Bangalore is the not only the Capital of digital media in India, but also health care. Its rapid development in the field of back office management is behind the fancied term “Bangalored” entering the English Dictionary.

This same media, which millions use on a daily basis, is creating awareness of health and wellness at unprecedented speeds in hitherto unchartered regions in the region and internationally. Modern medicine has thereby penetrated deep into several under-developed countries in Asia and Africa. Increased awareness has increased the chances of diagnosis and evaluation of heart disease in adults and children. Many of these countries have been unable to meet this increased need for detailed evaluation and surgical treatment of new patients so identified. You can read more about this in the next article.

Non-availability of many such treatments has lead to the need for people to travel the nearest affordable country for treatment. And this is called medical tourism, or by one of the many synonyms. Coming to one of the many metros in India, people from Africa and the Middle East find similar socioeconomic, ethno cultural and linguistic regions and are comfortable to visit India for healthcare services and treatment.

Bangalore, which is centrally located in India, is well connected by road, rail and air within the country and has shot to fame because of its rapid development in many sectors, healthcare being one of them, This is because we have the unique combination of high quality and low costs. Many patients who have taken health insurance, when they cannot find good care in their own country are also looking east to avoid waiting lists and get quality care. Both Indian and foreign insurance companies are also looking at India as an affordable and prospective healthcare destination and are tying up with corporate hospitals which can treat to global standards.

Air travel to and from Bangalore is now just a hop away with airlines connecting over 101 destinations to Bangalore. The airport has rapidly growing international traffic that is very efficiently handled by the automated systems in place. Most major currencies are freely traded in the many Nationalized banks and registered currency exchange centers in the Airport and the city.

Bangalore has top-notch centers for open-heart surgery and especially pediatric heart surgery. Virtually all of India’s top clinics are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipment. The cost of all tests and investigations are cheaper here because of the sheer ( large ) number of treated patients and efficiency that comes out of necessity. The most frequent travelers to Bangalore come from the region known as MENA: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Ethiopia and Sudan.

ADVANTAGE – MEDICAL TOURISM IN INDIA (Bangalore)

What makes Bangalore what it is?

Blend of medical and leisure tourism: –

When somebody comes to India for health revitalization, there are many options to spend leisure time with family who are accompanying the patient. People treasure the freedom to travel without fear in India, the increased value of their money, the infinite choice of shopping experiences with the unique combination of metropolitan buzz and multicultural Indian cuisine at Bangalore. Being centrally located in the country, this Capital of Karnataka displays the multiplicity of the Indian cultural fabric and it is best experienced by easily travelling to and from here.

World class medical services: –

Bangalore is considered as the hub of highly educated specialized doctors in India and the treatment facilities are at par with the world’s best medical services. Indian doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are also among the best trained in the world.

Low cost advantage: –

The treatment costs are far less in India is a well known fact, with no compromise on quality, some of the doctors are even better than the rest of the world considering their huge experience. Many have international experience and they are up to date with the latest developments.

Smaller waiting lists: –

In most of the developed countries the patients usually need to wait for long time till they get the doctor’s appointment, investigations done and even the actual treatment. But in India, the waiting time is minimal due to the vast choice of hospitals and therefore we are able to help you return sooner to health and reduce the duration the family spends time away from home.

Advancement in IT: –

India is also among the world’s fastest growing Information Technology (IT) hubs. All your health related data is safe and HIPPA compliant. You will be provided all necessary documents to follow up with your regular doctors at home. If necessary our doctors will come on video call to help your health provider understand what has been achieved during your visit here. And Bangalore being the IT Capital of India has a cosmopolitan flavour that many find as a great experience.

Shopping: –

All leading brands of most products are available in the many shopping malls and online stores, accessed through the low cost mobile call and Internet DATA with excellent mobile phone reach. Digital transactions can be done using international credit cards and paid for in your own currency.

Low Language Barriers: –

The doctors, nurses and other medical staff, as well as Bangaloreans in general, can not only understand but also converse fluently in English which removes the language barriers for many overseas patients and make them comfortable as soon as they land. Translators are also available for most other foreign languages on request, especially French, Arabic and even Spanish.

Affordable Personalized Care: –

With a little planning, it is relatively easy to hire a concierge or a trained carer, through one of the many home care solution companies, for taking care of an unaccompanied patient, both during and after treatment and thus healthcare in Bangalore suits these situations also.

Easy access: –

The initiatives taken by both the Government and private sector gives easier access to medical visas, with very short time needed for approvals, provided Passports are valid for 6 months from the date of arrival. The presence of several international airlines, domestic transportation systems and concierge services make it easy to travel to, within and out of the country. Most Bookings can be done online for travel and accommodation. Food is never a problem with most major fast-food chains around the corner or delivered to your doorstep. Major Foreign currencies are easily exchangeable with most banks with nil or minimal restrictions.

Some of the areas seeing improvement, to make Bangalore the future of global healthcare are:

An image revolution: –

The government, the healthcare industry and the travel industry have started to work together to change the predominant image in the minds of the average medical tourist and their countries to show India in its deservingly brighter light, contrary to what mainstream media has projected.

Raised quality standards: –

hospitals in India have now benchmarked themselves to National and international quality accreditation standards as part of the quality assurance direction given by the government. Most doctors have been trained in modern medicine to international standards and have many publications in the international journals in their specialties and are up-to-date with the latest developments in the field.

Improved infrastructure:

The growing middle class affordability of India has increased patient inflow, and this has enabled hospitals to steadily build up their infrastructure and facilities that has vastly improved the overall quality of all investigating and treatment facilities. These systems are the ones attracting international patients in big numbers.

Simplification of procedures: –

Technological advancements in India enable electronic transferability of data, medical records, invitation letters, visa approvals, funds, etc efficiently.