The Ministry of health and Ministry of foreign Affairs will be to develop inbound medical tourism.
The Ministry of health, foreign Ministry and the Federal tourism Agency and the Russian Association of medical tourism (RAMT) began developing a project to promote the services of Russian doctors and medical institutions abroad. This decision prompted a noticeable increase in the number entering on the treatment of foreigners. According to Ramtha, for the first half of 2016, the number of patients who came for treatment in Russia has grown by about 30% compared to the same period last year. During the first two quarters of 2016 our country with the purpose of improvement was visited by 5 thousand foreigners, whereas for the whole of 2015 and 8.5 million In 2014, the numbers were even smaller — about 7 thousand patients.
President Ramtha Constantine Onishchenko told “Izvestia” that the main promoters will be the tourist offices of Russia abroad Visit Russia. They now tell foreigners about medicine in Russia, but do it casually. But, as inbound medical tourism has shown such rapid growth, the decision to dedicate this area much more attention. In fact, there will be a separate direction — “medical tourism”.
The decision in conversation with “Izvestia” confirmed the Deputy head of the Federal tourism Agency Sergey Korneev, oversees the work of offices Visit Russia.
— To actively promote, we are going two closely interrelated areas: medical tourism, that is coming to Russia for medical treatment, and our health resort complex. Advertised, they can both together, and individually, he explained.
Korneyev added that different countries way of product promotion will be individualized. Russian specialists will see which treatments are the most popular in this place. But not only advertising and participation in conferences should involve more suffering from various diseases of foreigners in Russia.
— Must be organized with clinics, medical centers in other countries. For example, if we talk about Europe, there are doctors like gods. The patient will go to any place tell his doctor. I will say that ECO is better to go to Russia because there are very good biomaterials, then so be it, — said Onishchenko.
The reasons for the growing popularity of inbound medical tourism in Russia several. The first — best for the foreign guests the ruble. The cost of the same heart surgery in Russia can be 10 times less than in USA. And if for foreign tourists in the Russian museums the price is often higher than for “their”, for patients, it usually does not exceed the usual, it attracts many customers from abroad.
Another reason — legal and medical restrictions abroad. In some countries, for example, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is prohibited after 35-40 years, in Russia there is no such restriction.
Finally, experts believe that the growth of inbound medical tourism did not happen by itself. His role was played by administrative measures, in particular the simplification of the visa regime for entering Russia for citizens of China, India, South Korea, the former Soviet republics. By the way, the citizens of the CIS countries and the Baltic States are now the majority of foreigners coming to Russia to heals.
There are a number of medical sectors, where Russia is ahead of the rest of the world, or at least at the level of the best. This is ophthalmology (Fedorov center), orthopedics (Ilizarov center in Kurgan), IVF, dentistry. This, most often we go.
And even more medical tourists could be involved in the introduction of medical visas for foreigners, says Constantine Onishchenko. Now the issue is being examined by the Ministry of health. In the foreseeable future, the Agency can act with the corresponding legislative initiative.
Now foreigners entering Russia on a regular tourist visa and is here receiving treatment. But suppose we are talking about an emergency visa to renew once, someone needs to give a new surety for the stay of a foreigner in Russia, etc. in short, this is a real problem. And the introduction of the medical visa would simplify all the procedures and more foreigners would have reached out to us, — said the head of Ramtha.
He added that in the Russian medicine, many challenges remain. For example, in Russia the small number of middle and Junior staff of one doctor in Europe. Almost no services such as nursing the patients, it is difficult with rehabilitation. There are problems with the service. But there is a lot that attracts foreigners, and these advantages need to use the most.
With regard to the flow of outbound medical tourism from Russia, he plummeted. According to Ramtha, last year it decreased by about 16-17% because of the increase in the exchange rate, sanctions against Russia, as well as social unrest in European countries relating to refugees and terrorist attacks.
In 2015, left Russia for the treatment of more than 100 thousand people. By the end of this year it is projected that no more than 70-80 thousand Russians to undergo medical treatment in foreign clinics.
In 2014, the number of medical tourists receiving treatment in different countries, reached 130 thousand people.
