#443487 - 07/28/12 05:17 PM
Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
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The First Step To Establishing
Medical Tourism In Belize
Belize has once again identified another gateway to attracting more visitors, and investors to our country, which is, through the emergence of Medical Tourism.
As a result of this, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service
(BELTRAIDE), will be having the first ever workshop on Medical Tourism in Belize; with the purpose of developing a country profile. This workshop will be held on August 3, 2012, from 8:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., at the George Price Center, in the City of Belmopan.
Mr. Massimo Manzi, the IADB Consultant, and the Executive Director of the Council for International Promotion of Costa Rica Medicine (PROMED) will be the moderator at this workshop.
Topics to be discussed include, the global industry of medical tourism; key elements for a successful country strategy; and Belize’s way to medical tourism.
If you should be interested to be a part of such initiative, please feel free to contact Ms. Ruby Pascascio, Projects Officer at ruby@belizeinvest.org.bz, or Ms. Florence Cayetano, Public Relations Officer, at florence@belizeinvest.org.bz for further information.
Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE)
14 Orchid Garden St.,
City of Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize
Tel: 501-822-3737
Fax: 501-822-0595
Email: beltraide@belizeinvest.org.bz
publicrelations@belizeinvest.org.bz
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#443516 - 07/29/12 07:04 AM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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A good idea in theory, but a difficult concept to execute, given the competition from other medical centers in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and elsewhere in the region. While those countries are Spanish-speaking, many of the physicians and staff speak English, and prices are as low or lower as in Belize. Plus, there's the issue of the perception of Belize City.
I think to make it work at all besides the usual claims of competence and low price you'd really have to have a unique selling proposition, such as "our doctors and staff are the friendliest in the world" and you'd have to target health conditions that Belize is able to treat or deal with, such as long-term health care (facilities could be set up outside high crime areas) for the aged and perhaps dental care.
Given the high cost of long-term assisted-living and institutional health care in the U.S. after Medicare runs out (as much as US$100,000 a year or more, a cost that quickly drains savings), there's an opportunity to outsource such care to Belize and for patients to receive good care at modest cost in a nice environment.
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#443819 - 08/03/12 12:11 AM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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I agree with Diane on elder care. I also agree with Lan that right now with Mexicao, Cuba, Brazil and even Guatamala being a bit more advanced and less expensive for most medical needs. Belize would not be a destination. I am very experienced in home health, was trained to care for my late husband so he could come home, I took care of him for 7 years, he was a quad, he could not speak, or eat, fed thru stmach tube, breathed thru trech. about 2 yrs into that my mom came to live with me, she had alzhiemers. I also worked full time and had two young children, I did have home care as well. Our plan has always been to live here as long as we can and then sell everything and go back to the States when we were to old to ride bikes. We are in our sixties and my thoughts are changing on this. I often joke and say mabe we should stay, I could hire someone to help care for my husband alot cheaper here. As well as this is where I would rather be. I think the country should take an active look at home health care training. Then again when nurses at KHM are not even trained on how to transfer a person, (thats another story) I think alot of long timers here plan to leave at some point in old age, I think alot would like to stay if a plan was available, The nursing homes here are very sad so it would truly have to be home health care. That would be persons trained more than the education given to basic nurses get so its a dream but a good one.
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#443877 - 08/03/12 01:28 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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I have avocated for an assisted living program here. Since the island has been so overbuilt we have empty resorts. Anyone of these could easily be converted into assisted living quarters. All we need s=is a medical team to run it.
_________________________
Harriette
Take only pictures leave only bubbles
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#443891 - 08/03/12 06:01 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Interestingly enough, I know of more than a few people who have aging relatives in the States and Canada who hired Belizeans to fly north to tend to their family members for long term care. Banana Bank tried to get one of these off the ground a few yrs ago.
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#443896 - 08/03/12 07:17 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Lan Sluder/Belize First]
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So Lan, with your extensive expertise..why don't you show us all how to do it?
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#443902 - 08/03/12 08:11 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: bywarren]
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I love being assisted.
