TREATMENT ABROUDTREATMENT ABROUDBYDr. ADNAN ABELAssociate professor Faculty of MedicineKuwait University

OUT LINEOUT LINEWestern perspective

Abroad treatment history of Kuwait

Analytical view of 2008

Recommendation

Kuwait constitution

WESTERN WESTERN PERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVE

WESTERN PRESPICTIVEWESTERN PRESPICTIVE

The increasing costs of Medicare.Countries promoting health

tourism.The growth of so-called “5-star

hospitals”.Increasingly mobile patients.

The Increasing cost of The Increasing cost of medical care medical care

Country Knee Surgery cost

U.S & U.K. $20,000

Thailand $6,000

India $7,000

Kuwait $12,000

ABROAD TREATMENT ABROAD TREATMENT HISTORY OF KUWAITHISTORY OF KUWAIT

1949-19901949-1990ConvalescenceCancerCardiovascularPrivate

1992-present1992-presentIndividuals Expense:

◦Middle class◦Dental care◦Plastic surgery◦Upper class

U.S. & U.K.

1992-present1992-presentGovernment

◦Ministry of health◦Ministry of interior◦Ministry of Defense◦K.O.C.◦National guard

Process for Abroad Process for Abroad TreatmentTreatment

NoV

ANALYTICAL VIEW OF ANALYTICAL VIEW OF 20082008

OverviewOverviewAbout 2686 patientsTo more than 17 countriesMost to EuropeNo clear/specific criteria of selectionAll conditions may send abroad

Referred CountriesReferred Countries

1107

784

261 232

64 49 40 33 8350

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

C ountries

B ritain U.S .A G ermany F rance E ygpt C z ec h S audi Italy G reac e S pain

Diagnosis DemographicsDiagnosis Demographics

858

618456 402

18881

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Dia g nosis

Per

cen

tag

e

Internal Medic ine

C ardiac

Neuro

Oncology

Trauma

F ertility

Trans plant

Patients Demographics (Age), 2008Patients Demographics (Age), 2008

128

777

256153

1322

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Ag es

No

. o

f P

atien

ts

0-1 year 2-15 years 16-24 25-30 years above 30

Duration of StayDuration of Stay

443

805

233

73

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

leng th of sta y

No

. o

f P

atien

ts

L es s than 1 month

1-3 months

4-6 months

9 months & above

Patient Accompany Patient Accompany DemographicsDemographics

189

866

1629

20

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Ac c ompa ny R e la tivewithout ac c ompany with1 ac c ompany with2 ac c ompany with 3 ac c ompany

Who Should Go….?!!Who Should Go….?!!

DIAGNOSIS COUNTRY

STAY PER DAY

Chronic Sinusitis UK 63

Psoriasis Egypt 50

Recurrent Pancreatitis France 178

Who Should Go….?!!Who Should Go….?!!

DIAGNOSIS COUNTRYSTAY PER

DAY

Small finger swelling UK ??

Chronic Lower back pain UK 30

Micro-opthalamus Left Eye

USA 72

Who Should Go….?!!Who Should Go….?!!

DIAGNOSIS COUNTRY

STAY PER DAY

Evisceration of the eye

USA 53

Cardiac Diagnosis UK 28

Hypo-Plastic Thumb USA 34

Reasons for Abroad Reasons for Abroad TreatmentTreatment

PoliticalAiling medical systemPatients perspective of the

medical system

Patients perspective of the Patients perspective of the medical sectormedical sectorLack of trust

◦Media◦Members of the Parliament◦V.I.P’s◦Diwnaya

Patients perspective of the Patients perspective of the medical sectormedical sectorLong waiting timeLack of communicationNot Patient focused

Real Reasons?Real Reasons?

Other Causes Other Causes

Aging populationTechnologySpecializationPhilosophy (care at any cost)

RECOMMENDATIONRECOMMENDATION

RecommendationRecommendationHealth reformTreatment abroad department:

◦Vision◦Mission◦Strategy

NUNBER NUNBER 11 ENEMY ENEMY for Implementing a Strategy is Culture for Implementing a Strategy is Culture (people)(people)

Recommendation Recommendation (continued)(continued)

TransparencyCode for illnesses sent abroadClinical auditing:

◦Lung transplant: 6 patients from 1992-2002

Recommendation Recommendation (continued)(continued)

Partnership with other top healthcare providers

TelemedicineMedical robot

Constitution of Kuwait