The Medical Tourism Association® has long been an advocate for setting industry standards and establishing protocols and best practices. With these principals in mind the MTA recently launched two certification courses during The 5^th World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress event.

The courses were presented by MTA Training Instructor and industry leader Mr. Bill Cook “This was the first time these workshops were offered globally and we were pleased with the turnout of 64 participants,” said Bill. “It was great to see so many people with the desire to bring real credibility to the industry through education and training.”

The first, Certified Medical Tourism Specialist™ was aimed at insurance and HR professionals and Certified Medical Travel Specialist was the designation for travel agents and medical tourism facilitators. Moving forward these courses will be combined under the CMTS certification with classified designations offered to the various industries. The topics included:

• Medical Travel Facilitation
• Dissecting the Medical Travel Process
• Quality Issues and Liability
• Selecting Healthcare Facilities & Providers
• Planning a Site Visit
• Contracting with Providers
• Risk Assessment and Management

After December 1^st, 2012 the certification courses will be available online for anyone in the world to participate. For more information or to sign up for certification you can go to www.MedicalTourismCongress.com. The cost of the program is $1,500 for two years and it includes two years of MTA individual membership.

In order to become fully certified individuals must:

• Finish 8 hours of training/classes (this can be done either in person or online)
• Meet educational and professional experience requirements
• Pass a comprehensive 100+ question exam

The MTA also offers training and certification programs for international and US healthcare providers to improve protocols and set best practices for providing quality care to traveling patients. The goal is to differentiate certified hospitals and ultimately increase the number of patients through maximizing the patient experience and delivery great outcomes. To learn more about these programs check out the following link:
http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com/en/certification.html

As the date quickly approaches and the global healthcare community gets ready to unite in South Florida…have you made preparations to attend The World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress? The time is now to mark your calendars for Oct 24th – 26th at the magnificent Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in beautiful Hollywood, FL.

http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/

Whether your objectives are lead generation, networking, branding, attending the educational sessions, or all of the above…The WMTC & GHC has it all… This year’s conference is going to be the best yet! It will will feature top internationally recognized keynote speakers and cutting edge case study and best practices presentations and when you walk outside of the conference hall you will be steps from the beach!!!

LIST OF SPEAKERS:  http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/2012-speakers/

AGENDA:  http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/agenda/

The conference hall at the World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress will be jammed packed with exhibitors and delegates from nearly 90 countries… Check out the preliminary list of participants: http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/2012-participants-list/ it would take years of traveling the globe to meet as many key decision makers…This year’s congress is fully integrated with the Employer Healthcare and Benefits Congress which will gather HR Directors and top executives from hundreds of US and multinational corporations… The only thing missing is you!!!

 http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/exhibit-hall-layout/

 http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/integrated/

“The 4th World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress was an amazing event.  I was able to network with professionals all over the world and expand my knowledge of global healthcare and the medical tourism industry”

Martha Coleman, Manager ~ MD Anderson International Center & International Cancer Assessment Center

Executive Summits: The WMTC & GHC is the Largest Senior Executive Event for Healthcare, Insurance & Benefits Executives.These invitation only round table discussions will bring together top level private and public organizations to collaborate on topics regarding the challenges in providing quality healthcare and insurance to local and international patients. There are still sponsorship opportunities available for these prestigious events presenting your organization the opportunity to be front and center in front of the top decision makers at the conference.

http://medicaltourismcongress.com/en/executive-summits.html

Networking Software: The WMTC & GHC is more than a trade show it has been designed for intense networking and collaboration. Participants will have access to innovative networking software which allows you to upload your company profile and start making connections with other attendees prior to the congress and schedule one on one meeting with potential business partners in advance.

http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/networking/

“The networking software was brilliant this year and the opportunity to connect so easily with other attendees was truly invaluable. I’m already looking forward to next year’s congress in Miami!”

James Woomer, MSN, CRNA, President & CEO ~ Advanced Practice Nurse International

Thinking about getting certified? The MTA is the most trusted organization in the industry and is now offering a $500 discount on full conference registration PLUS free certification to all attendees. To register follow the link below and register using the discount code: cert2012special

http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/register-2/

The Certification session will take place on Oct. 27th and participants must pass an online exam at a later date. Each Certified Medical Tourism Specialist (CMTS) will receive a two year membership in the MTA!

http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/certification-programs/

Please do not hesitate to contact us at 001-561-792-6676 or at info@medicaltourismcongress.com should you have any questions or need assistance. Don’t delay… there is still time to reserve your flight and book a room and don’t forget your sandals and sunscreen!!!

Medical Tourism Certification Programs

The Medical Tourism Association™ (MTA) has launched two certifications and professional designations for both insurance/HR professionals and travel agents.

Certified Medical Tourism Specialist™ will be the designation for insurance and HR professionals

Certified Medical Travel Specialist™ will be the designation for travel agents.

Over the last four years, the MTA has worked with industry stakeholders and leaders through workshops and focus groups to establish best practices and protocols for handling international patients. The certifications will allow insurance, HR professionals and travel agents to take away from their courses the tools necessary to develop strong health and wellness travel programs, and further their understanding of the requisites for implementation and sustainable growth of this niche market opportunity.

Renée-Marie Stephano, president of the Medical Tourism Association™, stated, “Due to the increasing number of requests from specific industries such as insurance and HR professionals and travel agents looking for specialized education, the Association has provided a solution which allows these professionals to set themselves apart from others on a platform of best practices as they enter this niche market.”

“The certification program will give them the tools to create a roadmap and turn medical tourism from a concept into an action plan that can actually be implemented and managed with ease. This certification program should also allow more insurance, HR professionals and agents to become educated and will raise awareness and adoption of medical tourism across the globe,” Ms. Stephano added.

