Doctors Geoffrey Williams and Juanita Jordan show how patients are prepared before surgery at the Doctors Surgi-Clinic in Montego Freeport. On the bed is nurse Lorraine Williams-Beckford. - Photo by Janet Silvera

WESTERN BUREAU:

The international accounting and consulting firm, Deloitte, estimates that 1.6 million American patients will travel to other countries in 2010 for medical care and treatment, doubling the numbers who travelled in 2007.

Globally, the industry is estimated to generate around US$20 billion per year, and by 2010 it is expected to more than double this amount of revenue. Americans, Canadians and Europeans compose the bulk of all medical tourists, likely due to the costs of surgery in their countries, said the experts in the market, Discover Medical Tourism.

The Far East region of India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, and even South Africa and Cuba are high on the list of destinations they are using, while Jamaica, which has immense potential, is yet to scrape the surface of this lucrative market.

Plastic surgery

However, one Montego Bay based surgeon, Dr Geoffrey Williams is tapping into this niche market by offering plastic surgery, breast augmentation (lift), breast reduction, and tummy tucks and liposuction to visitors, in particular, Jamaicans living in the US and England.

Dr Williams and his sister, Maureen Williams, an obstetrician/ gynaecologist, operate the re-nowned 24-hour, seven-days-per-week, Doctors Surgi-Clinic at Montego Freeport in the tourism capital, Montego Bay.

After 25 years of operating this clinic, Dr Williams says he gets most of his patients through referrals.

A member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, he admits that he has not made any attempt to seek more patients as there is a limit towhat he can do. "I am already thinly stretched in terms of my time."

And being selfish is not part of his business plan, neither is compromising his standards, "by doing any and every type of operation, some that may require a long time for post-operative care and evaluation, unless the patients are willing to spend the time required", he explained.

Those surgeries include facelift, eyelifts, and some of the major lipo-sculpture on the hips, buttocks and mid-section.

He is, however, convinced that with Jamaica boasting some of the best doctors, practising the highest level of medicine, all that the country now needs is proper infrastructure, the physical plant, high-tech hospitals and spas.

"Jamaica could emulate the Far East by setting up centres that offer the same range of services. They (Far East countries) have put in resources which do not limit them to plastic surgery, they do open-heart surgeries and gynaecological services in palatial settings that they have set up," he noted.

Potential

Adding that there is tremendous potential to capitalise on this growing and lucrative branch of tourism, he said that having the operations done here would attract a fraction of the cost that it would incur in a first world country. "It still suits them to pay the airfare and spend a couple days to recuperate, and it would still cost them (patients) anywhere between 50 to 70 per cent less than it will cost in the United States."

He said a patient can spend up to US$10,000 in hospital fees in the US, while they pay as low as US$2,000 here.

The Williams' clinic houses a fully equipped operating theatre that can accommodate the most major of surgeries, and there is at least one nurse on duty and one doctor on call during the evenings. "Our nurses are carefully selected and only those with post-graduate training are employed," he assured.

Specifically designed to give a feeling of openness, while being in touch with nature, the surgical room at the Doctors Surgi-Clinic is not sterile or claustrophobic, like the typical operating theatre; It offers a very pleasant backdrop of palm trees, other greenery and a view of the cruise ships docked at the Montego Freeport Terminal.

Commenting on the success of the business, Dr Maureen Williams said that she gets a fair amount of referrals from crew and visitors travelling on the ships, even though there is a doctor on board.

A number of Dr Williams' patients are from other islands, many who come in for pre-natal care.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

International health tourism statistics

Thailand

In 2007 some 600,000 foreigners sought medical treatment in Thailand.

Bumrungrad Hospital is the world's largest private hospital complex.

Bumrungrad treated more than 440,000 foreigners in 2007 alone.

There are four Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals.

JCI focuses on improving the safety of patient care through the provision of accreditation and certification services as well as through advisory and educational services aimed at helping organisations implement practical and sustainable solutions.

Singapore

More than 410,000 foreign patients visited in 2006.

The government plans to service one million medical tourists by 2012.

There are 13 JCI accredited hospitals in Singapore.

Brazil

Brazil has 4,500 licensed cosmetic surgeons, the highest per capita in the world.

India

More than 450,000 foreign patients sought treatment in 2007.

There are 10 JCI accredited hospitals in India.

Malaysia

In 2007, more than 350,000 patients sought medical care.

One in five hospitals in Malaysia cater to foreigners.

Source: Discover Medical Tourism