Transcript Interview: International Marketing Director

Health Tourism Business Council
Rusen YILDIRIM, MD
Chairman
DEIK/Health Tourism Business Council
Foreign Economic Relations Board
(DEIK)
 Established as the "Turkish private sector's gateway to international
arena" in 1988, for the specific purpose of establishing, promoting
and strengthening the Turkish private sector's economic
relationships with other countries
 Operates through bilateral business councils which constitute
country-based, sector focused and special purpose councils in itself
 Embraces 106 country based , 4 sector focused and a specific
purpose business councils. More than 750 reputable companies are
members
Health Tourism Business Council
(SAIK)
 SAIK was formed as the first sector specific council to operate under
the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK)
 Stakeholders include Turkish Accredited Hospitals Association
(TAHA), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture
and Tourism, Association of Turkish Travel Agents (TÜRSAB) and
Turkish Airlines
Mission of SAIK
 Devise and implement worldwide strategies facilitating better
recognition of Turkish health tourism and medical institutions
 Provide precise information about health care in Turkey to international
patients via conferences and social media
 Enable them with the opportunity to receive timely and effective
treatment through state-of-the-art technology at the “right” price
What is Medical Tourism?
 People whose primary and explicit purpose in traveling is medical
treatment in a foreign country. McKinsey Report, 2008
 The process of “leaving home” for treatment and care abroad or
elsewhere. Delloitte Report, 2008
Medical Travel is a Fast Growing
Economic Phenomenon
 Traveling for medical purpose has become widespread in the last
decades
 More than 2 million patients visit hospitals and clinics each year in
countries other than their own
 World market has grown to $100 billion by the end of 2012
Sources: Patients Beyond Borders (Turkish Edition) / Deloitte Center for Health Solutions
Medical Travel Works in all Directions
Drivers of Medical Tourism
 Rising costs (insurance premiums) and demand for lower prices
 Improving quality and services in developing countries
 Growing patient awareness
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Easy travel options
Non-covered procedures (cosmetic, dental, etc.)
Long waiting periods
Personal attention and care
Turkey’s Potential in Medical Tourism
 The health care system has achieved a tremendous success under
the 2003-2013 Health Transformation Programme
 Health care expenditure as % of GDP has increased to 6.2 in 2010
from 4.7 in 1999, and expected to reach 9.6 in 2014
 A number of visits to a doctor per person has reached 8.2 times a
year in 2011 from 3.2 in year 2002
 Vaccination rate increased to 97% in 2010 from 78% in 2002
 The average life expectancy at birth was 65 in 1990, 70 in 2000 and
75 in 2009
Turkey’s Potential in Medical Tourism
 Within the last 5 years a number of international patients has
increased significantly in Turkey
 74,093 foreign patients received treatment in 2008. In year 2010 the
number of patients increased by 48% and reached 109.678. In 2012
the number was doubled and exceeded 250.000
 %94 of those were treated by the private sector providers
 This has led to a new booming industry in Turkey and received great
attention by the authorities.
Turkey’s Potential in Medical Tourism
JCI Accreditation is a Key Factor
Turkey’s Advantage in Medical Travel
 At the crossroads between East and West, geographical proximity to
Middle East and Europe regions,
 Historical ties, religious and language similarities with the
neighbouring countries
 92 countries and over 230 destinations with Turkish Airlines
 One of the well known tourist destination and cultural richness
 31 million foreign tourists, 27 billion USD revenue in 2012
 Easy access to health services, no waiting lists
Turkey’s Advantage in Medical Travel
 State-of-the-art private medical facilities and equipment
 The appropriate use of high-technology
(Gammaknife, CyberKnife, PET-CT, Intraoperative MRI, da Vinci surgery robot,
Radiparc, IGRT)
 Well-trained, bilingual physicians
 The complexity and the diversity of complicated diseases and
sophisticated treatments
Reason for Preferring Turkey
I.
Patients who can not receive the right treatment due to lack
of high technology and/or infrastructure or the high cots of
services in their countries
(Neighbouring countries, Middle East, Balkans and CIS countries)
II.
Patients who do not wish to wait for treatment or diagnostic
procedures
(Western European countries)
III.
Patients who are uninsured or who can not afford treatment
in their home countries
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern U.
Medical Tourism Report on Turkey
Health Care Opportunity for the
United States
Medical Tourism with the
Republic of Turkey
Dipak C. Jain, Ph.D.
Dean Emeritus and Professor of Marketing
Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University
Russell Walker, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Zell Center for Risk Research
Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University
Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern U.
Medical Tourism Report on Turkey
Major findings of the report indicate that Turkey has the right
ingredients for becoming the major destination for medical
tourism;
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Superior facilities and enabling technologies
Higher quality of medical services
Competitive pricing
Immediate access to the services
Geographical position and easy accessibility
Turkey’s tourism potential
Focused Therapeutical Areas
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Organ and Bone Marrow Transplantation
Cardiology & Cardiovascular surgery
Oncology (Medical & Surgical and Radiation Oncology)
Orthopedic Surgery & Traumatology
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF Treatment)
Ophthalmology (Lasek, Intralasik, Retina Surgery)
Cosmetic / Reconstructive Surgery and Dental Procedures
How Medical Tourism Operates
Turkey and Russia Building Bridges to
Health
o Develop know-how, training healthcare services in both countries and
integrate the deficiencies in the field of medical treatments
o Turkish private hospitals are open to international cooperations, mutual
collaboration and health mission visits to and from Turkey
o Why dont we share the burden of your health expenses?
o Why dont we share the know-how and experiences to support your
patients to get state of the art medical treatments together?
o Turkey could be Your Partner in Healthcare!
Turkey: Your Partner in Healthcare
o Currently patients travel from Russia to Turkey to get medical
treatments in Turkish hospitals
o There is a lack of coordination of patient transfer and healthcare
partnership in corporate level between Russia and Turkey
o DEIK is eager to build up partnerships
o Would you prefer to have your healthcare in Turkey? Why?
o Which medical treatments would Turkey recommended as a
destination for?
o Would you like to be our local partner to build up this partnership and
facilitate cooperation in healthcare?
Thank You