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Medical Tourism Specialist ™:

• Demonstrates to employers, insurers and peers that you possess the training and knowledge to successfully implement and manage both an international and domestic medical tourism program

• Sets you apart from the competition and shows colleagues your specialized expertise and commitment to the industry

• Shows that you are up to date with best practices in implementation, communication & engagement

• Opportunities for job promotion and career enhancement

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Medical Travel Specialist ™:

• Educate individual and corporate clients on health and wellness travel

• Add a niche business model, focused on medical, dental and wellness travel, to their portfolio

• Market health & wellness travel and create a new source of revenue

• Implement health & wellness travel as an approved corporate expense

In order to receive either of the two certifications, program participants must: • Finish 8 hours of training/classes (this can be done either in person or online) • Complete a workbook • Meet educational and professional experience requirements • Pass a comprehensive 100+ question . In order to remain certified, Specialists™ must complete five hours of continuing education credits for the three years following certification, to stay apprised of the best practices and standards in the industry.

The first certification courses will be offered Saturday, October 27 in Fort Lauderdale/Miami, Florida, USA, immediately following the conclusion of the MTA’s 5th Annual World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress.  After December 1st, 2012 the certification courses will be available online for anyone in the world to participate.

For more information or to sign up for certification you can go to http//www.MedicalTourismCongress.com. The cost of the program is $1,500 for two years.

My dog has a dog license, I have a driver’s license and am certified in CPR by the Red Cross and my doctor has a medical license, he specializes in cardiology.  The hospital I go to for tests is accredited by The Joint Commission and specializes in open heart surgery and orthopedics.

Today, we go to specialists. My auto technician is certified to work on my car; you want that for fast cars! But I remember when I was young we just took the family car to the gas station down the street and had the town’s mechanic “Red” take a look at it and fix it.  It seems more and more services are becoming specialized and certified, why?  Well it’s because technology and services are being designed to cater to our specific needs and wants and those needs require special people with special talents.

Now we go see the back specialist, not just the doctor, and yes there are certified specialists available for every part of the human body.  These are great times we live in.

So why do you offer international patient services at your hospital, and your not certified?

Certification tells everyone, from consumers, insurance companies, employers, benefits directors and facilitators that you are the best, you’ve made the extra effort to go through a rigorous process of training, providing documentation, making sure you have the best practices, processes and policies in place to ensure the best patient outcome and shout to the world that you are Certified!

Hotels strive for a 5 Star rating, and restaurants want an A rating, and guess what? That’s were we want to stay and eat.  It makes perfect sense, going to the right people who are trained and certified to provide the best care and service. In today’s competitive healthcare market, people expect more, and should be able to easily determine where those services can be obtained and know that they are working with the right people.

Businesses proudly display their certification, licenses and awards, why? Because they want you to know it and tell your family and friends, and when you get great service, you tell everyone about it.

So where is your sign? What’s your specialty and where is your certification? Luckily, I happen to know someone who can help your International Patient Services department become certified, gain more international patients, and attract more employers and benefits directors all while providing the best care and increasing your visibility and reputation.

I have to go walk my dog now, but feel free to contact me, and I’ll be happy to get you their phone number.

Mark J. Swirsky

Medical Tourism Association

Director Certification programs -

Now that your hospital and staff have gone through the rigorous paces to obtain JCI, ISQua or ISO accreditation you may ask yourself what’s next.  In the competitive world of medical tourism, many hospitals need to get the word out regarding their certification. But in a market where the majority of hospitals all carry the same accreditations, it will be the hospital that seeks specialized certification for their international patient services department that will stand out.

The Medical Tourism Association understands that International Patient Services Certification – IPSC™ will allow hospitals to take that next step.  What will IPSC™ certification do for us?  As the medical tourism market continues to grow and hospitals start to blend together, it will be the hospitals that go the extra mile in showing that they are consistently improving processes and procedures in addition to setting higher standards that will attract the market share.  International Patient Services Certification IPSC™ will assist buyers of healthcare, insurance companies, employers, benefits directors and consumers to the hospitals that stand above the rest.  So when consumers are deciding what hospital will not only exceed their healthcare needs, but provide an outstanding medical tourism experience, it will be the hospitals that obtain IPSC™ that their compasses direct them to.

How do you define and determine what policies processes and procedures are used in your international patient services department?

I am interested to know how the policies, procedures and processes are developed within an International Patient Services department. How do we know what are best practices? Where is the best place to obtain information on best practices?

If a hospital decides to offer and market international patient services, where do they find qualified staff? What determines that the staff member knows the industries “best practices”?

I know that this is a lot of questions, but can anyone provide me the answers?

In addition how does a prospective patient know what the hospitals international patient services department is using in providing the best patient outcomes?

Anyone who works in a international patient services department are welcome to assist me in finding the answers. Your participation is welcome.

The Medical Tourism Associaton provides International Patient Services Certification (IPSC)™

This certification provides your hospital with the increased knowledge in providing the best patient experience through specific processes, procedures, transparency and quality. In looking through the eyes of the international patient, a hospital can start to see its services in a different perspective. In knowing what fears, anticipated services and quality a international patient is expecting, a hospital can provide or improve their existing international patient services department. Having all international patients provide the hospital with a summary of their visit and information on what they liked or disliked can provide the hospital with valuable information in providing and improving international patient services.

What does a patient gain from your IPS Certification? They understand that in addition to an international accreditation like JCI, your hospital has invested time and has  a specific interest in making their International Patient Services department the best it can be, insuring positive patient outcomes. Today more employers, insurance companies and consumers are looking for ways to determine who will best meet their needs. Ask yourself, what are we as a hospital doing to let our prospective international patients know we have gone the extra mile in the development or improvement of our international patient services?