Dr. José Enrique Guerra. (PHOTO: Brenda Carrion)
Medical tourism is developing into an important economic engine in Yucatan, and three experts on this phenomenon participated in a discussion Thursday June 30 in Merida.
The participants were Dr. José Enrique Guerra, a leading medical facilitator and owner of Yucatan Medical Services, Irak Greene, director of tourism business development with Yucatan’s Secretariat of Tourism Development (SEFOTUR), and José Urioste, editorial director of The Yucatan Times.
Attending the event at Hennessey’s Irish Pub on Paseo de Montejo were about 20 local medical doctors and dentists, including surgeons, opthamologists and other specialists.
Greene noted that about 7 million people travel annually outside their home country for medical treatment. For residents of the U.S. and Canada, Mexico is the leading destination, mainly because treatments are cheaper. For U.S. residents, the costs average 30 percent less than in their home country, he said.
Greene said SEFOTUR’s dedicated medical tourism website, yucatanhealthcare.com, has received more than 20 million visits, with 70 percent of visitors seeking information in English.
Guerra said Yucatan Medical Services, now in its fourth year, has helped more than 200 foreign patients find and arrange medical treatment in Yucatan. Offering “medical concierge” services, YMS provides 24-hour on-call referalls to a private network of medical and dental specialists.
Urioste said since he took over the The Yucatan Times four years ago, he has studied the shift of migration patterns between Mexico and its northern neighbors, with many U.S. and Canadian citizens now migrating south to become temporary or permanent residents of Mexico.
Greene said The Yucatan Times, the leading English language news website covering the Peninsula, has become an important partner for SEFOTUR in promoting medical tourism, through its news coverage and advertorial articles on the subject.
By Robert Adams for TYT
Comments
more recommended stories
In the last 2 weeks, one person has died every 15 seconds on average from COVID-19More than 700,000 people have died.
MSC Cruises unveils safety protocols as return loomsMSC Cruises chief executive, Gianni Onorato,.
Video showing racist Florida woman harassing landscapers goes viralBrandon Cordova and his landscaping crewmates.
Fuel theft, extortion, and kidnapping: “El Marro” wreaked havoc in Guanajuato for yearsIn Guanajuato, countless families have been.
Cyclone Isaias reaches Canada after killing at least five in the USAt least five people have been.
AMLO’s government will pay 450 million pesos to private television stations.Following the announcement, the shares of.
On phase 1, data shows Novavax coronavirus vaccine is safe and elicits an immune responseA third US company has released.
Obesity epidemic could undermine effectiveness of a Covid-19 vaccineBetter eating habits, can save your.
Merida airport will not close even if Yucatan returns to red lightCurrently, there is an average of.
Holbox hotels association members join efforts for a safe destinationHOLBOX, QUINTANA ROO (August 5, 2020).-.
More discussion should be encouraged regarding medical tourism as it will help the medical industry to adapt itself to needs of the medical tourists.
Sumit
http://www.mymedicaltrek.com