Medeguide, a leading online international doctor directory, and the American Academy of Private Physicians (AAPP), a nationwide association of private doctors, have formed a partnership to promote global healthcare options to AAPP members and their patients. Under the agreement, Medeguide will feature a dedicated section on its homepage listing AAPP physicians.
Medeguide, a leading online international doctor directory, and the American Academy of Private Physicians (AAPP), a nationwide association of private doctors, have formed a partnership to promote global healthcare options to AAPP members and their patients.
Under the agreement, Medeguide will feature a dedicated section on its homepage listing AAPP physicians. The new section will debut in March 2011, and is intended to provide American medical tourists with names of doctors in the US that provide pre and post medical travel support.
According to Ruben Toral, founder of Medeguide, this collaborative effort will clear one of the biggest obstacles in medical travel today – continuity of care. “Working with the AAPP and its network doctors, Americans interested in medical travel will now have access to doctors around the country that understand it, support it and can help patients find the right doctor and medical treatment options internationally. Patients often travel for medical treatment without the support or supervision of their doctor. AAPP doctors will help fill that gap and make medical travel safer by providing medical support before and after treatment.”
Dr. Marcy Zwelling of APP believes the initiative with Medeguide is the first step in getting US doctors to engage in global healthcare, “There is no doubt in my mind that healthcare is globalizing, and our doctors need to be aware of the treatment options that exist outside the US. Health reform has done nothing but provide uncertainty in the marketplace, and the US healthcare system is at risk of losing its competitiveness. Consumers, not insurers, should be driving the conversation in healthcare. I want to be able to bring the world’s opportunities for my patients’ health right into the exam room.”
By the second quarter of 2011, the partnership expects 250 AAPP doctors to be featured. Medeguide is an online directory of 2500 international doctors from leading hospitals in popular medical travel destinations. The site gives users the ability to search by specialty, hospital, country or procedure; recommend doctors; and request appointments.
Among US hospital groups increasnng their marketing drive to be destinations for inbound and domestic medical tourism is Cleveland Clinic. Patients Beyond Borders, a consumer reference guide for medical tourism, will in March 2011 release a stand- alone publication profiling the Cleveland Clinic. Patients Beyond Borders Focus on Cleveland Clinic will provide global healthcare consumers with in-depth information on the hospital’s top specialities and doctors, achievements, accreditation, international concierge services, and patient case studies, as well as regional travel information. Cleveland Clinic has a network of medical facilities throughout northeast Ohio, Florida, Las Vegas, Canada, and Abu Dhabi, and welcomes more than 3.7 million patients annually from the US and 103 other countries. Josef Woodman of publishers Healthy Travel Media says, “Cleveland Clinic has served the international patient long before medical tourism became a buzzword, and has much to offer the discerning global medical traveler.” Cleveland Clinic caters to international clientele through its global patients services department. Services for international patients range from coordinating travel arrangements and arranging leisure activities for travel companions to providing translation services and catering to special cultural and dietary needs.
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