1. Executive summery

Indian Tourism

Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national

GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. India witnesses’ more than 5 million

annual foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry

in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5

billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency

for the development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the "Incredible India"

campaign.

Medical Tourism in India

Medical tourism in India has emerged as the fastest growing segment of tourism industry

despite the global economic downturn. High cost of treatments in the developed countries,

particularly the USA and UK, has been forcing patients from such regions to look for

alternative and cost-effective destinations to get their treatments done. The Indian medical

tourism industry is presently at a nascent stage, but has an enormous potential for future

growth and development.

Medical Tourism in Gujarat

During the last decade, the State of Gujarat has witnessed enormous growth of high quality

health care delivery facilities in the State. Gujarat’s Healthcare sector has made impressive

strides in recent years and is surging ahead with new facilities and technology. Gujarat has

the State-of -the- art technology and the skilled super specialists. This, coupled with excellent

infrastructure and professional management, nurses and paramedical staff, can take on

international competition for providing a range of services and treatments at a fraction of

prevailing costs in international markets with comparable success rates and services levels

directly in proportion to the high value system and natural caring that comes with its unique

cultural heritage. Exploiting the religious, cultural and wild life tourism potential of the State

and collaboration with the tourism industry can complement the growth of medical tourism.

Satisfaction Level of the Patients

The survey of the patients who came from outside the India are mostly from the United States

of America, Africa and United Kingdom. The major purpose to come in India are social

gathering, treatment and tourism. The findings suggest that patients are coming majorly for

the cardiac diseases, orthopedic diseases and for gastro intestinal diseases. Most of the

patients select the Hospital or Doctors on the bases of the advice of their relatives or friends

and from web sites. The major attraction for the patients are doctor’s specialization and low

treatment charges. Patients gave their first priority to the treatment, followed by financial

expenses, hospitality and accommodation. Most of the patients are satisfied with the

treatment and facilities available in the hospital. Majority of the patients show their eagerness

to visit the same hospital again in the future if there will be any need arise.

2. Research Design:

An explorative study will be carried out to meet the research objective.

Initially the study will be done on the different hospitals and services provided by

them.

Descriptive - To gauge the mind set and view points of the patients pertaining to their

preference.

The length of the questionnaire would be 11 and the sample size will be around 100

respondents.

3. Research Methodology

3.1 Research Objectives

Macro Objectives:

To find out the satisfaction level of the patients in the multi-specialty hospitals.

To find out the factors, why NRIs are attracted towards taking medical treatments in

India.

To find out which kind of medical treatment is mostly preferred by the NRIs to take

in India.

Micro Objectives:

To make aware the administration department of the particular hospitals regarding

acceptance of facilities and services provided by them to the patients.

3.2 Scope of the study

Collecting data from the existing multispecialty and super specialty hospitals, medical

centres and polyclinics in Vadodara and Ahmedabad city.

Study the satisfaction level of the NRI patients who already took and are taking

treatment in the hospitals.

3.3 Nature of Research

Research will be descriptive and explorative in nature. Research will be done mainly

to understand the satisfaction level of the patients and by this way can understands the

competition and also need gaps so that better services can be develop.

4. Sampling Design Process:

Sample Unit: Foreign Patients who have used health care facilities at Ahmedabad

and Vadodara.

Target Population: Non residents Indians who came India for treatments.

Sample Size: 100

Method: Convenient Judgement sampling

Data Collection: from various major multispecialty hospitals, super specialty

hospitals, medical centres and polyclinics of Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

5. Data Sources:

The data would be collected in the form of Primary data through a survey in Ahmedabad

and Vadodara with the help of Personal Interviews.

Field Work

The Research Project work is limited to Gujarat especially Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

Fieldwork would include the following work.

Taking the prior appointment from the respondents (The hospital Management)

Personnel interview of Administration department of particular hospital/Medical

Practitioner

Personal interview/telephonic interview/email interview of patients

Primary Data – Questionnaire

Secondary Data – Marketing Research Text books, Internet and News papers

6. Tourism in India

6.1 History and Development

Tourism development in India has passed through many phases. At Government level the

development of tourist facilities was taken up in a planned manner in 1956 coinciding with

the Second Five Year Plan. The approach has evolved from isolated planning of single unit

facilities in the Second and Third Five Year Plans. The Sixth Plan marked the beginning of a

new era when tourism began to be considered a major instrument for social integration and

economic development.

But it was only after the 80’s that tourism activity gained momentum. The Government took

several significant steps. A National Policy on tourism was announced in 1982. Later in

1988, the National Committee on Tourism formulated a comprehensive plan for achieving a

sustainable growth in tourism. In July 1991, tourism was also declared as a priority sector for

foreign investment. In 1992, a National Action Plan was prepared and in 1996 the National

Strategy for Promotion of Tourism was drafted.

The other major development that took place were the setting up of the India Tourism

Development Corporation in 1966 to promote India as a tourist destination and the Tourism

Finance Corporation in 1989 to finance tourism projects. Altogether, 21 Government-run

Hotel Management and Catering Technology Institutes and 14 Food Craft Institutes were also

established for imparting specialized training in hoteliering and catering.

6.2 Current Scenario in Indian Tourism

Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national

GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. India witnesses more than 5 million annual

foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry in India

generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion

by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the

development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the "Incredible India"

campaign.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be a tourism hotspot from 2009-

2018, having the highest 10-year growth potential. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness

Report 2007 ranked tourism in India 6th in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms

of safety and security. Despite short- and medium-term setbacks, such as shortage of hotel

rooms, tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017.

India has a growing medical tourism sector. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi are

expected to significantly boost tourism in India.

Wild Life in India

India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal

Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros, often engrained culturally and

religiously often being associated with deities. Other well known large Indian mammals

include ungulates such as the domestic Asian Water buffalo, wild Asian Water buffalo,

Nilgai, Gaur and several species of deer and antelope. Some members of the dog family such

as the Indian Wolf, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal and the Dhole or Wild Dogs are also widely

distributed. It is also home to the Striped Hyaena, Macaques, Langurs and Mongoose species.

India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected wilderness

consists of 75 National parks of India and 421 Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the

purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the home of over 350

mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the subcontinent.

Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Bharatpur, Corbett, Kanha,

Kaziranga, Periyar, Ranthambore and Sariska. The world's largest mangrove forest

Sundarbans is located in southern West Bengal. The Sundarbans is UNESCO World Heritage

Site.

Hill Stations

Several hill stations served as summer capitals of Indian provinces, princely states, or, in

the case of Shimla, of British India itself. Since Indian Independence, the role of these hill

stations as summer capitals has largely ended, but many hill stations remain popular summer

resorts. Most famous hill stations are:

Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh - It is also known as The Queen of Satpura.

Araku, Andhra Pradesh

Gulmarg, Srinagar and Laddakh in Jammu and Kashmir

Darjeeling in West Bengal

Munnar in Kerala

Ooty and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu

Shillong in Meghalaya

Shimla, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh

Nainital in Uttarakhand

Gangtok in Sikkim

Mussoorie in Uttarakhand

In addition to the bustling hill stations and summer capitals of yore, there are several serene

and peaceful nature retreats and places of interest to visit for a nature lover. These range from

the stunning moonscapes of Leh and Ladhak, to small, exclusive nature retreats such as

Dunagiri, Binsar, Mukteshwar in the Himalayas, to rolling vistas of Western Ghats to

numerous private retreats in the rolling hills of Kerala.

Beaches

Elephants and camels rides are common on Indian beaches. Shown here is Havelock Island,

part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

India offers a wide range of tropical beaches with silver/golden sand to coral beaches of

Lakshadweep. States like Kerala and Goa have exploited the potential of beaches to the

fullest. However, there are a lot many unexploited beaches in the states of Andhra Pradesh,

Gujarat, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. These states have very high potential to be

develop them as future destinations for prospective tourists. Some of the famous tourist

beaches are:

Beaches of Vizag, Andhra Pradesh

Beaches of Puri, Orissa

Beaches of Digha, West Bengal

Beaches of Goa

Kovalam Beach, Kerala

Marina Beach, Chennai

Beaches of Mahabalipuram

Beaches in Mumbai

Beaches of Diu

Beaches of Midnapore, West Bengal

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Lakshadweep Islands

Adventure Tourism

Skiing in Manali, Himachal Pradesh

River rafting and kayaking in Himalayas

Mountain climbing in Himalayas

Rock climbing in Madhya Pradesh

Skiing in Gulmarg or Auli

Boat racing in Bhopal

Paragliding in Maharashtra

A Country Forever... A Story Forever

With Tourism being one of the foremost avenues to put India on the global map, it is

heartening to see that the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report of 2009 from the

World Economic Forum, has ranked India as 11th in the Asia Pacific region and 62nd overall,

moving up three places on the list of the world’s most attractive destinations. It also ranked

14th best tourist destination for its natural resources and 24 th for its cultural resources, owing

to many World Heritage sites, rich flora and fauna, and strong creative industry. The Indian

tourism industry ranked 5th in long-term growth and the report also expects it to become the

second largest employer in the world by the year 2019.

The Tourism Ministry has claimed that tourism in India has already started showing signs

of early recovery from the impact of global economic meltdown and in December 2009

tourists arrivals grew substantially by 21% registering a growth of over 8% over the arrivals

in December 2007 which was actually a year of high growth.

In spite of the global economic recession in 2008 and 2009, the Indian economy has

continued to have good growth. India’s GDP in 2008-09 grew by 6.7%.

