Grand Cayman is more than an exotic location for a vacation, it can also be the place to have medical treatment at an affordable cost.
The island has been pivoting itself as a medical tourism destination for the past number of years, offering first-class facilities as well as a gorgeous place to rest and recover from treatment.
With proximity and regular air links to North and Central America as well as the wider Caribbean region, Cayman is ideally situated for health tourism travellers. And with internationally accredited facilities offering services locally, residents in the Cayman Islands can also take advantage of treatment available on their own doorstep, rather than having to travel to the United States or elsewhere.
This results in economic benefits across the islands, leading to medical tourism being seen as the third pillar of the economy, following financial services and tourism.
Health City
Opened in 2014, Health City Cayman Islands is widely regarded as leading the way, locally, in the health tourism market, although a number of other clinics also cater for overseas patients seeking affordable and pioneering treatments.
Health City was founded by internationally renowned heart surgeon and humanitarian Dr. Devi Shetty and supported by the Narayana Health Group of Hospitals. As chairman, Dr. Shetty overseas a network of 32 hospitals across India as well as Health City Cayman Islands, which share the mission of making affordable, high-quality healthcare accessible to all.
It has the prestigious Gold Seal of Approval from Joint Commission International, the worldwide leader in accrediting the quality of healthcare.
As a destination for international patients seeking medical procedures and recovery care, Health City has on-site accommodation at Parrot Ridge apartments on its East End site, with 16 units reserved for overseas patients. Different types of apartments cater for solo travellers and families.
A variety of treatment is offered at the campus, with everything from life-saving heart surgery to neurology.
Health City is currently expanding to Camana Bay, where construction of a US$100 million superspecialty hospital is under way. The new facility will feature a specialised cancer care centre with comprehensive and advanced oncology offerings, a neonatal intensive care unit, an emergency pavilion and critical care unit, and a robust multi-specialty programme which includes robotic surgery.
NovoClinic
Another example of a facility which offers international services is NovoClinic, based at BritCay House in George Town, which attracts medical tourists from all over the world.
The clinic hosts CaymanSpine and CaymanOrtho/SportsMed – Center for Motion Surgery, and offers a concierge service to visitors travelling to Grand Cayman for orthopaedic and spine care, offering some treatments available only on-island.
Advanced, US/UK/EU board-certified specialists and subspecialists practise patient-centred, evidence-based medicine. This integrated spine and orthopaedic practice is leading clinical research, innovation and education in the region.
“Since overseas travel is far more convenient compared to decades ago and technological advancements have helped improve the quality of global healthcare, medical tourism has become more of a necessity than a luxury, due to its practicality,” says Anja Gale, managing director of NovoClinic.
“Another advantage of medical tourism is the immediate access to healthcare services. Cayman is attractive not only to healthcare providers, but to patients as it’s strictly regulated, it’s beautiful and offers all the advantages of a first-world country.”
Useful resources for those visiting the Cayman Islands, such as bank, supermarket and transport information, can be found here.
