The medical tourism industry is currently worth an estimated $248.9 billion and is forecast to reach $822.7 billion by 2034. Rehabilitation facilities helping clients recover from substance use disorders (SUDs) are also gaining traction within this area. So what can US center for addiction treatment learn from this trend, and how can you apply these lessons to improve your services and bolster patient care and satisfaction?
Understanding Market Dynamics
There are many reasons that may lead individuals to seek addiction treatment abroad. It can be as simple as removing oneself from triggers in a home environment; but access to better, or different treatments; a wish for increased privacy when dealing with a stigmatized illness; or proximity to nature can all be decisive points. Medical treatment may also be more affordable in other countries.
By exploring the factors behind patients’ decisions to seek treatment abroad, US addiction treatment centers can gain valuable insights into client preferences and the challenges they face. You can compete effectively with international centers by adding new services, or adjusting the way you communicate your offering to highlight your own center’s unique and desirable qualities.
Identifying Opportunities for Improvement
What are the services and facilities that overseas centers are promoting that make them attractive to patients? Improving the patient experience in every way is key to attracting and retaining new clients, giving them what they need to overcome and manage their addiction to make a lasting change.
Turn a keen eye on your services and assess how they compare. It may be upgrading your accommodation to a higher standard; perhaps it is adding a more holistic approach to treatment, or offering a more personalized form of care. Identify any gaps in your services, and ensure you are a forerunner for innovative new treatments, which can be highly appealing for patients.
The Importance of Accreditation
It is crucial to ensure that your accreditations are up-to-date, and it is important to put them front and center of your marketing materials. International facilities may have different forms of certifications that are less well-known or trusted than their US counterparts. Demonstrating how your center is committed to high standards and accredited by recognized bodies is one way in which you can compete strongly.
Consider applying for additional certifications to showcase your credibility. Not only do new and up-to-date accreditations bring increased trust, once achieved they are also a good marketing message for new or improved services and facilities.
Marketing and Differentiation Strategies
You want to learn lessons from international centers, but you should also consider how to craft your marketing messages around the unique aspects your treatment center offers and the benefits of local care when compared to medical tourism options. Strong community ties and post-recovery support are two major patient benefits in seeking treatment locally, and follow-up appointments demonstrate an on-going commitment to evidence-based treatment.
Using digital marketing strategies, including social media, will help you reach out to potential clients who may be seeking overseas care. By targeting them at the point of decision-making, you have the opportunity to show the added value your local care facility offers.
Delivering Comprehensive Care
It’s not only the message but the medium. Some patients are overwhelmed even by travel to a local center, and you may be able to engage them better by offering therapeutic services virtually. Telehealth and virtual therapy can be highly appealing for some clients, especially when cleverly blended with traditional in-person options, a model that is much harder for overseas centers to offer.
Consider implementing hybrid services and highlight the convenience for patients. With less time and stress spent on traveling, it is easier for them to access the care they need in a timely manner, without traveling long distances while potentially going through withdrawal.
Fostering Community Relationships
Overseas centers often have strong relationships and collaborations with their local communities or partner organizations to offer a holistic care. Seek to replicate those types of partnerships with organizations in your own community. To attract local clients to your facilities, it’s important to show how your center is a part of their own local heritage, keeping them engaged and connected to their own roots.
By reaching out to community centers and others, and by sharing best practices gleaned from international facilities and each other, you strengthen community ties, and enhance local involvement, with positive effects for all local patients and centers.
Addressing Patient Concerns
While medical tourism for addiction is a growing trend, patients do also have concerns and worries when it comes to deciding to travel long distances. Tap into those concerns to reassure clients that your local service is a safer and more reliable option, with no need to worry about a language barrier, or cultural misunderstandings and differences. US centers for addiction treatment have the ability to offer their local patients continuity of care, a local support network, and aftercare that extends beyond a follow-up email or phone call.
With high rates of relapse in SUDs, many patients are especially concerned about effective post-treatment services, to aid their recovery into the long-term future. You can effectively demonstrate how your center is better placed to offer these services.
Conclusion
By critically evaluating the attractions that overseas facilities hold for patients with SUDs, you can gain insights for your own addiction treatment center. This knowledge can help improve patient experience and outcomes, and ensures that your facility is strongly positioned as a world leader in SUD treatment and care.
Patients traveling abroad are often looking for holistic treatments and a community-led approach, perhaps they are concerned about anonymity or are simply interested in a more premium experience. By reflecting on these elements and perhaps adding them to your offering, while clearly communicating your advantages, such as accreditation and post-recovery support, you can position your center as a strong competitor to medical tourism.