During April-September, 2009 India’s GDP has seen a growth of 7%, whereas the global

economy is estimated to have a negative growth in 2009. The quantum jump in Foreign

Direct Investment (FDI) in the Hotel & Tourism sector in the year 2008 and 2009 is also

indicative of the positive scenario.

Indicating a turnaround, foreign tourist arrivals into the country grew by 21 percent in

December 2009, over the corresponding month in 2008. However, it had fallen by 3% for the

entire year of 2009 due to the meltdown, H1N1 scare and the Mumbai terror attacks.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals 2009

Estimates of foreign tourists arrivals (FTAs) and foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) are

important indicators of the tourism sectors. FEEs in USD terms during the month of

November 2009 were USD 1.2 billion as compared to USD 1 billion in November 2008.

FTAs during 2009 were 5.11 million with a growth rate of (-) 3.3% as compared to the

FTAs of 5.28 million and growth rate of 4% during 2008.

Though the growth rate for 2009 is (-) 3.3%, it is better than UNWTO’s projected

growth rate of (-) 6% to (-) 4% for the world.

FTAs during the Month of December 2009 were 6.46 lakh as compared to FTAs of 5.34

lakh in December 2008 and 5.97 lakh in December 2007.

Foreign Exchange Earnings 2009

FEEs in Rupee terms during 2009 were Rs. 54960 crore as compared to Rs. 50730 crore

in 2008.

The growth rate in FEEs in Rupee terms during 2009 was 8.3% as compared to 2008, and

14.4% during 2008 as compared to 2007.

In spite of the negative growth rate of 3.3% in FTAs, FEEs in rupee terms observed a

positive growth rate of about 8% during 2009.

FEEs during 2009 were USD 11.39 billion as compared to USD 11.75 billion during

2008.

The growth rate in FEEs in USD terms during 2009 was (-) 3% as compared to 2008, and

9.5% during 2008 as compared to 2007.

FTAs in January 2010

FTAs during the month of January 2010 were 4.91 lakh as compared to FTAs of 4.22

lakh during the month of January 2009 and 5.12 lakh in January 2008.

There has been a growth of 16.4% in January 2010 over January 2009 as compared to a

negative growth of 17.6% registered in January 2009 over January 2008.

FEEs in January 2010

FEEs during the month of January 2010 were Rs. 5593 crore as compared to Rs. 4598

crore in January 2009 and Rs. 5438 crore in January 2008.

The growth rate in FEEs in Rupee terms in January 2010 over January 2009 were

21.6% as compared to (-) 15.4% in January 2009 over January 2008.

Government Initiatives

Realising that the true potential of tourism lies in responsible practices on both the demand

and supply sides of the tourism chain, the Ministry of Tourism has adopted the ‘sustainable

tourism’ route and incorporated it into the innovative Rural Tourism Project.

Projects and Sanctioned Budgets

Development of tourism is primarily undertaken by the State Governments/Union Territory

Administrations and the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance for tourism

projects based on the proposals received from them subject to availability of funds and

priority.

The Tourism Ministry had sanctioned numerous projects across the nation for enhancing

the tourism infrastructure; many of them were sanctioned during the year 2009.

Future Potential

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) along with its strategic partner Oxford

Economics conducted the Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research in March 2009. In

accordance with this latest released research, the future of Indian Tourism has some bright

prospects.

The demand for tourism in India is expected to grow by 8.2% between 2010 and 2019

which will place India at the third position in the world.

Indian tourism is expected to employ over 40 million people by 2019.

Capital investment in India’s travel and tourism sector is expected to grow at 8.8%

between 2010 and 2019.

The research report forecasts India to get capital investment worth USD 94.5 billion in

the travel and tourism sector by 2019.

6.3 The various segments (structures) within tourism are:

Medical Tourism

It is one of the fastest growing segments in India. India has been able to leverage on certain

advantages it has over other countries like highly skilled doctors, cost effective treatment,

improved quality of private healthcare etc. Some of the common treatments for which

overseas patients to come to India are heart surgery, knee transplant, cosmetic surgery and

dental care. India's traditional rejuvenation therapy like yoga and ayurvedic therapy are also

becoming popular.

Eco Tourism

It is relatively new segment in India. It involves visiting natural areas without disturbing the

fragile ecosystem. Eco tourism generates wealth for the local people, who in turn take

measures to conserve and protect the environment and natural resources. India with its natural

diversity is one of the pristine places in the world for eco tourism. The Himalayan region,

Kerala, Northeast, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep islands the Western and

Eastern Ghats are some of the hot spots for eco tourism in India. India has some of the best

wildlife reserves in the world, rich in flora and fauna.

Heritage Tourism

Heritage tourism is a very lucrative segment in India. It is widely believed it would emerge

as the most important segment within tourism in terms of revenue generation by 2010.India

has a rich cultural history and reflection of its glorious past is still visible in its numerous

forts, monuments, palaces, places of worship etc. Heritage tourism itself can be further

classified as colonial heritage, urban renewal, religious tourism, industrial heritage and

ethnicity. The Indian government must show keen interest in preserving the heritage sites

from a tourism perspective.

Adventure Tourism

India's varied geographical and climatic conditions offer excellent opportunity for

adventure sports. In recent times the popularity of adventure tourism has increased.

Adventure sports like river rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, trekking, skiing, snow

climbing, scuba diving and angling can be undertaken in the country and the country offers

multiple locations to choose from. The trans Himalayan region, the Garhwal and Kumaon

mountains, the Western Ghats, deserts of Rajasthan, Andaman and Lakshadweep islands are

some of the most popular destination for adventure tourism.

7. Industry Players

7.1 Thomas Cook India Ltd.

Company Information

Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. is the largest integrated Travel and Travel related Financial

Services Company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services that include Foreign

Exchange, Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, and Insurance. The Company launched its

Indian operations in 1881 and is celebrating its 127 years of world-class service in India.

Thomas Cook (India) operates in the following areas of business, namely: Leisure Travel,

Corporate Travel Management, MICE, Foreign Exchange, SWIFT Network, Travel

Insurance, Credit Cards, Pre-Paid Cards, Life Insurance and E-Business.

Post March 31st 2008, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) is a part of Thomas Cook Group

plc UK (TCG). On March 7th 2008, TCG announced its decision to acquire TCIL from

Dubai Investment Group. Thomas Cook Group plc is one of the largest travel groups in the

world with a market capitalization of approximately US$6 Billion.

In June 2006, Thomas Cook (India) acquired LKP Forex Limited and Travel Corporation

(India) Pvt. Ltd. (TCI).

TCIL presently operates in over 72 cities across over 180 locations. The company has

overseas operations in Sri Lanka which is a branch of TCIL and Mauritius which is a

subsidiary of Thomas Cook (India). The Company employs over 2,200 resources and is listed

on both the Bombay Stock Exchange as well as the National Stock Exchange.

Thomas Cook (India), over the years has received several prestigious awards such as the

Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance and the Pacific Asia Travel

Association (PATA) Golden Award for Best Travel. Recently, the Company won the Best

Tour Operator at the CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2008 and was also accredited the P1

rating which is the highest financial rating given by Crisil.

Founded in 2007

Headquarters in Peterborough, England, UK

Key people are Thomas Middlehoff (Chairman), Michael Beckett (Deputy Chairman),

Manny Fontenla-Novoa (CEO)

IT is a travel industry

Its products are Package Holidays

Employees are 31000

7.2 SOTC - India's Leading Tour operator

SOTC is Kuoni India's key outbound travel brand. SOTC, India’s largest outbound tour

operator was acquired by Kuoni Travels - World's leading premium Tour Operator in the year

1996 and is a leader in all segments, namely Escorted Tours, Free Individual Travel, Special

Interest Tours and Domestic Holidays amongst others.

Till date, SOTC has escorted over 4 lakh passengers across the globe to various destinations

including Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Far East, Africa and many more.

They have served travelers for years and won their smiles and hearts. SOTC’s vast array of

holiday services is taking holidaying to an entirely new level.

SOTC has been voted "Best Outbound Tour Operator" five times in a row by the Galileo

Express Travel & Tourism Awards Committee.

The company has not only fully utilized the existing market potential but has also created

new markets through innovative packages namely ‘BhramanMandal’ brand which is

dedicated for the Marathi speaking population and  'Gurjar Vishwadarshan' brand that is

dedicated for the Gujarati speaking population.

SOTC Corporate (MICE) tours offer the following services to customers:

Research and development of complete program

Identification and reservation of location

Venue and accommodation selection

Planning, organisation and equipping of location area

Contracting and negotiation of services

Organisation of pre and post tour programs, spouse programs, social programs and  

arrangements for accompanying guests

Specialized exclusive theme dinners

Audiovisual recording of the event

Shows and special entertainments

Special evening venues

Transportation - meet and greet services during all arrivals

Security

Visa application services

SOTC Trade Fair Tours

SOTC Trade Fair Tours is a division that caters exclusively to the needs and requirements of

the keen businessman visiting or exhibiting in International trade fairs. 

Increase in the number of Indian participants & visitors to various International exhibitions to

compete at a global level confirm huge potential for Group Outbound Travel. In the past few

years SOTC Trade Fair Tours has successfully organised delegations to various International

trade fairs, which has helped in creating awareness and earning a reputation in the market.

The efforts and strength in offering the best quality services have been recognized by the

'Indo German Chamber of Commerce', Industry Associations and International Exhibition

Organizers, etc by appointing SOTC Trade Fair Tours as their exclusive official agent in

India. SOTC Trade Fair Tours has given a new dimension to the trade fair visitors by

providing value added services such as confirmed accommodation during the fair period,

Indian meals, option to pay in easy monthly installments, factory visits etc - all this and more

at extremely attractive and competitive prices.

