Top Healthcare Agencies Expand Abroad

Three major US healthcare agencies are widening their offer to consumers and business partners.

Companion Global Healthcare (CGH) has added CIMA Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica to its network of accredited overseas hospitals. CIMA, a state-of-the-art facility operated by International Hospital Corp of Dallas, Texas, is a full-service hospital specially designed and organized for the US market.

To date, foreigners represent more than 25 percent of CIMA patients and the percentage is growing.

CGH has also added two hospitals in India which are in the Wockhardt Hospitals chain –the Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore and the Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai. Wockhardt Hospitals have an exclusive association in India with Harvard Medical International (HMI), the global arm of the Harvard Medical School.

Meanwhile, New York City-based New Medical Horizons has launched a new collaborative program targeted at travel agencies, tour operators and medical professionals.

Along with other collaborative options, the program allows travel agencies and tour operators to present travel options in medical tourism with New Medical Horizons, and as doctors come across patients who cannot afford treatment in the United States, doctors refer them to New Medical Horizons. New Medical Horizons staff will contact the patient directly.

Also flexing its muscles overseas is MedNet Brazil (MNB) which now setting foot into other Latin American countries. MNB was founded four years ago by Christi de Moraes to send Americans to Brazil for cosmetic surgery.

MNB has already expanded its bilingual doctor base to include dentists, dermatologists, gynecologists, cardiologists, bariatric/weight loss surgery, Lasik eye surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics and varicose vein surgery.

MNB has also introduced a whole new business model which include a new Medical Care Package, video-conferencing with the surgeon and a “Make it Real, Make me Heal Package.”

MNB now requires providers to have an accredited aftercare program in place in their destination and a best standards protocol. The $500 is higher than many competitors as the agency no longer relies on commission from hospitals.