In the global healthcare scenario, India has today emerged as not just a developing country but the world's most preferred 'Medical Value Travel' (MVT) hub. Every year lakhs of patients from America, Britain, Canada and Gulf countries turn to Indian hospitals for treatment of their serious diseases. The biggest reason for this is the high cost of health services in western countries and the long waiting list in the National Health Service (NHS) of countries like Britain. While a heart bypass surgery in America costs 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh dollars (about Rs 80 to 1.20 crore), in India's world-class hospitals, the same complex surgery is successfully performed for just 5,000 to 8,000 dollars (about Rs 4 to 7 lakh). This huge difference in cost of 60 to 90 percent and zero waiting time is what is drawing patients from all over the world to India. According to statistics, the Indian medical tourism market is rapidly moving towards crossing the figure of $8.7 billion by 2025 and reaching more than $16 billion by 2030. Along with Bangladesh, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Oman, now NRIs and foreign citizens of western countries are also expressing maximum trust in Indian doctors for cancer, orthopedic, cardiovascular and organ transplant. 'Heal in India' and cutting-edge technology: The new identity of Indian healthcare The Government of India's 'Heal in India' initiative and forward-looking policies like the AYUSH visa have made it easier than ever for international patients to visit India. There are more than 40 JCI (Joint Commission International) accredited and more than 600 NABH certified hospitals in the country, which are in no way inferior to Western standards in terms of quality. Today, cutting-edge technologies like Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, Proton Beam Therapy and AI-based diagnostics are being used extensively in Indian super-speciality hospitals. Apart from this, another big USP of India is the unique combination of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy along with allopathic treatment. Foreign patients are not only coming to India to undergo surgery, but are also taking advantage of wellness tourism in states like Kerala and Uttarakhand for faster recovery and mental peace after surgery. However, behind this unprecedented growth and shining picture, there are many fundamental and strategic challenges which are standing in the way of India becoming a 'Global Healthcare Superpower'. Challenge 1: Lack of infrastructure and connectivity limited to metro cities only The biggest first challenge of Indian medical tourism is that it is not highly decentralised. Currently, more than 80 per cent of incoming foreign patients are confined to only 5 to 6 metro cities—Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Despite having international level hospitals in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, there is a severe lack of direct international flights and infrastructure. Due to this, there is immense pressure on beds and resources in hospitals of big cities, due to which both local and foreign patients often have to face problems. Challenge 2: Network of unorganized middlemen and lack of price transparency Lack of uniform regulation in this vast area of medical tourism is a serious problem. There are many unorganized agents and middlemen active in the market, who charge arbitrary charges from foreign patients in the name of treatment, accommodation and visa. Foreign patients are charged different rates for the same treatment in different hospitals, which has a negative impact on India's image. Until a transparent and government controlled central pricing and facilitation system is fully implemented, patients remain afraid of being cheated. Challenge 3: Language wall and lack of cultural coordination Although doctors and medical staff in India are proficient in speaking English, patients coming from Russia, CIS (Central Asian) countries, Gulf countries and many parts of Africa understand only Arabic, Russian or French. Due to acute shortage of qualified translators and multilingual coordinators in hospitals, proper communication between the patient and the doctor is not possible. This language barrier in understanding the treatment process, consent forms and instructions for taking medications often leads to serious medical risks. Challenge 4: Follow-up Care and Insurance Complications When foreign patients return home after undergoing surgery or treatment in India, they face major problems in their follow-up care. Although doctors remain in touch through telemedicine, if the patient develops any complication after returning home, Indian doctors are not able to intervene directly due to the complexities of international legal and insurance regulations. Additionally, major health insurance companies in Western countries do not easily approve cashless treatment facilities directly in Indian hospitals, forcing international patients to pay out of pocket. Challenge 5: Red tape in cleanliness, transportation and visa processes India's premier hospitals may be as clean as five-star hotels, but the traffic jams immediately outside the hospital, lack of cleanliness and pollution in public places make foreign patients uncomfortable. Additionally, although the e-medical visa process has improved, visa extension and Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) formalities for critical patients and their attendants still prove to be quite complex and time-consuming. Road to the future: How will India become the world's number-1 health destination? India has full potential to become the 'Healing Hub' of the world. To deal with these challenges, the government will have to do mandatory registration of medical facilitators, so that the network of middlemen can be eliminated. Also, it is very important to upgrade the airports of Tier-II cities and start direct flights there and fix uniform package rates among hospitals. If focus is given to transparency, language assistance and smooth logistics, India can become a global model of not only affordable treatment but also the most transparent and safe healthcare system.
