The concept of medical tourism usually applies to U.S. citizens venturing overseas for procedures that are less expensive than they are in the U.S. But the idea can work both ways.
Port Huron Hospital in Michigan recently launched a campaign to attract Canadian residents to its hospital for operations and procedures that aren't readily available in Canada or involve a long wait. The hospital that sits near the third- busiest border crossing into Canada rolled out an ad campaign in December to let their neighbors know the healthcare they need is just a short drive over the Blue Water Bridge into the U.S.
"For us, it's about generating extra revenue but it's also about the fact that we've been here since 1882 and we're very community-oriented," said Sherry Sheleny, a spokeswoman for Port Huron Hospital. "We just want to improve the health of the community and they are part of our community, even though they're in another country."
Port Huron contracted with a consulting group in Canada to market the hospital to residents in the border cities of Sarnia, London and the surrounding area. The multi-media campaign is using billboards, print ads, a Web-site, and radio commercials to let residents know that quick and convenient service is just a border crossing away. Sheleny said it's still too early to tell how well the campaign is working.
The marketing effort focuses on a key problem in the Canadian health system: long wait times for tests and procedures. So for people on the Ontario Health Insurance Plan worried about a serious illness and not in the mood to wait weeks or months for diagnostic tests, Port Huron Hospital is offering an alternative that provides peace of mind even if patients have to pay out-of-pocket.
"The marketing effort focuses mainly on image diagnostic testing and joint surgery," said Sheleney. "The diagnostic testing is important because people who are waiting for a test to determine if they might have cancer usually want to know right away."
Port Huron's focus on joint surgery is also a good match, given the wait times for most Canadians who need that type of procedure. According to a recent study in Health Affairs, the average wait time for a 65-year-old man in Canada needing a hip replacement is more than six months, far longer than any wait in the U.S.
Another local hospital, St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron, is keeping a close eye on Port Huron Hospital's marketing effort as it considers launching one of its own. Many Michigan hospitals are looking to attract more patients and generate revenue in a state with an unemployment rate of 12.4%, the second-highest in the U.S.
Brian Peters, executive vice president of operations at the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, said he expects more hospitals in border communities to step up efforts to market their services across the border.
"If you look at the reimbursement environment (in the U.S.), Medicare and Medicaid payments haven't grown," Peters told the Port Huron Times Herald. "Growth of uninsured populations puts added pressure on hospitals and gives them a real incentive to draw patients from outside the community."