Economic Zones

How this Free Zone renews the concept of health?

The Hainan provincial government issued a reform plan in 2020 to promote innovation in systems integration in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the only one of its kind in China that enjoys preferential policies such as special permission for import medical technology, related equipment and drugs.
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July 20, 2022

Introduction

The Hainan provincial government issued a reform plan in 2020 to promote innovation in systems integration in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the only one of its kind in China that enjoys preferential policies such as special permission for  import medical technology, related equipment and drugs.

The Boao pilot zone was established in 2013 for the development of international companies and services related to Medical Tourism, licensed medical treatment, cancer prevention and treatment, health management, care and rehabilitation, and anti-aging treatments.

South China's Hainan Province plan aims at building a world-class health tourism center on the tropical island, combining high-end health tourism with traditional Chinese medicine and culture. Under this plan, Hainan will take advantage of its extensive coastal areas, rainforests and hot springs to generate innovative health and leisure products, developing a high-end health tourism service system and Chinese characteristics.

To achieve this, eight important tourism projects will be developed that are oriented to oncological treatments and rehabilitation, fertility therapy, treatment and rehabilitation of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, environmental healing and sports recovery, traditional Chinese medicine, spiritual retreat, among others.

In November 2017, the Hainan provincial government and the Chinese Academy of Engineering first proposed the concept of a “super hospital”.  The hospital's inauguration came just four months after its construction was planned. The Super Hospital is made up of a hospital or a platform, together with several centers of clinical medicine, diversified investment and specialized operation.  The first phase of the hospital comprises 150 beds, five high-standard operating rooms, intensive care units, etc.

Image Source: https://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI_Portal/Article/rp/2019/03/488340/1552877365173_IMAG5392a_488340.jpg 

Boao Hope City

The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, is part of the master plan to make Hainan the only Free Trade Port in China, so it is a special zone, within another special economic zone.

Boao Hope City, with this shorter name this pilot zone is also known and it is worth emphasizing more peculiarities of the same, in terms of key industries, which are the following:

Licensed Medical Treatment: Make full use of the new medical technology, new equipment and new drugs (not listed in the catalogue of clinical medical technology allowed by the state) and the access policy of overseas medical capital, introduce first-class medical institutions and medical service teams, build several medical centers, and create a licensed medical platform. The licensed medical platform is built in stages.

Health Management: In the field of health management, establish modern health management organizations, make full use of and give full play to the basic supporting role of health big data, develop and apply health management software, and establish digital health information system and management system.

Care Rehabilitation: Focus on the construction of the Boao base for health (nursing), maternity and children and rehabilitation. Development of services for the elderly such as health management, leisure, rehabilitation, life support and medical care, and expand services for the elderly such as tourism, communities and insurance. New business type and new models should be developed to meet the needs of different groups, such as pregnancy preparation, full-process nursing, postpartum rehabilitation of pregnant women, professional nutritional diet for mothers and infants, early intellectual development of newborns,etc.

Medical Cosmetology & Anti-aging: The development of personalized medical beauty programs and anti-aging services is based on safety, reliability and the permission of policies and regulations.

Boao Third Party Medical Testing: Support the development of new third-party medical testing technologies and the innovation of service models, cultivate third-party medical testing institutions, optimize the allocation of medical testing technologies, equipment, personnel and other resources, and improve the stability, advancement and accuracy of testing. Improve the mutual recognition system for medical testing reports, strengthen the management of medical testing data, and promote the standardization, normalization and marketization of third-party medical testing industries.

Establish National-level Medical Research Bases: Relying on the medical institutions in the Pilot Area and closely combining with clinical practice, we will actively build a number of national key specialties and laboratories. Carry out the introduction of medical scientific research and advanced technologies to form scientific researches in medical services as well as support medical services in scientific research, so as to seek for an optimal combination of economic and technical benefits.

Image Source: https://www.china-briefing.com/news/hainan-medical-tourism-zone-new-pilot-policies-rolled/ 

Medical Tourism

Every year, thousands of tourists head to destinations that offer the option of enjoying a fantastic vacation, while also having the opportunity to receive high-level medical care at a more affordable cost than they would pay in their countries of origin, or  sometimes they travel to acquire medical services that are not available in their countries, or the services available in their country are of poor quality.

This is why Medical Tourism is now a practice for health care that is increasing, obtaining the same quality of medical care as in hospitals with greater recognition.

The Sumerians (circa 4000 B.C.) constructed the earliest known health complexes that were built around hot springs. These healthcare facilities included majestic elevated temples with flowing pools. Medical tourism can be traced back to the fourth millennium B.C.

