Posted on 06/20/2013 7:06:08 PM PDT by TexGrill
The Philippines is positioning itself to be a leader in healthcare outsourcing services, with expectations that it will double its revenue in the next three years. MANILA: The Philippines is positioning itself to be a leader in healthcare outsourcing services, with expectations that it will double its revenue in the next three years.
With its large pool of qualified nurses, the Philippines is fast becoming a destination of choice for the outsourcing of medical and healthcare services.
Last year, revenue for these services reached US$430 million, a 55-percent increase over the previous year.
The healthcare outsourcing industry is now one of the fastest growing sectors in the IT-BPO industry in the Philippines. By the end of 2016, the industry is expected to generate revenues of up to US$1 billion.
The industry started by providing medical transcription services, converting voice-recorded reports into text documents.
It has since evolved to include clinical data management, disease management, medical claims recovery, and insurance processing.
Desiree Muer, team leader at MediCall Philippines, said: "Being able to work here makes me feel that I did not waste my education, I did not waste all the effort of obtaining that US licence because I use it here in the Philippines."
(Excerpt) Read more at channelnewsasia.com ...
After leaving hi tech I thought I’d never have another reason to travel to the Philippines.
“With its large pool of qualified nurses.”
What a diaper load.
I know some folks who worked for the Panama Canal company for years so they know their way around the country.
Now they are retired and living back in the US but travel to Panama for their medical care. For annual check-ups and anything more serious than the flu they just hop a plane to Panama.
They claim they get first class care in Panama for a fraction of the cost in the US, even when they factor in travel costs. They don’t even bother to carry health insurance here because their actual healthcare costs are a small fraction of what insurance would cost them.
The air distance from Miami to Panama is just about the same as the air distance from Miami to NY City.
““With its large pool of qualified nurses.””
“What a diaper load.”
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Just what do you mean?
As 0bamaCare is implemented, we will see numerous countries offering “Tourist Care”. The Philippines, India, Costa Rica, Panama, Malyasia, and Singapore are currently offering excellent services at a very reasonable cost. Most of these countries have medical professionals who were educated in the U.S.
Hi Alex.
Question about health care in the Phils - I’ve read that getting pain medication for dental work and other pain issues such as Kidney Stones, Sciatica, etc...is next to impossible due to the drug laws in the RP
Can you shed any light on this?
Thanks.
Don’t know about P.I. but it’s no problem in Thailand - not for ‘farangs’ (westerners) at the better hospitals - and there are a lot of them. Thais is another story.
However, for dental work, you are unlikely to get (or need, IMO) anything other than Tramadol (Ultram) which is OTC in any case.
Kidney stones - shouldn’t need meds except in an emergency situation until they can operate or whatever. I did receive a couple of injections of Tramadol until the effect of drinking a lot of water kicked in - pain dropped right down to almost zero.
I have some friends who say that now Indonesia offers better value than Thailand for both medical and dental work.
“.is next to impossible due to the drug laws in the RP”
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Gosh, Rodney, that is surprising.
I have been amazed that I can go to any pharmacy and get anything I want without a prescription. There may be exceptions.
Let me know some drug names and I will ask my pharmacies.
I use two stores. One is a national chain, the other is just local.
Just what do you mean?
Quality of nursing is not a good reason to seek medical care internationally. Surgeons, residents (best hospitals in Thailand have US board certified ones), equipment, etc., is. Not unless you are looking at long term care and even then, it would only be one component along with living facilities, sanitation, food, etc.
Tramadol is like baby aspirin.
If you’ve ever had Sciatica or really bad Kidney Stones, nothing but a big shot of Demerol will help or other strong pain meds.
Alex, I’m just wondering as I’ve heard that most doctors won’t write any strong pain meds and most pharmacies don’t carry them because most people can’t afford them.
I know they don’t have Vicodin as that is a US drug, but I was wondering about Codeine or anything stronger as my Sciatica is getting worse as is the pain in my back.
At times, I have debilitating back pain that can keep me immobile for a couple of days. The doctors here usually give me Vicodin or Percodan along with Valium for the muscle spasms that occur along with Sciatica. I’m just wondering what the equivalent would be in the Phils and if doctors are very unwilling to write prescriptions for strong opiate-based meds due to the strict drug laws in SE Asia.
I know that it’s going to get worse and not better, and my Spine Doc tells me that surgery won’t help. I get an epidural a couple of times a year, but they don’t help much and it’s not a good idea to get those as they have bad side effects.
Not that opiate based pain meds are not without issue, but I would hate to retire to a country where it’s not an option and have to suffer in agony for days at a time.
Thanks.
Perhaps I’ll email you later with more details as I don’t wish to share my medical history and what meds I take in a public forum, but if you could find out, it would be appreciated.
No need to spend a lot of time or energy, just maybe ask someone you know that suffers from chronic pain.
Inversion therapy helps, but back problems can be a real PITA
I’m a medical transcriptionist and I recently lost an account to the Philippines. Also, India is buying up many of the larger transcription companies based in the US that provide transcription and coding services to hospital. We can’t compete with the cost. I’m making the same salary as I did in 1990.
Third world healthcare commin at ya.
I can get any prescription medicine without a prescription, but, the “narcotics” like morphine and other pain relievers need a special license to dispense, and the prescription is an absolute requirement. A friend, (now deceased), needed a daily dose of morphine for end stage cancer and had problems at times getting it from the major pharmacy’s so he found out who the wholesale supplier was and bought directly from him, and at 1/3 the pharmacy price.
If I need Ampicillin, I just go to the local drug store, or even the local Sari-Sari store, (see http://photobucket.com/images/sari%20sari%20store?page=1 for typical stores). I have never needed a prescription for normal prescription medicines. Blood pressure medicines, diabetes meds etc. are all available by just telling the pharmacist what you need and how many “pieces”.
The idea that a flip nurse is the equivalent of a US trained nurse is a load of crap. That’s what I mean.
When you find yourself in the hospital and nobody speaks native English or went to school in the US you are in big trouble. Getting the hell out of there is a life or death issue. Don’t walk, run.
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