Articles by the Medical Tourism Training Team
Health Travel Clusters: Aligning Objectives and Measures of Success
Successful health travel clusters are based on a solid understanding of their functions as well as the role of their association members.
What is in your Welcome Package?
Whether preparing for the arrival of a patient or business visitor, a Welcome Package is a key ingredient for a successful stay.
Five Essential Daily Steps
Creating an overall end-to-end excellent patient experience requires a series of interrelated systems, policies, and programs.
When the Patient is the Community
Hospitals and clinics that treat international patients most often also receive local or domestic patients.
Meet Martha
While hospitals must focus most of their energies on the patients, it is important to take care of family and friends who are providing emotional and psychological support by their presence.
International accreditation requires CQI: What is it and why?
Hospitals and clinics are increasingly interested in being accredited by international, independent bodies like Temos International.
Part 2. The US Insurance market & medical travel: Obstacles and opportunities
In the second part of this two-part series, recent changes in the US health insurance markets as well as opportunities that exist are discussed.
Why Don’t US Health Insurance Plans Include Medical Travel?
Selling international medical tourism benefits to a US-based health insurance provider is difficult. Despite many years of trying, few health insurance companies offer medical travel benefits.
When Bad News Hits the Front Page: Where is the response?
Negative stories about terrible situations involving medical travelers are regular headline grabbing news reports around the world. These medical errors are horrible for the patients and their families, but they remain isolated stories.
Does Accreditation result in more patients?
Healthcare providers often ask if obtaining accreditation will attract more patients. Accreditation involves expenditure of money and healthcare budgets are under a lot of pressure. Decision makers want to know if spending money on accreditation will result in more patients seeking their services.
Strategic Purchasing in the Health Sector and Trade Law Implications
On the eve of the UHC 2030 conference in Tokyo in December 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank released their report on the status of health care in the world. The report found that “at least half the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services".
Already have accreditation? Why Temos? Here is why.
Hospitals and clinics that serve international patients seek international or national accreditation as a proxy for high quality clinical standards. The process is rigorous and can improve clinical care for all patients, domestic and international
Is technology putting medical tourism facilitators in danger of extinction
Is technology putting medical tourism facilitators in danger of extinction?By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc.With the proliferation of apps and Internet-based resources, more people have access to the information that used to be the domain of facilitators. Other types of competitors put smaller medical travel coordinators companies at risk for becoming extinct. Will self-directed, knowledgeable consumers [...]
Dimensions of Medical Tourism Clusters – Part 5
Dimensions of medical tourism clusters Part 5. Five myths By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. This series of five brief articles examines key aspects of clusters and other models that exist in the medical tourism sector. The first article focuses on the role of definitions and data collection in medical travel. The second article dissects [...]
Dimensions of Medical Tourism Clusters – Part 4
Dimensions of medical tourism clusters Part 4. The role of competition By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. This series of five brief articles examines key aspects of clusters and other models that exist in the medical tourism sector. The first article focuses on the role of definitions and data collection in medical travel. The second [...]
Dimensions of Medical Tourism Clusters – Part 3
Dimensions of medical tourism clusters Part 3. Two success stories, two models – Korea and Costa Rica By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. This series of five brief articles examines key aspects of clusters and other models that exist in the medical tourism sector. The first article focuses on the role of definitions and data [...]
Dimensions of Medical Tourism Clusters – Part 2
Dimensions of medical tourism clusters Part 2. Dissecting clusters By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. This series of five brief articles examines key aspects of clusters and other models that exist in the medical tourism sector. The first article focuses on the role of definitions and data collection in medical travel. The second article dissects [...]
Dimensions of Medical Tourism Clusters – Part 1
Dimensions of medical tourism clusters Part 1. Models, definitions, and data By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. This series of five brief articles examines key aspects of clusters and other models that exist in the medical tourism sector. The first article focuses on the role of definitions and data collection in medical travel. The second [...]
Skyrocketing dietary demands: Does your hotel measure up?
Skyrocketing dietary demands: Does your hotel measure up?By Elizabeth Ziemba, President and Divya Daswani, Research AssistantIn a world where dietary restrictions and allergies are on the rise, hotels, resorts, and spas must be prepared to meet the increasing dietary demands of their clients with diverse menus and knowledgeable staff. Has your organization kept pace with the growing requirements of its [...]
Are your “clean” hotel rooms making your guests sick?
Are your “clean” hotel rooms making your guests sick?By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, and Divya Daswani, Research AssistantThe comfort of white sheets and fluffy pillows will be forgotten quickly by your guests if they fall sick because of rooms that on the surface are appealing but are not cleaned properly. Are you putting guests at risk because the cleaning protocols at [...]