Even though, more than 10 years ago, Medical Tourism was only oriented towards cosmetic areas, such as plastic surgery and dentistry, currently its field of action has extended to most specialties, with important procedures  fundamental for life such as heart surgery, hip implant, bariatric surgery and spine surgery, among many others. 

Image Source: https://www.magazine.medicaltourism.com/article/medical-tourism-industry-today 

Medical tourism market today in the world

According to a study made by Zion Market Research, the global Medical Tourism market was valued at around 19 (USD Billion) in 2019 and is predicted to accrue earnings worth 30 (USD Billion) by 2026, is set to record a compound annual growth rate of nearly 8.8% over 2020-2026.

To understand the perception of destinations for Medical Tourism, a very useful tool is to use The Medical Tourism Index (MTI) which ranks American perceptions of 46 international healthcare destinations (the USA isn’t included), providing insight into how consumers view 41 criteria across three primary dimensions,  including Destination Attractiveness, Safety, and Quality of Care.

Image Source: https://www.medicaltourism.com/mti/home 

The case of China for Medical Tourism

According to a report, about 11.8% of Chinese tourists said they travelled overseas for medical treatment, health care and medical cosmetology in 2018. A total of 149.72 million outbound trips were made by Chinese tourists in 2018, up 14.7 per cent from the previous year. In total, they spent $277 billion overseas in 2018, 13% higher than 2017.

By the end of this year, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone should be able to accommodate 200,000 visitors a year, including patients and tourists. That would be a huge jump from the 75,000 people that visited last year, helping to drive revenues of 640 million yuan (US$90.5 million) from medical treatment.

The data about international tourists who have come for medical attention to this pilot area is not available to the public, however, looking at the tourism data for the island of Hainan in general, where less than 3% of the tourists are foreigners  It would not be strange to think that this area will first be in charge of attracting the Chinese domestic market, before trying to be a world-renowned international area.  At least in the short term.

However, this strategy of attracting the Chinese national market itself makes sense, since China has a deficit in its trade balance in terms of tourism, so it is interesting that China is creating a medical paradise within its own legislature  in its only tropical island province, which is Hainan.

Image Source: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/34149902

Tags
Economic Zones

How this Free Zone renews the concept of health?

The Hainan provincial government issued a reform plan in 2020 to promote innovation in systems integration in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the only one of its kind in China that enjoys preferential policies such as special permission for import medical technology, related equipment and drugs.
By
No items found.
,  
July 20, 2022

Introduction

The Hainan provincial government issued a reform plan in 2020 to promote innovation in systems integration in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the only one of its kind in China that enjoys preferential policies such as special permission for  import medical technology, related equipment and drugs.

The Boao pilot zone was established in 2013 for the development of international companies and services related to Medical Tourism, licensed medical treatment, cancer prevention and treatment, health management, care and rehabilitation, and anti-aging treatments.

South China's Hainan Province plan aims at building a world-class health tourism center on the tropical island, combining high-end health tourism with traditional Chinese medicine and culture. Under this plan, Hainan will take advantage of its extensive coastal areas, rainforests and hot springs to generate innovative health and leisure products, developing a high-end health tourism service system and Chinese characteristics.

To achieve this, eight important tourism projects will be developed that are oriented to oncological treatments and rehabilitation, fertility therapy, treatment and rehabilitation of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, environmental healing and sports recovery, traditional Chinese medicine, spiritual retreat, among others.

In November 2017, the Hainan provincial government and the Chinese Academy of Engineering first proposed the concept of a “super hospital”.  The hospital's inauguration came just four months after its construction was planned. The Super Hospital is made up of a hospital or a platform, together with several centers of clinical medicine, diversified investment and specialized operation.  The first phase of the hospital comprises 150 beds, five high-standard operating rooms, intensive care units, etc.

Image Source: https://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI_Portal/Article/rp/2019/03/488340/1552877365173_IMAG5392a_488340.jpg 

Boao Hope City

The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, is part of the master plan to make Hainan the only Free Trade Port in China, so it is a special zone, within another special economic zone.

Boao Hope City, with this shorter name this pilot zone is also known and it is worth emphasizing more peculiarities of the same, in terms of key industries, which are the following:

Licensed Medical Treatment: Make full use of the new medical technology, new equipment and new drugs (not listed in the catalogue of clinical medical technology allowed by the state) and the access policy of overseas medical capital, introduce first-class medical institutions and medical service teams, build several medical centers, and create a licensed medical platform. The licensed medical platform is built in stages.