_________________________
"Don't grow up. It's a trap"
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#443906 - 08/03/12 08:38 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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You two need assisted right off a short dock
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#443913 - 08/03/12 09:17 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: bywarren]
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Well By, if we lay off dog steaks, I guess we will survive. And BCB is really a short dock, or.......
_________________________
"Don't grow up. It's a trap"
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#443924 - 08/04/12 07:50 AM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Is Medical Tourism On The Menu For Belize? Most of us might not know what Medical Tourism per se - but many of us have participated in it, even if we did so unknowingly. Have you ever been to Merida or Guatemala City for medical treatment - stayed a few days, got a hotel, ate in a few restaurants..?
Well, that's medical tourism - and now BELTRAIDE has retained a consultant to discuss the prospects of making Belize into a medical tourism Mecca.
They are doing it in Costa Rica - and the consultation held a meeting with stakeholders today at the George Price Center in Belmopan to discuss a country strategy for Belize.
We found out more:..
Jules Vasquez
"What is medical tourism?"
Nicholas Ruiz, Executive Director - BELTRAIDE
"It's simply foreigners coming to another country. In this case Belize to get medical treatment and there is a support system for them. It's been happening for many years - North Americas went to Europe and now they are coming to Central America, they are going to Thailand; they are going to India, Singapore that have advantages. Some of them being more affordable, they have more access to it and so on and so forth."
"Belize being close to the US being English speaking having some pricing advantages we feel that we can offer those services to primarily Americans and Canadians - that's the market we are looking at and we are meeting with private as well as public stakeholders to try to gather ideas and consensus as to where we want to go with medical tourism. We all know that it's going on. We all know that it has great potential but we want to make sure that we have a country approach to this."
Doctor #1
"Medical and dental association - we have a lot of doctors and dentists with a lot of expertise on the ground. We can't sell out to foreign investors whether people have a lot of money or find medical expertise coming in and controlling medical tourism. We as Belizeans have to have a big stake in it."
Jules Vasquez
"We know that protectionism no longer can exist. The world trade organization throngs upon it. The fact is that he who has the money builds the hospital and staff the hospital. Isn't that how it works?"
Doctor #1
"Usually yes, but we have to be careful. We are a very small country and we have to be careful otherwise we are going to be over run and become second class citizens in our own little country."
Jules Vasquez
"But the fact is that you all can't afford to build a hospital. To build a hospital you need a foreign investor but want him to build the temple yet you be the priest. How can that be?"
Doctor #1
"No, not really. In fact we have a lot of local investors. We might have physicians and even local businessmen who might have the finances. We even look at a model whereby in Belize with local investors we can build a facility."
Doctor #2
"We do see the possibility to have a kind of foreign local partnership where the foreign practitioner comes, they inject money in the economy but through a small change we are thinking about the licensing process to commit them with their assistance or being able to perform surgeries with the help of local practitioners."
Nicholas Ruiz, Executive Director - BELTRAIDE
"The overriding idea is that we want Belizeans to participate in this industry. As I mentioned to you it's going to be stage by stage approach where we need to get to that point where our medical practitioners or those who will participate in the medical tourism industry - Belizeans will have what it takes - financing or the technical know-how so that they can participate."
Doctor #2
"The rules will be set in the country and if some private and foreign investment is needed we will ask for them. The strategy is based on the capacity of Belize of developing its model."
Jules Vasquez
"Isn't it a fact that we have a limited number of specialists and that we cannot afford to spread our specialist? It will be to the detriment of our population."
Doctor #1
"We have about 200-250 Belizeans that are studying medicine. A small of those are specializing. We will have enough of a Belizean work force so we won't have to spread ourselves thin in the next 5-10 years. So we have the local talent that is preparing itself to be able to fill that place."
Jules Vasquez
"It sounds like the doctor simply want a license amass wealth preferentially because you all stand to make more off medical tourism that you do off regular folks like me."
Doctor #1
"This is something call ethics. We have to have ethics in going about this. I talk about the Robin Hood perspective. Those who can afford to pay a lot of money they can pay whether out of pocket or through an insurance policy. Those who are more a working middle class will pay something moderate and those people who are poor obviously we have to have a strong public health system so that we can offer them the proper care. It's across the board, nobody because of a lack of finance should be omitted from having the proper healthcare."
