AAAASFI has developed a global program of inspection and accreditation for surgery and dental clinics. All accredited clinics must pass inspection for all standards in the following categories:

GENERAL ENVIRONMENT; OPERATING ROOM ENVIRONMENT, POLICY AND PROCEDURES; RECOVERY ROOM ENVIRONMENT, POLICY AND PROCEDURE; GENERAL SAFETY IN THE FACILITY; BLOOD AND MEDICATIONS; MEDICAL RECORDS; QUALITY ASSESSMENT/QUALITY IMPROVEMENT; PERSONNEL; and ANESTHESIA

The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. was established in 1980 to develop an accreditation program to standardize and improve the quality of medical and surgical care in ambulatory surgery facilities while assuring the public of high standards for patient care and safety in an accredited facility. It is the mission of the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF) to develop and implement standards of excellence to ensure the highest quality of patient care through an accreditation program that serves both the medical community and the public interest by establishing a means for measuring medical competence and providing an external source for evaluating patient safety in the ambulatory surgery setting.

The event was organized and coordinated by the Medical Tourism Association of Panama, which among their main objetives is the continuous upgrade of the Quality of our local Health providers. Government officials, such as the Deputy (Diputado) Dr.Hugo Moreno, President of the Health Commission of our National Assembly, was present at the event, and even explained the effects and importance of complying to international standards, as their Anteproyecto de Ley on Medical Tourism states. One of the new Medical Tourism Law objectives is to offer incentives for local health providers that undergo international certification investments, which they can deduct from their income tax expenses.
To learn more about AAAASFI, you can contact their representative offices in Costa Rica;
Oficina de Representación
AAAASFI, Costa Rica
oscarmolina@ice.co.cr
lornavargas@ice.co.cr
Tel: (506)2271-0627 / (506 )8828-6157

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Cheryl Taplin spends about 10 days to three weeks every three months in her Panama City condo. “I’ve settled on Panama for our second home,” said Taplin, “We’ve been doing this for three years and it’s worked out really well for us. It allows us to go to other places as well. Panama is our launching pad to Central America.”

“I’m free to go back and forth between the States and Panama, which is what’s so nice about it, “she said,” Panama is so international. I get better groceries from the Indian and Chinese stores in Panama City than I can in Lafayette, and I bring some of the spices home with me to the States.”

Laser Eye Surgery in Panama
When it came time to have Lasik eye surgery, Taplin chose a Panamanian Doctor. “Even though the price was comparable to the United States, I was more impressed with the biographies of the doctors in Panama on the Ageless Wonders Panama website” said Taplin.
“It was very convenient for me to have my eye surgery in Panama because I didn’t’ have to worry about putting somebody else out. I have someone in Panama who helps me all the time,” she explained, “They have very inexpensive labor there. So I had day help. I had someone take me there and bring me back.”

But you don’t have to live there to get that type of personalized service. According to Taplin, if you’re a medical tourist all the transportation and personal care is included in the Ageless Wonders package.

“The process and the surgery were simple,” said Taplin, “My only regret is that I didn’t get this done sooner. I was near sighted and I couldn’t read menus; you know you have to whip out these little glasses whenever you go to a restaurant. And you keep losing the glasses, so that really started to bother me.”

“You see Lasik surgery advertised everywhere in the U.S., overseas, and on every inflight magazine, so I thought, why not. So I found the website for Ageless Wonders in Panama and filled out the form for an appointment,” said Taplin.

The Health Travel Experience in Panama
“I asked for an appointment on the day after I arrived in Panama and, allowing for one day of recovery, it was over,” said Taplin, “Never have I touched those reading glasses again. It was worth every single penny and then some. I don’t know what took me so long to get this done.”

“I met Eric, the owner of Ageless Wonders and my doctor Dr. Ilka De Obaldía. The staff and doctors all have such a good relationship that I really felt at home with them,” Taplin said, “Even the front desk receptionist spoke very good English; better than my Spanish.”

“They were all just wonderful,” she exclaimed, “The next time I’m in Panama I’m planning to have dinner with Dr. Ilka.”

