PlanetHospital - Service based on personal experience

This week, we’re going to examine some of the leading medical tour operators in the business.  These are private companies that arrange comprehensive medical tour packages for people wishing to receive medical treatment abroad.  Many of these tour operators have established relationships with leading accredited hospitals in destinations like India, Thailand, Singapore, and more.  From coordinating flights, transportation needs, hospital stays, and sightseeing ventures, these are the medical tourists’ “one stop shop” for their health tourism needs. 

PlanetHospital was founded in 2002 by Valerie Capeloto and her fiancée, Rudy Rupak, were visiting Bangkok, Thailand.  Valerie became sick with her pre-existing condition known as Lupus.  The close attention and excellent medical service she received impressed and surprised her.  She was cared for by an Australian-educated physician, had a private nurse available 24 hours a day, and even had a personal chef who would prepare healthy meals for her—first class service in a 3^rd world country.  Plus, the bill for three days of in-hospital stay and the services associated was only around $400. 

What began as praise of Thailand’s medical services to friends and associates turned into the company, PlanetHospital, which now has hundreds of clients and partnerships with leading hospitals around the world, including facilities in Belgium, Costa Rica, Mexico, India, and Singapore.   

“It is my goal to lend a hand to America’s healthcare crisis,” said Rupak in a message to the U.S. Senate Sub-Committee on Aging.  “It is not right that this great nation have over 40 million uninsured people. I want to make healthcare affordable and accessible to any American regardless of previous conditions, even if it means going overseas to get this affordable care”  

A member of the Better Business Bureau, PlanetHospital offers customers a suite of services.  Among the company’s services are concierges, people who assist the patient through the medical tourism process.  Their job is to help clients feel safe and welcomed during their stay in a host country. Plus, before the patient ever leaves the States, the company will also run through a checklist of items to make sure the entire process runs smoothly, assisting with passport and visa requirements, booking a flight, and more.   

PlanetHospital has a list of dozens of doctors to whom they refer clients.  The majority of them are UK Fellowship or Board Certified, or US Fellowship or Board Certified physicians, and whose areas of expertise range from cosmetic and dental procedures to heart and organ transplants.   Similarly, the hospitals to which they refer clients focus on a wide array of specialties: general medicine, preventive, orthopedic, and cosmetic. 

The list of hospitals includes India’s AIIMS Hospital, Apollo Hospital, Fortis Hospital, and Hiranandani Hospital.  Also, Thailand’s TRSC Laski Cente, Promjai Dental Clinic, and Piyavate Hospital are recommended by PlanetHospital.    

You can get a closer look at the hospitals and doctors that PlanetHospital works with, as well as the company’s business and client-services philosophy, at www.planethospital.com.