8. Medical Tourism as an Industry

Medical tourism is actually thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients

came from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at

Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that

continued for 2,000 years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from

Germany to the Nile. In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry

beyond the wealthy and desperate.

The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States

are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From

Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the

patient can't wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a

physician in private practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a

tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery.

And more patients are coming from poorer countries such as Bangladesh where treatment

may not be available.

Countries that actively promote medical tourism include Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India,

Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now

entering the field. South Africa specializes in medical safaris-visit the country for a safari,

with a stopover for plastic surgery, a nose job and a chance to see lions and elephants.

9. Medical Tourism in India

Medical Tourism (also known as Health Tourism, Medical Travel) is about travelling to a

foreign country for medical treatment. It involves the benefit of cost effective treatment,

private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry. The concept of Medical

Tourism is fast catching-up in India where people from any part of the world travel to the

country for the purpose of medical treatment and get the dual benefit of travelling and

sightseeing to various parts of India.

Medical Tourism is a growing concept in India because of various reasons. Much of it

depends upon factors those are:

Low cost surgeries and medical treatments such as complex Bone Marrow transplant,

liver transplant, kidney transplant, specialized cardiac/heart surgery, surgeries for hip

joint replacement, knee joint replacement, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgeries, to

mention a few. All these surgical procedures are carried out by expert doctors.

India has various state-of-the-art medical institutes and hospitals of international

standards.

People all around the world are eager to see the diversity and unity of India. So, when

they get the advantage of medical treatment along with a dual advantage of getting to

travel India, they choose India over others.

Comparatively the cost of surgery in India is estimated to be one-tenth of that in the

United States or Western Europe, and sometimes even less. A heart-valve

replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the US, for example, goes for

$10,000 in India--and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief vacation package.

Similarly there are other such surgical procedures that cost less in India.

Chennai (formerly known as Madras), the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil

Nadu, has been declared India's Health Capital, as it nets in 48% of health tourists

from abroad and 37-41% of domestic health tourists.

9.1 Booming Medical Tourism in India

Medical tourism in India has emerged as the fastest growing segment of tourism industry

despite the global economic downturn. High cost of treatments in the developed countries,

particularly the USA and UK, has been forcing patients from such regions to look for

alternative and cost-effective destinations to get their treatments done. The Indian medical

tourism industry is presently at a nascent stage, but has an enormous potential for future

growth and development.

We have also found that India represents the most potential medical tourism market in the

world. Factors such as low cost, scale and range of treatments provided by India differentiate

it from other medical tourism destinations. Moreover, the growth in India’s medical tourism

market will be a boon for several associated industries, including hospital industry, medical

equipments industry and pharmaceutical industry.

In addition to the existence of modern medicine, indigenous or traditional medical

practitioners are providing their services across the country. There are over 3,000 hospitals

and around 726,000 registered practitioners catering to the needs of traditional Indian

healthcare. Indian hotels are also entering the wellness services market by tying up with

professional organizations in a range of wellness fields and offering spas and Ayurvedic

massages.

Our comprehensive report also provides a deep insight into the Indian medical tourism

market and evaluates the past, present and future scenario of the medical tourism market. It

discusses the key factors which are making India an attractive medical tourism destination.

Both statistics and trends about market size, tourist arrivals, infrastructure, accreditations,

drivers and restraints have been thoroughly discussed in the report.

9.2 Emerging Trends of Medical Tourism in India

Medical tourism was a silver lining for those millions of Uninsured, underinsured and those

who were forced to postpone treatments due to long waiting lists.  What seemed like a boon

to patients from Western countries like US, UK and Canada is now a twilight of hope for

those countries who are deemed as Medical Tourism hubs.  In popular medical tourism

destinations like India, Singapore and Thailand, Medical Tourism is a fast growing industry

where millions of dollars are being pumped in rigorously. 

In order to cope with the growing demand for medical care, hospitals, medical practitioners

and even governments have taken measures to promote health care in India. 

When it comes to health care, safety is the foremost concern.  The hospitals in India are

well equipped with the latest technology and houses highly qualified and experienced staff

who can provide timely and quality medical treatment to patients.  As a move in promoting

medical tourism, many hospitals are deemed as “corporate hospitals” that specially cater to

the needs of medical tourists in India.  Apart from offering world class treatments, they offer

various services that make medical tourists’ stay in India hassle free.  Many hospitals in India

have international accreditations that certify the quality of health care service. 

Indian Government has acknowledged the growth of medical tourism in India and is now

offering Medical Visas.  The initial period for a medical visa may be up to a period of one

year or the period of treatment whichever less, which can be extended for a further period up

to one year be the State Government/ FRROs on the production of medical certificate/ advice

from the reputed/ recognized/ specialized hospitals in the country. Any further extension will

be granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs only on the recommendations of the State

Government/ FRROs supported by appropriate Medical documents. Such visa will be valid

for maximum three entries during one year.

India is a big player in the medical tourism industry.  In fact, it has been ranked the most

popular medical tourism destination by many.  Apart from the contribution of government

and hospitals in improving the health care service in India, what truly gives that edge to India

over other medical tourism destinations is the innumerable rejuvenation options it offers and

the easiness of stay in India.

India is the birth place of Yoga, which is one of the most popular forms of exercise and

rejuvenation today.  There are almost an infinite number of Spa and rejuvenation centers in

India that could uplift the mood and enhance health of medical tourists.  India is a tourist’s

paradise and when in India for medical treatment, tourism comes as a co-benefit of medical

tourism.  Unlike other exotic destinations in the world, it is surprisingly easy to commute,

stay and converse in India.  People in India are extremely warm and have a sound command

over English.   All these factors make India the sought after destinations for medical tourism

and India is now equipped to cater to the fast growing demand for health care in India.

A new report, "Booming Medical Tourism in India”, provides an insight into the Indian

medical tourism market. It evaluates the past, present and future scenario of the Indian

medical tourism market and discusses the key factors that are making India a favorable

medical tourism destination. Both statistics and trends regarding market size, tourist arrivals,

infrastructure, accreditations, drivers and restraints have been thoroughly discussed in the

report.

The research suggests that India represents the most potential medical tourism market in the

world. Factors such as low cost, scale and range of treatments provided by India differentiate

it from other medical tourism destinations. The growth in India’s medical tourism market is

expected to serve as a boon for several associated industries including hotels, medical

equipment and pharmaceuticals.

9.3 Government Plans for Attracting Medical Tourism to India

To promote growth in the Indian medical travel industry, the Indian government has plans

to improve health infrastructure.  The government is currently in the process of increasing the

number of hospitals, clinics, and clinical laboratories in urban as well as rural parts of the

country. Incentives and tax holidays are being offered to hospitals and dispensaries providing

health travel facilities.  The Indian medical travel and health care sector offers plenty of

opportunities for businessmen, medical equipment manufacturers, healthcare service

providers, and tourist agencies, and the government is encouraging them to invest in

therapeutic and preventive health services so as to increase medical travel to India. The

government has published analytical reports on the available opportunities in the Indian

health care industry so corporate houses can make informed decisions regarding the Indian

medical tourism sector. 

9.4 Expansion of Medical Tourism in India

There are several characteristics that make India an appealing destination for visitors

seeking health services. These include its well-trained health practitioners; a large populace

of good English speaking doctors, guides and medical staff; availability of super-specialty

centres that excel in cardiology and cardio-thoracic surgery, joint replacements, transplants,

cosmetic treatments, dental care, orthopaedic surgery and more; hospitals that provide the full

gamut of health services which include full body pathology, comprehensive physical and

gynaecological examinations, echo Doppler, high strength MRI etc. using latest,

technologically advanced diagnostic equipments; and finally, and more importantly the

availability of these premium services at prices that are extremely reasonable for the foreign

tourist.

In fact, the competitive cost of medical treatment in India has been the main catalyst for the

growth of medical tourism in the country. The costs of comparable treatment in India are on

average one eighth to one fifth of those in the West. For instance, a cardiac procedure costs

anywhere between US$ 40,000 - 60,000 in the United States, US$ 30,000 in Singapore, US$

12,000 - 15,000 in Thailand and only US$ 3,000 - 6,000 in India. Likewise, the associated

costs of surgery are also low.

India also has the potential to emerge as a hub for preventive health screening in view of the

availability of low-cost diagnostic tests. At a private clinic in London a health check-up for

men that includes blood tests, electro-cardiogram tests, chest X-Rays, lung tests and

abdominal ultrasound costs around £350. In comparison, a comparable check-up at a clinic

operated by Delhi-based healthcare company Max Healthcare costs US$ 84. A Magnetic

Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan costs US$ 60 at Escorts Hospital in Delhi, compared with

roughly US$ 700 in New York.

A study done by the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) in 2004 showed that India is

more cost-competitive as compared to other leading medical tourism destination like

Thailand. Thailand has a cost advantage over India in only two categories: plastic surgery and

breast augmentation. India is cheaper than Thailand across a whole range of other—and more

serious — surgery categories as the following chart indicates.

Surgery Thailand India

Bone Marrow Transplant US$ 62500 US$ 30000

Liver Transplant US$ 75000 US$ 40000

Open Heart Surgery (CABG) US$ 14250 US$ 4400

Hip Replacement US$ 6900 US$ 4500

Knee Surgery US$ 7000 US$ 4500

Hysterectomy US$ 2012 US$ 511

Gall Bladder removal US$ 1755 US$ 555

* cost in US$

The health services in India have the additional advantage of providing a good mix of

allopathic and alternative systems of medicine. For instance, while New Delhi has emerged

as a prime destination for cardiac care; Chennai has established a niche for quality eye care;

Kerala and Karnataka have emerged as hubs for state-of-the-art ayurvedic healing.

