Medical tourism

Recently my mom was hospitalised in Israel for a "gall stone". The hospital there was getting ready for an operation for which the estimated bill raised with the Insurance company was approx. 8 Lacs INR. Things so panned out that she recovered from the "stone attack" within 24hrs and landed in India and after consulting the doctors here got the gall bladder removed from a Government Hospital.

Just to compare the costs - Apollo (considered 5 star in healthcare) would have cost 10% of the Israeli hospital. And the Government hospital cost 5% of whaat Apollo would have cost or in other words it cost 0.5% of what the Israeli hospital would have cost!!

The whole experience from consultation, investigation, admission, operation and discharge was completed like in a conveyor belt system. The crowds there are to be seen to be believed!! The nursing staff were very helpful and as its the norm - most government hospitals are also medical schools - you have a bunch of students following the doctor in his rounds, who also impart some knowledge to the patient as to what they did during surgery.

The rooms had flat screen TV with dish cable to boot!! Breakfast was served with the morning newspaper. Lunch, dinner and tea were on the dot both with respect to time and taste. All fine vegetarian fare. There was no expectation of a tip and even when one was offered the same was refused!!

Oh by the way did I mention that all the services are FREE for the poor of the nation? These rooms come at a princely sum of INR300 per bed per day. Compare that with the 45000/- per day in Israel!! JAI HO!!