by keeping patients in the region.
The theory is that GCC Nationals and expat populations alike will forgo the trend of traveling abroad to world-renowned teaching hospitals and consume the health services in their native countries if the 'brand name' hospitals are present in the market to provide the services.
Those who know the Healthcare ecosystem of the GCC are keenly aware that there is no empirical evidence, (based on physician recruitment patterns and regional compensation models) to suggest that the outcomes of these branded hospitals operating in the region will compare to outcomes that are realized at their parent academic medical centers currently operating in the West.
Even in their home markets, 'brand named' hospitals cost a whole lot more for care that has sometimes proved to be the same...or actually worse than established local hospitals. This isn't exactly a secret to people who work in healthcare.
The fantasy has always been that patients will somehow be placed in the facility that can provide the best care for them at the lowest cost, while achieving the same outcomes and quality. But is this a fantasy? Not if you live in India and know about Dr.
Devi Prasad Sheety and his Narqyana Hrudayalay Heart Hospital.
Dr. Shetty, who entered the limelight in the early 1990s as Mother Teresa's cardiac surgeon, offers cutting-edge medical care in India at a fraction of what it costs elsewhere in the world. His flagship heart hospital charges $2,000, on average, for open-heart surgery, compared with hospitals in the U.S. that are paid between $20,000 and $100,000, depending on the complexity of the surgery. --- Wall Street Journal
Health 2.0 Middle East the new and soon to be leading showcase of health innovation will feature a session with Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty to explore how his pioneering process and innovative approach has transformed Indian health care affecting hundreds of thousands of lives. The Health 2.0 international series is about applying innovative methods and tools to address the same old health care problems. We embrace the challenges facing the adoption of new health delivery approaches and technologies in the GCC, while identifying several major barriers to the broad adoption of health innovation technologies" says Kenneth Seymens, Managing Partner of Medical IQ and Health 2.0 Middle East partner. The desired outcome of the conference is to develop concrete recommendations to accelerate the adoption of health innovation technologies in the GCC and Middle East, at large. Modernizing the healthcare ecosystem is a national priority that requires close collaboration and prioritization among all stakeholders, particularly with federal agencies...
For information and to register visit: http:bit.ly/health2dubai
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