World-Class Care….Truly Filipino

Australian medical traveler with dentist
Dr. Joel Gutierrez and Riza Pigar

WHEN Jim Sullivan from Australia went to the Philippines to get some dental work done, his expectations weren’t too high. From his experience in his home country, the kind of dental work he was looking for usually takes weeks and cost a lot of money. Since Jim could only stay in the Philippines for three days, he estimated that all that could be done for him was a consultation and two teeth extractions.

Instead, what happened when he went to his Filipino dentist was, in Jim’s opinion, nothing short of incredible. In three days, Jim was able to get his dental plates fitted and he was on a plane home with a set of dentures, top and bottom, absolutely thrilled over the results of the procedure—all at 70% less than the cost in Australia for exactly the same procedure.

It’s best to hear about the experience in Jim’s own words:

“Now comes the incredible bit…Friday he removed the teeth, took whatever [measurements were needed] on the remaining teeth, and advised that his driver would pick me up at 1pm on the Saturday for initial fitting of the plates.

“I was dumbfounded. To get plates made over in our country would take at least a week or more. So he fitted the plates on the Saturday afternoon… had me back at 11am on Monday to make adjustments and the final fitting.

“So I was on the plane Monday afternoon to come home with a mouth full of operational teeth. I'm still gob-smacked. Absolutely incredible. He did in 3 days what would take weeks over here and cost a hell of a lot more.”

But that’s not all. Jim was also grateful that his Filipino dentist gave him the time and attention he needed in order to feel comfortable and at ease considering that any trip to the dentist causes apprehension, since many, if not most of us associate such trips with pain.

The dentist that Jim went to is Dr. Joel Gutierrez, DMD, FAID, FICD, and fellow of the American Dental Association who has his clinic in Salcedo Village in Makati.  It was Jim’s very first time to have dental work done overseas. After Jim’s initial consultation, he found that Dr. Gutierrez “is very easy to get along with and explains every procedure fully, and at no time did I feel worried.”

The five Cs

The experience of Jim Sullivan is a very good example and case study of what makes the Philippines an ideal health and wellness travel destination in the Asia-Pacific region. What happened to Jim Sullivan is not limited to foreign dental patients. Foreign patients who received other types of medical treatment in the Philippines have an experience similar to that of Jim Sullivan.

Some of us Filipinos, who naturally take our health care services for granted, might be wondering what all the excitement is about. So let’s look at Jim’s story and find out what makes foreign patients so happy after they receive medical treatment in the Philippines.

Caring. Filipinos are nurturers. From childhood, we are raised with the capacity to care about those who need it the most. It’s no surprise that Filipino nurses are sought-after around the world—patients love them because they are friendly and caring. A friendly, caring attitude from a nurse or doctor is proven to boost the immune system and improve patient outcomes.

Competence. Filipino medical professionals go through rigorous and extensive training before they are allowed to practice their profession. Filipino doctors are board certified and are, in general, highly-motivated to pursue continuing medical education, locally and overseas, throughout their professional life. Our best doctors are affiliated with international medical organizations and work in tertiary hospitals that adhere to global standards.

Compassion. As Filipinos, we are not just friendly and caring—we are compassionate. Compassion is one of the hallmarks of our culture—we have a deeply set ability for empathy and we act on this in order to help those in need. Our medical professionals are imbued with this quality as well. Take note that Jim felt this compassionate care not only from his dentist but even from the dentist’s driver and clinic staff.

Communication.  Much has been said about Filipinos’ proficiency in the English language—not all of us may have perfect grammar but we still communicate in English better than most of our Asian neighbors. Plus, some of us who received better education and exposure may even know English better than its native speakers.

But that’s not the kind of communication we are referring to. Filipinos love to talk. Not in a mindless chatter but out of a genuine, authentic desire to connect and share with others. It’s in the Filipino’s nature to find joy in communicating and connecting with all sorts of people—just look at how we have become the SMS (texting) capital of the world. We love to reach out. We want to relate to others, even foreigners. We form relationships because it’s in our nature to share.

This kind of communication is what Jim Sullivan experienced with his Filipino dentist, who took the time to explain the dental procedures and thus, eased the former’s anxiety. This kind of communication is, no doubt, what Jim experienced in relating to his dentist’s driver, clinic staff and many other Filipinos he may have met during his short visit.

Cost-effective. Obviously, the relatively lower cost of health care in the Philippines—in comparison to other, more developed countries—is a big factor that attracts foreign patients to come here. Still, without the other C’s  in this list, it’s doubtful that these foreign patients would have such a positive, wonderful experience. After all, if cost is the end-all and be-all, patients have alternatives to the Philippines.

Furthermore, the computation of cost does not refer only to the actual price of the treatment. The cost of medical and health travel to the Philippines includes airfare, accommodations, transportation, food and, significantly, the amount of time they spend in the country to await treatment and begin recovery.

If time is money, then foreign patients in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe are spending astronomical amounts on their health care. A dental appointment in a developed country like Canada or the United States, for example can require that a patient wait for weeks or even months. This is so unlike the Philippines where one can be a walk-in patient at a dental clinic.

Long waiting times for doctors’ appointments are true for other medical treatments in developed countries. Patients there not only have to wait months, sometimes years, before they get treatment—they also have to pay very high prices for these treatments.

For example, a basic dental check-up may cost from US$300 to US$500 in the foreign patient’s home country. In the Philippines, that same consultation costs about US$50. 

A general medical check-up in the United States costs US$5,000. In the Philippines, it would cost US$500 to US$1,000. An aesthetic procedure like breast augmentation would cost around US$$5,000 while in the Philippines, the same treatment would cost around US$1,500 to US$2,500. 

Towards global health care

The Philippines has much to offer the world as health care becomes more globalized. Yet, the benefits are not one-way. Transforming the Philippines into a hub of health and wellness travel will result in more income for the national economy as well as more jobs for Filipino medical professionals and those in the travel and service industries. Healthcare standards in the Philippines will also improve even more, as hospitals, clinics and spas adopt international standards.

Health and wellness travel in the Philippines is a big topic. The encouraging stories like Jim Sullivan’s are numerous and inspiring. There are so many good stories and so much information to be had. This is why this special section, aptly titled “Philippines Health and Wellness Travel” has been created. This section is a source of credible and reliable information for all stakeholders in health and wellness travel—from patients to healthcare professionals to healthcare facilities, to local governments, national officials and policy-makers.

This is just the beginning. Thank you for joining us in this journey towards health and wellness for everyone, Filipinos and healthcare travelers alike.

Competence, care, compassion and communication skills are some of the 

strengths and advantages of the Filipino healthcare professionals

(PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MEDICAL CITY FOR PHILIPPINES THE HEART OF ASIA TRAVEL GUIDE)