Make them an offer they can't refuse: How to tap into the USA market

Although the rapidly growing medical tourism industry is viewed as near recession proof, in these tough economic times international providers must be careful on how they target citizens of the USA. The critical factors for US international patients are cost, quality, safety, location and language. Any offering must meet, and some would say exceed, the US medical tourists expectations in all of these areas to truly be considered a viable medical tourism provider. Providers must figure out a way to combine all of these aspects when targeting medical tourists from the USA.

Put simply, the most significant reason US citizens travel abroad for healthcare is money. Procedures in countries outside of the USA can be significantly cheaper than the domestic option, sometimes at just a fraction of the cost of the same procedure in the USA. A hip replacement in the USA for example could cost up to $43,000, whereas the same treatment in India could cost $9,000. This dramatic price difference is particularly attractive to the estimated 47 million US citizens who are currently uninsured. Furthermore, if accomplished, President Barrack Obama's goal of healthcare coverage for all US citizens would force more partnerships between international medical providers and US insurance agencies. As most health insurance programs in the USA do not currently cover going abroad for surgery, especially non-essential surgery, such as cosmetic surgery, this new step could potentially lead to an increase in access and affordability of medical tourism insurance policies and thus the financial appeal of medical tourism.

However, marketing based solely on price will not always work, for although price is the primary driving force, providers must not forget that people in the US place a high value on quality. They want to be treated by the best of the best when it comes to healthcare. Even the uninsured would be unlikely to opt for the hip replacement in India if the surgeon was not certified. International healthcare providers looking to the US must keep that in mind when marketing their services and should boast any major accreditations they possess. A good accreditation to boast is the Joint Commission International (JCI). The JCI is the best know US accreditation board and gains the most trust from the US citizens. US citizens traditionally do not know what healthcare standards are in other countries and do not trust what they do not know. Highlighting potential savings with elite quality service, equal to or better than what is available at home, is what the US audience wants to hear.

In addition to the quality of care, the surrounding area must also be perceived as safe and an attractive destination. Mexico for example, used to be the most popular destination for US citizens, but since the news coverage of the H1N1 flu outbreak and recent drug violence, they have avoided Mexico and medical tourists have dispersed to Canada and other South and Central American destinations. US citizens, like other groups of people, will not go to destinations where they do not feel comfortable.

The US market also prefers to stay close to home in case there are complications or the need for a follow up appointment. If they do travel far away from home, it usually comes during an extended vacation. Extended stays give providers outside of North and Central America an interesting advantage to market to US citizens. Lastly, language spoken is also very important, as people from the US are predominately only proficient in English with only a small amount speaking other languages. Most will not have surgery performed on them by a surgeon with whom they cannot communicate. Most would not even consider providers without English speaking staff.

Search and compare your surgery abroad for cosmetic surgery, eye surgery, dental surgery, plastic surgery, breast surgery, orthopedic surgery & many more medical tourism procedures overseas.