Firms going the extra distance as medical tourism blossoms

A customer undergoing skin care treatment at a hairdressing and cosmetics expo in Shanghai. CHINA DAILY

Europe's aging population has led to the further development of the medical care industry, Li says. In Germany, those 65 or older are more than 10 percent of the population, and people's average spending on medical service is growing by 2 percent every year.

"As society ages, overall consciousness of health is growing," she says. "Good facilities and services attract Chinese upper middle class to get treatment there."

Germany has a mature industry train and a basket of services for overseas tourists seeking medical treatment, Li says.

"In some hospitals, they provide prayer rooms, home country menus and dormitories for the traveling relatives."

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European hospitals are also happy to accept wealthy patients, industry sources say. "Hospitals are looking to soften tough economic times and fill beds by extending their market share overseas," says Medical Tourism Magazine, which described an influx of patients to the United Kingdom as a financial windfall.

Eighteen of the UK's National Health Trust foundation trust hospitals reported last year that despite the small numbers of international private patients being treated－7 percent across the sample－these patients were responsible for almost a quarter of total private income in these trusts, according to researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and York University.

That represented income of 42 million pounds ($71.9 million) across the 18 hospital trusts during 2010-2011.

"Their report found that medical tourists spent an estimated 219 million pounds on hotels, restaurants, shopping and transport in Great Britain," the magazine says.

The research also showed more Britons going abroad for treatment. Lead author of the research Johanna Hanefeld said that contrary to some popular media reports, the UK is a net exporter of medical tourists. In 2010, an estimated 63,000 UK residents traveled abroad for treatment, while around 52,000 patients came for treatment in the UK, according to the research report.

The level of patients traveling to the UK has remained relatively stable over the last decade, while there has been a substantial increase in the number of UK residents traveling abroad for medical treatment."

Wu Maochun, director of Ciming Oasis Health Management Hospital in Beijing, talks of the huge market potential.