Medical Tourism in Developing Countries

240 ● Indexmedical tourism (continued )international regulations 140–44international standardsand accreditation/credentialing 145–51legal recourse/patientprotection 156–58problems associated with 169–70promoting. See promotionrevenue generated by 3for state employees 153state’s role in 70–74supply of. See source countries;supplytie-ins with 91–93See also destination countries;developing countriesmedical touristscharacteristics of 45–49countries of origin 54incidental 46–48by income 48, 48tseeking medical tourism 48–49medical visas 159medical workerseducation and training of 102–4Indian, in U.S., 104See also health care providersMedicare/Medicaid 151claims for out-of-country servicesand 150–51medicinehigh-tech, with traditionalhealing 95, 131–34international trade in 28–30luxury versus border 48–49, 48tmedicines. See pharmaceuticalsMedicity 76Medigap 152Mexicoborder medicine in 49, 58brain drain from 106insurance coverage in 153licensure in 150, 214n33Middle East, Internet health careinformation on 61money and banking system,developed 118–19, 118tMore Developed Countrieseconomic relations with LDCs 33structural transformations in 26See also source countriesmotivations 42examples of 2multiplier effect 32–33NNarasimha Rao, P. V., 130national health planspressures on 51waiting periods in 2, 52Native American traditionalhealing 132NGOs. See NongovernmentalorganizationsNielsen, Jerri 4nongovernmental organizations,health-related 88–89nurses, demand for, medical tourismimpact on 166–67Oorgans, international trade in 90, 122outsourcingof medical diagnostics 144of services 5PPacific Bridge Medical 82Pagdanganan, Roberto 132patent law 141– 44, 212n6territorial limitations on 142Patient Safety and QualityImprovement Act of 2005, 149patientsfrom diaspora 56–57inadequate protection of 156–58origins and motives of 41