International patients with congenital heart disease: what brings them to India?

• Published in: Indian heart journal Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 50 - 53
• Main Authors: Maheshwari, Sunita, Animasahun, B.A, Njokanma, O.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Elsevier B.V 2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - economics; Cardiovascular; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Competence; Coronary Care Units; Cost Savings; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Financing, Government; Financing, Personal; Health Care Surveys; Health Services Accessibility - economics; Heart Defects, Congenital - economics; Heart Defects, Congenital - surgery; Hospital Costs; Humans; India; Infant; International patients; Male; Medical tourism; Medical Tourism - economics; Original; Prospective Studies; Social Class; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tertiary Care Centers; Time Factors; Transportation - economics; Waiting Lists; Young Adult; India; International patients; Medical tourism
• ISSN: 0019-4832
• DOI: 10.1016/S0019-4832(12)60011-X

Abstract Background Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of healthcare, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability of international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries. Aim The present study aims to elaborate the factors that attract international cardiac patients to India, to document the proportion of the admissions into the paediatric cardiac ward who are international patients, and to identify the sources of funding of the international patients. Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional, and analytical study carried out between May 2009 and October 2009 in the paediatric cardiac care unit of a large tertiary care cardiac centre in India paediatric wards. Structured questionnaires were administered. Results A total of 1372 patients were admitted during the study period, of which 155 (11.3%) were patients from countries outside India. Majority of the patients were from Malaysia (45%), Nigeria (23%), and Tanzania (15%). The age ranged from 1 month to 39 years with an average of 61 months. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 and the majority of subjects (72.5%) were in social classes 3 and 4. cheaper cost and better expertise was the prominent reason for choosing India. More than half of the respondents were either sponsored by the government or self-funded. For patients from Nigeria 53% (9) were sponsored by self (parent), 29% (5) by non-governmental organisations (NGO), 12% (2) by the parent employer, and 6% (1) by the government. Conclusion There is a need for local development of facilities and training of personnel in specialised areas of healthcare to provide succour for a significant number of nationals who might otherwise have suffered and possibly have even died of their ailment. There is also the added advantage that such facilities would save foreign currency and help boost our economy.