Times of India
13 April 2010
Ahmedabad, India

Gujarati Docs Collaborate With US Surgeons For Knee Surgery
Noted orthopaedic and knee replacement surgeon Dr Haresh Bhalodia and US-based hip and knee replacement specialist Dr Mayron Stachniw have announced a collaboration for exchange of knowledge on latest technological developments in the field of orthopaedics globally.

“We have formed a consortium of sorts with doctors from India, US and Africa. We intend to work together so that patients get maximum benefit,” said Dr Bhalodia. It needs mention that knee replacement surgery costs between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh in the best possible facility in Gujarat. The same surgery is extremely expensive in the US where its costs $21,000 in a nonprofit hospital and US$ 35,000 in a private hospital.

“With a new health policy introduced recently in the US, we are expecting many citizens to go abroad for surgery. Currently, a lot of insurance companies are prompting clients to go abroad, saving money both for the company as well as patients who would otherwise have to pay a big chunk of the fee,” says Dr Stachniw.

He added that he visited a lot of facilities and witnessed surgeons performing surgeries here. “The quality of surgeons is excellent. The infrastructure too is good,” he said.

It needs mention that the doctors as well as hospitals are now eyeing a sizeable share of the medical tourism industry which is only set to grow by leaps and bounds with more US citizens expected to look outwards for planned surgeries.

“We have partnered with doctors in Africa as medical facilities there for joint replacement surgeries are not up to the mark and we can treat the patients at lesser cost than what is charged by European and other south-east Asian countries,” said Dr Haresh Bhalodia.