2009-03-07

Singapore And Thailand Launch World’s First Medical Tourism Concierge Network

Singapore – February 24, 2009 – FlyFreeForHealth, the world's first comprehensive Business-to-Customer and Business-to-Business medical tourism hub with the support of Tourism Authority of Thailand, today launched the world's first medical concierge network which signifies a new trend in consolidating borderless healthcare globally. Inter-country medical tourism concierge network is starting to be established between major medical hubs in Asia to offer medical travelers around the world immediate access to personalised medical tourism information in various languages at a ‘click-away’. Speaking at the launch, Dr Wei Siang Yu, founder of FlyFreeForHealth said, “the new business to consumer shift (B2C) is seeing the behavioural pattern of medical travelers changing – they look for more options; they also want more interaction before selecting the doctor.” Merely looking for information on the internet is no longer sufficient. “The current model of hospital’s agents/facilitators just assisting medical travelers in hospital booking has been completely revolutionised by FlyFreeForHealth’s digital Medical Butler – iMedical Butler. Medical travelers look for unbiased information platform that can assist them in the process of doctor selection before having direct contact with the hospitals or doctors. Our nurses are trained in hospitality, IT and tourism to facilitate this selection process. iMedical Butlers act as an online researcher enabling medical tourists to obtain personalised information for health and lifestyle services, invite them to webinars by renowned doctors for a content rich pre-selection interaction”, Dr Wei further added. In addition to the B2C trend, businesses are also looking for more cost efficient and integrated solutions for all the partners. In this Business to Business (B2B) shift, all the players such as the hospitals, government bodies, airlines and travel agencies are looking at providing a more cost efficient and seamless experience to their clients, and hence the formation of synergistic medical concierge network for end to end service. With the support from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, partnership with medical service providers and travel agent in Singapore – CTC Holidays, FlyFreeForHealth is setting up an unprecedented medical tourism concierge network. The network will consolidate existing medical tourism destinations in Asia as one region with seamless integration in health and lifestyle services. iMedical Butlers will assist the medical travelers from the beginning till the post-procedure management after they return to their country seamlessly. Such end-to-end solution which includes post-op cross border patient management will further improve the patient’s quality of recuperation. Medical travelers for the first time will be engaged in an impartial communication during their doctor selection process. Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Porntip Makornpan, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand said, “Thailand is the largest health and wellness destination globally with more than 1.5 million medical tourists last year. The recent launch of Seven Amazing Wonders by Tourism Authority of Thailand, will not only integrate existing health and wellness tourism market but also with other aspects like – meditation, eco-tourism, shopping etc. Tourists can expect amazing value from a broad range of wellness products from the Land of Smiles.” The attraction of affording high quality healthcare is attracting patients annually to Asia for healthcare needs in Thailand, Singapore, India, and Malaysia. According to Deloitte Centre for health solutions, the number of Americans travelling abroad for care is expected to reach 6 million in 2010 and 15.75 million by 2017. $16 billion in cross border revenues is expected to grow by 325% to $ 68 Billion in 2 years. “FlyFreeForHealth has solved my entire problem and given me assurance, now, I can chat with the iMedical Butler and have the butler help me research on my desired aesthetic services I want before I select the doctor. Not to mention, I am bringing some friends along who can’t wait to lay their hands on my shopping vouchers”, said Lucy Tan who is looking at tapping great value provided by health service provider in Thailand. Singapore to Thailand traffic for medical tourism can look extremely favourable now, with the Singapore government setting the green light for medisave claims, which was recently featured in the news.iMedical Butler has not only transformed the consumer interface for medical tourism, hundreds of nurses and parahealth professionals are now signing up to be part of this powerful online concierge network. For further information, please email us at info@flyfreeforhealth.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .Or http://www.flyfreeforhealth.com

1 comment:

Carol Brooks said...

The launch of the world's first medical concierge network - a borderless health care globally by Tourism Authority of Thailand is great initiative and will help many looking for information. To know more about tourism in Asia visit here http://www.asiasmedicaltourism.com/