Medical Tourism

Medical TourismNCM 107BSN IV-BWhat is Medical Tourism?Medical tourism refers to the growing practice of traveling across international borders in order to get health care or medical attentionIt is also called medical travel or health tourism. May also be defined as travel for the purpose of delivering healthcare (Bishop & Litch, 2000; Comarow, 2008)elective procedures and complicated specialized surgeries like joint replacement, heart surgery, dental surgery, bariatric surgery or weight reduction surgery and cosmetic surgeries.Most common medical treatment involved

History of Medical Tourism in the Philippines Philippine government only started promoting medical tourism in 2006But Philippine hospitals have been receiving foreign patients for over three decades now.When Imelda Marcos put up the Philippine Heart Center in 1975, it became an important center for cardiac care in the Asia-Pacific regionThe Heart Center was at the forefront of developing bio-prosthetic valves and prototype medical equipment. It was a trailblazer in coronary angioplasty in the regionAlthough foreign nationals have been coming to the Philippines for medical treatment as early as the 1970s, medical tourism as a government program only took off in 2006

It was when the Departments of Health, Tourism, Foreign Affairs, and Trade and Industry identified the Health and Wellness Services Program as one of their flagship programsThe Philippine Medical Tourism Program has four domains: full hospital care and treatment; specialty clinics (e.g., eye, dental, and cosmetic services); wellness and spa centers; and retirement and long-term care for the elderlyIn 2004, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo launched the Philippine Medical Tourism Program (PMTP) under the Department of Tourism (DOT) She then issued Executive Order 372, series 2004 which aimed to develop the communications, logistics, and health and wellness industries involved in medical tourismShe then issued Executive Order 571, series 2006 which created a Public/Private Task Force on Philippine competitiveness.The original intention of turning the country into a hub for medical tourism in Asia was averted when Marcos was overthrown in 1986In the mid to late1980s, Dr. Alfredo Bengzon began putting together a team dealing with stem cell therapy at the Medical CitySince the early 1990s, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute and the Lung Center of the Philippines have also pioneered the use of stem cell therapy for kidney and lung conditionsMedical Tourism in the PH

In the field of cosmetic surgery, in late 1990s/early 2000s, leading doctors (notably Dr. Francisco Luceroand Dr. Carlos I. Lasa) used the Internet to market their plastic surgery services to patients in the U.S. and Europe (Porter, et al., 2008). In 1993, Dr. Vicki Belos Dermatology and Laser Clinic began catering to foreign patients particularly Filipino-Americans

Ethical and Legal Considerations in Medical TourismA legal concern may be the lack of legal resources available to the medical tourist patient. Should a patient experience a preventable, adverse event as a result of receiving care overseas, there may be limits to the damage award the patient can receive. In such cases, the hospital staff may be protected from any litigation and the patient will suffer the damage with no legal recourse and no financial compensation (Cartwright, 2000; Richter, 1999).

Thus, the principle of nonmaleficence, primum non nocere, commonly translated as "first, do no harm," is called into question in these situations (Beauchamp & Childress, 2000).

The Nursing Role

Nurses have a dual role in medical tourism, namely to help clients find appropriate sites in which to obtain the desired care in other countries and also to warn clients of possible risks and ethical/legal dilemmas.It is important to ask whether nurses involved in medical tourism are aware of the potential medical/ethical/legal issues previously cited or whether they merely believe they are actively contributing to the care of those who would not receive needed care in their home country

Nurses who wish to learn more about medical tourism can do so in several waysA first step would be to enhance their knowledge base and skills in business and management because medical tourism is essentially a businessThey are also encouraged to search the Internet to identify hospitals that have medical tourism centers and to contact nurses that work directly in these centers

Additionally, attending conferences designed for health professionals interested in medical tourism would be a valuable step in learning more about this field Nurses can gain valuable information by attending the various lectures presented at these conferences and also by making contacts with others in the field to learn firsthand from professionals already experienced in medical tourism.

In Conclusion,Medical tourism is likely to increase over the next decadeWhile some patients will benefit, many legal and ethical issues will also ariseNurses need to familiarize themselves with the benefits of medical tourism while also acknowledging its inherent dangersIt is expected that medical tourism will provide a new role for nurses as this healthcare trend expands around the world

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