Blue Ridge Paper Products And Medical Tourism: A Case Study

Blue Ridge Paper Products and Medical Tourism Healthcare has become so expensive in the United States (U.S.) that individuals and employers like Blue Ridge Paper Products (BRPP) have begun investigating alternative options for care, such as medical tourism, and are bargaining for prices with traditional institutions. At the same time, companies like IndUShealth are able to offer enticing packages, with more amenities, at a much lower cost. Many patients considering medical tourism are either unaware or fail to consider the full array of risks. Healthcare administrators and government officials have plenty of work ahead in order to compete with medical tourism, as well as, educate and protect U.S. citizens from many of the unregulated risks

Both types of institutions are able to offer more services and assistance as patients move along the continuum of care. Academic medical centers offer access to teams of physicians and they are generally on the cutting edge of new treatments. These centers provide some of the best care available in the world and could position their expertise against the risky endeavor of medical tourism. An academic medical center may be able to bring value to an employer by offering services such as health fairs and screenings, support groups, nutrition programs, vaccination clinics, or even opportunities to partner is research (The University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2014). A few large hospitals in Seattle have found a unique way to serve Boeing Corporation and its employees. By partnering together and forming their own Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), they are hoping to drive down costs for Boeing by excluding the insurance companies, essentially removing the middle man (Stiffler, 2014). The physicians and hospitals are rewarded for keeping their employees healthy and benefits to their employees include less paycheck deductions, higher Health Savings Account contributions, a reduction in co-payments, and complete coverage for generic drugs (Stiffler, 2014). Eventually, these types of partnerships may then allow hospitals to

citizens regarding medical tourism. State governments should work to educate potential patients on the risks and unregulated nature of the industry. National governments must work together to police, regulate, and standardize the organization of medical tourism. The Joint Commission International (JCI) is working to accredit hospitals, but many patients have been subjected to false advertising (Clark et al. 2013). According to a study by the European Union, infections and complications are on the rise in patients returning from India and Pakiston (Clark et al. 2013). Governments must work to track medical tourists and outcomes, and the international community must work together to hold these institutions and even governments accountable. Officials need to establish laws, guidelines, and legal precedent for medical tourism safety as many do not yet exist today. Recently, the American Medical Association (AMA) set forth new guidelines for patients seeking healthcare abroad, including the requirement of specific follow-up upon return, and lawmakers are currently working on legislation to support their recommendations (Clark et al. 2013). Since lack of insurance and high costs are the most common reason for traveling abroad, perhaps the best response may be to continue working on our own healthcare system to lower costs and decrease the under-insured populations (Tseng, 2013). Since medical tourism