“Dr. Ilka just made me feel like family,” said Taplin, “She’s young and so chic – very, very pretty and elegant looking. It’s so nice to meet someone as young as she is who is doing as well as she does. I will keep in touch. I’m very happy for her and I’ll always recommend her.”

“In fact when I was there my neighbor who was visiting from the U.S., was so impressed she scheduled her own appointment to have surgery with Dr. Ilka,” said Taplin, “That’s how people get to know one another and that’s how Ageless Wonders works.”

Baby Boomers in Panama Value a Friendly Community
“That’s the beauty of Panama,” said Taplin, “Everyone treats each other like one big happy family.” That feeling of community is important to Boomers whether traveling for surgical procedures or exploring options for living abroad.

At the Stem Cell Institute you will find the facilities and level professionalism found in facilities typical of the top medical centers in the United States. The Institute is located in Panama City, Panama.

Cell Medicine arranges stem cell therapy for patients with the following conditions:

• Autoimmune Diseases
• Cerebral Palsy
• Critical Limb Ischemia
• Degenerative Joint Disease
• Diabetes Type 2
• Heart Failure
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal Injury

Treatment is only available outside the US and Canada and is not covered by most insurance.

Treatment with Your Own Stem Cells

Adult stem cells can be harvested from many areas of the body, including the bone marrow, fat and peripheral blood. Once the cells have been harvested, they are sent to the lab where they are purified and assessed for quality before being reintroduced back in the patient. Since the stem cells come from the patient there is no possibility for rejection.

Adult Stem Cells

Cell Medicine advocates the use of autologous stem cells as they have no ethical or moral issues and pose no possibility for rejection since they come from the patient. According to various studies, stem cells isolated from a patient (i.e. from the bone marrow or fat) have the ability to become different cell types (i.e. nerve cells, liver cells, heart cells and cartilage cells). Studies have also shown that these are capable of “homing in” on and repairing damaged tissue.

Cell Medicine only advocates the use of stem cells derived from the non-controversial sources: bone marrow, muscle, skin, fat and blood.

Feasibility investigation of allogeneic endometrial regenerative cells.

February 20, 2009
Zhong Z, Patel AN, Ichim TE, Riordan NH, Wang H, Min WP, Woods EJ, Reid M, Mansilla E, Marin GH, Drago H, Murphy MP, Minev B.
Medistem Inc, San Diego, USA. jzhonguro@gmail.com

Endometrial Regenerative Cells (ERC) are a population of mesenchymal-like stem cells having pluripotent differentiation activity and ability to induce neoangiogenesis. In vitro and animal studies suggest ERC are immune privileged and in certain situations actively suppress ongoing immune responses. In this paper we describe the production of clinical grade ERC and initial safety experiences in 4 patients with multiple sclerosis treated intravenously and intrathecally. The case with the longest follow up, of more than one year, revealed no immunological reactions or treatment associated adverse effects. These preliminary data suggest feasibility of clinical ERC administration and support further studies with this novel stem cell type.

PMID: 19232091 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PMCID: PMC2649897

Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Anti-inflammatories: Implications for Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Accepted Manuscript, October 13, 2009
Thomas E. Ichim, Doru T. Alexandrescu, Fabio Solano, Fabian Lara, Rosalia De Necochea Campion, Eugenia Paris, Erik J Woods, Michael P Murphy, Constantin A. Dasanu, Amit N Patel, Annette M Marleau, Neil H. Riordan

This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication in Cellular Immunology. As a service we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy is the use of adult stem cells to treat certain diseases. The stem cells are derived from the patient’s own blood, bone marrow and/or fat.

In general terms, stem cells are progenitor cells that lead to the creation of new cells. They are regenerative in their function; they are regenerative cells.

What conditions are being treated by stem cell therapy?

We arrange for treatment for patients with conditions for which traditional treatment offers less than optimal options. Those conditions include Autoimmune Diseases, Cerebral Palsy, Critical Limb Ischemia, Degenerative Joint Disease, Diabetes Type II, Heart Failure, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spinal Injury.

How many treatments are given?

Typically, four to six treatments are given. If more are needed, the doctors will address your needs at your first appointment. Treatments are given over a period of 7 days to 12 days, depending on the patient’s condition and the doctor’s recommendation for the particular individual.

