Hotels to Healthcare (H2H) Medical Travel in India: A Cost Comparison of Procedures With the United States

By Fred DeMicco and Jackie Guzman

Introduction 

Medical Tourism is traveling to another country to receive medical care or treatment. There are many different reasons why one might do this, such as to save money or to seek a treatment that is not available in one’s home country. Immigrants sometimes return to their country of birth for a medical procedure because they feel more comfortable there or because they have family there that will help them during the recovery process. Medical tourism is a growing industry and in 2017 alone, between 14 and 16 million people traveled outside their home country to receive a medical treatment. It is estimated that the global medical tourism market is worth between $45.5 and $72 billion.^, Long known for its wholistic approach to health and well-being, the popular Ayurvedic of India is world renown (Figure 1). Today for more serious medical procedures, India is a sought-after medical tourism and medical travel destination.

Figure 1 Kairali: the Ayurvedic Healing Village 

Destination: India

Globally, India is the country of choice for many patients who choose to partake in medical tourism and medical travel. In 2015, the medical tourism industry in India was valued at $3 Billion and continues to grow.¹ For Americans, getting medical procedures done in India often gives a savings of anywhere between 65 percent to 90 percent compared to prices for the same procedures in the US.¹ Traveling abroad to get a medical procedure done can be risky, but India is a popular choice because the country is known for its high-quality doctors, many of whom have studied abroad. ¹ Not only that, but India is known for traditional homeopathic practices, which are being used to attract tourists as well.¹ Some of these practices include Ayurveda, yoga, Unani, and Siddha.

There are approximately 3 million hotel rooms in India. The national capital region of Delhi has the highest supply of rooms with over 14 thousand in 2018.  There are approximately 2,000 hotels in India and many surround medical facilities serving medical tourists and medical travelers for Hospitality Bridging Healthcare (H2H).²

Indian hospitals have taken a leaf out hospitality brands’ playbook by carefully branding themselves. A handful of hospital brands dominate the private medical services market in India. Brands such as Apollo and Fortis have positioned themselves as the leading providers of services to medical tourists. See Figure 2 below, the Apollo Hospitals and Figure 3, Luxurious Fortis Memorial Hospital in Gurgaon, just outside of New Delhi, India with the nearby Taj Hotel, Marriott, Radisson, and Park Plaza Hotels for serving medical tourists/travelers.

Figure 2.  An Apollo Hospital, India’s largest hospital chain 

Destination: India

Globally, India is the country of choice for many patients who choose to partake in medical tourism and medical travel. In 2015, the medical tourism industry in India was valued at $3 Billion and continues to grow.¹ For Americans, getting medical procedures done in India often gives a savings of anywhere between 65 percent to 90 percent compared to prices for the same procedures in the US.¹ Traveling abroad to get a medical procedure done can be risky, but India is a popular choice because the country is known for its high-quality doctors, many of whom have studied abroad. ¹ Not only that, but India is known for traditional homeopathic practices, which are being used to attract tourists as well.¹ Some of these practices include Ayurveda, yoga, Unani, and Siddha.

There are approximately 3 million hotel rooms in India. The national capital region of Delhi has the highest supply of rooms with over 14 thousand in 2018.  There are approximately 2,000 hotels in India and many surround medical facilities serving medical tourists and medical travelers for Hospitality Bridging Healthcare (H2H).²

Indian hospitals have taken a leaf out hospitality brands’ playbook by carefully branding themselves. A handful of hospital brands dominate the private medical services market in India. Brands such as Apollo and Fortis have positioned themselves as the leading providers of services to medical tourists. See Figure 2 below, the Apollo Hospitals and Figure 3, Luxurious Fortis Memorial Hospital in Gurgaon, just outside of New Delhi, India with the nearby Taj Hotel, Marriott, Radisson, and Park Plaza Hotels for serving medical tourists/travelers.

Figure 3.   The Luxurious Fortis Memorial Hospital in Gurgaon, just outside of New Delhi, India with the nearby Taj Hotel, Marriott, Radisson, and Park Plaza Hotels for medical tourists/travelers.