Is your hotel failing to keep housekeepers safe?
Is your hotel failing to keep housekeepers safe? By Elizabeth Ziemba, President and Divya Daswani, Research Assistant Housekeeping procedures for cleaning rooms and public areas in hotels and resorts are designed to provide healthy and clean environments for guests and staff while keeping employees safe and well. Changing demographics and environments may mean that the protocols in place may [...]
When will medical travel capitalize on the Bleisure market?
When will medical travel capitalize on the Bleisure By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training A recent report released by Expedia Media Solutions stated, almost “half (about 43%) of all trips taken today are ‘bleisure’ trips, with the focus on the ‘business’ part of the travel enticing customers to also book their ‘leisure’ part of the trip.” [...]
5 New Year’s Resolutions that are easy to keep
5 New Year’s Resolutions that are easy to keep By Elizabeth Ziemba, President and Divya Daswani, Research Assistant New Year’s resolutions are a bit like diets, easy to make but hard to maintain. Every January many people around the world commit themselves to goals such as losing weight, quitting smoking, finding new jobs, and the list goes on. How [...]
Fit to Fly: Guard against medical emergencies
Fit to Fly: Guard against medical emergencies By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism Training More than one billion passengers fly every year and many of those passengers are traveling to receive medical treatments. Other may have medical conditions that put their health and safety at risk. Individuals with disabilities can require special attention to their needs during travel. [...]
Physician Reviews: What role should they play in selecting a healthcare provider?
Physician Reviews: What role should they play in selecting a healthcare provider?By Elizabeth Ziemba, JD, MPH, President, Medical Tourism TrainingOnline reviews of doctors are proliferating and there is fierce competition for top marks from patients as consumers increasingly rely on reviews to make decisions about where to secure healthcare services.While feedback from patients in the form of testimonials and case [...]
Does Customer Service Matter?
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Of course customer service matters. But why? Negative Publicity Poor customer service - unanswered emails, ignored telephone messages, and short-tempered staff - can lose business faster than a shark can clear a swimming pool. In these difficult economic times, competition is fierce for prospective clients looking for medical [...]
“How Late is it There?” Tips for Working Across Time Zones
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. It should be fun working with people from around the globe but coordinating time zones can be confusing and lead to embarrassing missteps. Here are some suggestions for using your time wisely. “What time is it where you are?” Scheduling a call between two people in distant countries [...]
Secret Shopping: Close the Customer Service Gap, Increase Revenue
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Customer service is an integral part of delivering high quality, professional services. Do you know what your current and prospective clients think of your business - your services, prices, and employees? Secret shopping, mystery shopping or, more accurately, a Customer Service Audit, is an effective tool to assess [...]
The Cost of Getting, Losing, and Keeping Clients – Part 3
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Do you know the real value of keeping clients? Maximizing Opportunities, Transforming Relationships, Increasing Revenues This is the third of three articles exploring the costs associated with getting, losing, and keeping customers. The first article focused on the cost of getting clients while the second article discussed the [...]
The Cost of Getting, Losing, and Keeping Clients – Part 2
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Do you know the real cost of getting, losing, and keeping customers? Missed Opportunities, Lower Revenues This is the second of three articles exploring the costs associated with getting, losing, and keeping customers. The first article focuses on the cost of getting clients. If you missed it, please take [...]
The Cost of Getting, Losing, and Keeping Clients – Part 1
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Do you know the real costs of getting, losing, and keeping clients? Missed Opportunities, Lower Revenues How often have you lost a customer because an email went unanswered for too long and the person turned into a client for your competition? Or an employee got impatient with [...]
We are All Customer Service Representatives: Defining and Delivering Superior Customer Service
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. What is superior customer service? All of us have had the experience of both excellent and terrible customer service. While we all know good or bad customer service when we see it, defining it presents a challenge as reflected by the many definitions sprinkled throughout this article. These [...]
Tips to Maximize the Investment in On-Line Learning
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. How are you using on-line learning to improve your skills and those of your staff? Keep an Open Mind All of us learned by going to school and sitting in classrooms with a teacher and fellow students. The day was structured with certain time periods dedicated to certain subjects. [...]
What happens if you don’t train employees and they stay?
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. What reasons do you give for not training people within your organization? Perhaps these examples sound familiar. Reasons or Excuses? There are many reasons why employers don't train their employees. Here are five of the most common excuses employers give for failing to invest in their single most valuable [...]
