‘Medical tourism’ program includes holiday packages

Manila Bulletin
August 26, 2006

By MAE LORRAINE S. RAFOLS

Asians and other foreigners looking to get that executive check-up or cosmetic procedure in the Philippines will get another incentive after their medical treatment: A holiday of their choice at popular tourist destinations like Palawan, Boracay and Cebu.

Under the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) Medical Tourism Program, foreigners will be offered enticing tourism packages incorporated into quality and affordable medical procedures, ranging from eye and dental procedures to cosmetic surgery and preventive tests.

The packages are divided into four: "Wellness and health holidays," "Beauty holidays," "Vision Plus holidays," and "Smile holidays." These are offered with corresponding vacation features – hotel accommodations, city tours, spa treatments, golfing tours, and the option to visit the country’s island destinations.

According to DoT Assistant Secretary Cynthia Carrion, the Philippines has a big advantage when it comes to medical tourism because of its high quality medical services offered at very competitive prices. Also, there is high demand for "well-being tours," specially since the cost of these medical tours have gone up in other countries.

"Medical tourism combines both health care and travel, something a lot of people would want to consider. It’s a niche market that we should focus on. Our driving force is that Filipinos are service-oriented. The world knows how hospitable and culturally-sensitive the Filipinos are," Carrion said.

The "Wellness and health holiday" package was designed to promote preventive medicine among businessmen and executives. The package offers the "Tee-off to wellness" program which includes a four-day/three-night hotel stay, an executive health check-up, a massage treatment, a half-day day trip, and one round of golf at Club Intramuros.

The executive check-up will include the following tests: laboratory tests (urinalysis, fecalysis, CBC with platelet), blood chem, Hepa B screening, thyroid screening, pap smears (for women), prostate check-up, chest X-ray, and ECG.

The "Beauty holiday" on the other hand is a week-long package created for patients undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures while on vacation. Aside from the hotel accommodation and city tour, they can also choose from a series of treatments such as: Eyelid surgery, Rhinoplasty, breast surgery (augmentation, reduction, lift), Liposuction, tummy tuck and Botox.

"Vision Plus holidays" is for patients seeking eye treatment. Here they can avail of phacoemulsification with IOL (a kind of cataract extraction surgery), LASIK or laser-assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, which can reduce a person’s dependency on using glasses or contact lenses; routine pterygium removal, eye muscle correction, entropion, ectropion, and ptosis correction.

"Smile holidays" is a vacation package involving dental treatments. The package requires longer stays – around two weeks for completion of the dental procedure. Available treatments are: Dental implants, crowns, and veneers.

Patients availing of any of these packages may likewise opt for an additional tour to destinations such as Palawan, Boracay and Cebu.

The Medical Tourism project will also work on various activities wherein the country can further promote local means of achieving well-being, such as local spas. In fact, the Philippines has already been tapped to host the 2007-2008 Spa and Wellness Summit, an international activity which was launched this month in Thailand.

"Here, we can promote our own alternative healthcare modalities such as the hilot, the foot massage using bamboo sticks, and the promotion of herbal medicine," Carrion added.

Carrion also mentioned that under the program, Filipinos who live abroad but wish to retire in the country will be targeted through retirement homes that offer high-quality medical care.

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This is a good way to help the country so if ever you have relatives of friends abroad, you can inform them of this program.