Dr. Jorge Cortés is CMO in Hospital Clínica Bíblica, the largest and most prestigious private hospital in Costa Rica. Dr. Cortés has focused his work on hospital quality and patient safety, which has translated in Hospital Clínica Bíblica becoming the first organization in Central American to receive an accreditation by the Joint Commission International.
Mr Naresh Jadeja discussed with Dr. Jorge Cortés, Why Costa Rica has successfully evolved as a medical tourism destination?
Mr. Naresh Jadeja : How do you see the opportunities in medical tourism industry? What potentials does it hold? What promising benefits do you foresee in it?
Dr. Cortez : Absolutely remarkable, I think it's a growing industry and to continue with we must clarify some untouched issues particularly the legal aspect. But along with it we must also have this in our mind that the medical services available globally are almost same if not better then developed countries. That is because treatment is related to technology and technology is related to knowledge, which is universal and that means technological advancements are also universal. This leads to expectation of having the same quality outcomes in any place. It means that the matter to be addressed here are cost management and qualitative medical services.
Mr. Naresh : What extra advantage does Costa Rica has over other countries?
Dr Cortez : Well, proximity is obviously the first one, as Costa Rica is geographically the closest medical travel destination to one of the major market of industry that is United States. Secondly Costa Rica has a reputed history about its quality medical services since seventy long years. Costa Rica has very well established social security system, as is the most ancient democracy in Latin America.The country does not posses army and is a peace full place to be.
Mr. Naresh Jadeja : What issues does Costa Rica as a medical travel destination face in attracting more patients?
Dr Cortez : The very first thing to overcome is to let insurers believe that the quality of surgery is same as they experience back home in United States above being low cost. Also, it is hard to achieve confidence of the people. I mean this is a new industry and people are still experiencing this carefully. But I think in the matter of Five to ten years this will be something as normal as domestic travel, I mean take a regional airline or international airline will be the same.
Mr Naresh. Jadeja : IWHTA is raising awareness about one of the major fear for an international traveler - transparency in quality data reporting. What initiatives do you offer right now?
Dr Cortez : The fact here is to have the equivalent results and to be so comfortable with the quality that we can bring those moderators to our hospitals. Along with comes the transparency for which we are recognized as 1 out 132 JCI accredited hospital worldwide and ranked fifth in Latin America by the financial analysis news magazine: American Economics. Clinica Biblica is one of the most prestigious in this region and we have a history of giving best medical services to the population of Costa Rica since 1929.
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