Medical Tourism Mexico
Strategically located between its large and wealthy neighbor to the north, the United States, and smaller Central American countries to the south, Mexico offers miles of beaches on the Caribbean to the east and on the Pacific to the west. In between its border, the country offers ancient ruins, rich landscapes, cultural heritage, and delicious cuisine known world-wide to the 97+ million annual visitors to the country. The country’s capital, Mexico City, boasts a population of more than 22 million people making it the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world.
The healthcare system in Mexico has improved over the years but still struggles to meet the needs of its population of more than 123 million people. Services are offered by the public sector which is responsible for fulfilling the Government’s promise of universal healthcare. There are more private sector hospitals than public sector hospitals in Mexico. Many Mexican nationals access healthcare through the private sector. Doctors and other healthcare professionals in Mexico are considered well-educated including those who have studied and trained in the United States.
Medical tourism has existed for many years with large numbers of Americans crossing the border to access affordable dental care and low-cost pharmaceuticals.
Bariatric procedures and cosmetic surgery have become big business along the border. The Pena Nieto Administration is promoting medical tourism as a priority for economic development with ProMexico, the export promotion arm of the Secretary of the Economy. Leveraging its proximity to the United States, competitive pricing, and good quality of care, ProMexico seeks to increase the number of medical tourists from the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, to purchase more complex medical procedures that will generate more revenue for the country.
The country struggles with the image of high crime and associated narco-violence. While most tourist destinations have stayed relatively crime-free, traveling to Mexico does require using a great deal of common sense. Resources are available that provide guidance for staying safe in Mexico.
Medical Tourism Mexico, Case Study
Bariatric surgery in Mexico is one of the most popular procedures sought by medical tourists traveling from the United States and Canada as well as domestic tourists. One of Mexico’s leading bariatric surgeons, Dr. Jose Antonio Castaneda Cruz believes in investing in his staff. Many of his team have completed Medical Tourism Training’s package of online courses to improve customer service skills as well as the systems in their international patient department. With this practice growing quickly, Dr. Castaneda hosted the Success Essentials training program for his staff.
According to Dr. Castaneda’s practice manager, “Muchisimas gracias por sus atenciones, esto es de gran utilidad para desarrollo y crecimiento de nuestro staff. Agradezco a Margaret por su conocimiento y apoyo durante este programa. Será de gran utilidad para mejorar nuestra calidad en servicios. Pronto se notara la diferencia en la entrega de nuestros servicios.”
Translation: “Thank you so much for your training, this is useful for development and growth of our staff. I thank Margaret (Ball, the training expert) for her knowledge and support during this program. It will be useful to improve our quality services. [Dr. Castaneda] soon noticed the difference in the delivery of our services.”
Read more about the benefits of the Success Essentials program as provided to Dr. Castaneda’s staff.