The scope for profit in this sector has encouraged several large corporations, such as

pharmaceuticals and industrial companies, and several non-resident Indians (NRIs) to invest

money in setting up super-specialty hospitals such as Apollo, Medinova, CDR, Mediciti in

Hyderabad; Hindujas and Wockhardt in Mumbai; Max, Escorts, Apollo in Delhi etc.8 These

facilities now dominate the upper end of the private sector and cater predominantly to

medical tourists and affluent sections of the society. These establishments have created a

niche job market for health professionals predominantly trained in public sector institutes.

Even the Government of India has responded promptly to tap the potential of this sector. In

its effort to capitalize on this opportunity the Government has untaken measures to promote

India as a “global health destination”. The National Health Policy 2002 strongly encourages

medical facilities to provide services to users from overseas. It states that “providers of such

services to patients from overseas will be encouraged by extending to their foreign exchange,

all fiscal incentives, including the status of “deemed exports”, which are available to other

exporters of goods and services”.

The Indian Ministry of Tourism has started a new category of visas for the medical tourists.

These visas called the “M” or medical-visas are valid for one year but can be extended up to

three years and are issued for a patient along with a companion. Efforts have also been

undertaken to improve the airport infrastructure to ensure smooth arrival and departure of the

health tourists. A brochure of the ministry predicts a “phenomenal expansion” of the Indian

health-care industry in the coming years.

These factors have favored the recent spurt of growth of medical tourism in India. Official

figures indicate that medical tourists from 55 different countries come to India for treatment.

While most of these patients are from developed countries, India is also seeing a surge of

patients from countries in Africa and South and West Asia that lack adequate healthcare

infrastructure. Among others, foreign health travelers to India comprise of a large number of

non-resident Indians (NRIs). If the present trend continues trade in health and health-services

will become one of the biggest sectors in India. However, there are several challenges that

could impede the growth of medical tourism in India, more importantly the growth of this

sector poses a threat to the already crippled public health system in India.

Kerala Medical Tourism

Kerala is not only a beautiful destination in Southern India known for its scenic beaches and

serene backwaters. Of late Kerala has gained international attention for Medical Tourism and

is becoming a popular international medical tourism destination.

Kerala is famous for its alternative medical therapies such as Ayurveda, which help to

rejuvenate and revitalize the body. What many tourists have now discovered is that Kerala

has a pool of trained doctors and nurses and an excellent network of hospitals that offer

international standard treatments at very affordable prices. Previously Indians working

abroad, such as residents of Kerala working in the Persian Gulf countries, would return to

India for medical treatment. Now International patients too have realized the advantages of

traveling to Kerala and the medical tourism industry has begun to take off in a big way.

Faced with exorbitant fees for procedures such as cardiac surgery, dentistry and cosmetic

surgery in their home countries, patients from the West and the Middle East have begun

looking at India and Kerala in particular.

Indian doctors have established themselves as highly skilled and conscientious caregivers

worldwide. Many doctors who have trained or worked abroad have returned to India to work

here. Their reputation has led to the growth of the Medical Tourism industry in Kerala.

Kerala Travel Tourism offers tour packages that combine medical treatment with a restful

holiday in Kerala India. The world-class hospital facilities, pre and post-operative care and

pleasant climate make your medical treatment and recovery in Kerala a positive experience.

Some Medical Tourism options in Kerala are given below.

10. Medical Tourism Companies

HelloMD.com

Advent Medical Services group is a leading medical service provider based in India with

accomplished and distinguished physicians and surgeons with a vast experience in variety

of disciplines including cardiothoracic surgery cosmetic and plastic surgery, laparoscopic

surgery, endoscopic surgery, microsurgery, joint replacements and highly advanced form

of ophthalmic and ear surgery.

web site url : http://www.hellomd.com

 

Indicure

Indicure is a limited company in New Delhi, India founded by a group of medical and

management professionals with an objective to provide customised patient care

management services in India for medical tourism, health care tourism and home health

care services.

web site url : http://www.indicure.com/

 

JD Healthcare

Located in British Columbia on the west coast of Canada, JD Healthcare and its partners

have been providing healthcare to patients worldwide for over two years. With strong

ties to the global pharmaceutical industry, Company the pleasure of assisting countless

thousands around the world who can barely afford to put food on the table, let alone pay

hundreds of dollars in medical bills every month.

web site url : http://www.jdhealthcare.com

 Medical Tourism in India - Erco Travels

Erco Travels provides Dental Care Packages, Eye ( Refractive ) Care Packages, Heart

Care Packages, Heart Surgery Packages, Cosmetic Treatment Packages, Orthopaedic

Surgery Packages and Health Check Up along with other tourism packages.

web site url : http://www.medicaltourismindia.com

  Med In India

Med In India provides professional, caring and comprehensive services to Medical

Tourists looking for medical treatments (and tourist package) in India. Its services help

you choose a treatments which are scheduled at your convenience and that too at an

affordable cost. It includes surgery of heart, hips and joints and cosmetic surgery and

likewise many such other treatments.

web site url : http://www.medinindia.com

 

Mediscapes India

Mediescapes India offers several invasive to non-invasive medical treatments at our

partner super - specialty medical treatments facilities in India combined with recuperative

holiday package show-causing the real India. The surgeries and non - invasive medical

treatments offered by its partner hospitals and clinics in India are vast and varied, ranging

from Cardiac surgery options to Renal Transplant as well as BMT, Cosmetic surgery to

Dental, Refractive to Birmingham Hip Surgeries, Ayurveda, Naturopathy to Yoga and last

but not least mental to spiritual rehabilitation as well as complete diagnostic lab

procedures in several world-class Indian medical institutions of repute having

International accreditations.

web site url : http://www.mediescapes.com

  Medi Tours

Meditours, based in Kelowna, British Columbia was started as a company to assist those

people in need of immediate health remedies specifically those requiring hip and knee

replacements. After visiting state of the art medical facilities in the resort area of

Trivandrum in the south of India, and realising the need for these services given the long

waiting lists and expensive hospital bills in most countries, they are now offering the same

level of medical services with accommodations in 5 star hotels for recuperation for about

about the same price as just the surgery in their own country.

web site url : http://www.meditours.org

 

Sahaj Dental Clinic

Offers a great opportunity to experience Mystic India with World Class Dental Treatment.

Here you can Save & Enjoy, both.

web site url : http://www.sahajdental.com

 

Serena Spa

Serena Spa, a haven of peace & tranquillity set against the ambience of natural beauty, for

those who wish to relax, restore and rejuvenate, body mind and spirit. A paradise filled

with exotic aromas, essential oils, spice and floral fragrances, designed to enhance and

optimise the total mind - body experience.

web site url : http://www.serenaspa.com

11. Gujarat: A Global Health Destination Promoting Medical

Tourism in Gujarat

As part of its Navratri Celebrations ”Vibrant Gujarat 2006”, the Government of Gujarat took

the opportunity to promote its world-class medical facilities and medical expertise making

Gujarat as a destination for medical tourism for Non Resident Indians.

Concept of “Medical Tourism” includes combining Healthcare with tourism potential and

offering the Best of the East and the West under one roof.

India’s emergence as the preferred Global Healthcare destination has attracted patients from

the globe to come to India particularly Gujarat for treatment which is estimated to contribute

25-31 % of the industry earnings of one hundred thousand crores. The Gujarati community

comprises of 32% of the total 20.1 million people of Indian origin worldwide.

According to a study by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India has a competitive edge

especially its cost advantage. The Cost of Medical treatment in India is less than 1/3rd of that

in many European and US Hospitals.

Gujarat’s medical expertise and the strength of its facilities are better than those of some of

the south-east Asian nations and Gujarat hospitals are trying to do lot harder selling abroad.

They are seeking to achieve this by measures such as:

Creating centre of excellences in the respective fields

Quality stamp through accreditation from global certification agencies such as JCI

Developing a network

Customised Packaged are available

There was a one mega event organized during the nine days of Navratri; an exhibition on

medical tourism where leading hospitals of the state had an opportunity to show their

facilities and service packages.

The Exhibition:

The Governor, H/E Navalkishor Sharma, inaugurated the exhibition. The exhibition was from

23rd September to 1st October. The hospitals such as Apollo, Sterling Hospital, Bankers

Heart Hospital, J. S. Ayurvedic Hospital, G.E. Health Care, Fortis Hospital, Rajasthan

hospital, and the Cardiology, Kidney and Cancer institutes from the Civil Hospital campus

participated in the exhibition enthusiastically. The exhibition also promoted Indian Systems

of Medicine specifically, Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Yoga.

The focus areas for medical tourism have been derived from the fact that there are waiting

lists in various specialties for both inpatients and outpatients, anything between three weeks

to one year in hospitals in UK and USA. Many hospitals in Gujarat have experience in

providing services to the NRGs and according to them the potential areas for Gujarat would

be:

Cardiology

Renal transplantation

Carcinoma

Dental care

Cataract

Restructuring plastic surgery

Wellness and screening Programme

In Vitro Fertilization

Holistic care through Indian Systems of Medicine.

Planning for medical tourism ahead….

The Government of Gujarat sees this occasion as a beginning for making Gujarat a Global

Health Destination. The long-term plans include:-

Establishing a Medical tourism council

M.O.Us with private hospitals for provision of high quality health care.

