Health Tourism: Are We Prepared? by Dr. Ghassan Shahrour, MD “We are building virtual hospital network, not only to prepare ourselves to play a leading role in the medical tourism industry, but also to better serve our citizens who are traveling abroad in case of emergency”. Development and innovations in ICT and their applications in medical and health fields have ignited the market of health tourism to reach more than 45 billion USD per year. Moreover, more than eleven million cross-border patients worldwide seek treatment. Indeed, the population aging is also an important factor behind the fast growing of this market. In USA, as an example, more than one million Americans will travel outside the US for medical care in 2015. Among the top global destinations for medical tourism including:Costa Rica, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey and United States. Moreover, many other destinations are busy in competing to find a larger stake in this promising industry. There are many factors behind the thrive of health tourism in these destinations including the growing government and private sector investment in healthcare projects, commitment to international accreditation, quality assurance, transparency of outcomes, relative cost savings on medical procedures, social stability, desirable tourism infrastructure, clinical excellence, advanced ICT applications in medical and health services. What kind of health services needed? Cosmetic surgery, dentistry, cardiovascular, reproductive, organ transplant, orthopedics treatments as well as seeking weight loss and second opinions. Medical Tourism Organizations: During the last decade, many organizations emerged to contribute in this growing market. Also, many scientific events have been organized to equip all stakeholders with knowledge and skills to promote these needed services in order to compete and perform better and better. Case from Croatia: The promising country has taken many steps in health and tourism infrastructures. Moreover, Croatia is going to host one of these important events during June 12-14 this year. This international conference on: ICT & Bio-Medical Technologies in Health Tourism is organized by the International Institute of Tele-Medicine (IITM), in partnership with EMMIT/IMIT (Euro Mediterranean & International Medical Informatics & Telemedicine), and our colleagues in e-Health Committee of Croatian Society for Medical Informatics.

1. Health Tourism: Are We Prepared?
Ghassan Shahrour, M.D.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

2. “We are building virtual hospital network, not
only to prepare ourselves to play a leading role
in the medical tourism industry, but also to
better serve our citizens who are traveling
abroad in case of emergency”.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

3. • Development and innovations in ICT and their
applications in medical and health fields have
ignited the market of health tourism to reach more
than 45 billion USD per year.
• Moreover, more than eleven million cross-border
patients worldwide seek treatment. Indeed, the
population aging is also an important factor behind
the fast growing of this market. In USA, as an
example, more than one million Americans will
travel outside the US for medical care in 2015.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

4. Global destinations
• Among the top global destinations for medical
tourism including: Costa Rica, India, Malaysia,
Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey and United
States.
• Moreover, many other destinations are busy in
competing to find a larger stake in this promising
industry.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

5. • There are many factors behind the thrive of health
tourism in these destinations including the growing
government and private sector investment in
healthcare projects, commitment to international
accreditation, quality assurance, transparency of
outcomes, relative cost savings on medical
procedures, social stability, desirable tourism
infrastructure, clinical excellence, advanced ICT
applications in medical and health services.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

6. What kind of health services needed?
• Cosmetic surgery, dentistry, cardiovascular,
reproductive, organ transplant, orthopedics
treatments as well as seeking weight loss and
second opinions.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

7. Medical Tourism Organizations:
• During the last decade, many organizations
emerged to contribute in this growing market. Also,
many scientific events have been organized to equip
all stakeholders with knowledge and skills to
promote these needed services in order to compete
and perform better and better.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

8. Case from Croatia:
• The promising country has taken many steps in health and
tourism infrastructures. Moreover, Croatia is going to host
one of these important events during June 12-14 this year.
This international conference on: ICT & Bio-Medical
Technologies in Health Tourism is organized by the
International Institute of Tele-Medicine (IITM), in
partnership with EMMIT/IMIT (Euro Mediterranean &
International Medical Informatics & Telemedicine), and our
colleagues in e-Health Committee of Croatian Society for
Medical Informatics.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

9. The main topics of this conference:
• * Health tourism and Medical Informatics
• * Medical & epidemiological data bases in health tourism
• * Electronic personal health record and patient smart card
• * Standards and interoperability in Health Informatics (HL7, Dicom, XML…)
• * Euro-Mediterranean -cross border applications
• * Intelligent systems and e-health applications in tourism
• * Health information systems and telemedicine in hotels
• * Telemedicine and nursing informatics
• * Social and legal aspects of telemedicine
• *Social smart media and Mobile health solutions
• * Smartphone- based applications and Tele-monitoring
• * Tele-consulting, Tele-diagnosis and e-care
• * Tele-monitoring and management of chronic diseases
• * Tele-rehabilitation systems, Tele-homecare
• * Assistive Technology, e-Health and e-inclusion
• * Personalized medicine and quality of medical care
• * Education in e-health and telemedicine
• * Global e-Health and web-based applications
• * Security, privacy and ethical aspect in e-Health
Ghassan Shahrour, MD

10. For more
http://bit.ly/1DcymTF
Ghassan Shahrour, MD