CRI听力: India Health Tourism

Anchor: Many foreigners are flocking to countries like India to seek medical treatment. The global accounting firm Deloitte says over the next six years medical tourism from the US alone is expected to be worth a staggering 79 billion US dollars, and India is keen to secure a large slice of that pie.

Let's take a closer look with our reporter(www.hXen.com)

Bangalore may be India's Silicone Valley, but now it is also gaining a reputation for high-tech hospitals that cater to the needs of westerners. Americans in particular are heading to India for medical treatment as their healthcare costs at home continue to grow.

This hospital in Bangalore is one of many that hope to capitalize on this growing trend. It claims to have accreditation from Harvard Medical School and also has facilities in Mumbai, where Elsa Bruckner is recovering from hip resurfacing surgery.

Dr. Kaushal Malhan explains in detail Bruckner's surgery and her convalescence. Her operation here was less than a quarter of what she would have had to pay in the United States. That included pre- and post-operative care, and a 12-day stay in the hospital.

Bruckner has no qualms about coming here for her operation. And while saving cash was definitely the main aim, there was much more on offer to give her peace of mind.

"Well it's definitely always about saving money, of course, but it's more than that. It's the fact it's a publicized cost, the services are excellent, the doctor's excellent with years of experience. It's a whole package. The package here is just triple A."

Medical tourism to India is not new, but the financial crisis has accelerated the trend. Wockhardt Hospitals Group is a chain of specialty hospitals in 10 Indian cities that cater to medical tourists. The group has seen a 40 per cent increase in the number of foreign patients in the last six months. Other accredited hospitals around the country are reporting a similar boom.

Chief Executive officer of Wockhardt Hospitals, Vishal Bali, talks about the chain's success.

"We focus on the lifesaving and life-enhancing procedures for international patients. So patients who come from around the world to us for treatment come for cardiac surgery, for joint replacements, hip resurfacing, for complex gastrointestinal procedures and for very complex spinal procedures or spine surgical procedures."

Much of the growth is being fuelled by uninsured and underinsured Americans. Bruckner says she and other Americans have no choice but to travel, because many US firms are axing their health care benefits, leaving many without any health coverage.

Vichal Bali says this shows that the globalization of medical tourism is not just about cost.

"I don't think medical tourism is just about low cost. I think medical tourism, or globalization of healthcare, is about way high quality standards at affordable prices."

Deloitte says India is now the world's second largest destination for medical tourists after Thailand. Medical tourism in India is expected to continue growing 20 percent annually over the next five years.