The Medical Tourism
Association is the first international non-profit association
made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare
providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and
other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of
promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients
in a global environment. Our Association promotes the interests
of its healthcare provider and medical tourism facilitators
members. The Medical Tourism Association has three tenets:
Transparency, Communication and Education.
Transparency
The Medical Tourism
Association seeks to provide transparency in both quality of
care and pricing. Every day we see more and more that the
globalization of healthcare has created a very flat world. We
exchange technology, information, communication, physicians and
patients. In order to ensure patient safety, it is our goal to
create a transparency about the quality of healthcare that can
be found in each country. With this, it is increasingly
important to create a transparency in pricing as well so
patients traveling overseas for care can be sure of what they
are receiving without hidden costs or unforeseen expenses. The
Medical Tourism Association is also working on the Quality of
Care Project, which will change the way we look at the reporting
of global healthcare statistics and the quality of care
available at hospitals around the world. For More Information
click here.
Communication
The Members of the Medical
Tourism Association agree that communication is the key to
success, particularly with respect to ensuring positive patient
outcomes. Last year, the Founders of the Medical Tourism
Association polled international healthcare providers and found
that each provider has the same concerns with the increasing
globalization of healthcare. Why should we all try to resolve
these concerns individually instead of collectively? The members
of the Medical Tourism Association have agreed to put
competition aside and work together to resolve the issues one by
one and to work together to address them as they arise. We have
created a forum for communication for all of the actors in the
global healthcare environment. We have committees that work
together to address issues such as legal, economic, patient
financing, Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance,
communication with insurance companies, media support and more.
Education
Although we live in a world
where information is at our fingertips, there are so many people
who lack the information that they can receive the highest
quality of care outside of their home country. Some patients in
countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom
have a lack of access to healthcare due to high cost and high
wait times. Patients in some other regions as in some parts of
Africa and the Middle East do not have access to high quality of
care in their own country and need to look elsewhere. Some
patients just would like to travel outside of their country for
healthcare to incorporate high quality of care with a holiday
and tourism. Regardless of the reason, patients need education
and information to understand what they should look for in
finding a provider overseas and considerations that should be
taken seriously to ensure patients safety. As insurance
companies continue to incorporate global healthcare and medical
tourism options into their benefit plans and domestic healthcare
providers are required to treat patients for aftercare when
patients return to their home country, education is required to
accomplish this seamlessly. The Medical Tourism Association
strives to provide education to anyone with any interest in this
industry using various means: the media, conferences, and
through the Medical Tourism Magazine. The Medical Tourism
Magazine is a monthly trade journal aimed to provide a wealth of
information for anyone interested in or affected by the
globalization of healthcare. For More Information click here.
(link to Medical Tourism Magazine page)
Our Mission
To raise awareness of the high level
of quality healthcare available in various countries.
To promote positive and stable growth of the Medical
Tourism and Global Healthcare Industry with a strong focus
on Transparency and Communication.
To provide an unbiased source of information for
patients, insurance companies and employers about top
hospitals, their quality of care and outcomes.
To protect the reputation of Medical Tourism from
disreputable hospitals and healthcare providers which may
not have the same level of quality healthcare and standards.
To serve as one voice for purposes of dealing with the
government organizations and the media to protect the
reputation of the Medical Tourism Association's members.
To promote and provide a forum for communication and
to increase connectivity between patients, healthcare
providers, and insurance companies.
To seek out future affiliated industries and
technologies that will allow international healthcare
providers to operate more efficiently in the global
healthcare industry.
To educate patients, insurance companies, agents,
brokers, consultants and physicians from around the world
about the growth of medical tourism and the globalization of
healthcare.
Non-Profit Status
The Medical Tourism Association is an international non-profit
organization which has been designated for 501(C)(6) status by
the Internal Revenue of the United States Government. Section
501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code provides for the
exemption of business leagues, which are not organized for
profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the
benefit of any private shareholder or individual. The Medical
Tourism Association does not have shareholders or investors.
For a copy of the designation letter,
click here.
The MTA believes in transparency. As a non-profit, the MTA
regularly files an annual report and a 990 Tax Return with
the US Internal Revenue Service. For a copy of the 990 Tax
Return, click here.
How is the MTA Different?
We are a True,
Un-Biased, Non-Profit Organization The Medical
Tourism Association is the first non-profit association created
in the medical tourism industry. Unlike other organizations, the
Medical Tourism Association was not founded by any government or
governmental organization, hospital, or private for-profit
corporation, nor are we funded by or indirectly run or
controlled by any such organizations. The Medical Tourism
Association is truly an unbiased association influenced only by
the will and intent of its members.
We have Full
Time Staff The Medical Tourism Association is the only
industry organization with a full time staff dedicated to
promoting the goals of its members. We are the only organization
with staff and offices located in different regions of the
world.
We are Transparent Our association
is the only organization focusing on quality of care,
transparency, communication and education. Everything we do is
in furtherance of these goals and not to promote the interests
of any private corporate or governmental interest. Unlike any
other organizations, the Medical Tourism Association performs
due diligence on healthcare providers and medical tourism
facilitator members which ultimately works towards ensuring
patient safety.
We Promote a Forum for
Communication The Medical Tourism Association has
forged strong alliances between its members. Our organization is
the only association with the capability to connect members with
the largest number of media contacts, insurance companies and
other opportunities to grow the businesses of its members. We
have monthly teleconferencing to discuss the issues common to
everyone involved and creating a pyramidal structure for the
growth of the industry to withstand the test of time.
