Additional Requirements for Medical Value Travel Facilitators as per ISO 22525

(Effective immediately)

0. INTRODUCTION

The standard ISO 22525 provides requirements for medical tourism. In order to enhance usability of ISO 22525 in the global context specifically for the purpose of including AYUSH sector, there was a need felt to write some additional/ specific requirements to supplement the ISO 22525. Requirements given in this document must be read in conjunction with the ISO 22525

The number of people travelling from one country to another searching for healthcare has quickly increased in recent years. Several factors make India a popular medical tourism destination. These include the presence of world-class hospitals, skilled medical professionals and superior quality healthcare; low treatment costs compared to other countries; unavailability of treatment in medical tourists' home countries or desire of medical tourists to skip long waiting lists; and credibility in Indian traditional systems of medicine as well as increased global demand for wellness services like Yoga and Meditation. Furthermore, the growing demand within this global market has benefited from the ease and affordability of international travel as well as technological progress and information about the possibilities that the internet offers. Treatments include oncology treatment, organ transplant, neuro and spine surgeries, cardiac procedures, orthopaedic surgeries, bariatric surgery, cosmetic, laser surgery, dentistry and AYUSH therapeutic interventions especially Ayurvedic Panchakarma therapies. AYUSH comprises traditional and non-conventional systems of healthcare and healing.

Multiple stakeholders are involved in the medical tourism value chain, including facilitators, healthcare providers (for example, clinics and hospitals of all systems of medicine recognized under applicable Indian law), professionals (for example, doctors of all systems of medicine recognized under applicable Indian law and registered with appropriate statutory authority), hotels/guest houses and other interested parties (for example, insurance companies and embassies/high commissions/consulates). The development of medical tourism faces many challenges, such as simplifying the administrative tasks, enhancing and adapting healthcare procedures and post-treatment care, and coordinating travel arrangements. These might present some difficulties for healthcare providers in meeting medical tourists' expectations.

There is an obvious need, therefore, to define, at an international level, the minimum quality requirements for providing medical tourism services, considering the different stakeholders involved, in order to meet the expectations of medical tourists. This standard fulfills the need of aforementioned quality requirements.

1. SCOPE

Requirements of ISO 22525 apply.

2. Normative references:

Requirements of ISO 22525 apply.

3. Terms and definitions:

Requirements of ISO 22525 apply except for the following terms which are slightly modified for clarity, to cover all systems of medicine and healthcare staff:

3.2 facilitator

medical-tourism-specialized intermediary which aids the medical tourist in the process of contracting medical services. They are often termed as Medical Value Travel Facilitator (MVTF).

Note 1 to entry: Some facilitators also completely or partly arrange concierge services, flights or accommodation for the medical tourist.

EXAMPLE Travel agency, medical cluster, the international department of a healthcare provider.

3.4 healthcare provider

organisation where medical tourists (3.9) are given medical consultation, diagnosis, rehabilitation and medical or surgical treatment for all systems of medicine recognized under applicable law

EXAMPLE Clinic, hospital, rehabilitation centre

3.5 healthcare staff

qualified staff who provide clinical services to medical tourists (3.9)

EXAMPLE Nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, emergency medical technician, radiography staff, dietician, dietician, marma therapist, panchakarma technician etc.

4. General requirements:

Requirements of ISO 22525 apply for the facilitator. Requirements meant for the healthcare providers shall be met through the provision of clause 6.1.

5. Requirements for facilitators:

Requirements of ISO 22525 apply

6. Requirements for healthcare providers:

Requirements of ISO 22525 apply except where these are replaced by specific requirements and given in this document.

6.1 General

The facilitator shall ensure that the healthcare provider to be contracted to provide medical services to medical tourist meets any one of the following criteria.

- i. Accreditation from an accreditation body accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care External Evaluation Association (ISQuaEEA) using ISQuaEEA accredited standards or equivalent, read with any additional requirements specified under this programme, for Ayush Hospitals / Day Care centres / Clinics
- ii. Accreditation from an accreditation body accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care External Evaluation Association (ISQuaEEA) using WHO EMRO Standards for Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Standards or equivalent standard, read with any additional requirements specified under this programme, for healthcare accreditation for Ayush Hospitals / Day Care centres / Clinics.
- iii. Accreditation from an accreditation body accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care External Evaluation Association (ISQuaEEA) using ISO 7101 or equivalent standard, read with any additional requirements specified under this programme, for healthcare accreditation for Ayush Hospitals / Day Care centres / Clinics.
- iv. Certification to ISO 7101, read with any additional requirements specified under this programme for Ayush Hospitals / Day Care centres / Clinics, by a certification body accredited by an accreditation body which is signatory to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF)* for ISO 17021-1 until MLA for ISO 7101 is established.
- v. Certification to ISO 9001, read with any additional requirements specified under this programme for Ayush Hospitals / Day Care centres / Clinics, as applicable, by a certification body accredited by an accreditation body which is signatory to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF)* for ISO 17021-1/ISO 9001. All clauses of ISO 9001 shall be applicable without any exclusion

*or its successor Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated

6.2 Information: Requirements of ISO 22525 apply.

6.3 General service provision: Requirements of ISO 22525 apply.

6.4 Staff: Requirements of this clause will be met through the provision of clause 6.1

6.5 Medical service provision: Requirements of this clause will be met through the provision of clause 6.1

6.6 Nutrition: Requirements of this clause will be met through the provision of clause 6.1

6.7 Safety and security: Requirements of this clause will be met through the provision of clause 6.1

6.8 Cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and maintenance: Requirements of this clause will be met through the provision of clause 6.1