What can you expect when you arrive at for treatment?

Upon arriving, you’ll be given a physical examination by the doctor, who will also review your medical records once again. Your doctor may order additional testing, such as blood tests or radiological testing. Either the following day or two days later, at a local private hospital arranged by your physician stem cells will be harvested from your blood, bone marrow, or fat. Your stem cells will be administered to you by your doctor either by vein or artery depending on you condition and his medical decision. You will be monitored by your medical team for 2 to 24 hours after the infusion.

How long does a patient need to be at the clinic?

Between 10 to 21 days, depending upon the condition of the individual patient.

Can other treatments be taken at the same time?

Typically, a doctor will review what other treatments and medication the patient is already taking. Any further medical decision about what should be included or deleted from the patient’s regimen during the stem cell treatment will therefore be made on an individual basis. However, there are not any known contraindications for other therapies during stem cell treatment.

Are there any known side effects to the therapy?

Doctors who have treated patients have not reported any side effects other than pain at the injection site. There could be other theoretical side effects from your treatment. Your physician will go over any potential side effects with you.

How long does it take to get an appointment?

The doctor will review the patient’s medical records. It will then take 2 to 3 days to review the records and get back to the patient, to go over treatment options. Then the patient is scheduled for the next earliest available appointment. The process of scheduling takes 2 to 3 weeks, from the time of the initial contact to the date of the first appointment.

What about the ethical issues involved with stem cell therapy?

According to several religious denominations, adult stem cells are not encumbered by any ethical or moral dilemmas. Those ethical issues which apply to fetal and embryonic stem cells do not apply to adult stem cells. Both the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Church have issued papers which actually encourage research and the use of adult stem cells in the treatment of human disease, as an ethically acceptable alternative to the use of the ethically challenged fetal and embryonic stem cells.

Is a special diet required?

No.

Are any nutritional supplements or medication taken along with stem cell treatment?

Your treating physician may prescribe specific nutritional supplements that may enhance the potential benefits of the stem cell therapy. Such prescriptions will be made on an individual basis, depending on each patient’s particular evaluation.

Does drinking or smoking effect therapy?

Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking can both be detrimental to new progenitor stem cells. It is highly advisable that people do not smoke or drink during their treatment.

Why did you choose Panama as a place to do your surgery?

Prior to coming to Panama, I had been to resort towns like Riviera Maya. It was a great place to take my daughter for spring vacation, but the whole area for miles was protected and everything outside the hotel was premium priced. I went to Costa Rica 2 winters ago. San Jose is a rough, congested city. The weather is great, but ALL the houses have fences around them including barbed wire. I had wanted to go to Mexico City, but with the drug wars, no way. By the way, I live in Chicago (cold and snowy). I am a divorced man with one daughter. I couldn’t even afford a computer until 18 months ago after my daughter graduated from college. I tried to get prices last winter to see if I could afford it with no luck. I looked at a map and never saw Panama in the news, but I just new it was the place I wanted to go.

I contacted 3 medical tourism places. One place wouldn’t give me a price when I asked. Someone from Ageless Wonders contacted me and at the same time, a woman was pushing Costa Rica saying I’ll never get prices for implants in Panama as good as Costa Rica. She had a Costa Rican doctor calling my house. He was pretty arrogant and he was from San Jose and I didn’t like him. A third company called me out of Boston and gave me pricing within 12 hrs.. I was going to go with them just for giving me a price which was very good, but it was San Jose. I only spent one night in San Jose previously and didn’t want to go there again. I don’t know how Eric from Ageless Wonders popped up on my screen, but he handled me perfectly.

Have you been referred from someone to our services in Ageless Wonders Panama?

Not really.., I yahood medical tourism and picked No. 3 Ageless Wonders and two others. I already had my heart set on Panama. One said, No, go to Costa Rica because you’ll never get the price as good in Panama. They had 2 Doctors call me like it was a done deal from Costa Rica, and I never did get a price. The second was from Boston. I liked them a lot. They gave me the Costa Rica price and said that was the best price. I was going to go with them just because they were fair.

