Mexico is developing it's medical touirsm trade to include popular tourist destinations

According to a Feb 2 post on Breaking Travel News, Mexico is gearing up for a boom in medical tourism as the ageing U.S. population heads south not just for sun and sand but also “treatments and surgeries”.

“A million baby boomers, as they are called in the US, could come to live in Mexico in the coming years,” said Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos.

In coordination with other federal agencies, the Health Ministry plans to build up the country’s medical tourism infrastructure during the next two years.

The initiative includes training a corps of bilingual Spanish-English nurses, and a push to increase the number of private Mexican hospitals accredited by a joint US-Mexico commission. Cordova told Mexidata.info that eight such private institutions have been certified under the commission’s standards.

Regional initiatives to promote medical tourism are underway in the northern border states of Chihuahua, Baja California and Nuevo Leon, Cordova said greater coordination at the federal level is needed to tap a global market enjoyed by nations including Thailand, India, Costa Rica and Brazil, which are targeting the growth in medical tourism.

Price Shopping For Your Prescriptions in Mexico

Jon Couch, a pharmacist from Texas, has a website  ”expatriate.rph.consultants” providing the names of the top 200+ drugs of Canada and the US and the corresponding names you will find in Mexico.

Couch describes his business as follows:

I am a pharmacist working in Texas and living in Texas and in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.  We, (that’s me plus three other pharmacists, a registered nurse, and a medical doctor), are offering help with your prescription medications in Mexico.

We don’t sell drugs and this is not a mail order pharmacy!

We do provide you with the names of the TOP 200+ Drugs of Canada & the United States and the corresponding names you will find in Mexico.  I do say NAMES, because there may be up to 75-80 new brand names for your drug from home.

And in addition to the names, we now provide the prices you will find, not only for rx’s, but for the top consumer products throughout Mexico.

Our major posting of drugs & prices is for Guadalajara, the 2nd largest city in Mexico.  There are 33 other cities with this information available and they are at our web site.

I have found that Guadalajara is a pretty good default city.  This city is large and diverse with an excellent medical school.

As you consider your relocation, the cost of medicines should be a priority.  We can help.   And if you are heading to another city, check our list.  We should be able to provide the necessary information for you.   What’s more, if you are already in Mexico, let us know who you are paying for your medicines.  We have a form on our website you can complete & e-mail to us.

And for questions, e-mail to:
YourVirtualPharmacist@gmail.com

Choosing to Travel For Better Healthcare Experience

Medical tourism is choosing to travel outside your local area for medical services.

The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions recently published that approximately half a million Americans travel abroad for health care every year.

Why People Travel

It turns out that the US medical industry is terribly overpriced.  There is a booming market of people who choose to travel abroad for high cost procedures.  People travel from around the world from and to locations such as India, Mexico, Costa Rica, China, and the US to find the best medical services for their needs.

Three Primary Reasons to Travel For Medical Care

There are many reasons to travel abroad for medical care.  The three primary reasons are cost, quality of care, and availability of care.

Medical care costs in the United States are astronomical.  The costs create a heavy burden for those of us with health insurance, but they can bankrupt a person without.   A 2008 Census Bureau report showed that 15% of Americans had no health insurance coverage at all.  45 percent of Americans have no dental coverage. (more…)

Expat Reports CIMA's prices are high

The World Health Organization currently ranks Costa Rica as the 36th best health care system in the world.

The U.S. is ranked 37th.  Costa Rica is home to highly trained physicians that provide quality health care and serve medical tourists at a fraction of the cost compared to the United States and Canada.

Because of Costa Rica’s close proximity to the USA, the country attracts a lot of US patients.  Costa Rica is only 2 ½ hrs from Miami, 3 hrs. from Dallas, and flights are very inexpensive.

An American expat, Gene Warneke, sent in a detailed report, “An Expat’s Costa Rica’s Medical Provider’s Guide“.  In additon to some great information, Warneke offers local insights into what the expats think about the hospitals and how they’re run.  All good information peppered with local knowledge.

Here’s an overview excerpted from his consumer report:

“The Hospital Clinica Biblica has invested in equipment and high end technology for years and still continues to do so.  Recently it invested over $2.6 million in acquiring a hemodynamic laboratory, three echocardiogram units and a strength test circuit.  The equipment recently purchased by the Hospital responds to its growing presence within the cardiovascular niche. (more…)