Compliance is Essential for Advancing Medical Tourism in Mexico

Q: What is the economic impact of medical tourism?

A: Last year, Mexico welcomed 1.4 million medical tourists, 1.2 million of whom were from the United States. Those visitors traveled mainly to northern states like Baja California. Medical tourism is growing at an annual rate of about 10%. It generates about US$11 billion, and this figure is expected to increase. Consequently, laws must be adapted to be more investor-friendly and encourage both national and foreign investments. It is also essential to establish rules, procedures, and protocols to ensure regulatory compliance for sustainability.

Q: What was the main objective behind the organization of the first international legal compliance seminar in Mexico?

A: This will be the first seminar in the world centered on international legal compliance for medical tourism. The event has been in development for years. As legal practitioners, we have observed a significant amount of misinformation and confusion regarding the legislation surrounding medical tourism, as the terms are often opaque due to the complexity of harmonizing health laws among different jurisdictions. This has posed challenges for international jurists in developing laws or regulations applicable across the world.

Consequently, there are gaps where patients and providers, including hospitals, doctors, and various facilitators, such as transportation services, struggle to coordinate responsibilities effectively. This lack of clarity hinders processes, and clusters, despite their organizational efforts, face obstacles in complementing each other's roles. It is crucial for all stakeholders to have access to consistent information, understand their respective responsibilities, and comply with both Mexican regulations and international treaties.

Q: Why did the council ally with Temos Academy to organize this event?

A: Temos International is a German accrediting company that provides accreditations and has its own academy. Known as Temos Academy, it offers various master classes or training program and it is the first to consider the legal aspect in its accreditation and seminar system.

Q: Why did you choose Guanajuato as the location for the seminar?

A: We chose San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, because it offers many benefits. First, it is centrally located. Second, it is a UNESCO city with a rich history and culture. It has been named the No. 1 tourist city globally several times by Condé Nast Travels and is increasingly focusing on wellness tourism. It has hot springs, an excellent climate, vineyards, and many other features that make it suitable for a wellness center. We received support from both the municipal and state governments. The city is a perfect fit.

Q: Why do patients choose to seek treatment internationally?

A: Citizens in other countries sometimes face delays in accessing adequate care. Some systems cannot cope, leading to long waiting lists even for basic treatments. Those countries face a shortage of doctors and medications, creating a significant backlog. Naturally, patients are exploring alternatives, which has greatly contributed to the rise of medical tourism.

Q: What is one of the factors that Mexico needs to address to elevate medical tourism?

A: An issue surfacing recently is the risk of infections from donors or blood. Some outbreaks of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, and COVID have been observed. Strict protocols are essential to prevent these issues. It is necessary to mitigate infection risks or ensure patients’ safety during their journey. Medical tourism can bring considerable cost savings, ranging from 36% to 70% depending on treatments, and up to 80% for dental procedures.

Q: How is Mexico establishing itself as a leading destination for medical tourism?

A: Mexico is consolidating itself as one of the primary destinations for medical tourism worldwide. This is a significant opportunity for all healthcare professionals, specialists, hotels, wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, clinics, and spas to establish a consolidated practice in this country. The council advocates for Mexico to have quality tools and accessible costs, leveraging the country's strategic geographical location to make it an ideal destination for medical purposes and wellness.

Mexico is solidifying its position as one of the leading destinations in global medical tourism along with Thailand, Costa Rica, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, and Turkey. Mexico is not only recognized and valued medically but also commercially. We must fully embrace all these benefits of medical tourism, as Mexico possesses numerous advantages that will allow it to become not just the second, but the top destination for medical tourism.

Q: What is the council's strategy for promoting Mexico's reputation and excellence as a global destination for medical tourism?

A: We conduct promotional campaigns to communicate all the benefits and heritage Mexico offers. We also endorse projects to support tourism, medical services, infrastructure, production, academia, and scientific advances.

The Senate has already passed legislation amending Article 7 of the Tourism Law to enhance collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism. However, more actors are necessary and other ministries, such as the Ministry of Economy, need to be involved. While some clusters and states have made commendable efforts, they have been isolated. The council is integrating all these players to ensure coherence and improve the country’s ranking. We are also forming coalitions with Swiss laboratories to establish stem cell research labs in Mexico, and are working to bring foreign doctors to the country. 

Q: How are you drawing international patients to Mexico?

A: The council assists in designing strategies and programs to integrate the entire ecosystem and all information nationally, promoting and consolidating all tourist destinations. It is not sufficient to simply share information among ourselves; we must communicate it with foreign countries. We must also be legally sound to ensure Mexico is perceived as a country with a well-prepared medical industry. We must be seen as good candidates, not only as hosts for medical tourism, but also as a country suitable for investment.

Mexican Council for Medical Tourism is a nonprofit focused on enhancing the medical tourism and wellness sectors by facilitating collaboration and development among its members, governmental bodies, other organizations, and international entities.