Healthcare Globalization

MBA 539 International Business

Homework Assignment 1

Task 1: Read the Opening Case “Globalization of Healthcare” on page 42, and then answer the following questions:

1. A decade ago the idea that medical procedures might move offshore was unthinkable. Today it is a reality. What trends have facilitated this process?

2. Is the globalization of health care good or bad for patients?

3. Is the globalization of health care good or bad for the American economy?

4. Who might benefit from the globalization of health care? Who might lose?

5. Do you think that the U.S. government should restrict the outsourcing of medical work to developing nations? What if physicians in those countries are certified by U.S. medical institutions?

Please limit your answers to two pages

Task 2: Read the group term project document posted to D2L

Task 3: Read the syllabus posted to D2L

1. Some of the trends that have enabled health care to go global are MRI scans, X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds. At first, because of the high demand for radiologists, scans were being sent to radiologists in India, and they were being read over night for faster results to a patient. This also reduced the cost to the doctors and patients, saving people money and time. This has now trickled into international surgeries, where patients with no health insurance can have surgeries for much smaller costs than if they had them done in the United States.

2. I believe it can be both good and bad for the patient. As long as the patient goes to a verified doctor and has a safe surgery, the globalization can be a good thing. Patients who do not have health insurance, or their insurance does not have good coverage, going internationally for life saving surgeries can be a very good thing. This can also be bad because patients may be willing to have riskier surgeries just to save money. If a patient does not do enough research before traveling to another country for...