Agelesswonders-pma was contacting me simultaneously. I gave him the price breakdown and he said ”let me see what I can do”, we`re more concerned about patient safety and quality in Panama, but let us discuss it. He matched the price, and I wanted to go to Panama. Sometimes I get lucky and this was one of those times.
That’s not he whole story. I would have gotten this done a year ago. I tried 3 other places 2 called me on the phone. I didn’t know if I could afford it, and I could have. They wouldn’t give me a price. I was pretty frustrated. I don’t know what they were thinking, but now AWP people were right on target.

Did you like the service & personalized attention of our team in Ageless Wonders Panama?

I genuinely like these people and the doctors. They speak excellent English and they are both really attractive. They are regular people. I miss them already.

How do you rate and qualify our medical care team?

I had this periodontist, Dr. Cabrerra, in Chicago. He did the scaling of my teeth, and I had my teeth cleaned at his office. He was head/president of the Periodontist Organization. He was the best I’ve seen until now. He just moved his office to a much larger, inconvenient, conjested location. He started advertising on TV, so he’s now big business. Dr. Boyd from Arango-Orillac Dental Clinic in Panama is a clone of Dr. Cabrerra. They question you, they get in, make their decisions, bullseye the spot, put the implants in, take an X-ray and show you the before and after. He really gave me what I needed. I wasn’t ready for him. One thing both offices had were beautiful women assistants. I expected trauma and it wasn’t bad at all.

Dr. Belanger is the dentist I spent most time with at the clinic. He took all the molds for my mouth, made my dentures fit and look like new (no more adhesives). He will build and put the final product in when I go back in a few months. Guys like him, women like him, guys like that women like him; just like George Clooney.

The Lasik was a different thing altogether. There was absolutely no pain and I see perfectly in less than a week, even read the yellow pages. The doctor was excellent…! My involuntary muscles that protect the eye seemed to take control. It wasn’t that way for the Doctor who put an anesthetic eye drop in my eyes. I just felt more like an uncooperative patient. I was exhausted. If I had to do it again, it would probably be the same way. Like I said, no pain and I haven’t worn prescription glasses since.

How did you qualify the results of your procedure? Were you pleased by the outcome?

Dental implants were my primary reason for this trip and I´m really happy about the results. When I asked for a price on Lasik, I hated prescription lens, it was something I planned down the line. I am really thrilled with the freedom it has given me. A guy at work, same age, showed me his no line bifocals with color changing lenses for $700. He was disgusted trying to get the insurance company to pay the 20% and didn’t bother. Just wait until he loses them. Talking to Dr. De Obaldia, Chief Medical Officer of Ageless Wonders once, was all I needed. I just knew what kind of person she was. The scariest part for me was sending my deposit to a web site. I even panicked and had buyers´ remorse that night. I just made a decision to trust them. I have a Marketing MBA from Loyola. I am not a salesman (it eats me up on the insides), but I knew they were doing everything right. The one thing I didn’t like is Dr. De Obaldia wouldn’t say that I was an eligible candidate until she was sure, but that’s me. I got to unexpectedly where contact lenses for the first time as part of the testing and didn´t want to go back. I´m finally free of my eyes´ discomfort and my sight is wonderful.

World News just did a 5 minute take on Lasik surgery. It has a very high success rate there are people with dry eye and return blurriness. The conclusion so far is that the people with poor results were bad candidates to begin with. The best Doctors scolded those who did not screen their candidates correctly or knew they were bad candidates, but went through with it anyway. Kudos to Dr. Ilka…!

Would you recommend the services of Ageless Wonders Panama to friends or relatives?

I would definitely recommend going to Panama with AWP to all my friends and relatives. At the end of my journey, I ended up trusting them more than most people I ever met, so I´ll be back again.

What is the difference of the medical services of your own country compared to those of Panama?

I am divorced from a big-time, cold blooded closer lawyer. She was the first woman to ever penetrate the old boy network of Marlboro advertising, the biggest print account in the world. It is just second nature to me when I hear bull…, which is what every lying dentist in the US gave me including my dentist who sent me to a periodontist where I paid $125 to watch slides of disaster implants when you travel outside the US and never gave me a price. In US their only concern is to bring more patients and make more money, without the care and personal attention you´ll find in Panama and other LA countries.
I will also mention that the ability for a Lasik Doctor to tell a patient “No” to Lasik is important (unless it’s me) and this is very common in American standards, which wasn´t the case in Panama.

