From years 2014 to 2020, half of the world’s population will be seniors nearing retirement age.
This was affirmed by Joyce Socao-Alumno, Executive Director of HealthCore Philippines, saying that a market of now aging generation of baby boomers would be an advantage for Filipinos in the medical field, both in the Philippines and abroad.
Envisioned to become a $3-trillion global business by 2020, Alumno (in a report from Philstar) said that medical tourism, in the Philippines, is expected to flourish and will play a pivotal role in gaining economic success for the country. Alumno added that with the right motivation, Pinoy medical practitioners abroad (particularly in the United States) may become key players in Philippine medical tourism.
Should Pinoys in the medical filed opt to return to the Philippines to respond to a growing baby boom market with medical needs, the country has the potential to compete with neighboring countries, who have the same vision in mind.
Proficiency and fluency in the English language would be an added advantage, since most Filipinos can speak and write in English.
Foreign investment on healthcare facilities and services in the Philippines would be beneficial in terms of job opportunities and tourism.
And with the proliferation of foreign-invested medical hubs in the country, local hospitals will be compelled to modernize their facilities and services, in order to keep up with the competition.
However, Alumno reiterated issues that still need to be addressed, before the scenario of medical travel can be realized: poor security, poverty, lack of quality medical facilities and competent medical practitioners.
In order for the Philippines to be considered as a destination for global health care, it also needs the support of the government to benchmark the standards of doctors and medical facilities and keep up with international standards, said Alumno.
Improvements may be slow, few and far between at this point, but what would change the course in leaps and bounds foremost would be the willingness of our kababayans in the medical field to return to their country — not just for lucrative reasons, but to serve their country and their countrymen — retiring baby boomers — who deserve all the care they can get in their winter years.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend Nov. 5-8, 2011 Section A, page 12)