Introduction of Nursing Home Act

Accreditation of service providers so that quality services are assured.

Medi City

Opportunities for private participation in public hospitals

Investments in Capacity Building Schools of Public Health and Hospital Management

12. Major Hospitals in Ahmedabad and Vadodara

12.1 Apollo Hospital

The Story of Apollo Hospitals is intrinsically tied to the story of Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, the

founding Chairman. His wondrous journey from rural Andhra Pradesh to architecting modern

healthcare in India is synonymous with Apollo’s sweeping achievements in making India a

global healthcare hub.

He had settled down to a flourishing practice in USA, when the pangs of an unfinished

dream started. These pangs continued to gain ground, strong and silent until that one day,

when Dr. Reddy realized that he was consumed by the overwhelming need to lay the

foundation for his vision. He moved back to India and started the uphill task of making

Apollo Hospitals a reality. Today, Apollo Hospitals group is the largest healthcare service

provider in Asia and the third largest in the world. As a group, Apollo has touched and

enriched over 20 million lives.

Apollo Hospitals started as a 150 bedded hospital in Chennai in 1983. India, in the early

80's, was not the easiest place for private enterprise. Moreover, private healthcare institutions

were unknown and they were not doing cutting edge work. 27 years later it is an amazing

story of success, achievement and most importantly, dreams realized.

As Apollo Hospitals has made colossal strides to reach where it is, more and more facets of

the founding vision have turned to reality. Today, Apollo group is not just one of the

country's premier healthcare providers but has also played a pioneering role in helping India

become the centre-of-excellence in global healthcare.

The Apollo Hospitals group today includes over 8065 beds across 46 hospitals in India and

overseas, neighborhood diagnostic clinics, an extensive chain of Apollo Pharmacies, medical

BPO, health insurance services and clinical research divisions that are working on the cutting

edge of medical science.

However, the largest achievement of the Apollo group has been to take quality healthcare to

across the length and breadth of India. Of touching 10 million lives and giving hope to an

entire segment of the Indian population who did not have an option beyond limited medical

infrastructure.

Apollo has succeeded in being more than just a quality healthcare provider. It has been a

major player in scripting the medical landscape of the nation. This is primarily because the

group has continuously been at the helm of several game-changing innovations in Indian

healthcare.

By the start of the new millennium, Apollo Hospitals group had become an integrated

healthcare organization with owned and managed hospitals, diagnostic clinics, dispensing

pharmacies and consultancy services. In addition, the group's service offerings include

healthcare at the patient's doorstep, clinical & diagnostic services, medical business process

outsourcing, third party administration services and heath insurance. To enhance performance

and service to customers, the company also makes available the services to support the

business of healthcare, telemedicine services, education & training programs, research

services and a host of non profit projects.

About Apollo Ahmedabad

Today Apollo Hospitals group is recognized as the "Architect of Healthcare" in India.

Apollo group has a long history of accomplishments with its unique ability of resource

management.

Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad opened in May 2003. A multi-specialty quaternary care

hospital further strengthens the healthcare infrastructure in Gujarat, setting new benchmarks

in quality standards in healthcare delivery. Keeping with the tradition of delivering healthcare

at par with the best in the world, Apollo relies a great deal on innovation, introspection and

improvement to render tender loving care to patients.

Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad provides holistic healthcare that includes prevention,

treatment, rehabilitation and health education for patients, their families and clients by

touching their lives.

International Patients

Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad, a 400 bedded quaternary care hospital, has an overall

success rate of 98%.

Located just 5 Kms from the Ahmedabad International Airport, the hospital not only offers

world class healthcare facilities but also has a wonderful serene nature surrounding it. Built

over 10 acres of land, the hospital has 65 ICU beds and is the largest corporate hospital in

Gujarat offering world class diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities. 

Medical Tourism in India has witnessed an enormous growth and has opened a plenty of

opportunities in the private and voluntary sector. Leading the race in attracting medical

tourists to India is Apollo Hospitals, the healthcare powerhouse of India. Traveling from all

around the world, medical tourists seek essential healthcare services. Apollo Hospitals,

Ahmedabad offers superlative services in line with international patient care standards and

has therefore carved a niche in the health tourism sector.

Arrival at Airport

On arrival, patients will be received at the Apollo Medical Centre, a unit of Apollo

Hospitals, Ahmedabad, by their representative and taken to main Apollo Hospital as per the

admission plan.

They Specialised in:

1. Coronary Angiography & Angioplasty

2. Open Heart Surgery

3. Stem Cell Transplantation

4. Knee Replacement

5. Kidney Transplantation

6. Cosmetic Surgery

7. Paediatric Cardiology

8. Radiation & Surgical Oncology

9. Medical Health Checks

Special Facilities Available

Transport services including Airport pickup

Foreign exchange support

Accommodation for relatives and attendants

Communication Center

Locker facility

International conferencing facility

Postage & Couriers

Travel Desk

Cyber Café

Library

Places of Worship

Bank ATM

Telemedicine Facility:

Apollo’s vision is to provide a successful working model of Telemedicine which self-

propagates across India and abroad. It will provide a channel for continuous access to the

most sophisticated medical support systems at all times. Apollo aims at extending super-

speciality services to remote countries across the globe by proactively using technological

developments and imaging techniques to create benchmark standards in the field of medicine

and health.

They have a state of the art telemedicine centre, to cater for needs of all international

patients.

12.2 Shalby Hospital, Ahmedabad.

Shalby Hospitals is amongst the league of few hospitals to have received NABH (National

Accreditation Board of Hospitals) certificate in a short span of time. Shalby’s NABH journey

started in July 2009 as Shalby family organized itself into small teams of healthcare

professionals taking the daunting task to set systems and process documentations in place.

From infrastructure & facility management to services & medical management, all teams

were aligned with only one focus in mind – ensuring Better Patient Care & Improved Patient

Safety through improvement in quality services offered by the hospital.

Shalby Hospital: In pursuit of Quality Health Service

Shalby Hospitals provide world class facility and offer a holistic range of medical services to

patients from across the globe. Shalby’s compassionate approach to medical care is patient

centric, with multidisciplinary teams of highly skilled medical professionals working together

to improve the quality of life for patients. Although a multi specialty health care provider,

Shalby is particularly renowned for its high volumes in joint replacement surgeries with more

than 16000 Total Knee Replacement surgeries conducted till date ─ a world record of sorts.

At Shalby, they believe it is more important, in these days of patient choice, to listen

carefully to the views of their patients so that they are able to respond to their needs. They

strive to continually improve the quality of patient care, monitoring and measuring the

treatments their patients receive and evaluating performances against their own as well as

industry standards. Shalby is committed to providing highest quality healthcare through

innovative use of technology across the offered medical specialties, this not only ensures

minimizing infection rate but also ensures they offer the world’s best services to their

patients.

Shalby Hospitals is a modern, state of the art 230 bed quaternary care healthcare centre

centrally located in Ahmedabad. The hospital transcends the best of the service standards

practiced anywhere in the world and has to its credit the honor of being one of the

preferred destinations for Total Knee Replacement surgeries. Under the able guidance

and leadership of Dr. Vikram Shah who has successfully performed over 16000 Knee

Replacement surgeries (till March 2009).  It’s world class infrastructure includes:

9 Operation Theatres

  3 Class 100 Operation Theatres for Joint Replacement

2 Class 10000 Operation Theatres for Cardiac Surgery

3 General Operation Theatres

1 Dedicated Operation Theatre for Laproscopy and Endoscopy

Macquet Operative tables

All Operation Theatres have Laminar Airflow to minimize infections

Surgeons use space suits as a measure to isolate air-exhaust

A-Dec Dental Chairs

Root ZX & X Smart for painless Root Canal Therapy

Carl-Ziess Optio Surgical Microscope for neurosurgery

Dedicated level for International Patients

Choice of cuisines

Prayer room

In-house Travel Desk for air / rail bookings

Shalby Hospitals also offers world class services in the following medical disciplines:

Joint Replacement Surgeries

(Knee & Hip)

  Endoscopic & Laproscopic Surgery

Dentistry & Dental Implantology   Urology

Intervention Cardiology   Nephrology

Neuro Sciences (Medical &

Surgical)

  Oncoloy (Medical & Surgical)

Ophthalmology   Endocinology (Medical & Surgical)

Bariatric Surgery   Paediatrics (Medical & Surgical)

Reconstructive Surgery   Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery

Burns & Plastic Surgery   Intervention Radiology

Cosmetic & Aesthetic Surgery   Pain Management

Shalby Hospitals treasures its skilled and efficient manpower in all walks of hospital

services from administration to paramedics to consultants. It is this very force which has

further advanced their growth as a prominent quaternary care hospital in the region

serving not only Indian patients but also extending its healing touch to patients from

UAE, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Yemen, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya etc.

12.3 Sterling Hospital

STERLING ADDLIFE INDIA LIMITED came into existence with effect from 29.12.2000

as a Limited Company registered with the office of the Registrar of Companies; Gujarat.

Sterling Addlife India Ltd. is a dominant player and premier healthcare service provider in

Gujarat. It has become one of the leading regional healthcare companies in India. The

philosophy of the company remains to be patient centric, follower of ethical medical

practices, and a provider of world class healthcare to global clientele.