If you need to have another surgery or procedure, would you consider traveling to Panama & contact our team, at Ageless Wonders Panama?

I truly like Panama, so if I have to have another surgery, of course I´ll consider traveling to Panama and contact Ageless Wonders. As I said, I ended up trusting them more than most people I ever met, so I´ll be back again.

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Dear Ilka & Eric,

I can’t say enough about how nice my experience was in Panama and how blessed I feel to have met you and Eric. Our friendship is special to me, and I hope some day I can play hostess to you if you travel to the lovely bluegrass state of Kentucky!

I don’t know if you were aware of the snow storms in our area on the day we returned, but our flight into Louisville from Atlanta was cancelled, so we rented a car and drove about six hours. It was fine though. I’m just glad that it didn’t happen on the way down to Panama.

Why did you choose Panama as a place to do your surgery?

I chose Panama for several reasons. First, the cost of the procedure was so much better than in the US, and the quality of care is comparable as well. Panama is easy to reach from the US, and I have always wanted to go there because I have always heard good things about Panama from people who have been and from travel and retirement literature. And of course, your personal correspondence made me feel comfortable.

Have you been referred from someone to our services in Ageless Wonders Panama?

I found Ageless Wonders Panama through a site called Placid Way.

Did you like the service & personalized attention of our team in Ageless Wonders Panama?

Yes, I liked the personal service from AWP. You anticipated all of my needs, and I really felt special that you accompanied me to the appointments. That was unexpected and certainly thrusts your service into the exceptional category.

How do you rate and qualify our medical care team?

The quality of care and time spent was thorough and adequate. I was very pleased with Centro Fecundar and all staff. I would definitely recommend your services to anyone requiring elective surgeries.

If you need to have another surgery or procedure, would you consider traveling to Panama & contact our team, at Ageless Wonders Panama?

I will definitely use AWP in the future for any of my needs, and will recommend to friends and family.

In your personal experience, what are the main advantages of coming to Panama for medical or other services?

The advantages in going to Panama for elective procedures are that a vacation can be taken along with the procedure and it still costs less than if performed in the US.

What do you like the most about Panama?
I like the beauty of the land and people in Panama the most. It seems to be very similar in culture to the US which makes traveling abroad for services easier to do in Panama rather than in a place more foreign which might cause patients to feel vulnerable.

As I stated before to Eric, I think the health tourism industry is an exciting arena to be entering into, and I have even tried to picture myself working in it with you at some point later on down the road. I will be practicing my language skills while thinking about my future, and I hope AWP continues to succeed beyond your belief!

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“The Doctor of the future will give no medicine,but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame.In Diet and in the prevention of Diesease.” 7-16-1870 by Thomas Edison

There is a battle between Health- Medical Tourism and the Wellness industry whereby the Health- Medical sector is using its wealth to discredit the Wellness practitioners as quacks and the Wellness practitioners are claiming that the Health -Medical sector is promoting short-term treatment and not efficacious long-term cure.

Paul Zane Pilzer the author of The Wellness Revolution makes the following distinction between the medical/health and wellness industries:

• Medical/Health – The sickness business is reactive. Despite its enormous size, people become customers only when they are stricken by and react to a specific condition or ailment. No one really wants to be a customer. Product and services provided reactively to people with an existing disease, ranging from a common cold to existing cancerous tumors. These products and services seek to either treat the symptoms of a disease or eliminate the disease.
• Wellness – The wellness business is proactive. People voluntarily become customers-to feel healthier, to reduce the effects of aging, and to avoid becoming customers of the sickness business. Products and services provided proactively to healthy people (those without existing disease) to make them feel even healthier and look better, to slow the effect of aging, and/or to prevent diseases from developing in the first place.

Based on my book, the Boxless Entrepreneurs™, I strongly feel that we need to look at this issue outside of the box in order for both industries to co-exist in a mutually beneficial way.

The philosophy of my book is that to think outside of the box, you must be in a box.

Your ability to function freely is based on the size of the box you are in. Many of those limitations include partnership (need for consensus approval), rules and regulations to mention a few.