Increasing Lead Conversions – A Case Study
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence. ~Author Unknown Download Article Are you ready to get serious about improving lead conversions? Here is what one medical tourism facilitator has done to invest in the customer service skills and knowledge his [...]
Naughty or Nice? The impact of bad behavior on you, your organization and the bottom line
Naughty or Nice? The impact of bad behavior on you, your organization and the bottom line By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence." - Author Unknown Download Article Incivility is on the rise and it is having a negative [...]
Becoming the Provider of Choice to Embassies and Consulates
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Who would you contact if you needed medical services while traveling in another country? Chances are you would contact the Embassy or Consulate for your home country to seek assistance in receiving medical or dental care. One of the key services provided by country representatives is help finding [...]
Tips to Cure Glossophobia
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Do you suffer from glossophobia? If you do, you are not alone. A Dreaded Experience The fear of public speaking - glossophobia - is one of the most stressful activities that people experience. According to the National Institutes of Health, 74% of Americans suffer from the fear of speaking [...]
Don’t “Just Do It”!
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Have you ever told a staff member or consultant to “Just Do It”? It is a disturbing trend in medical travel and does not serve the sector well. Too Much “Hurry Up” and Not Enough “Stop and Think” A conversation with a leading health care consultant revealed that one [...]
What is your USP? Avoid being invisible!
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Can your customers differentiate you from your competitors or are you simply part of the crowd? What is your unique selling proposition (USP)? After attending dozens of health care conferences, reviewing marketing materials including web sites, and talking with health care providers, few examples of distinctive USPs [...]
Branding Your Medical Travel Organization: Tips from the Expert
An Interview with Ilan Geva By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Many people think they know what branding is but do they really? Do you? Tips from the Expert: Ilan Geva Ilan Geva certainly understands branding. As a distinguished advertising agency veteran and professor at the University of Chicago and DePaul University, Ilan Geva [...]
Don’t Shake the Tree if You Can’t Pick up the Apples: Increasing Lead Conversion
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Many organizations complain that business is not growing fast enough - or at all. Some of these entities have failed to invest the required time and energy to develop the necessary infrastructure to foster that growth. They shake the proverbial business tree and then do not have the capacity [...]
US Academic Medical Centers And Medical Facilitators: A changing relationship
An article published in the International Medical Travel Journal... Shifting market trends offer new incentives for U.S. Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) to warm-up to the idea of medical tourism. Innovative business models between AMCs and medical facilitation companies are also helping the ice to thaw, and may represent a new channel for AMCs in non-traditional market sectors. [...]
Competing Against the “Free” Option: Marketing Strategies for Private Health Care Providers
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Private hospitals and health care providers exist as competitors to the national health care. How can private sector entities successfully compete against this "free" option? It's Not Free First, people sometimes forget that the "free" option - national health care - is not free at all. It is paid for [...]
“Medical Tourism Visas: Successfully Tackling Immigration Issues”,
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Applying for and obtaining a visitor visa for medical purposes requires an understanding of the policies and procedures in place by various countries. Many countries have modeled their systems after the US system. This article is designed to help individuals, facilitators, travel agents, government agencies and others understand [...]
Dissecting the International Medical Travel Sector: Better Definitions, Better Data, Better Return on Investment
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. The lack of credible, consistent data is one of the major shortcomings of the international medical travel sector. No one really knows how many people are traveling outside their home countries for health and wellness, dental and medical services. A Google search of the phrase “number of US citizens [...]
A Tale of Two Healthcare Providers: The Patient/Customer Experience, Part 3 of 3 – Consumers, Patients, or Clients?
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…“ And for today’s medical travelers and service providers, it may be the most confusing of times. The blurring of lines between the traditional notions of doctors as the decision makers and patients docilely accepting the physicians’ judgments [...]
A Tale of Two Healthcare Providers: The Patient/Customer Experience, Part 2 of 3 – The Worst of Times
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”. The words of Charles Dickens from his enduring novel, A Tale of Two Cities, echo throughout the decades and remain relevant to the modern world including the international medical travel sector. Never before have patients and consumers [...]
A Tale of Two Healthcare Providers: The Patient/Customer Experience, Part 1 – The Worst of Times
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it [...]
What the Medical Travelers Said…
By Elizabeth Ziemba, President, Medical Tourism Training, Inc. Want to know what two experienced medical tourists had to say about their adventures in traveling abroad for surgery? Learn from the real experts - the patients! Two women who have traveled outside their home country shared their thoughts, comments, and insights with the audience at the IMTJ Medical [...]