Health Management: In the field of health management, establish modern health management organizations, make full use of and give full play to the basic supporting role of health big data, develop and apply health management software, and establish digital health information system and management system.

Care Rehabilitation: Focus on the construction of the Boao base for health (nursing), maternity and children and rehabilitation. Development of services for the elderly such as health management, leisure, rehabilitation, life support and medical care, and expand services for the elderly such as tourism, communities and insurance. New business type and new models should be developed to meet the needs of different groups, such as pregnancy preparation, full-process nursing, postpartum rehabilitation of pregnant women, professional nutritional diet for mothers and infants, early intellectual development of newborns,etc.

Medical Cosmetology & Anti-aging: The development of personalized medical beauty programs and anti-aging services is based on safety, reliability and the permission of policies and regulations.

Boao Third Party Medical Testing: Support the development of new third-party medical testing technologies and the innovation of service models, cultivate third-party medical testing institutions, optimize the allocation of medical testing technologies, equipment, personnel and other resources, and improve the stability, advancement and accuracy of testing. Improve the mutual recognition system for medical testing reports, strengthen the management of medical testing data, and promote the standardization, normalization and marketization of third-party medical testing industries.

Establish National-level Medical Research Bases: Relying on the medical institutions in the Pilot Area and closely combining with clinical practice, we will actively build a number of national key specialties and laboratories. Carry out the introduction of medical scientific research and advanced technologies to form scientific researches in medical services as well as support medical services in scientific research, so as to seek for an optimal combination of economic and technical benefits.

Image Source: https://www.china-briefing.com/news/hainan-medical-tourism-zone-new-pilot-policies-rolled/ 

Medical Tourism

Every year, thousands of tourists head to destinations that offer the option of enjoying a fantastic vacation, while also having the opportunity to receive high-level medical care at a more affordable cost than they would pay in their countries of origin, or  sometimes they travel to acquire medical services that are not available in their countries, or the services available in their country are of poor quality.

This is why Medical Tourism is now a practice for health care that is increasing, obtaining the same quality of medical care as in hospitals with greater recognition.

The Sumerians (circa 4000 B.C.) constructed the earliest known health complexes that were built around hot springs. These healthcare facilities included majestic elevated temples with flowing pools. Medical tourism can be traced back to the fourth millennium B.C.

Even though, more than 10 years ago, Medical Tourism was only oriented towards cosmetic areas, such as plastic surgery and dentistry, currently its field of action has extended to most specialties, with important procedures  fundamental for life such as heart surgery, hip implant, bariatric surgery and spine surgery, among many others. 

Image Source: https://www.magazine.medicaltourism.com/article/medical-tourism-industry-today 

Medical tourism market today in the world

According to a study made by Zion Market Research, the global Medical Tourism market was valued at around 19 (USD Billion) in 2019 and is predicted to accrue earnings worth 30 (USD Billion) by 2026, is set to record a compound annual growth rate of nearly 8.8% over 2020-2026.

To understand the perception of destinations for Medical Tourism, a very useful tool is to use The Medical Tourism Index (MTI) which ranks American perceptions of 46 international healthcare destinations (the USA isn’t included), providing insight into how consumers view 41 criteria across three primary dimensions,  including Destination Attractiveness, Safety, and Quality of Care.

Image Source: https://www.medicaltourism.com/mti/home 

The case of China for Medical Tourism

According to a report, about 11.8% of Chinese tourists said they travelled overseas for medical treatment, health care and medical cosmetology in 2018. A total of 149.72 million outbound trips were made by Chinese tourists in 2018, up 14.7 per cent from the previous year. In total, they spent $277 billion overseas in 2018, 13% higher than 2017.

By the end of this year, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone should be able to accommodate 200,000 visitors a year, including patients and tourists. That would be a huge jump from the 75,000 people that visited last year, helping to drive revenues of 640 million yuan (US$90.5 million) from medical treatment.

The data about international tourists who have come for medical attention to this pilot area is not available to the public, however, looking at the tourism data for the island of Hainan in general, where less than 3% of the tourists are foreigners  It would not be strange to think that this area will first be in charge of attracting the Chinese domestic market, before trying to be a world-renowned international area.  At least in the short term.

However, this strategy of attracting the Chinese national market itself makes sense, since China has a deficit in its trade balance in terms of tourism, so it is interesting that China is creating a medical paradise within its own legislature  in its only tropical island province, which is Hainan.

Image Source: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/34149902

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