The availability of highly specialised doctors and paramedics,
sophisticated medical technology and world-class facilities at a much
lower cost when compared to developed countries are among the key pull
factors. Services such as concierge assistance at airports, translation
services and tie ups with luxury hotels are part of packages offered. In
this issue, Top 10 of Asia takes a look at its list of the top 10
hospitals for medical tourism in Asia.
Prince Court Medical Centre - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
:
Prince Court Medical Centre (PCMC) topped the list of 2013 World's
Best Hospitals for Medical Tourists in the annual rankings by Medical
Travel Quality Alliance. The hospital has also been commended for its
attention to key non-clinical aspects of care that influence good
outcomes and a successful medical travel journey for medical tourists.
PCMC's special facilities include a sophisticated burns unit, an
in-vitro fertility department with multiple fetal monitoring. It has
garnered several accolades over the past seven years and continues to be
the only private hospital with a full-fledged Electronic Medical Record
system coupled with a Radiology Information System/Picture Archiving
and Communication System (RIS/PACS).
Fortis Hospital - Bangalore, India
:
The Fortis Hospital, Bangalore, a Joint Commission International
(JCI)-accredited hospital has been on Medical Travel Quality Alliance's
(MTQUA) World's Best Hospitals list for medical tourists for the past 4
years. It is a 400-bed, multi-specialty hospital with state-of-the-art
facilities dedicated to the whole range of cardiac, orthopedic,
neurosciences, minimal access surgery and women and child services. The
hospital also has the distinction of being the first hospital in Asia to
perform the first custom-fit knee replacement surgery in 2010 and is
credited with introducing the HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound)
technology for prostate cancer to India.
Bumrungrad International Hospital- Bangkok, Thailand
:
World famous Bumrungrad International Hospital (Bumrungrad) has
been featured in many international media and deservedly so. The Thai
name, pronounced 'bahm-roong-RAHT', means ?care for the people,? and no
phrase could more aptly describe the hospital and clinic complex, the
largest private medical facility in Southeast Asia. Annually, more than a
million patients seek healthcare at the Bumrungrad and almost half of
them are expatriates, tourists, or medical travelers from 190 different
countries. This hospital has 554 beds and over 30 specialty centres,
offering state-or-the-art diagnostic, therapeutic and intensive care
facilities in a one-stop medical centre.
Bangkok Hospital Medical Center - Bangkok, Thailand
:
The Bangkok Hospital Medical Center, opened in 1972, was the first
private medical institution in the nation. It has more than 650
full-time and consulting physicians, 700 nurses and scores of support
technicians and specialists under its roof. Its ambulatory and medevac
fleet covering air, sea and landis amongst the largest in Southeast
Asia. Its team of interpreters and coordinators in its dedicated service
centres that cater to a wide range of nationalities, are fluent in 26
languages. This state-of-the-art hospital is also complete with
luxurious accommodation, five-star amenities and a host of services that
includes limousine airport transfer and on-site visa extension.
Gleneagles Hospital - Singapore :
From a 45-bed nursing home more than half a century ago, Gleneagles
Hospital has grown to a 272-bed multi-disciplinary state-of-the-art
medical facility.The hospital specialises incardiology,
gastroenterology, liver transplant, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology
and orthopaedics. Its key strengths lie in its patient-focus,
user-friendly services, quality care, specialists? expertise and proven
technology. In 2006 and 2009, the hospital was accredited by Joint
Commission International (JCI), the world leader in benchmarking of
healthcare standards. Today, Gleneagles Hospital has more than 300
multi-disciplinary specialists from over 30 specialties and
sub-specialties to provide wide range of medical and surgical services
for the total management of patients.
Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation-Taiwan
:
Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation was one of the four missions of
Tzu Chi Foundation which was found by Master Cheng Yen in 1966. Today
the medical foundation has established six hospitals in Hualien, Taipei,
Taichung, Dalin, Yuli and Kuanshan respectively to provide quality
medical services in a humanistic way to the people in Taiwan since 1986.
The hospital offers a wide range of services that include organ
transplantations, laser cosmetic surgeries and high-tech health
screenings. Other specialty areas include stroke treatment, malignant
tumor treatment, orthopedic surgery and stem cell research. Many
international patients with severe and unusual illnesses come for
treatment in this hospital in Hualien, the most important medical center
in eastern Taiwan. The separation of conjoined twins, Lea and Rachel
from the Philippines in June 2003 was one such case.
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital - Hong Kong
:
The Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital (HKSH) which overlooks the
Happy Valley Race Course in Hong Kong, is one of the island's most
prestigious and internationally accredited private hospitals. Started
out as The Yeung Wo Nursing Home in 1922 with 28 beds, HKSH has now over
400 beds and a stable of specialty centres, offering comprehensive
diagnostic and therapeutic services. Its motto, "Quality in Service,
Excellence in Care", has inspired the hospital to provide a high
standard of patient care with a commitment to deliver excellent health
services. In 2012, HKSH was named ?The Best Healthcare Provider in Asia?
at The New Economy's Healthcare Awards 2012.
Asan Medical Center - Seoul, South Korea
:
The Asan Medical Center (AMC), established in 1989, is one of the
world's largest hospital campuses covering some 4 million square feet.
It is Korea?s largest medical institution with 1,600 physicians and
surgeons, 3,100 nurses, 2,680 beds, and 67 operating rooms.It won
Korea's 'Most Admired Hospital' title five years in a row in a survey
conducted by Korea Management Association Consulting. AMC offers the
medical tourist excellent services through its Organ Transplantation
Centre, Asan Heart Institute, Asan Cancer Centre, Digestive Disease
Centre and Health Screening and Promotion Centre, including a full range
of medical and dental specialties.
St. Luke's Medical Center - Philippines :
Founded in 1903, and regarded as one of the best hospitals in Asia
and in the world, St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC), operating in Global
City and Quezon City, has an extensive expertise of doctors that enables
them to provide patients with a full range of world-class medical care.
Today, SLMC has an elite team ofover 1,700 medical consultants, 230
medical residents and 123 fellows on its roster, apart from interns from
its College of Medicine This 650-bed hospital houses 10 institutes, 8
departments and 23 centers. Its hospital- affiliated medical consultants
see out-patients in more than 450 private clinics and its international
patients come from around Asia, Micronesia, the Middle East, Europe and
the United States.
ID Hospital - Seoul, South Korea
:
The ID Hospital in Korea is a very renowned plastic surgery
hospital with more than 30 medical specialists. It is not only Asia's
top hospital in maxillofacial surgery but also its first. It gives top
priority to patients' safety with facilities such as aseptic germ-free
air showers, self-generating power stations, and fireproof interiors
which were incorporated from the very early stages of the architectural
designing. The hospital conducts intense pre-operation checks such as
blood tests, liver function test, electrocardiogram, and chest X-rays
with its independent facilities within its own premises. In addition the
hospital is equipped with 3-dimensional computer tomography (3D CT)
scanning facilities and every patient undergoes 3D CT scanning before
the surgery for precise diagnosis of their conditions.