Medical Travel and Health Tourism Quality Alliance launches certification programme

The Medical Travel and Health Tourism Quality Alliance (MTQuA), has launched the first certification programme in the world to train and qualify international patient advisors for the medical tourism industry. Julie Munro, MTQuA founder, who runs medical travel agency Cosmetic Surgery Travel, says, “Medical tourists looking for medical treatment abroad need trusted professional advisors to ensure they get excellent and safe care in another country.”

The Medical Travel and Health Tourism Quality Alliance (MTQuA), has launched the first certification programme in the world to train and qualify international patient advisors for the medical tourism industry.

Julie Munro, MTQuA founder, who runs medical travel agency Cosmetic Surgery Travel, says, “Medical tourists looking for medical treatment abroad need trusted professional advisors to ensure they get excellent and safe care in another country. Patients going abroad are often advised to check doctor credentials and hospital safety records on their own. This is almost impossible to do, but now with the help of a professional who is a certified international patient advisor, it can be done. Certification is a major step in the medical tourism industry progress toward becoming an acceptable alternative for patients seeking choices in medical care.”

For doctors, having professionals to manage their travelling patients lessens the worry that their patients may be left stranded without proper care management during the course of treatment at a medical destination or after they return home and lack needed follow up care.

MTQuA’s advisory panel includes medical and hospital representatives from Wockhardt Hospital in India, Clemenceau in Lebanon, Surgeon and Safari of South Africa and Nazounki of France.

Individuals who provide assistance, care and management for medical travelers can qualify for the professional designation Certified International Patient Adviser (CIPA). Individuals in the travel and hospitality industry can qualify as a Certified Medical Travel Concierge (CMTC).

Workshops and training for 2010 include:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – January 2010

Singapore – January 2010

San Antonio, USA – January 2010

Vancouver, Canada – February 2010

Seoul, Korea – February 2010

Istanbul, Turkey – March 2010

Chicago, USA – April 2010

Venice, Italy – May 2010

The Medical Travel and Health Tourism Quality Alliance was launched in April 2009 .The mission of this alliance is to advance patient safety and medical excellence for travelling patients by encouraging, developing and promoting professionalism in medical travel. It is committed to raising industry standards, to put quality first and to partner with hospitals and other providers as equals in the care of the medical traveller. It promotes the development of standards and practices to advance the medical travel and health tourism industries, and provides training and workshops to all partners in the international patient’s continuum of care.

The MTQuA Seal of Quality 2010 identifies medical travel agencies, advisors, and support services that have put or are putting processes in place that prioritize medical quality and safety outcomes for the travelling patient. This annual seal assures medical tourists their medical care, safety and quality outcome always comes first. It is available to companies worldwide that have attained a standard of professional and caring service and support to the medical traveller. Only a handful of agencies currently have the 2010 seal; Cosmetic Surgery Travel, Euromedical Tours, Hygieia Turkey, MedNet Brazil, Nazounki and Surgeon and Safari.