By October 14th, the consultant is tasked to come up with a framework proposal.
Channel 7
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#444231 - 08/08/12 11:52 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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I am again sorry Dabunk that I sent you that email, I really meant no harm, but again you saw after your Mom, Would it be wise for a person that needed taking care of,with no family or trusted person to oversee thier care? for someone to hire the right care giver, I had over 20 care givers in the 7 years my husband and mom needed them, some turned out to be thieves, drug addicts, and the like, same as here I would think. Then I got lucky and some were jewels..stayed with us the whole time. I had to have 3 a day on 8 hour shifts. As much as I would want to say this is the place I love, this is where I am going to stay no matter what. Without a trusted person to oversee, I dont think I could. I do know a few elders that have over 30 yrs of Belize life that have been lucky enough to return here to pass.....because they loved the place so much. And they new it was thier time.
I understand all you have been through..because of the situation I went through with my Mom, and Husband, I was called on to take care of my Grandma, I stayed with her while she passed of cancer in her home. Then my current husbands father at 94 wanted to pass at home so I cared for him. I am glad I could, but it was my two sons that lost out on having a Mom, and a life and they are well into adulthood now, they lay no blame, but I do...I was an absent Mother,,
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#444236 - 08/09/12 01:14 AM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Cooper]
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C2C
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you could never bring demensia patients that speak english into a foreign language country. But if they have dementia, would it really matter?
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#444437 - 08/12/12 10:06 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Diane,No we could never live on our S.S in the U.S. If you took the money we make we still could not live in the U.S. our saving grace will be to sell the house here and the one in the U.S as we have no mortgage and then rent something.. Then we would mabe have enough to live somewhere for a good amount of years if we are lucky. Its scary to face the probability of returning to the States as all our savings could be gone in a flash with a medical emergency. Life does go on after strokes, organ transplants, its the same everywhere, Belizeans have a very hard time trying to get by, its the same thing, worldwide, old age and the expense of keeping healthy can cripple anyone, anywhere..Man I think I am done with this topic its getting me depressed, I dont dwell on this sort of stuff, I feel blessed to live here and to get on my bike and ride and swim and watch the sunsets, I feel blessed that I dont own a car, even a golf cart. That I am happy in my very small house, I still ride the same bike I bought 10 yrs ago.I have one large pot, one small pot and two frying pans, 4 plates 3 bowls, a few cups and glasses. I LOVE IT..but I dont totally ignore that I may have to go back to the U.S.
My neighbor gave me the Dutch oven pot years ago and I love her as well. I could have a big flat screen, and and a golf cart, I am so fortunate compared to so many villagers, I just dont feel the need.
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#445857 - 09/04/12 03:44 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Press Release – BELTRAIDE – September 3, 2012- Belize has once again pioneered another gateway to attracting more visitors and investors to our country, which is, through the emergence of ‘Medical Tourism’. Under BELTRAIDE’s Compete Caribbean Project, component two (2) entails the identification of two priority sectors for investment. One of the identified priority sectors is Medical Tourism. There is certainly great potential for this industry to boom and create employment for Belize, whilst increasing its Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In early August 2012, a workshop on Medical Tourism was coordinated, with the objective to create awareness of the new industry and to determine the receptiveness of Belize’s stakeholders. The workshop was held at the George Price Center in the City of Belmopan and stakeholders from both the medical and tourism industries participated in the event. It was considered an information sharing session which allowed stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinion on the idea of Medical Tourism. As a follow up to the first workshop, a second Medical Tourism workshop will be held at the House of Culture in Belize City, on Friday, September 7, 2012, from 8:30a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Presenters for this session will include Mr. Massimo Manzi, the Project’s Consultant, and Executive Director of the Council for International Promotion of Costa Rica Medicine (PROMED), and Mr. Tom Terranova, representative from the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). Among the topics under discussion, the following will be addressed: • the Expectations of International Patients, • quality and Patients Safety, • developing a Common Vision, and • the rules of inclusion for Belize’s Medical Tourism Industry Should you need additional information on this initiative, please feel free to contact Ms. Ruby Pascascio, Projects Officer at ruby@belizeinvest.org.bz , or Ms. Florence Cayetano, Public Relations Officer, at florence@belizeinvest.org.bz. Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) 14 Orchid Garden St., City of Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize Tel: 501-822-3737 Fax: 501-822-0595 Email: beltraide@belizeinvest.org.bz publicrelations@belizeinvest.org.bz Web Address: www.belizeinvest.org.bzFind us in Facebook:www.facebook.com/beltraide Blog: www.belizeinvest.netYoutube:www.youtube.com/belizeinvest
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#448610 - 10/12/12 07:36 AM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Medical Tourism Draft Proposal Ready, All On BoardThe consultations on medical tourism have been going on for the last three months.
