1st Medical Tourism Conference

MEDICAL TOURISM – A way to increase competitiveness of the Croatian tourism products

Conference goals

Introducing medical tourism to the Croatian public
Presenting potentials of the Croatian medical tourism on the international market
Demonstrating how to implement medical tourism services into the existing medical facilities
Connecting providers of medical tourism services with the international insurance companies and medical tourism agencies

Long-term Conference focus

Establish a tradition of holding medical tourism conferences where leading experts in medical tourism from the country and abroad will have a chance to meet with the purpose of organizing a continuous exchange of knowledge and experience, and developing Croatian tourism products.

Who is this Conference intended for?

Health care institutions in private and public sector, entrepreneurs in health care, travel agencies, hotel managers, marketing agencies, investors…

Organising and Scientific Committee

- doc.dr.sc. Miljenko Bura
- prof.dr.sc. Mato Bartoluci
- dipl.oec. Marela Barać
- Goran Nedoklan
- dr. Kornelije Brkić
- mr.sc. Antonio Vlahov

 

Organizers

PRESS RELEASE

1st Medical Tourism Conference in Vodice, 26 to 28 April 2009

"By comparison with its many current and potential competitors, Croatia has at its disposal some unquestionable advantages, such as top medical human resources and touristic attractiveness of the coastline," emphasized Mr. Miljenko Bura, Ph.D. whilst announcing the 1st Medical Tourism Conference in Croatia, taking place from 26 to 28 April 2009 at the Olympia Hotel in Vodice.


The Chair of the Conference Expert Committee, Mr Mato Bartoluci, Ph.D., said that the objective of the conference is to present the overall potential of Croatian medical tourism, as well as methods and paths for its implementation into the current, but also new domestic medical and tourist capacities by connecting the medical services providers with international insurance companies and agencies for medical tourism. This should be presented within two thematic parts by ten eminent speakers from Croatia and five international speakers.

Unyielding world market demand growth of 20 to 25% for these services is expected due to increase in medical care expenses in the developed countries and long surgery waiting lists, decrease in care standards due to reductions in staff and increased pressures on current healthcare systems due to population aging. At the same time, globalization and the increase in communication technologies' level accelerate the almost exponential growth of this new sector, since the potential users of these services are able to obtain, within moments, almost all relevant information on the services of medical tourism, consulting directly with the physicians and experts even outside of their countries of residence, via video conferences and contemporary media, especially the Internet.
Initial concrete steps in this area are being taken not only at congress and educational level, but also at the infrastructural level, as is the case, for example, with launching of the showcase project of the Medical Tourism Centre in Vodice by Medicinska grupa d.o.o. /Medical Group Ltd./. This is a multi-functional facility that through merging of hospitality and tourist services on one side and high-category medical facility on the other, follows the top modern global trends in tourist and medical services.

The Centre's medical services range from the most modern radiology and endoscopic diagnostics, internal medicine, surgical interventions of daily surgery, up to more demanding surgical interventions requiring longer treatment and rehabilitation. In dental medicine area, it includes all services of a modern dental medicine centre with laboratories following the newest trends and technologies.



More detailed information: www.medicinska-grupa.com