TRAVEL, HOTEL AND OTHER ISSUES

The balikbayans are pretty much attuned to the travel nuances. Getting in and out of the Philippines is a cinch. However, the non-Filipinos will find a few practices shocking. The Department of Tourism and/or Department of Health will need to decide as to how deep their involvement should be in the actual day-to-day, trip-to-trip management of the client/patient. This has to be truly user-friendly for the foreigners, they are stressed enough as it is, thinking about going into surgery or some serious check-up. If not, DOT and/or DOH can give seminars to the travel agencies, port of entries, Philippine embassies in the various capitals all over the world, and make specialist people in "Medical Tourism".

Regarding hotels, most of my foreigner patients complain about the service. Just the same, the hotel personnel need to be brought up to speed as far as international patients are concerned. We're not talking about 5-star hotels here. We're talking about the Php 2,500 - 3,000 range (Remember: these people are bargain seekers). Sure there will be some looking for something like Shangri-la. Even the better.

One particular service that I have arranged with one hotel here in Lapu-Lapu is a door-to-door pick-up during surgery day. After recovery, the hotel van will drive up to my Recovery Room door. The RR door literally opens straight into the opened van door, keeping the patient's (sometimes heavily bandaged in the head) privacy assured. The van then proceeds to the hotel's basement service elevator, without the patient ever passing through the hotel lobby.

Cosmetic surgery is a pre-pay surgery. About the only thing we can do for the true "medical tourist" is bank-to-bank transfer. A lot leaves to be desired regarding this type of fund transfer. One thing, the transfer gets charged coming and going. This can get really expensive for the true bargain seeker. Maybe the authorities can look into this. (Hint: talk to Thailand; talk to Pakistan).

to be continued...