Role of Telemedicine in Medical Tourism Dr. SB Bhattacharyya MBBS, ADHA, MBA GE Healthcare IITS & IAMI, India

Medical Tourism Very serious business Patients are combining a vacation of a lifetime while receiving care abroad at a cost lesser than the cost of receiving the care in home country

Telemedicine Links up patients and their care providers separated by geography Essential cog in the wheels of medical tourism

Facts & Figures Size of healthcare industry globally in 2003 was USD 4 trillion Indian figures Growth rate of this industry in 1990s – 13% Size in mid-2004 was INR 1500 billion Represents 6% of GDP Size of medical tourism (currently) – INR 12 – 15 billion Growth rate of medical tourism – 30% Predicted growth rate of industry (CCI) over next 6 years – 13%

Medical Tourism Business Process

Telemedicine Business Process

High Level Requirements Role Based Access Control (RBAC) Audit Trail Referral Module Appointment Scheduling Module EMR Clinical Notes Medical Administration Record Results Review Discharge Summary Follow Up Visit Records Online Teleconsultation (including video- conferencing)

EMR in Telemedicine Allows the stakeholders to exchange information quickly and efficiently Quick access Quick search for appropriate information on- demand Quick add, edit, store, transfer and display/view Allows patients to carry their medical records much easily Greatest challenge today – lack of acceptable standards

Conclusion Both medical tourism and telemedicine are here to stay Today a “want”, tomorrow a “need” Without telemedicine, the medical part of medical tourism is incomplete By allowing patients and their care providers to remain in touch on- demand, the process becomes more efficient and workable

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