Because of wars around the world, physical violence among mankind, and defective births, the medical industry will be with us forever.

Man’s search for the fountain of youth and desire to live a long sustainable disease- free life, natural remedies and spiritual enlightenment will be the underpinning reasons why the Wellness industry will also be with us forever.

There are many Boxless Doctors ™ (physicians) like Dr. Kirti Kalidas who understands the above truths, thus, deciding to have a US$ 17 million dollar expansion of his Orlando, Southwest Orange County medical facility for Natural and Integrative Medicine by 2010. According to the report, he is one of 30 doctors in the United States that has both a traditional M.D. and a Naturopathic License. Here is a traditional doctor who has decided not to think outside of the box, but to function outside of the box, thus, becoming one of the world’s few Boxless Medical™ Practitioners.

Approximately 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to witness the day-to-day behind the scene operation of Dr. Tony Vendryes, a certified medical doctor whose specialty was anesthesiology in Jamaica. He appointed me general manager of his operation, which included designing and overseeing his website production and maintenance; marketing and promotion.

Dr. Vendryes is a true Boxless Doctor™ who functions way outside of the box (the norms) by incorporating independent masseuse, reflexologies and reiki practitioners into his practice. He recommends natural remedies for the majority of his patients. I also witnessed Dr. Vendryes incorporation of HerbaLife™ into is daily operation until many of his own medical fraternity colleagues labeled him a quack. Today, many of those same doctors not only joined him, but many of them have incorporated or are practicing to a certain degree Alternative Medicine.

I witnessed individuals who were diabetics for 20 to 30 years became one hundred percent (100%) cured by following Dr. Vendryes lifestyle change diet prescription.

Wellness is a Trillion Dollar industry according to the wellness guru, Paul Zane Pilzer, author of “The New Wellness Revolution” . I am now aware that the medical industry is paying attention. Recent research revealed that the American Hospital Association’s Annual Survey of Hospitals, 19.8% were offering Complementary and Alternative Medicine services in 2006.

In order to compete successfully in the Medical & Wellness Tourism arena, hospitals and practitioners are adopting Out of the Box International Standards.

Many of them are controlling their customers’ (patients’) experience from the initial telephone communication till the post treatment services.

Here is what some of the world’s Boxless Medical Entrepreneurs™ are doing in order to have total control of their clients’ experience thereby, protecting their niche market.

Each satisfied customer becomes the most powerful advertising agent because, word-of-mouth marketing and promotion still remains top of the list according to marketing guru’s around the world.

• Dr. Kalidas Florida expansion includes 126 room Cambria Suites hotel for his out of town patients.
• Others have hired their own tour operators whose responsibility includes making all flight arrangement for their patient. Meeting them at the airport and walking them through immigration and custom. Having luxurious and comfortable transportation to take them to their destination. Some even arrange tours before and after surgery. Others arrange Duty Free shopping and other services for family travelling with the patient.
• Many other Boxless Medical Entrepreneurs™ are making sure that their staffs are proficient in the language of each patient. • Hospitals are now turning an entire floor into luxury hotel rooms with broadband internet access, flat screen TV and cooking facilities to cater to their clients who for example are vegetarians or only eat kosher food.
• Boxless Medical Marketers™ are even catering to the religious and cultural needs of each patient. Medical marketers are now aware of the fact that even transparency as to the total cost is a vital marketing tool for hospitals and wellness providers who provide such high level of transparency.
• Many of the smaller medical and wellness providers are creating affiliations with local spas, chambers of commerce, hotels, tour operators, transportation companies, consulates and embassies in order to guarantee their customers a positive experience which is the underpinning key to repeat business and long-term sustainability.
• Those institutions who have a strong Privacy Protection policy in place, use that as a serious marketing tool. Patients are even inquiring if these institution staff and affiliates are aware of the company’s privacy protection policy?
• Other Boxless Medical Entrepreneurs™ have created and implemented special training and educational programs for their entire staff so that each one understands the company’s mission statement and the step-by-step experience each customer should have in order to protect the company’s niche loyal customer market share.
• Medical and Wellness practitioners are also marketing their services through their well-designed Multilingual Content Management System websites with documented customer satisfaction reports. List of affiliations and well explained pre-arrival to discharge services and easy to find contact telephone numbers including cell and e-mail address for each doctor, manager and other service providers. Even the Chairman/CEO is accessible. According to the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) 49% of consumers learn about Inbound and Outbound medical tourism via the World Wide Web.
• Many institutions around the world are now adopting the open cubicles office system where managers and line staff share the same space. I call this the Boxless Office. ™ This lead to better communication between top management and line staff.
• With all the above in place medical and wellness practitioners can and will lose market share if Quality Service is not at the top of their list. Boxless Wellness & Medical Practitioners™ understands that there is only room for one hundred percent (100%) top quality service. 99% will not do it!

