Under the agreement, Medeguide will feature a dedicated section on its homepage listing AAPP physicians. The new section will debut in March 2011, and is intended to provide American medical tourists with names of doctors in the US that provide pre and post medical travel support.
According to Ruben Toral, founder of Medeguide, this collaborative effort will clear one of the biggest obstacles in medical travel today -- continuity of care. “Working with the AAPP and its network physicians, Americans interested in medical travel will now have access to doctors around the country that understand it, support it and can help patients find the right doctor and medical treatment options internationally.”
Toral, who works extensively with international hospitals around the world, notes that patients often travel for medical treatment without the support or supervision of their doctor. He says that the AAPP physicians will help fill that gap and make medical travel safer by providing medical support before and after treatment.
Dr. Marcy Zwelling, President of the AAPP, believes the initiative with Medeguide is the first step in getting US doctors to engage in global healthcare. “There is no doubt in my mind that healthcare is globalizing, and our doctors need to be aware of the treatment options that exist outside the US.” Dr. Zwelling believes that health reform has done nothing but provide uncertainty in the marketplace, and the US healthcare system is at risk of losing its competitiveness. She says that “consumers, not insurers, should be driving the conversation in healthcare. I want to be able to bring the world’s opportunities for my patients’ health right into the exam room.”
Studies from McKinsey and Deloitte Consulting confirm that more Americans are traveling overseas for medical treatment than ever, and a recent Gallop poll found that 29% of Americans would consider traveling overseas for medical care. The primary driver is cost savings, as medical treatment at accredited hospitals in Turkey, Thailand and Mexico can be 50-70% less than comparable private care in the US.
Toral says that by the second quarter of 2011, he expects over 250 AAPP physicians to be featured on medeguide.com.
About Medeguide
Medeguide (www.medeguide.com) is an online directory of international doctors from leading hospitals in popular medical travel destinations. The site features over 2500 doctors in all specialties of medicine, giving users the ability to search doctors by specialty, hospital, country or procedure; recommend doctors; and request appointments.
About American Academy of Private Physicians
The American Academy of Private Physicians (www.aapp.org), a nonprofit organization, was founded in 2003 for the purpose of furthering the needs of physicians interested in innovative medical practices and opportunities to work directly for their patients without the interference of the insurers or government.
For more information contact:
Leanne Gryga at: [email protected] Tel. +66 2 762 7851
Medeguide (Thailand) 165 Sukhumvit 49, Bangkok 10110 Thailand www.medeguide.com
Shelly Banyay at: [email protected]. Tel: + 1 877 746 7301
American Academy of Private Physicians, P.O. Box 5129, Glen Allen, VA 23058-5129