I recently had the privilege of representing my institution at the 1st Medical Tourism Stakeholders Summit in Manila, Philippines. It was organized by the government of Quezon City, one of the biggest cities in Manila, as it envisioned to become the pioneer international medical tourism destination and be globally competitive.
Being able to network with the local keynote speakers and stakeholders, from the public and private sectors with equal mindset and passion for convergence, are very gratifying. In my two decades of experience in corporate affairs, finance, travel and business development, it was easier to embrace the idea of partaking in the development of medical tourism sector in the Philippines.
Much of insight I gained reinforced my knowledge during the summit. It was interesting to learn the following at the summit and from published articles:
1. The Philippines was ranked 8th among the top medical tourism destinations in the world by the International Healthcare Research Center in 2015. In 2006, approximately 250,000 non-resident patients (foreign nationals and Filipino expats) started to travel to the Philippines to avail of various medical services. Thereafter, an average of 100,000 foreign patients visit the Philippines each year for medical care. It has grown extensively each year and has reached to 600,000 in 2016.
2. Over 260,000 Overseas Filipino Workers return to the Philippines not only for family visits or vacations but also to undergo minor medical procedures and other healthcare services which are not covered by medical insurance in their countries of work.
3. The concerned government agencies, including the Department of Health, Department of Tourism and the Bureau of Investments of the Department of Trade & Industry, all reported that there are already sixty-two (62) hospitals in the entire Philippines which are already internationally accredited.
4. In the National Capital Region (NCR), nine (9) big hospitals are already offering medical tourism service. Four (4) of which have been certified as “Institutions for Excellent Medical Care” by the Joint Commission International (JCI) which is the only patient safety and quality healthcare accreditation and certification body with memberships in more than 100 countries worldwide.
On another acumen, it was inspirational to learn best practices shared by Ms. Abrianna Kim, Chief Executive Director of Medical Tourism Association (South Korea Chapter), who was the international keynote speaker at the summit. I travel to Seoul often, and undoubtedly, South Korea is one of the most advanced nations capable of redefining technologies which are easily adaptable and compliant to the needs of every generation. I was in awe when Ms. Kim imparted that despite South Korea’s strong capacities inside a vibrant economy, many Koreans are still doting to visit the Philippines for leisure and healthcare.
As she continued with her anecdotes, I can only remember her very encouraging words and that all she wanted was for the Philippines to be incessantly mindful of every opportunity and never miss a single possibility. It was through her words when I began to realize that the Philippines may have been missing considerable opportunities for discovery and global partnership if not all the major healthcare and hospitality sector players are ONE and ENGAGED.
With the following qualifications present, among others, the Philippines is gaining traction as the emerging major player in medical and wellness tourism in the region:
- Prices of medical procedures are very cost-effective.
- Medical practitioners and personnel are well trained to international standards.
- English is widely spoken among the medical staff and the public in general.
- Hospitals catering to health tourism have state-of-the-art facilities.
- Five-star hotel room accommodations are available, ample and easily accessible at very affordable prices.
- There are several choices of holiday destinations in the Philippines which are perfect for rapid and relaxing recovery after a medical procedure.
- Many expats are based in the Philippines and usually invite relatives from their home countries to visit the Philippines and avail of the medical services and travel holidays.
Given my local and overseas exposure to cultural diversity, I noticed that patrons from the Middle East, South & East Asia, Pacific Island, Micronesia, South America and some others, consider the Philippines when it comes to outsourcing healthcare and wellness services.
The UERM Memorial Medical Center Inc. (UERMMMCI) is strategically situated in Quezon City. As one of the leaders in shaping the prominence of the UERMMMCI, I am honored that it has already positioned itself as one of the premier medical institutions in the Philippines. For six decades, it was continuously hailed as a Center of Excellence in Health Sciences. Our tagline has proudly put it, “Exceptional People, Extraordinary Care”.
The UERMMMCI is well-equipped with the finest facilities and its diagnostics services are performed by highly esteemed physicians who are mostly pioneers in quality care and champions in skills-based practice. Hence, its Wellness Center is appropriately in place with all the qualifying conditions necessary to make the Center function so efficiently and effectively. If you are in Manila, do experience the convenience of a wellness check-up with the wide-range of cost-effective packages available in UERMMMCI.
As I continue to explore mutually beneficial partnerships in the tourism sector and relevant stakeholders, these collaborative efforts will allow dominion on UERMMMCI service offerings as one of the preferred services in the Philippines and the region:
1. To institutionalize Patient Care Services among all departments and diagnostic units;
2. Establish active Leadership Council;
3. Create International Patient Pathway as the basis for mitigating risks;
4. Build highly informative, friendly-user and credible online systems;
5. Engage dynamic stakeholder partnerships.
The coming together of big players and enabling inspiration to potential players will facilitate the realization of the ASEAN50’s Sustainable Development Goals. In that sense, the Philippines will have the chance to articulate its own resources and talents to greater extent sans the qualms of non-aficionados.
On a personal appeal, may my countrymen start to realize that sustainability also means patronizing and employing our homegrown talents and resources. A country earns the respect of the world when it exhibits its own identity in its truest sense.
Asia is a tiger economy and the ASEAN is a thriving region. I am proud to belong to both and have always toiled to uplift the unique and vast potentials of the Philippines.
Let Asia and the rest of the continents continue to achieve personal and professional sustainability through its commitment to convergence.