Medical Tourism - New driving force of Vietnam's economy

Global trends and opportunities for Vietnam

The country possesses many favorable conditions to develop medical tourism, a combination of health care and relaxation - a trend that is becoming popular in the world.

Vietnam has beautiful natural landscapes, long coastline, diverse culture, rich historical heritage and unique cuisine , creating a solid foundation for developing attractive medical tourism products.

Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) spoke at the event.

At the National Conference on Tourism-Medical Services associated with sustainable development recently organized by the Ministry of Health in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, according to Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), Vietnam's medical examination and treatment facility system is increasingly modernized with a team of highly specialized doctors, many of whom have studied abroad, and advanced medical equipment.

The cost of treatment in Vietnam is also considered reasonable and competitive compared to other countries in the region. In particular, Vietnam has outstanding strengths in traditional medicine with a history of development of more than 4,000 years, attracting a large number of international visitors, especially from markets such as Japan, Korea, China and Europe.

Diverse medical tourism products in Vietnam include health care resorts, mineral baths, spas, massages, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, traditional medicine treatments, general medical examinations, cosmetic surgery and dentistry.

The growth of low-cost airlines, the internet and social media has expanded accessibility and made it easier for tourists from developed countries to travel to countries with reasonable treatment costs like Vietnam.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), medical tourism is one of the six main trends of future tourism with a strong market growth, from 639 billion USD in 2017 to 919 billion USD in 2022.

Vietnam has a great opportunity to exploit this trend, but still faces many challenges such as the lack of a clear national medical tourism development strategy, unsynchronized medical infrastructure, limited international communication, and complicated immigration procedures that make it difficult for tourists.

According to Prof. Dr. Trinh Thi Dieu Thuong, Department of Traditional Medicine Management (Ministry of Health), in Vietnam, although the potential is huge, the exploitation of medical tourism is still limited compared to countries in the region such as Thailand, Singapore, Korea or Japan. Factors such as medical infrastructure, international communication capabilities, foreign languages and marketing strategies are not really synchronous and effective.

However, in some large medical centers such as Ho Chi Minh City, it is estimated that about 30-40% of patients come from other provinces or from abroad, most of whom are from Cambodia, Laos, overseas Vietnamese, as well as a significant number from the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.

One of Vietnam's outstanding strengths is traditional medicine, a field with a history of development of more than 4,000 years and considered a national cultural heritage. Since 1945, the Party and State have had many policies to develop traditional medicine, combined with modern medicine to create a comprehensive health care system.

Regarding international cooperation, Vietnam has proactively connected in the field of traditional medicine with countries in and outside the region such as China, India, Korea, Japan and Mozambique, contributing to enhancing the international position of the industry. The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses Vietnam as one of the countries with a developed traditional medicine, making a positive contribution to the global health system.

Regarding the medical facility, according to the representative of Cho Ray Hospital, this is one of the leading medical facilities in Vietnam attracting a large number of international patients, especially from Cambodia, Laos, the overseas Vietnamese community as well as markets such as the US, Canada, Japan and Australia. With a team of experienced doctors, modern facilities and reasonable service costs, the hospital has many advantages to develop medical tourism.

However, complex international payment and insurance procedures, uneven staff language proficiency, and limited international communication are challenges that need to be addressed.

Similarly, Tam Anh Hospital Hanoi also stands out with its 5-star high-end medical and resort service model, attracting many international visitors with reproductive support services, robotic surgery, eye treatment and cosmetic surgery. The hospital's location near Noi Bai International Airport makes it convenient for patients to travel.

However, to develop sustainably, hospitals need to improve quality according to international standards such as JCI, build a suitable legal framework, enhance foreign language training and develop a more professional international communication strategy.

Need a systematic investment strategy

Despite its great potential, according to Mr. Ha Van Sieu, in order to develop substantially and in depth, Vietnam needs to focus on building medical service packages that meet international standards such as JCI, ISO 13485, ISO 15189, ISO 7101 or standards for accommodation and spa services such as ISO 17679:2016, ISO 21426:2018.

Service packages need to be integrated with appropriate travel programs according to each goal such as: advanced health care, specialized treatment (cosmetic surgery, cardiovascular, dentistry...), rehabilitation after injury or surgery, reproductive support, or comprehensive medical examination and treatment with full amenities such as visa support, transportation, accommodation, food and insurance.

In this process, tourism businesses play an important role in connecting, organizing tours, marketing products and supporting customers to access quality medical services.

In order for medical tourism to become a true service industry, Vietnam needs to implement many synchronous solutions. First of all, it is necessary to take advantage of global trends and the Government's policies on digital transformation, innovation, technology and international integration to promote the smart medical tourism model.

Institutionally, it is necessary to develop a separate resolution or policy on healthcare associated with tourism development, improve visa procedures for medical tourists, issue a clear service price list and perfect the legal corridor.

From a planning perspective, it is necessary to systematically invest in medical infrastructure at key tourist destinations, develop medical tourism apps, invest in modern equipment and continuously improve service experiences.

Links between the healthcare, tourism and technology sectors need to be strengthened through forums, seminars and a series of interdisciplinary promotional events. At the same time, international cooperation also plays an important role, from promoting the Vietnamese medical tourism brand in the world, attracting experts, transferring technology, to developing a medical tourism passport program.

Finally, the human factor is key. Vietnam needs to invest in training foreign languages and international communication skills for its medical staff, and develop a professional consulting intermediary force to connect international visitors with domestic medical services.

With great potential and thorough preparation, medical tourism can completely become a new spearhead field of Vietnam, not only bringing economic value, but also contributing to enhancing the national image and reputation of Vietnam's medical sector on the regional and world map.

Currently, Vietnam has 66 traditional medicine hospitals from central to local levels, 334 general hospitals with traditional medicine departments, and about 78.2% of communes nationwide deploy traditional medicine services. Vietnam also possesses rich medicinal resources with more than 5,000 plant species, 408 animal species and 75 types of minerals used as medicine.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/du-lich-y-te---dong-luc-moi-cua-nen-kinh-te-viet-nam-d372654.html