| Health is vital for ethical, artistic, material and | | | | Tourism Visa (M) of longer duration (up to 1 year) |
| spiritual development of man. It is very certain | | | | for persons. Patients are also provided Visa (MX) |
| that of all the gains, the gains of health are the | | | | for their accompanying spouse coming to India for |
| highest and the best. Traveling abroad for | | | | Medical Treatment. New terms such as such as |
| treatment has been an age-old practice. In ancient | | | | health tourism, health care outsourcing and |
| Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over | | | | medical back office support have gained good |
| the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing | | | | popularity in the nation.Medical tourism in India is a |
| god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. There were spiritual | | | | business that has been estimated to be worth $2 |
| values attached to traveling for getting cured in | | | | billion by 2012. What has been termed as |
| ancient times that only a few of the privileged lot | | | | "International Patient Care" is already gaining pace |
| could afford. With the passage of time and the | | | | in the nation. Private health care units are |
| ease of traveling, people have started traveling | | | | constantly improvising their health infrastructure |
| offshore in search of faster, cheaper and safer | | | | and attracting a regular stream of international |
| surgical procedures.Relatively new to the oriental | | | | patients by appending alluring benefits to their |
| part of the globe, medical tourism has been an | | | | package. This seems quite reasonable given the |
| age old phenomena in the West and has been | | | | rising costs of treatment in western countries |
| supported by highly-developed indigenous health | | | | along with increasing demands of an ageing |
| care systems and constant improvements in | | | | population. Costs of advanced surgeries in India |
| technology. By upgrading the technology, gaining | | | | are 10-15 times lower than anywhere in the world |
| greater familiarity with latest medical protocols | | | | that attracts patients from abroad to avail a host |
| and improving the image in terms of quality and | | | | of arrangements at an easily affordable rate. A |
| cost, the health-care industry in countries like India | | | | typical package includes air travel, local |
| and Thailand are attracting a global clientele to | | | | transportation, translation services, air-conditioned |
| emerge as a top medical-tourism destinations.In a | | | | five-star accommodation for the patient and also |
| country as diverse as India, the health care | | | | for accompanying spouse or relative in many |
| industry has capitalized on its rich cultural resource | | | | cases, together with their personalized choice of |
| and glorious past. In sharp contrast to the | | | | global cuisine.From less than 10,000 patients visiting |
| generally impoverished economical background, | | | | India for medical treatment five years ago, the |
| there are private health care centers that offer | | | | market of medical tourism in India has taken a |
| sophisticated medical services, comparable to and | | | | great leap in recent years. It is now worth US$ |
| at times even better than those offered by | | | | 333 million, with about 100,000 foreign patients |
| developed countries. A recent market study | | | | coming in every year. India is well positioned to |
| forecasts a growth from US$ 18.7 billion to | | | | tap the top end of the global healthcare industry |
| around US$ 45 billion - equivalent to 8.5 per cent | | | | because of the facilities and services it offers and |
| of GDP by 2012. India has emerged as the leading | | | | by leveraging the brand equity of Indian |
| country promoting medical tourism.India's health | | | | healthcare professionals across the globe. "A global |
| care industry along with its IT and tourism sector | | | | healthcare destination" is what even the |
| has helped it move into the economic renaissance. | | | | government is planning to brand the nation and is |
| It is poised to become a major driver of | | | | making economic policies in that direction.Christine |
| economic growth as first-world patients, driven | | | | is an expert Internet market professional with |
| out of their own systems by high costs and | | | | years of experience in various industries such as: |
| crowded conditions, look for cheaper places for | | | | Business, Finance, Real Estate, Web-Design, Health |
| medical care. The Government of India provides | | | | & Medicine and many more. |
| Tourist Visa of short duration and a special Medical | | | | |