Programme

Day 1:
Tuesday, 29 July 2008

9.00 Chairman's Welcome & Opening Remarks
Vivek Shukla, Healthcare Marketing Consultant, Sai Mahima Hospital

9.15 Building the Foundation for Medical Travel: Perspective from the Taiwan Task Force for Medical Travel
• Looking at the initiatives undertaken by both public and private sectors to establish Taiwan as the next medical travel destination
• Laying out the healthcare infrastructure for medical travel
• Addressing operational, administration and quality management issues in the medical travel value chain Dr Wu Ming-Yen, Chief Executive Officer, Taiwan Task Force for Medical Travel

10.00 Bridging the Gap between Accreditation and Medical Tourism: North Asia's New Challenge
What criteria are overseas healthcare providers assessed on by international insurers to minimize the risks of their clients requiring costly post-treatment follow-up? Other than obvious reasons of cost, shorter waiting times and quality of treatment, accreditation also plays a key factor in the insurer's decision in working with various healthcare providers. This session will cover:
• How does accreditation and non-accreditation impact cooperation between hospitals and insurers?
• What problem does this pose in attracting international patients for most of the hospitals in North Asia which have yet to be accreditated?
• The trent alternative Professor Stephen Green, Lead Surveyor, Trent Accreditation

10.45 Morning Refreshments & Networking Break

11.15 Medical Economy, Medical Ecology – The Public Health Implications of International Medical Travel
• Inequities, inequalities, inefficiencies
• Patients, professionals, providers
• Clients, consumers, customers
• Upsides, downsides, side effects
• Revenue, results, returns
• Local, foreign, international
• Destinations, hubs, networks
• Economy, ecology, community
Jason Yap, Director, Healthcare, Singapore Tourism Board

12.00 Developing the Case for Medical Travel: A South Korea Illustration
Jointly financed by the government and 28 hospitals, the Council for Korea Medicine Planning was set up in 2007 with the intention of enhancing overseas awareness of South Korea's potential as a premier medical travel destination. Listen to Dr Jang as he elaborates on the opportunities and challenges of South Korea in attracting both overseas Koreans and international patients to its shores, following the trail of success set by its Southeast Asian predecessors.
• The business case for setting up a central agency for attracting international patients
• Evaluating key strengths in medical tourism provision from a developed market's point of view as opposed to Thailand, India and Philippines
• Identifying Korea's positioning strategies for key markets: US, China and Japan
• Building key networks with insurers and medical travel agencies
• Initiatives employed in overcoming language barriers and other challenges
Dr Kyung-Won Jang, Ph.D., Director, Centre for Global Business, Korea Health Industry Development Institute

12.45 Official Book Launch of Patient beyond Borders (Taiwan Edition) and Presentation by author, Josef Woodman

1.15 Lunch & Networking Break

2.30 Competing on the World Stage to Attract Patients
• What are the global care delivery trends that will impact patient travel?
• How are patient expectations of care changing?
• What are leading practice organizations around the world doing to compete?
• Looking at the US and UK patient market Nina Nashif, Vice-President, Sg2

3.15 Attracting Patients from Japan: A Case Illustration from Taiwan Adventist Hospital
• An overview of the Taiwan Adventist Hospital model
• Setting up a priority centre for international medical services
• Handling bilingual challenges for the growing influx of English and Japanese patients Ying-Hsiang Chuo, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Taiwan Adventist Hospital

4.00 Afternoon Refreshments & Networking Break

4.30 What Do Chinese Patients Want? Attracting the Wealthy Chinese Patient to your Medical Facility
• Looking at the demographics and medical needs of China's increasingly affluent middle-class
• Challenges faced in gaining access to healthcare in China
• Developing the International Medical Zone in Shanghai
• What are the untapped opportunities in China's private healthcare sector?
Professor Zhao Xudong, Head of Task Force for Project of Sino-German Friendship Hospital, Tongji University

5.15 Strategies for Creating an Effective Product for International Patients
Globalisation of healthcare services is influencing the delivery of healthcare services worldwide. Hospitals must rethink about the offerings of their products if they wish to stay in competition for the international customer. Dr Malik will address the following key areas:
• What does the customer value?
• Why certain hospitals are preferred over you for international patients?
• Stock taking – where do we stand and compare amongst others
• From customer satisfaction to customer loyalty
• Ensoulment of your product
• Brand champions – delivery of promise
• Accreditations and standards
• Building networks and aftercare programs
• Healthcare IT
• Competition – Branding vs. Accreditation
Dr Sanjiv Malik, Regional Director, Max Healthcare