Sterling Hospital, owned and managed by Sterling AddLife India Ltd., is the leading

hospital chain in Gujarat. It is engaged in providing high quality medical and surgical care in

a host of critical specialties such as Cardiology and CVTS surgeries, Neurology and Neuro-

surgeries, Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, GI Medicine and Surgeries, Hematology,

Oncology and Onco-surgery, Critical and Emergency Care, Trauma and Orthopedic,

Neonatology as well as General Medicine and Surgeries. Sterling has two multi-speciality

tertiary care hospitals, one each at Ahmedabad and Vadodara and three satellite centers, one

each at Kalol, Mehsana and Himmatnagar. The company has STERLING HOSPITAL, a

multi-super speciality hospital in Ahmedabad – with 310 beds, 7 major operation theatres and

84 ICU beds. The company has also taken over Sterling Hospital, Vadodara which is having

all multi-super-specialty facilities. Sterling's high quality services attract patients from

Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and even from outside the country.

Sterling proposes to cross the 1000-bed mark with additional state-of-the art hospitals

planned at Rajkot, Surat and Bhavnagar by 2010. Sterling is also focused on clinical research

and medical education through DNB programs. As a part of Sterling's ambitious growth

plans, Actis, the well-known Private Equity Firm, has recently acquired a significant equity

stake in Sterling AddLife India Ltd.

Sterling has taken up 2 green field projects at Rajkot and Bhavnagar.  The estimated cost of

Rajkot project for setting up a 160 bed hospitals is kept at Rs. 75 Crores. The company has

acquired a piece of commercial land at Bhavnagar for setting up a medium sized 120 beds

capacity (expandable upto 130 beds) hospital with estimated cost of project of Rs. 46 Crores.

Corporate    

At Sterling Hospitals they understand that healthy employees contribute to a healthy

business. Their healthcare delivery systems are specially designed to suit every employee

needs.

From wellness and preventive care, to the treatment of illness and rehabilitation, they have

been pioneers in every link of the healthcare chain. For their employees and their dependents,

this means easy access to the most sophisticated medical facilities.

Doctors    

Sterling Hospitals has managed to create a world-class healthcare system by integrating

internationally benchmarked medical practices with cutting-edge technology and above all

'Patient Care'. The institute has brought the sharpest, the brightest and the most diligent

resources to work together and to deliver finest care to its patients.

All those health professionals who visualize a synergy with the institute's core values of

'Service to mankind, Compassion for fellow human beings and utmost Integrity in all actions',

are welcome to be a part of the -Team Sterling.

Patients    

Sterling Hospital, has emerged as a preferred destination for quality medical treatment

attracting patients worldwide. Given this advantage, Sterling Hospitals has focused its efforts

towards being a world-class hospital that exceeds the expectations of its patients.

With highly advanced medical infrastructure, broad knowledge base, medical expertise and

extensive integration, Sterling Hospital makes an ideal partner for patients seeking a more

affordable treatment. The hospital offers globally benchmarked healthcare services

administered by surgeons and physicians trained in international medical practices. These

services include advanced cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, orthopaedics and joint

replacement surgery & Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cosmetology, Oncology and Neurology

amongst others.

 International patients    

Medical Tourism in India has witnessed strong growth in past few years. India is emerging

as a preferred destination for international patients due to availability of best in class

treatment at fraction of a cost compared to treatment cost in US or Europe. Sterling hospitals

has focussed its efforts towards being a world-class hospital that exceeds the expectations of

its international patients on all counts, be it quality of healthcare or other support services

such as travel and stay. Sterling hospitals renders superlative services in the lines of

International Patient Care, and has therefore carved a niche in the Medical Tourism sector.

Various medical specialties offered to International patients are:

 Cardiology

 Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery

 Internal medicine

 Infectious disease management

 Orthopaedics

 Orthopaedic Surgery (Total Hip/Knee Replacements, Joint Replacements)

 Plastic Surgery

 Cosmetic Surgery

 Bariatric Surgery (Gastric By Pass Surgery, Gastric Banding etc)

 Gynaecology & Obstetrics

 General Surgery

 Minimal Invasive Surgery

 Neurology & Neuro Surgery

 Nephrology (Dialysis)

 Paediatrics & Paediatric Surgery

 Pulmonology

 Renal Sciences (Renal Transplantation)

 ENT

Centres    

Sterling Hospital is 310 beds multi-superspecialty hospital, situated in the heart of

Ahmedabad and Sterling acquired a 110 bed tertiary care hospital in Baroda.

STERLING HOSPITALS are a part of an integrated world-class healthcare facility. They

endeavour to go beyond the expected and deliver the most positive experience to each of their

patients.  In this endeavour of their, they are backed by cutting-edge technology and

internationally trained, highly qualified medical professionals, who administer the best-

available medical services across all major disciplines of medicine and surgery.

Highlights 

1. The pathology department ranked 3rd in India and 10th in world (2006- 07)

2. Sterling Hospital has been ranked Best Hospital ( 2007) by IMRB an “The Week”

magazine

Core specialities include:

Cardiac Science

Gastroenterology

Neuro Science

Orthopaedics

Critical Care

Nephrology

Oncology.

Services    

24 x 7 Emergency services

Specialized services like Pain clinic, Stroke clinic, Diabetes clinic, Wellness clinic,

etc.

Basic services like Health Check up & its packages that suit your requirements

12.4 Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Vadodara

Established in 1964, BAGH - an ISO 9001:2000 Institute is a 160 bedded premier Multi-

Specialty & Tertiary Care Hospital of Gujarat & has been at the forefront of ushering in a

revolution in health care. From a highly qualified team of doctors, state-of-the-art medical

facilities, to following internationally acclaimed practices, everything at BAGH is aimed at

offering the best in health-care. Our warm and sensitive staff, coupled with the green

environs, makes your stay at BAGH, a pleasant & comfortable one.

It is a Multi-Specialty & Tertiary Care hospital with 6 Operation Theatres & 4 Intensive Care

Units with 24 hours service in Accidents & Emergency, Heart Command Center, Radiology

including CT Scan, Pathology Lab with 'Home Collection Service', Blood Bank including

Component Separation facility, ICUs, Pharmacy, Mobile ICU, Ambulance, Mortuary service,

Medico-Legal cases & Partial Pathological Postmortem.

Bhailal Amin General Hospital is truly a "home away from home", where "Patient Care" is

"Beyond Compare"

BAGH has a tie up with International Health Care Service providers like:

INTERNATIONAL SOS

OCEANIC HEALTH PLUS

12.5 Centre for Knee & Hip Surgery, Vadodara

Centre for Knee & Hip Surgery (CKHS), at Baroda is probably the only unit in India, which

addresses the entire range of knee-related problems and offers patients need-based solutions.

It has the complete range of treatment facilities for knee & Hip problems starting from non-

operative solutions to the minimally invasive arthroscopic surgical technique extending up to

complex procedures like knee and hip replacement surgery and Revision knee & hip

replacement surgery.

This clinic is perhaps the only one of its kind in the entire country to focus just on the knee

and hip joint. The benefits of having such a clinic are plenty. Some of them are:-

Under a single roof, a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art infrastructure is available

for anything and everything to do with knee and hip related problems. The Centre is able

to invest in the best and the latest possible electronic instrumentation systems for knee &

hip surgery which are available in the world, as it just focuses on these joints . It would

otherwise be very difficult, if not impossible, to keep on pumping money for updating

every area of orthopaedics.

The Centre for Knee & Hip Surgery has established itself as a prime centre for medical

tourism in India. They have patients coming from U.K., U.S.A., Kenya, Tanzania,

Uganda, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, Panama Canal, Mauritius, Fiji Islands & the

Middle East countries. These patients include foreigners and not just Non Resident

Indians.      

Facilities Provided to International Patients:

Pick - up and drop-off at the airport.

Assisting them in planning their travel.

Regular and prompt responses to their queries on phone and e-mails.

Arranging for nearby hotel accommodation at special discounted rates for patients and

relatives in 3, 4 or 5 star hotels.

 

 

12.6 Baroda Heart Institute and Research Centre, Vadodara

Founded on the 11th of March, 2001 the institute is unique by the fact that it is poised to

become the best cardiac care   centre in   Gujarat and the neighbouring states. We were born

out of the dream concept of providing “Single Centre   Management” of cardiac   ailments.

BHIRC offers the highest standards of comprehensive cardiac care from basic   facilities in

preventive cardiology to the   most sophisticated curative technology, supported by thorough

professionals,  clinicians and administrators.

The technological advances made in the 20th century have brought scientific   marvels into

our hospitals, these in turn have made an unprecedented demand  on   hospitals' medical

services, particularly in areas such as Surgery, Clinical   Laboratories and Radiological as

well as Cardiac rehabilitation services. Over and above, visibility of state-of-the-art

technology has   been  made by means of appropriate lighting, colour, furnishing,   noise

level, aroma   (absence of hospital smell), visitor accommodation and staff   accommodation,

maintenance of high-tech. equipments and high-touch humanity.

Facilities

Interventional Cardiology

The Fully Digital Cardiac Catheterisation Lab from Philips is the heart of this

department and is manned by an expert team of DM qualified Interventional

Cardiologists.

The Integris H5000 is suspended from the ceiling to provide fro better manoeuvrability

and is equipped with digital subtraction angiography which helps in cardiac and

vascular interventions and uses digital.

technology to store and retrieve images, archives all the angiographic data, has a

dedicated work station with off line QCA facilities which automatically makes self

programmed CDs which can be reviewed later.

The combination of these technologies and expertise makes this one of the most

sophisticated and research oriented laboratory in the country.

Non Invasive Cardiology (NIC)

The Non Invasive Cardiology (NIC) department is equipped with the latest high

resolution ultra vision 5500 echo Colour Doppler machine from HP.

