Private hospitals in Jalisco Mexico are gearing up for medical tourists as they expect more US Citizens to travel to the country for medical treatments. The state government of Jalisco said it would invest up to 4.35 million pesos on the medical industry in Jalisco to make the private hospitals in the area to be up to the standards to qualify them for certifications under the Joint Commission International (JCI).

The American College of Surgeons has adopted the following position with respect to medical tourism.

1. The ACS encourages patients to seek care of the highest quality and supports their rights to select their surgeons and health care institutions without restriction.
2. The ACS encourages its Fellows to assist all patients in reaching informed decisions concerning medical care, whether at home or abroad.
3. The ACS advises patients to consider the medical, social, cultural, and legal implications of seeking medical treatment abroad prior to deciding on a venue of care. In the event of proven medical liability for injury, viable means for the recovery of damages should be in place. Patients should be aware that many of the means for legal recourse available to citizens in the U.S. are not universally accessible in other countries.
   

Opthalmologists at the last All Indian Opthalmological Conference (AIOC) held in Jaipur, India, last February 5-8, discussed the need to improve hospital standards in the country to attract more medical tourists from developed nations. While India is considered one of the more attractive nations by patients for medical tourism, most of the patients who undergo medical treatment in India still come from developing nations.

The participants in the conference discussed how improving hospital standards in India would attract more foreign patients from the West to seek treatments and healthcare in  the country. Raising the standards of medical facilities in India involves not just improving medical treatments and facilities but also acquiring international standard certifications. International certifications such as the certification by the Joint Commission International (JCI) boosts the reputation of a medical facility.

As part of the discussion, a proposal was made regarding the creation of a special group that will coordinate with opthalmological organizations from other countries for possible exchange programs of professionals and students from the field.

The conference held at the Birla Auditorium was attended by more than 6,000 opthalmologists and eye specialists from India and other countries. The conference focuses on the current status, the developments and the challenges that the industry faces.