We
Educate The Medical Tourism Association focuses on
education. The Medical Tourism Magazine is a monthly journal
that is free for anyone wishing to receive a subscription
electronically or in hard copy. The revenues received through
advertising are used to support the cost of producing the
magazine and increasing the printed distribution. Other
magazines and newsletters have been created specifically to
generate profits for private corporations and do not represent
the industry or the interests of the industry. Members of the
Medical Tourism Association speak internationally at conferences
and other venues to educate about the issues involved in the
globalization of healthcare. This includes speaking engagements
for physician groups, employer groups, consulting firms,
insurance agents and brokers, and governmental organizations.
Medical Tourism Association regularly consults foreign
governments about the growth of the industry in other countries,
the opportunities created through marketing and the benefits of
ultimately improving the quality of care within their national
borders.
We Impact the Private and Public Sector
Many people believe medical tourism is a new
phenomenon. This is just not true. People have been traveling
outside of their borders for decades. The potential for this
growing trend towards globalization is not designed to improve
just the private sector. Raising the quality of care
internationally in the private sector can have extremely
positive effects on the public sector as well. The Medical
Tourism Association connects hospitals and countries with
accreditation systems making the highest level of technology and
healthcare information available to people from around the world
in both the private and public sector.
OUR LOCATIONS
Our
Headquarters are in West Palm Beach,
Florida with regional offices being created
internationally.
The Medical
Tourism Association has offices in United
States MTA Asia - Seoul Korea Middle East - Dubai
United Arab Emirates. MTA Latin America - Costa Rica
We
believe having our headquarter office in the United States best
positions us to further our goals of education with respect to
insurance companies, employers, physician groups and patients
located within the United States. From this location, we can
easily access the American, Canadian and European public which
includes the largest growing population of patients looking for
options overseas. The regional offices in Asia and the Middle
East will be organized to address Chinese, Japanese and Middle
Eastern patients which are the target markets for many of our
Asian members. The office in Latin American and Europe will
address the growth and the concerns of the Latin American and
European healthcare providers, respectively.
OFFICERS
Jonathan
Edelheit - Founder and President of the Medical Tourism
Association
Previous
to the Medical Tourism Association, Mr. Edelheit was in
charge of United Group Programs a large US healthcare
administrator with clients such as DaimlerChrysler,
Sysco, State of Florida and Idaho. Mr. Edelheit was the
pioneer of medical tourism in the US and the first
person to implement medical tourism into a US health
insurance plan. Believing that Medical Tourism could be
a solution to the US healthcare crisis, Mr. Edelheit
left United Group Programs to work for the Medical
Tourism Association and to help educate the world on the
high quality of care available overseas. Mr. Edelheit
has been featured or mentioned in over 40 magazines from
Time Magazine to Newsweek, and in February who was
featured as a visionary in US healthcare for his
activities in Medical Tourism by Executive Managed
Healthcare Magazine, which goes out to 40,000 top US
healthcare executives.
Mr. Edelheit is also an
attorney and is considered an expert in US healthcare.
COO & General
Counsel of the Medical Tourism Association
Renee-Marie
Stephano is the Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer of
the Medical Tourism Association. Ms. Stephano is also
the Editor of the Medical Tourism Magazine.
Having a
background in international marketing and relations,
health law and litigation, she provides a valuable
service to the Medical Tourism Association in these
fields. Renee-Marie is licensed to practice law in the
State of Florida, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and in the State of New Jersey. Ms. Stephano speaks
regularly at international conferences on the Legal
Issues Surrounding Medical Tourism and in the United
States to employer groups, insurance groups and
physician associations. Renee-Marie consults
international government ministries, private sector
organizations and NGO's about the growth of the global
healthcare industry and accreditation, providing
marketing assistance to promote their countries high
quality of care.
Brad Cook - Secretary and
Strategic Development Officer - Latin America
Brad Cook is considered an expert in global healthcare
and medical tourism and is in charge of the
International Patient Department of Clinica Biblica in
Costa Rica.
Mr. Jim McCormick has
his board certified medical background in Emergency
Medicine. He serves as the Assistant Secretary for
the Medical Tourism Association. He completed his
Masters in Business Administration at Pepperdine
University. His facilitation company is targeted to
formally launch operations in early 2009, Premiere
Medical Travel Company, LLC.
Mr. Prem Jagyasi is an expert
in international healthcare and medical tourism and has
been involved running and managing hospitals as well as
being considered a leading expert in the business of
dealing with international patients.
Vivian Ho Managing Director -
Asian Pacific Region
Vivian Ho is
the Founder & President of the Academy for Global Health
Philanthropy (AGHP), a 501c3 organization that develops and
facilitates global health philanthropic ventures. With over
twenty years of professional experience in both the private
and global health sectors, she also serves as a Senior
Advisor to select philanthropic foundations, individuals and
corporate entities.
Headquarters: Medical
Tourism Association 10130 Northlake Blvd. Suites
214-315 West Palm Beach, Florida, USA 33412
Other
Locations MTA Asia - Seoul, Korea MTA Latin
America - Costa Rica Office - San Jose, Costa Rica MTA
Germany - Berlin, Germany MTA Mexico - Monterrey,
Mexico MTA Middle East - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(Within Dubai Healthcare City)
©
2008 Medical Tourism Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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