The facility includes Colour Doppler echo cardiology, multi plane trans-oesophageal

echocardiography, and dobutamine stress echocardiography.

We are also the first to have myocardial contrast echocardiography in India. Added to

that, acoustic quantification and colour kinesis help to overcome many limitations and

add to the accuracy of diagnosis. Bedside intra operative echo colour Doppler and TEE

are also available.

We also possess a computerized cardiac stress test machine from Space Labs with

advanced touch screen technology which is used to perform accurate and reproducible

exercises testing for patients with coronary artery disease.

In addition to this, the department is also equipped with the sophisticated Zymed Holter

monitoring system which is used for diagnosis of all kinds of cardiac arrhythmias.

Intensive Coronary Care Unit (I.C.C.U.)

Did you know that 30% of patients die following a Heart Attack? This can be avoided

by having life support systems and other facilities to prevent any emergency following a

heart attack.

BHIRC now has a 12-bedded Coronary Care Unit equipped with the latest monitoring

system networked on the Central Monitoring System and manned round the clock by

medical officers and fully trained and dedicated nursing staff.

The I.C.C.U. at BHIRC has established a reputation for excellence in cardiac care in the

region.

Cardiac Surgery

The surgeries performed here are not only restricted to conventional adult and paediatric

surgery. Some of the most advanced and pioneering procedures like “Beating Heart”

surgery, minimally invasive or key hole surgery and total arterial revascularisation are

undertaken here.

A high standard of care is maintained with the help of dedicated cardiac surgeons,

cardiac anaesthetists, per fusionists and of course high quality nursing care.

This is reflected in excellent surgical results obtained at this centre. The department also

has a top of the line cardiac surgery theatre equipped with the latest monitoring system,

ventilators, defibrillators, heart lung machine, cold lighting system and electronically

controlled operation table.

Paediatric Cardiac Care

A total of 150,000 children are born every year with congenital heart disease and yet

less than 2000 manage to be treated.

The Surgical department of Baroda Heart Institute & Research Centre aims to close

down the gap.

The paediatric cardiac care department at BHIRC is one of the few centers in the

country offering advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities for children with heart

diseases.

The department is fully geared to perform diagnostic procedures like paediatric echo-

colour Doppler studies, TEE, cardiac catheterizations and paediatric interventions like

balloon valvuloplasty, balloon angioplasty, closing defects in the heart using a variety

of devices and life saving procedures like atrial septostomies.

All this is backed by the specialized paediatric cardiac care surgical team who are

masters in various congenital heart diseases.

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Cardiac electrophysiology is a procedure which studies the electrical properties of the

heart and evaluates the cause of irregular cardiac rhythm. Curative procedures like

radiofrequency ablation and implantation of AICD are also available at this premier

institute.

Interventional Radiology

 The department has high resolution ultrasonography and X-Ray machines, and

provides top of the line interventional radiology services starting from duplex vascular

Doppler studies, digital substraction angiography to various therapeutic vascular

interventions like angioplasty, stenting and implantation of IVC filters.

Clinical Pathology & Microbiology

To provide round the clock clinical pathology and microbiological services to out

patients and indoor patients of the hospital, there is a top class pathology lab with fully

automated bio-chemistry and haematology equipments.

The department keeps an eye to ensure that the hospital environment is infection free at

all times.

Pharmacy

 A fully equipped round the clock pharmacy is situated at the hospital which is more

than adequate to cater to all the needs of the patients.

Cardiac Nursing

The nurses at the institute are well qualified and go through vigorous reviewal training

to handle cardiac patients, both adult and paediatric, in all aspects of pre & post

operative care, regardless of the whether the patient is stable or in a critical condition.

13.Analysis

of

The Primary Data

1. From which country you are coming from/ What is your Nationality?

o United States of America

o United Kingdom

o Africa

o Australia

o Others

As mention in the Chart, 45 patients came from United States of America, 17 patients from

United Kingdom, 20 patients from different parts of Africa, 8 from Australia and 10 patients

from different countries like New-Zealand, Canada, Mauritius, Fiji Islands & the Middle East

countries.

By doing survey of 100 patients, we find that maximum number of patients came from

United States of America. Another two leading countries are Africa and United Kingdom.

Here, we find that Americans are more attracted towards India because they find their

relatives and friends in India. We also find that number of Gujarati people who settled abroad

is more to come in India for the medical treatment.

US UK Africa Australia Others0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

5045

1720

810

No. of Patients

2. For what purpose you are coming to India?

o Treatment with Tourism

o Treatment with Shopping

o Treatment with Social Gathering

60%

6%

34%

Purpose

Treatment with TourismTreatment with ShoppingTreatment with Social Gather-ings

As mention in the above charts, the question is regarding purpose to come India, 60% of the

patients mention the purpose of treatment with tourism in India. By doing survey of 100

patients, 34% patients came for treatment along with social gatherings. There are only 6% of

the patients who came for the purpose of treatment with shopping.

3. For which treatment you have come?

o Orthopaedic

o Ophthalmic

o Cosmetic

o Cardiac

o Neurological

o Gastro intestinal

o Respiratory system related

o Urological

o Gynaecological/Obstetrical

o Dental

o Paediatric

o Psychiatric

Orthopae

dic

Ophthalmic

Cosmeti

c

Cardiac

Neuro

logical

Gastro

Intes

tinal

Respira

tory Sy

stem re

lated

Urologic

al

Gynae

cologic

al/Obste

trical

Dental

Paediat

ric

Psychiat

ric0

5

10

15

20

25

19

4 5

22

8

21

15

5

8

12

3 2

Type of Treatments

As mention in the chart, most of the patients came to India for the treatment of Cardiac

diseases. Another very common disease is of Gastro Intestinal and of Orthopaedic. The

diseases of Respiratory System and Dental diseases are also can be seen among the patients.

There were many patients who took treatment for diseases of multiple system. 19 patients

were taking orthopaedic treatments which include majorly knee and hip replacement surgery.

There were 22 Cardiac patients majorly came for Bypass surgery and Angioplasty. Gastro

intestinal diseases also can be seen in more number of patients. There were 21 patients who

were suffering from Gastro Intestinal disorders which majorly include Laparoscopic Surgery.

Respiratory diseases also can be seen in 15 patients. In India Dental surgery is also

appreciated by the NRIs. Here we can see there are 12 patients who came for the Dental

surgery. As mention above in the charts, we find very few patients of other system related

treatment.

4. What are the bases for selecting this Hospital/Doctor?

o Relatives/Friends

o Web sites

o Magazines

o News papers

o Television

75%

17%3% 4% 1%

Bases for selecting the Hospital/Doctor

Relatives/FriendsWeb SitesMagazinesNews PapersTelevision

As mention in the above charts, there are many bases to get information regarding particular

Hospital or Doctor. As mention in the charts 75% patients get information from their relatives

or friends. Patients who don’t have any relatives or friends in India could get information

from web sites. There are 17% of the patients who get information from the web sites. There

are very few patients got information from various magazines, News Papers and Television

which are 3%, 4% and 2% respectively.

Here we found that Positive Word of Mouth can grape more number of customers.

5. Which facilities have attracted you to come here?

o Doctor’s specialisation

o Treatment charges

o Infrastructures

o Accommodation

o Hospital administration

o Hospitality

Doctor's

Speci

alisati

on

Treatm

ent C

harges

Infrastr

ucture

Accommodati

on

Hospita

l Administ

ration

Hospita

lity05

101520253035404550 46

35

11

3 3 2

Attracted Facilities

As mention in the chart, most of the patients attracted towards the Doctor’s specialisation and

Treatment Charges. There are 46% of the patients who are attracted towards the

specialisation of the Doctors and 35% are attracted towards the low cost of treatment. 11%

are attracted towards the Infrastructure of the hospital and 3% are happy with the

Accommodation facilities of the hospital and 3% with Hospital Administration. There are

only 2% of the patients who attracted towards the Hospitality of the Hospital.

6. Give the ranks to following matters. 1 leads to most important for you.

o Treatment

o Financial expenses

o Hospitality

o accommodation

Treatment Financial Expenses Hospitality Accommodation0

20

40

60

80

100

120

68

23

3 6

22

52

17 9

3

11

54

32

714

26

53

1st Priority 2nd Priority 3rd Priority 4th Priority

Here as mention in the chart, 68% of the patients gave their first priority to Treatment, 52%

patients gave their second priority to Financial Expenses, 54% patients gave third priority to

Hospitality and 53% patients gave their last priority to Accommodation.

Treatment Financial Expenses Hospitality Accommodation

Avg mean 1.49 2.16 3.03 3.26

0.25

0.75

1.25

1.75

2.25

2.75

3.25

Avg mean

Here as mention in the above charts, we can see the majority of the patients gave first priority to Treatment followed by Financial Expenses, Hospitality and Accommodation.

7. Are you satisfied with the treatment given here?

o Highly Satisfied

o Satisfied

o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

o Dissatisfied

o Highly dissatisfied

Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied0

10

20

30

40

50

60

25

56

117

1

Satisfaction with Treatment

We have given numbers to find out Mean.

Highly Satisfied-1, Satisfied-2, Neutral-3, Dissatisfied-4, Highly Dissatisfied-5

Calculation:

Mean = [25(1) + 56(2) + 11(3) + 7(4) + 1(5)] / 100

= 203/100

= 2.03

Here, Mean is 2.03, which indicates the most of the patients are satisfied.

As mention in the chart, 56 out of 100 patients are satisfied with the treatment taken in India.