Today’s educated consumers are now using the Internet to search for legal actions against hospitals and individual doctors. Others are even trying to find out the death rate of hospitals and individuals doctors before they make a decision.

The battle for each consumer dollar has become fierce and the consumer is in the driver’s seat with the Internet as one of their most powerful decision-making tools.

Please note that when this idea of Boxless Medical and Wellness Entrepreneurs™ (marketing and operating outside the norm) becomes the norm for the majority of Medical and Wellness practitioners, the increase in such high standard of care across the board, will have a drastic change in the quality of service locals are now receiving which is going to have a direct effect on the amount of individuals participating in Inbound & Outbound Tourism.

The United States Healthcare Reform will also have a dramatic effect on Inbound and Outbound Medical Tourism since many of those individuals who travel for better healthcare are self-employed without any type of health plan and others who have little or no plan at all.

With the United States planning to have full coverage for every individual, many medical and wellness practitioners might become Boxless Medical Marketers™ by focusing eighty percent (80%) of their effort to the local market who are no longer looking overseas for healthcare solutions but are willing to use their healthcare plan locally. If they can get the care they are looking for without spending additional out of pocket money then, my prediction is that we will see an increase in local healthcare.

Taking a holistic look at Medical and Wellness Tourism, one will notice that insurance companies are now promoting wellness because they understand that if they can keep their clients healthy, then, they would not have to payout high medical cost of sicknesses that are preventable.

One of the unseen overhead expenses for small and large corporations is the loss of productivity due to employee absenteeism. Many of them are now having morning back massage for the staff and are given more small health breaks during the day. Others have installed in-house gyms and are offering healthy lifestyle meals in their lunch cafeterias. Research has shown that small and large corporations are helping their employees to lose weight, stop smoking and teaching them to pursue a healthy lifestyle. Companies are now experiencing employees’ loyalty, more productivity and less absenteeism, as dividends for their investment in their employees’ healthy lifestyle.

Insurance companies are paying for Spa treatments, chiropractor services, and many other alternative services that they never used to cover. The cost of these services compared to medical services are night and day, thus, from an economical point of view, insurance companies will embrace wellness tourism.

Regardless of which direction the United States Healthcare Reform takes, the Caribbean and Latin America will continue to be attractive wellness venues due to its natural environment. Many Medical and Wellness Caribbean based institutions are offering high quality services combined with before and after care tours and attraction activities that are hard to resist.

The Caribbean and Latin America, especially Panama is becoming the premier choice for retirees from all walks of life. Panama can now market Medical and Wellness Tourism to a niche market right in their backward.

With the baby boomers coming of age and seeking the fountain of youth, the Caribbean and Latin America continues to be very attractive for Medical and Wellness Tourism because those same Baby Boomers have been coming to the Caribbean and Latin America, more so the Caribbean from since early sixties, the days of the Hippies until now. They know the Caribbean , Love it and want to own a piece of it from day one.

Now that they are retiring with some disposable income, the Caribbean and Latin America with its lush green foliage and breathtaking ambience is the right venue for each one to find their own fountain of youth.

Caribbean and Latin American doctors now understand the importance of meeting world certification and quality standards in order to compete in this billion dollar Medical and Wellness Tourism markets.

In Panama, you now have the Johns Hopkins Affiliate Hospital. This affiliation is one of the most powerful branding tools Panama could use to promote wellness in the region. Panama has now put itself in an enviable position and is now thrust into competition against Canada, England, India and many other European countries not only because of the weather, but due to the competence of a first rate hospital such as Johns Hopkins Affiliate that meets international standards.