And now the consultant has come up with what's called a draft sector strategy - which means consultation is finished - and now the work comes to crafting the policy document.
The various stakeholders held a final consultation followed by a press conference in Belize City today - and here's what they said:..
Mike Singh, CEO - Trade and Investment
"As we discussed in the meetings the vision of the government is to develop an industry that will create employment job opportunities, secondly, will afford us technology transfer to create the kind of knowledge jobs that Belize needs and also improve for Belizeans healthcare that right now is being exported. A lot of our Belizeans healthcare recipients actually travel to places like Merida, Guatemala and Miami for medical attention."
Massimo Manzie, Consultant
"This has been 3 months that we will be in Belize to analyze the competitiveness environment that Belize has. Belize has a lot to offer to medical tourist. This is a renowned retirement destination - a natural tourism destination. This is a place where people really like to come; this is an English speaking country - a country that is not facing the same communication problems that other problems in Latin America that are willing to receive patients are facing."
"Altogether makes the competitiveness positioning that we are finding as the value offer for Belize."
Dr. Peter Allen, CEO Ministry of Health
"Really from the government's perspective we see ourselves playing the role of catalyst and making sure that we can try to create the proper environment through which this industry can prosper essentially driven by the private sector and obviously we have an important role in terms of creating the appropriate regularity framework to make sure that it is done in a safe way."
"There are always challenges and just as there are great opportunities there are also risks. The last few months we've been doing our best to take a back seat and listen to everybody's comments - listen to what everybody is saying and how everybody would like to see this industry develop so that we can come up with a strategy which is truly Belizean."
Dr. Joel Cervantes, BMDA
"We are very much into wanting for a proper model to be put into place. For us what this means is definitely much needed funds that our government and people need for the development of Belize can come about. We know this will come from foreign investors; we know there might be local investors involved."
"As medical and dental experts our wish is definitely to be involved. We know as Belizean doctors and dentist that we can't do all the work, we know we don't have all the expertise; we know we have some people among our ranks that are very well qualified. We also know that many doctors, many dentists have stayed behind with respect to their growth at a professional level have not upgraded. What this means by having medical tourism come to Belize is that across the border the standard of medicine practices here both for locals Belizeans and for our foreign guests who are going to come to Belize is going to be better. Definitely the Belize Medical and Dental Association is on-board and you probably are going to hear more about this in the future."
The draft proposal will now be taken for further feedback - and the final proposal should be ready by the first week in November.
Channel 7
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#448792 - 10/15/12 12:06 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Marty, Dian, Lan and the many others who have expressed the urgent need for "Assisted Living" facilities in Belize, I could not possibly be more pleased to hear that you echo my long time belief that such a facility is desperately needed to accommodate the elderly, both locals and expats, with critical medical needs. I can think of no better place in the world to build one than in Belize. Why??. Economics and Environment.
THERE is a KICKER; These elderly folks require extensive/varied medical care, presumed not to be readily available in the current Belize medical facilities. Perhaps the new "Medical Tourism" program can resolve this problem by permiting foreign doctors to practice medicine in country. Wouldn't it be nice if there was an 80 room assisted living facility built so that all rooms had an ocean view, with clinic, air strip, fishing, palm trees etc.? Well, the land exists and is believed to be available for building. Where? Blackadore Island, owned by Leonardo DeCaprio. All that seems to be needed at this point is construction capitol and trained medical personnel. I currently live with my wife in an assisted living facility in Kansas City. She suffers with COPD and requires 24/7 oxygen and nursing care, and the cost is very high,,though I do visit Belize 5>6 times a year just to fish. Even though I am confident that there are multitudes of people in similar situations as we are, I fear that the GOB will never permit foreign doctors to practice medicine in Belize for obvious reasons. Too Bad !!! I would like to be the facilities first resident. Don Greife
_________________________
I'll be happy to discuss my avatar with anyone who knows what it is.