Price Comparison: India vs. the US 

The US spends more on healthcare than any other wealthy country in the world, yet life expectancy in the United States (US) is behind those of comparable countries, and many Americans find it difficult to pay these high price tags. Below we describe some of the most expensive medical procedures in the US and compare the prices to the same procedures in India.

First, we look at transplants. Kidney and liver transplants are both very costly but necessary and life-saving procedures. Nearly 40,000 organ transplants occurred in the US in 2019 alone, but as of March 2020 over 112,000 candidates are on the National transplant waiting list. A kidney transplant costs about $46,760 in the US, while ranging from $5,000-$22,000 in India. Meanwhile, a liver transplant costs about $101,240 in the US,⁹ while ranging from $40,000-$56,000 in India.¹⁰

A coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is another very expensive procedure in the US. CABG is also known as heart bypass or bypass surgery, and it is used to treat coronary artery disease. Those with coronary artery disease have plaque buildup on the arteries near their heart, so CABG is a procedure where an artery is taken from one part of the body to replace these blocked arteries. In the US, a CABG costs about $77,177,⁹ while in India it only runs about $3,000-$9,500.¹⁰

Spinal fusion is what it sounds like: connecting two or more vertebrae in the spine, permanently eliminating motion between them. Patients have this done to improve stability, correct a deformity (such as with scoliosis), or to reduce pain (such as with a herniated disk). In the US, a spinal fusion procedure costs about $67,826,⁹ while in India is costs about $6,000-$13,000.¹⁰

Those suffering from arrhythmia (an abnormal heartbeat) may need an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator. A pacemaker helps keep the heart rate consistent, while a defibrillator monitors the heartbeat and kicks in when it detects a dangerous rhythm. In the US, having a pacemaker or defibrillator inserted costs about $58,281,⁹ while in India the procedure costs about $1,800-$4,500.¹⁰

Finally, we look at hip replacement surgery. Oftentimes people opt for a hip replacement when they are in so much pain that nothing other than surgery will be able to help them. Various conditions can damage the hip, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteonecrosis. In the US, hip replacement surgery can cost about $25,000, while in India one can have it done for $7,000.

Conclusion

Medical Tourism and Wellness ties strongly into Hospitality Bridging Healthcare (H2H) a significant growth area for countries and careers.² Home to over 1.3 billion people, India is known as an advanced and sought-after medical tourism and medical travel destination around the world. India has the chance to grow its medical tourism/travel industry more in the future, through marketing and branding efforts and linking its medical centers with its hotels and the hospitality initiatives (H2H) India is renowned for.²

1 https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/13/health/india-medical-tourism-industry-intl/index.html
2 DeMicco, F.J (2017). Medical Tourism and Wellness: Hospitality Bridging Healthcare (H2H). Apple Academic Press. https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Tourism-Wellness-Hospitality-Healthcare/dp/177188505X
3 https://hotelivate.com/travel-tourism/the-ultimate-indian-travel-hospitality-report-2019/
4 Chekitan S. Dev (2012), Hospitality Branding, Ithaca, London: Cornell University Press, 192 pages.
5 https://www.laingbuissonnews.com/healthcare-markets-international-content/india-suneeta-reddy-sells-3-6-block-in-apollo-hospitals/
6 https://www.businessdestinations.com/move/travel-management/indias-luxury-hospitals-spur-health-tourism/
7 https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-most-expensive-health-care-system-in-the-world/
8 https://www.organdonor.gov/statistics-stories/statistics.html
9 https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/most-expensive-medical-procedures-without-insurance/
10 http://www.indiahealthcaretourism.com/average_cost_of_treatment.php
11 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/coronary-artery-bypass-graft-surgery
12 https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/spinal-fusion/about/pac-20384523#:~:text=Spinal%20fusion%20is%20surgery%20to,healing%20process%20of%20broken%20bones.
13 https://medlineplus.gov/pacemakersandimplantabledefibrillators.html
14 https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hip-replacement/about/pac-20385042
15 Sengupta, A. (2011). Medical Tourism: Reverse Subsidy for the Elite. Signs, 36(2), 312-319. doi:10.1086/655910