Healthcare tourism becoming reality as Dubai attracts international patients for specialist surgery

According to the American Hospital Dubai, which is sponsoring and exhibiting at the Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress in Dubai, November 2-4, the Total Joint Replacement Center at the hospital treated 550 patients in 2007, 40% of whom came from outside the UAE. The hospital's Total Joint Replacement Center will treat over 700 patients at the hospital, in 2008.

Dr Samih Tarabichi, Director of the Total Joint Replacement Center at the American Hospital Dubai, comments:

"The international market for total joint replacement surgery exploded with the technical advances made in knee implant technology and the surgical procedures, which deliver a very high rate of success (around 98%) and very positive patient benefits, such as being ambulatory only two days after surgery. For 'ground cultures' such as the Arab culture, in which sitting and kneeling are very important, these procedures transform lives; but also for patients from other cultures."

The American Hospital Dubai Total Joint Replacement Center of Excellence is the first in the Middle East, and only the fourth center to be established in the world, with others in Holland, Spain and Britain. The Center serves physicians in the Middle East, Africa and the Mediterranean basin, with quality training in joint replacement for fellow doctors and nurses.

"The TJR Center has the highest number of international patients at the hospital because of the highly specialised nature of our work, the reputation we have established and the positive word of mouth communication amongst referring physicians and patients, which is very important," adds Dr Tarabichi.

The Total Joint Replacement Center has extensive surgical expertise and is equipped with the latest technology, including the 'Navigation System', to assist in the accuracy of joint replacement. This latest technology and the most extensive range of full or partial artificial joints are only available at the American Hospital Dubai.