Business View Caribbean - January 2015 97
The primary target markets for medical tourism visitors
remain the United States, Canada and other Caribbe-
an island nations, though China provides an intriguing
possibility going forward thanks to Chinese ownership
of a large local hotel under construction that Rassin
believes will ultimately help raise the Bahamian profile
in the world’s most populous country.
“You have to say (50 percent) is optimistic because it
is just a budgeted figure,” he said. “But I believe it is
realistic that we could increase, once we get the (fe-
cal microbiota transplant) program going and the stem
cell program going. I believe the activities in those two
areas alone will help get us close to 50 percent of our
business being from international patients.”
Getting to 25, 30 or 50 percent involves some market-
ing alongside the medicine, too.
The last two years, Rassin said, have been spent ad-
vertising the sheer fact that the Bahamas is a legiti-
mate destination for medical procedures. Next up,
he said, is translating that reality into actual activity,
which is done through work with the Medical Tourism
Association and its contacts, and, eventually, through
linking up with self-funded employers and insurance
companies that are looking for different and less ex-
pensive destinations for employees and customers.
Relationships have also been struck with Bahamian-
bound airlines and domestic hotels to help secure
better pricing for incoming patients for their travel and
lodging needs.
Five years from now, Rassin expects all of today’s
ground work to be paying dividends.
“By then, we will be an international destination, well-
known in all the circles around the world that refer
patients for international health care,” he said. “I’m
certain we’ll get where we want to be.”
PREFERRED VENDORS
Bahamas Medical & Surgical Supplies Ltd.
(
) --
Supplier of medical and surgi-
cal products, equipment and services. We are the official
authorized suppliers for all GE Healthcare products and
equipment. We operate from our offices on Shirley Street
and Shirley Park Avenue in close proximity to themajor hos-
pitals and other healthcare facilities.
International MED-X (Fort Myers, Fla.) –
Provider of medi-
cal imaging equipment, sales and service throughout the
Caribbean.
MDMS International (Nassau, Bahamas)
Nassau Agencies (Nassau, Bahamas)
HEALTHCARE