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#448795 - 10/15/12 12:50 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Don Greife]
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I totally agree with Don! The government's refusal to allow Licensed US Medical Professionals to practice (curious that Dentists, Chiropractors, Vets are OK) is the single biggest obstacle for Medical Tourism in Belize.
For sure the market is there (baby boomers), the opportunity is there (proximity and high medical costs in the US), but until this issue is addressed, I just cannot see it materializing.... Too bad!
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#448932 - 10/17/12 12:20 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: SnoopysMom]
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Seems like the people who are developing the "Medical Tourism" program framework must know that a large part of those programs that are in place in India and Thialand cater to everything from plastic surgery to brain surgery, and have very well trained physicians/surgeons and state of the art hospitals. As for the BZ medical tourism program, where are these doctors and hospitals going to come from?? It seems that a draft of the BZ program has been written and will be published in final form in November. Has anyone seen the draft, or know what it is intended to cover? The more I think about this, the more I tend to view it as political hype. Don't think the GOB will ever put it into practice. Consider the following scenario; The program document covers a full blown medical tourism program that will promote foreign investment in state of the art medical facilities to be staffed with foreign physicians/surgeons, and the GOB writes and passes legislation to permit these changes. On the day that this occures there will be unpressidented changes to all aspects of life in Belize as we know it. Will continue after lunch. Don Greife
_________________________
I'll be happy to discuss my avatar with anyone who knows what it is.
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#448940 - 10/17/12 02:09 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Don Greife]
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Lunch was just OK.
Scenario Continued; I'll tell you a story and you can fill in the blanks concerning Medical Tourism yourself.
Back in the 1930's a power company petitioned the state of Missouri for permission to build a dam on the Osage river to generate power for the area. Permission was granted and they built the dam that now holds the Lake of the Ozarks. The power co decided that they could recoop some of their construction money if they sold lots on the newly formed lake and offeref one acre lots for about $100/acre. Well, every fisherman from KC, StL, Springfield etc swarmed to the lake and bought a lot and built one room weekend fish camp. This continued for years. One day the power co ask it's self, "Why are there no retirement homes being built here on this beautiful lake"? The answer was very simple,, There were NO HEALTH facilities in the area for retirees. One day, some years later, low and behold, the town of Camdenton broke ground for a new state of the art hospital. On the day of ground breaking,,,, the price of those fish camp lots went from $100/acre to $10000/acre and retirement homes sprang up everywhere. If a state of the art hospital were built in Belize and staffed by foreign doctors, I predict that Miami Beach would become a ghost town within a week. Don't think the GOB will stand for that.
_________________________
I'll be happy to discuss my avatar with anyone who knows what it is.
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#448948 - 10/17/12 05:39 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Marty]
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Great plan and it'll work, in time, as the others have.
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#448949 - 10/17/12 06:42 PM
Re: Establishing Medical Tourism In Belize
[Re: Katie Valk]
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Katie, You may very well be right. The program may actually get off the ground, find investors, become a great boost to good jobs, and all the other huge economic and political factors that go with it. With that in mind I'd pass on another story you might find worthy of some thought.
Not long after the Lake of the Ozarks became the "retirement hot spot", a fellow came to the area and bought options on some 500 acres of unimproved wooded land. Then he rolled a mobile home to a clearing in the woods that was visible from the highway and had utilities connected to it. There was a small unimpressive sign on the side of the trailor. The sign listed some obscure enterprise name and was bordered with pictures of high speed race cars. Well, the word got out that this fellow was going to build a high speed race track on this land. Within just a few days everybody in the realestate business wanted to buy some of the surrounding land,,, and did. About 3 months later the fellow pulled his trailor out and left the area. Need I say more?
_________________________
I'll be happy to discuss my avatar with anyone who knows what it is.
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