Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to a couple of conferences that were not directly related to medical tourism. Upon introducing myself and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), the listeners interest was immediately sparked. Most of these were either in the hospitality industry, a tourism board or even a translation service…
I did not put a limit on the companies I was trying to attract. Some had never heard of it, others kind of knew what it was and some had even thought about implementing this as a new target market. The overall response I received was how so I get involved in this industry on a smaller scale, in order to find out if it would work for my company?
Companies new to the industry are just looking to get more information and do some networking. At the office we receive several calls a month from people wanting to work in medical tourism but have no idea where to start.
I'm sure that most people in this industry get similar inquiries the MTA is the perfect platform for people to discover the ins and outs of this niche market. Here are some things the MTA can offer for all the newcomers wanting to tap into this versatile and limitless industry.
Step 1 – Research
The MTA has books and magazines dedicated to educating readers with the most up to date information in the industry. Reading through some of this information could give you some insight on how you could become involved. I've given a few examples below.
This article provides a quick overview of the terms and markets for medical tourism.
This article gives an example how a company involved in the travel industry could implement this concept.
Many hospitals and clinics have or should have international patient departments in order to cater to the needs of a foreign patient, this article gives an example of why this is so vital to the success of the industry it also serves as an example of another important market in this industry language translation.
For more detailed information on these topics you can purchase the books written by the president of the MTA an expert in medical tourism.
Step 2 - Start networking and asking questions
The MTA has its own social network, Medical Tourism City you can join this network and become connected to other experts and members of our association, find out what is going on and how others are actively participating.
Step 3 - Keep learning and networking!
The World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress is the best way to maximize on knowledge and networking. It will also give you a chance to see just how huge this industry is. The Congress brings in around 2000 people from 87 different countries, including Ministers of Health, hospitals, doctors, buyers of healthcare, tourism boards, insurance companies and others. We invite experts to share best practices and case studies for the medical tourism industry.
The Congress also features advanced networking software which allows you to schedule one on one networking meetings, this is your opportunity to see who is coming and meet with them face to face to get all the information you need or a new possible business opportunity. Take a look at our agenda to see the sessions and speakers for the 2012 Congress in South Florida. Also, if you register before July 1st you save $500 on the registration fee.
There are so many ways the MTA could assist you in becoming part of the medical tourism industry please contact us if you or someone you know needs help in getting started!
Olivia@MedicalTourismAssociation.com