25 patients are Highly Satisfied, 11 patients are not in stage of deciding their satisfaction

level. They are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

7 patients are not happy with the treatment given by the hospital. So they are dissatisfied and

there is only one patient who is highly dissatisfied with the treatment.

8. How much you are satisfied with the facilities available in this hospital?

o Highly Satisfied

o Satisfied

o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

o Dissatisfied

o Highly dissatisfied

Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied0

10

20

30

40

50

60

30

48

16

6

0

Satisfaction with Facilities

We have given the numbers to find out the Mean.

Highly Satisfied-1, Satisfied-2, Neutral-3, Dissatisfied-4, Highly Dissatisfied-5

Calculation:

Mean = [30(1) + 48(2) + 16(3) + 6(4) + 0(5)] / 100

= 198/100

= 1.98

Here, Mean is 1.98 which is towards 2 which indicates most of the patients are satisfied

with the Facilities given by the hospitals.

Here as mention in the above chart, 48 patients are satisfied with the facilities available in

the hospital. 30 patients are Highly Satisfied.

There are 16 patients who are not in the stage to decide their satisfaction level regarding

facilities available in the hospital. So they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

There are 6 patients who are Dissatisfied with the facilities available in the hospital.

9. Would you come again here in future if you need any treatment?

o Yes

o No

o Can’t say

84%

10%6%

Would you come again?

YesNoCan't Say

Here as mention in the above chart, 84 patients show their eagerness to come again in the

same hospital in future if any need will arise.

10 patients replied negatively and 6 patients are in the dilemma whether they should visit

again the same hospital or not if need arise in the future.

14. Findings

The survey of the 100 patients who came from outside the India in different

Multispecialty and super specialty hospitals of Ahmedabad and Vadodara are mostly

from the United States of America, Africa and United Kingdom.

The major purpose to come in India are Treatment, Tourism and Social Gathering.

The findings suggest that patients are coming majorly for the cardiac diseases,

orthopedic diseases and for gastro intestinal diseases.

Patients are also attracted towards the alternative therapy like Ayurveda, Yunani and

Yoga.

Most of the patients select the Hospital or Doctors on the bases of the advice of their

relatives or friends and from the web sites.

The major attractions for the patients are doctor’s specialization and low treatment

charges.

Patients gave their first priority to the treatment, followed by financial expenses,

hospitality and accommodation.

Most of the patients are satisfied with the treatment and facilities available in the

hospital.

Majority of the patients show their eagerness to visit the same hospital again in the

future if there will be any need arise.

There are many suggestions from the patients’ side for the hospitals are, focusing on

advertisements as well as establish Yoga and Rehabilitation centers along with the

major clinical department.

15. Recommendations

1. Here majority of the patients are from US, UK and Africa. So hospital should try to

capture the number of patients from other than these country.

2. The majority of the patients are coming for the Cardiac, Orthopaedic and Gastro

Enterological diseases, so our hospitals should develop super specialty ward and

department to capture more number of patients.

3. Our hospitals should develop alternative therapy ward or department like Ayurveda,

Yunani, Spa and Yoga along with the rehabilitation centres.

4. To increase the Advertisement of the Hospitals by using different media.

5. As most of the patients are satisfied with the Treatment and Facilities provided by the

hospitals, so hospitals should maintain them.

6. For patients who are dissatisfied with the treatment and facilities, hospitals should try to

know the reasons behind the dissatisfaction.

7. Hospital should reduced the Professional Attitude towards the NRIs patients.

8. Increase travel facility for the foreign tourists

9. visa-on-arrival facility for tourists from selected countries.

10. Improve and modernize airport infrastructure and services.

11. Make more and more advertisement by using different medias to capture more market

shares.

12. Create public awareness about economic and social benefits of tourism.

13.

16. Opportunities

1. India offers vast range of medical treatments from simple dental procedures to the

complex cardiac surgeries.

2. Patients can save 60%-95% of their treatment costs by undergoing treatment in India.

3. Wellness tourism, spa, yoga and Ayurveda, has a very bright future in India as

foreigners are increasingly flocking to India to seek physical and mental healing.

4. In 2007, around 272,000 medical tourists visited India for medical tourism and brought

US$ 656 Million in revenues.

5. Lack of proper hospital accreditation system and inefficient laws against malpractice

will be the biggest factor limiting the growth of India’s medical tourism Industry.

6. India enjoys a considerable superiority over both Singapore and Thailand as preferred

medical destination.

7. The Indian economy’s steady growth rate is also being reflected in the Indian healthcare

and medical travel industry. Healthcare and medical health travel are priority areas for

India, and the government has increased its budgetary outlay for medical travel and

foreign investment.  Customs duties on the import of medical equipment have been

slashed, and special incentives are being offered for future private healthcare facilities. 

17. Glossary

Orthopaedic – Orthopaedic surgery or orthopedics (also spelled orthopaedics) is the

branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system.

Orthopaedic surgeons use both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal

trauma, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumours, and congenital

disorders.

Ophthalmic – Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine which deals with the diseases

and surgery of the visual pathways, including the eye, hairs, and areas surrounding the

eye, such as the lacrimal system and eyelids. The term ophthalmologist is an eye

specialist for medical and surgical problems. Since ophthalmologists perform operations

on eyes, they are considered to be both a surgical and medical specialty.

Neurological – Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous

system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of

disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including

their coverings, blood vessels, and all effecter tissue, such as muscle. The corresponding

surgical specialty is neurosurgery. A neurologist is a physician who specializes in

neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.

Paediatric neurologists treat neurological disease in children.

Gastro Intestinal – Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive

system and its disorders are studied. Diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, which

includes the organs from mouth to anus, along the alimentary canal, are the focus of this

specialty. Physicians practicing in this field of medicine are called gastroenterologists.

Urological – Urology is the surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males

and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals

specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose,

treat, and manage patients with urological disorders. The organs covered by urology

include the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and the male reproductive organs.

Gynaecology/obstetrics - Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing

with the health of the female reproductive system (uterus, vagina, and ovaries).

Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women". Almost all modern

gynaecologists are also obstetricians.

Paediatrics – Paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of

infants, children, and adolescents. The upper age limit of such patients ranges from age

12 to 21. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a paediatrician.

The word paediatrics and its cognates mean healer of children.

18. Bibliography

Naresh Malhotra. (2009):“Marketing Research an Applied Orientation, 5th Edition”,

prentice hall of India.

Phillip Kotler (2010):” Marketing Management, 13th edition” Pearson Education

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_India retrieved on 24th February, 2010

http://www.incredibleindia.org/index.html retrieved on 24th February, 2010

http://indiantourisminformation.com/ retrieved on 24th February, 2010

http://tourism.gov.in/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010

http://www.medical-tourism-india.com/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010

http://www.medicalindiatourism.com/apollo-hospitals-india/apollo-hospital-

ahmedabad.html retrieved on 23rd February, 2010

http://www.sterlinghospitals.com/content.php?SecID=2&CatID=10 retrieved on23rd

February, 2010

http://www.baghospital.com/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010

http://www.centreforkneesurgery.com/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010

http://www.thomascook.co.in/indus/px/indus/home.do retrieved on 23rd February,

2010

http://www.sotc.in/AboutUs.aspx retrieved on 23rd February, 2010

Best of India, A Country Forever…A Story Forever, The Express group, India

Development Series, 10th March, 2010 edition, page number 1 & 3

19. Annexure

19.1 Questionnaire

Dear Sir/Madam,

As a student of MBA, I am conducting a survey for our academic purpose which is

part of our curriculum. I am carrying out a survey for finding out satisfaction level of

the patients to find out reasons and parameters based on which patients are coming

from outside India to take treatment. I am intending to find and analyse the basic

reasons and factors which influence the people to take treatment in India. We assure

you that the information provided by you will be used only for genuine academic

purposes and remain confidential.

Your responses and efforts are strongly appreciated.

1. From which country you are coming from? / Nationality?

o United States

o United Kingdom

o Africa

o Australia

o Others

2. For what purpose you are coming to India?

o Treatment

o Tourism

o Shopping

o Social Gatherings

3. For which treatment you have come?

o Orthopaedic

o Ophthalmic

o Cosmetic

o Cardiac

o Neurological

o Gastro intestinal

o Respiratory system related

o Urological

o Gynaecological / obstetrical

o Dental

o Paediatric

o Psychiatric

4. What are the bases for selecting this hospital/Doctor?

o Relatives/friends

o Web sites

o Magazines

o News papers

o Television

5. Which facilities have attracted you to come here?

o Doctor’s specialisation

o Treatment charges

o Infrastructures

o Accommodation

o Hospital administration

o Hospitality

6. Give the ranks to following matters. 1 leads to most important for you.

o Treatment

o Financial expenses

o Hospitality

o Accommodation

7. Are you satisfied with the treatment given here?

o Highly satisfied

o Satisfied

o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

o Dissatisfied

o Highly dissatisfied

8. How much you are satisfied with the facilities available in this hospital?

o Highly satisfied

o Satisfied

o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

o Dissatisfied

o Highly dissatisfied

9. Would you come again here in future if you need any treatment?

o Yes

o No

o Can’t Say

10. Over and above satisfactory medical treatment what else you expect from the

hospital?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

11. What are your suggestions for the hospital?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Gender: M / F

Age: _________Yrs.

Address:

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Educational Qualification: _____________________________________________

Type of employment: Self employed/Service/Business

Family size: _________

Number of earning members in the family: __________

Family income (Rs. per Month): (please tick mark the applicable one)

15,000-25,000 ______

26,000-35000 ______

36,000-45,000 ______

Above 45,000 ______