Barbados is an Attractive Location for Medical Tourism and Education

Medical tourism is the process in which persons travel to another country for medical or health and wellness services. The medical tourism industry is flourishing rapidly, driven by more wellinformed individuals searching for quality, affordability, availability and accessibility in healthcare, all in an attractive and safe tourism destination.

According to market research experts, Mordor Intelligence (MI), the global medical tourism sector was estimated to be worth US $15.4 billion in 2017 and growing at a rate of 8.5% between 2018 and 2023. The medical tourism guide book, Patients Beyond Borders 2017 (PBB), estimated that global medical tourism travellers spend an average of between US$3,800 - $6,000 per medical visit, with the USA being the largest source market, no doubt due to the increasingly high cost of healthcare in America. According to PBB, an American traveller could save up to 90 % of the medical costs from his/her home country by seeking that service across borders. The Global Buyers Survey (2017), revealed that 60 % of medical travellers seek cosmetic/plastic/aesthetic surgeries or treatments, while a significant number also travel to undergo orthopaedic or oncology/cancer treatments.

Some of the leading countries that have taken up the opportunities that the thriving medical industry presents include: Asia- Malaysia, India, Thailand; Latin America - Costa Rica and Mexico; Caribbean - the Bahamas and Cayman Islands. The leading source markets for these services include the USA, Europe, the UK in particular, and Canada.

Barbados, a high profile, mature tourism destination which attracts visitors from around the world, but particularly from the UK, USA and Canada, is well positioned to fully engage this industry. The country’s prominence was endorsed when it emerged as the number one destination in the world for traveller satisfaction, according to the 2017 Destination Satisfaction Index (DSI), by the tourism research company Norstat. Other characteristics that make Barbados appealing for medical tourism services include the country’s proximity to both North and South America, excellent infrastructure, easy international accessibility, high medical healthcare standards and skilled medical practitioners. Interestingly, as far back as 1751, Barbados was recognised for its apparent healing qualities - clean air, refreshing sea breeze and uplifting sunshine - when 19-year old George Washington, America’s future first President, came to the island seeking medical treatment and recovery for his ailing brother, Lawrence.

Committed to encouraging the growth of the sector, the government established a health and wellness taskforce to develop the medical tourism sector and attract patients from outside the region. A 2017 Global Buyers survey by Global Healthcare Resources revealed that safety is a major concern for medical travellers, paramount to their destination decision. Barbados is considered a very safe high, quality destination where tourists, especially those from North America and Europe, can feel secure and comfortable while undergoing treatment. Barbados is also ranked as one of the top jurisdictions in Latin America and the Caribbean conducive to conducting business.

According to a 2017 study by Labonté et al, Barbados spends more on healthcare than any other country in the Caribbean and Central American region. This prioritization of the domestic healthcare sector complements the country’s emerging medical health tourism sector that currently includes the internationally renowned and accredited Barbados Fertility Clinic - a state of the art in-vitro fertilization centre - as well as the 4H Hospital located within the Sparman Clinic - a wellness centre - both of which are successfully offering quality care to medical travellers.

To capitalise fully on the opportunities in the growing international medical tourism industry, Barbados is moving to create the appropriate enabling environment to facilitate the ongoing establishment of similar facilities. This involves a strategic approach encompassing all stakeholders to

The medical tourism industry is estimated to be potentially valued at US $100 billion and continues to grow annually driven by the increasing health care costs and the long waiting lists for non-emergency surgeries in many developed countries. This trend of patients travelling from developed to developing countries seeking affordable prompt medical services has the potential to drive investment in medical infrastructure and attract talent in all medical fields.

The presence of state-of-the-art centers patronized by a cadre of welltrained surgeons and anesthetists adds value by providing high levels of personalized medical care by way of giving physicians professional autonomy over their work environment without the burdens of heavy administrative bureaucracy. Such centers of excellence are attractive to highly skilled physicians, both local and international.

Barbados is a beautiful island with a good infrastructure, making it a choice destination to live and to visit. This is evident as it continues to attract many wealthy visitors, who are concerned about the level of healthcare on the island, and have a vested interest in its development.

I am confident that with private investment in these facilities, and the continued commitment to maintaining and improving the level of intensive care facilities on the island, Barbados is poised to be a major player in this growing lucrative industry.