| Visionary leadership = Success. Dubai and the whole of the UAE never cease to amaze me of the vision they have to turn this hot and Sandy desert into paradise on earth! Enjoy..
________________________________
Dubai is looking to cement its position as the region’s go-to hub for medical tourism, but does it have what it takes to compete on a global level? http://gulfbusiness.com/sun-sand-surgery-dubais-plan-become-medical-tourism-hub/ Dubai is looking to cement its position as the region’s go-to hub for medical tourism, but does it have what it takes to compete on a global
level? In days gone by Gulf countries struggled to attract even their own citizens for treatment. Concerns over the quality of local facilities and
staff meant millions or even billions of dollars were spent sending nationals to Europe or the United States for procedures.
“Trust was one of the biggest issues,” recalls the deputy CEO of the UAE-based American Center of Psychiatry and Neurology (ACPN), Dr Adel
Karrani. “Patients felt they received better treatment and improved diagnosis outside of the UAE in spite of there being an availability of world renowned
doctors and physicians within the country itself.” But now times are changing. The regional healthcare market is booming, international medical institutions are flocking to set up local operations,
and Dubai is seeking to convince not just locals but international visitors that it can compete as a global destination for treatment. The emirate is aiming to attract half a million international medical tourists by 2020, to take its share of a global market estimated to
be worth $439bn by Visa and Oxford Economics in the Mapping the Future of Global Travel and Tourism study. According to Linda Abdullah, head of Dubai Medical Tourism Office, the emirate’s plans centre on crafting its own niche in a broad international
market, which includes centres of excellence like Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and cheaper more geo-centric destinations like India. “What we have done, and what’s different here, is we have put together a product of medical tourism to fit those who would like to enjoy tourism
as well as good quality elective healthcare,” she says. “Although it is important, the cost is not our focus, our focus is more to give the quality of the healthcare service and to couple it with
the tourism side.” Yet if Dubai is not looking to compete with other medical tourism hubs on price terms it is in other metrics. On top of the 500,000 tourists
target for 2020, another goal of the emirate is to enter the top 10 in the Medical Tourism Association’s
Global Medical Tourism Index, which assesses countries based on their environment, attractiveness, costs and facilities and services. In the 2016 index, Dubai ranked 16th with a score of 67.54, in a list topped by Canada (76.62) and the UK (74.87). It will need to overtake
the likes of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Japan, Spain and Colombia to enter the top 10. Experts suggest the path to doing so will involve filling the middle ground between more expensive Western treatment and cheaper alternatives
in Asia, but without compromising on quality. “If the comparison is being done with the US or Europe, the UAE is more competitive with prices but because of the perception that the West
has better quality, people may resort to that. However, in some developing countries that have cheaper prices, the UAE will be preferred for the higher quality,” says Karrani. “We need to continue offering top quality services and even if prices are slightly higher, people will pay for good quality. This is the formula
we need to concentrate on rather than relying on the price independently by itself.” But never one to settle for mediocrity, the emirate is looking to add some of its typical sparkle to proceedings. Tiana Spence, CBRE Middle East associate director, strategy advisory valuation and advisory – special assets, suggests VIP rooms and local
discretion will be key selling points, particularly for patients from Gulf markets who like to travel for certain treatments.
Another will be full international accreditation, with around 80 per cent of Dubai’s hospitals currently accredited.
“Providing international accreditation, having a great standard of care and good pricing, all of these together really bolster the medical
tourism component within Dubai,” she says. However, perhaps the most significant will be adapting medical tourism to the digital age. In April, the emirate launched what is claimed to be the world’s first medical tourism portal, Dubai Health Experience, allowing patients
to book packages including treatment, up to 90-day visas, accommodation and tours. A travel insurance package is also available covering any complications after the procedure and emergency medical treatment while in the UAE. “It really just makes everything a lot easier for medical tourists that are looking to come into the region,” says Spence.
“It is a one stop shop, you’ve got all your pricing, all of the different hospitals providing particular services, different recreational
activities and visas are sorted on this website as well.” The institutions that are able to market their services on the website have all been carefully selected, according to Abdullah, and many more
private hospitals and hotels are applying to be a part of it.
|
_______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet
WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
