Deloitte’s Survey of Health Care Consumers, carried out earlier this year, investigated health care consumerism by assesses consumers’ behaviours, attitudes, and unmet needs related to health, health care and health insurance. An online survey of more than 3,000 Americans revealed a strong interest in outbound medical tourism. Medical tourism can be described as the process of “leaving home” for treatments and care abroad or elsewhere domestically. In 2007, an estimated 750,000 Americans travelled abroad for medical care, with this number expected to increase to six million by 2010. The main reasons for this increase are:
- Health care costs are increasing at a rate of 8% per year – well above the Consumer Price Index (CPI), thus eating into corporate profits and household disposable income.
- The safety and quality of care available in many offshore settings is no longer an issue: Organizations including the Joint Commission International (JCI) and others are accrediting these facilities.
- Consumers are willing to travel to obtain care that is both safe and less costly. In fact, two in five survey respondents said they would be interested in pursuing treatment abroad if quality was comparable and the savings were 50% or more.
This follow up report by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, examines the growth of medical tourism, looks at the hot spots for outbound and inbound programs, and discusses the implications for health care providers, health plans, employers, regulators and policymakers.
To read the report in full click here
Picture from Creative Commons: Flickr: Julie70
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