6.00 Chairman's Closing Remarks & End of Day One

Day 2:
Wednesday, 30 July 2008

9.00 Chairman's Welcome Remarks Vivek Shukla, Healthcare Marketing Consultant, Sai Mahima Hospital LEVERAGING ON ASIA'S COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE HEALTHCARE MARKET

9.15 Doing it the Quality Way: How Hong Kong Differentiates itself in the Competitive Medical Travel Market
• What does it mean to obtain Trent accreditation? How is it different from JCI accreditation popular with hospitals in other Asian countries?
• What are its key objectives and how has it helped hospitals in Hong Kong realize international standards in patient care?
• Peer review vs surveying: How has this method worked for Trent-accredited hospitals? What are the key learning points?
• Beyond the Chinese market: What other markets are Hong Kong hospitals targeting to attract?
• Case illustration from Union Hospital
Dr Ares Leung, Deputy Medical Director, Union Hospital

10.00 Korea's Key Strength as Medical Travel Destination: Clinical Excellence
• Attracting international patients: What is the Korean edge?
• Demonstrating yardsticks for clinical excellence
• The Asan Medical Center case illustration
Prof. Jay Lee, MD, PhD, Senior Vice-President for Clinical Affairs, Asan Medical Centre, Korea

10.45 Morning Refreshments & Networking Break

11.15 Healthcare Globalization: Is this the Future for Medical Travel?
With the setting up of international healthcare chains in your country, how is this likely to impact patients travelling for treatment? Dr Jonathan Seah, CEO of Parkway Healthcare China, will share his experience in setting up Asia's largest healthcare player in densely populated Shanghai and catering to the needs of Chinese and international patients.
• An overview of major healthcare chains emerging globally
• With a global healthcare player in your backyard, how will this change the figures of patients traveling globally?
• How can they address the needs for follow-up treatments effectively pre and post-treatment?
Dr Jonathan Seah, Chief Executive Officer, Parkway Healthcare China

12.00 Structuring Effective Health Insurance Plans for Travelling Patients
• What do US and international insurers look out for in partnering with medical travel agencies and healthcare providers?
• Structuring an effective partnership that benefits both parties
• Crystal-gazing into the future: Are more and more US corporates expected to adopt medical treatment alternatives abroad for their employees with escalating healthcare costs in the US? Sudesh Shetty, Chief Executive Officer, Metis Insurance Broker Limited

12.45 Lunch & Networking Break

2.00 Investing in Quality Management to Attract International Patients
• Raising quality in hospitals according to international standards: What are the quality indicators that will draw a patient to choose your medical facilities?
• Developing drivers and KPIs to measure quality standards
• Looking at success of clinical outcomes and infection incidence as a key criteria in attracting patients
• How effective has accreditation been in attracting increased patient numbers? Are there any other measurement methods in raising quality to patients?
Radhey Mohan, Head, International Business, Apollo Health City

2.45 Developing Hospital Design with the Traveling Patient in Mind
• Planning for hospital expansion with the increasing influx of patients
• Setting up additional facilities to accommodate international patients
• Exploring the retail potential in and around hospitals
• Health and wellness facilities: Should it be part of the main campus or at an independent location?
Dr Hsieh Ying-Hua, Deputy Superintendent, Wanfang Municipal Hospital, Taiwan

3.30 Afternoon Refreshments and Networking Break

4.00 Ensuring Patient-Centred Safety: Communicating with Patients Effectively before Travel
• Who is suitable for medical travel? Setting up initial consultations to iron out common patient fears and uncertainties with the patient and his family
• Obtaining medical history and information to manage patient's expectations
• Training medical staff to effectively communicate to patients Dr Jeffrey Staples, Medical Director, International SOS

4.45 PANEL DISCUSSION: Addressing the needs of Patients from China, US and Japan via Strategic Collaborations between the Public and Private Healthcare Systems
• What are the needs of these markets? How different are they from each other?
• How can North Asia look to attracting patients from these markets in the different areas of expertise?
• Evaluating public and private healthcare systems and their differentiated offerings
• How can both sectors work together to create a win-win system to benefit the overall economy?
Moderated by Dr Jonathan Seah, Chief Executive Officer, Parkway Healthcare China

5.30 Chairman's Closing Remarks & End of Conference