North Carolina Firm Offers ‘Global Health Care Option’
A Raleigh, N.C.-based company plans to coordinate overseas health care in Indian hospitals for American patients in need of highly-complex medical procedures at costs dramatically lower than now available in the United States.
Rajesh Rao, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at IndUShealth, commented, Gaining access to affordable health care is already a huge issue in the U.S. and we want to help solve it. We think part of the solution is to think globally when it comes to medical treatment options. Americans need global health care options.
IndUShealth officials point out that its long-range plan to send thousands of American patients to medical centers in India may help address the issue of patients being able to afford badly-needed medical care in the U.S.
Referring to published statistics, IndUShealth company founders note that there are more than 40 million Americans with inadequate health insurance coverage. Many risk financial ruin in the face of an unexpected major medical expense.
Rao said that the newly-created IndUShealth firm has developed a process of acquiring suitable patient references from U.S.-based physicians and arranging transportation to two widely-known Indian hospitals for treatment and comprehensive follow-up service in the U.S.
IndUShealth has completed treatment referral agreements with Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center Ltd. (EHIRC) for the purpose of promoting and expanding the hospitals business with North American patients. Both are major medical centers in New Delhi.
The Apollo Hospital Group is the fourth-largest health care group in the world and the largest in Asia. It comprises more than 6,400 beds in 32 hospitals, along with a network of nursing and hospital management colleges, pharmacies and diagnostic clinics.
Anne Marie Moncure, managing director of Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited, said, Our hospital’s mission is to offer health care at international standards to patients from any part of the world. The agreement with our partner in North Carolina establishes an important link between U.S. patients and the excellent, affordable care we offer here.
The 332-bed Escorts Heart Institute in New Delhi is one of the most technically-advanced cardiac hospitals in the world. Combined with 11 heart command centers around the country and associate hospitals, Escorts manages patients in more than 900 beds.
Tom Keesling, Co-founder and President at IndUShealth, said, We are now building workable, mutually-beneficial relationships with service providers and physicians in the U.S. who will be key partners for us. As qualified referrals are identified, we will arrange consultations with the appropriate physicians in India and move forward.
In addition to private physicians, Keesling said, sources of referrals to the IndUShealth network will eventually include corporations, insurance companies and private/state governmental health plans.
Keesling noted that patients will also be able to gain access to a wide range of elective, uninsured procedures, ranging from major cardiac, orthopedic and gastric procedures to restorative and cosmetic surgery.
Dr. Naresh Trehan, Executive Director of EHIRC, commented, We believe a company like IndUShealth can bring added value to the growing realm of medical value travel. IndUShealth is unique in that it will offer simplified access to the best Indian hospitals, facilities that enjoy leadership in global medicine.
Dr. Trehan added, EHIRC was born out of a dream to offer the highest standards of heart care to Indians. With the agreement with IndUShealth, and others like it in additional parts of the world, we can offer this care to most nations.
Dr. Franklin Church of Raleigh, IndUShealth’s Chief Medical Officer, commented, With a seamless system of patient referral, assessment, travel, treatment and follow-up, IndUShealth will offer a true global health option. We are a direct and complete conduit to the Indian health care system.
In 2004, more than 150,000 foreign patients received medical care in India, a large percentage driven by reduced cost. Medical procedures done in India typically cost between 10 and 20% of what U.S. medical centers are currently charging for identical procedures.
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