LIST OTHER ACCREDITED HOSPITALS IN PANAMA.

The baby boomers (persons born between 1946 – 1964) are no different from health seekers the world over who travel to improve their health. The reason for travel is to improve one’s health. Therefore seeking the fountain of youth through travel is a most natural thing.

When we speak of health tourism, and how each segments relate to the other, we are entering the domain of none other than Dr. Constantine Constantinides, Founder of Healthcare Cybernetics, a think and do tank with competencies in health tourism integration. Dr. Constantinides is a friend of the Caribbean who likens our islands to the Green Isles. His constant research on the topic of health tourism had led him to Positive Tourism’s production of the Caribbean VeggieFest, Spa & Wellness Conference in 2007. His strong interest in engaging the Caribbean in the use of his philosophies to help in the development of health tourism prompted us to invite him to become an advisory board member of Positive Tourism Network.

Constantinides’ regards and considers Health Tourism in the context of its Core Segments (the order of listing is arbitrary):

• Spa (and Thalassotherapy)
• Wellness and Fitness
• Sports Tourism
• Culinary Tourism
• Accessible Tourism
• Dental Tourism
• Medical Tourism
• Assisted Living Abroad

The preceding segments give rise to a description of Health Tourism, which Constantinides terms a ‘ ‘hybrid domain,’ which is – a product of cross pollination of elements from the Healthcare, Tourism and even other sectors. This process of cross pollination gives rise to forms of health tourism or health tourism segments and clusters.

The Assisted Living Abroad segment is well suited for Panama.

This segment is defined as:

A type of long-term care facility for elderly or disabled people who are able to get around on their own but who may need help with some activities of daily living, or simply prefer the convenience of having their meals in a central cafeteria and having nursing staff on call. (Definition by MedicineNet.com)

According to Constainine Constantinides, the Concept and Objective of Ambient Assisted Living arose out of the quest to come up with ways and means which would enable maturing individuals to continue leading an independent and autonomous life.

The objective is to extend the time maturing people can live independently in a preferred home environment, by increasing their autonomy and assisting them in carrying out activities of daily living. (www.ambientassistedlivingsystems.com)

Modern Maturity magazine has rated Panama as the number one place in the Americas for retirement by Modern Maturity Magazine of the American Association of Retired Persons, in the top five according to Fortune Magazine and International Living. Conde Nast Traveler selected Panama as one of the six best places for a second home in the Americas. These ratings are based on safety, cost of living, infrastructure attractions, beauty and climate.

Boomers have increasingly been demanding the support of technology and the provision of supporting healthcare services that will lead them to the fountain of youth. Health care providers including wellness practitioners who choose to care for the ambient assisted living segment must be properly trained and licensed in delivering geriatric health care.

Telemedicine and health care nurses on call are wellness practitioners who are frequently called in to assist this wellness segment.

The Company produced Caribbean Tourism Roundtable, an award-winning tourism radio feature on Power 106 FM Radio in 2004 to inform the business community and report on relevant topics on sustainable tourism. A foundation member of the Caribbean Media Exchange founded by Counterpart International, Positive Tourism Limited frequently participates and contributes in Media Forums throughout the Caribbean.

Theo Chambers and Sharon Parris-Chambers, principals of the Company are vegans. Their lifestyle influenced the creation of a Health Tourism radio feature which covered not only awareness for the healthy alternative lifestyle, but an array of topics on sustainable tourism.

One of the outcomes of the programme led Theo & Sharon Chambers to produce the first Caribbean Health Tourism & Spa Symposium on February 7-8, 2005 at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, a main sponsor. The objective of the annual Health Spa Symposium is to pioneer the way in establishing health tourism as a mainstay in Jamaica and to help brand the Caribbean as the Health Tourism Mecca. The Spa Symposium is endorsed by the Ministry of Industry &

Tourism and its agencies (Jamaica Tourist Board, Tourism Product Development Company and Jamaica Trade and Invest) as well as the Day Spa Association and International Medical Spa Association, USA from 2004 to 2008.

The extension of this aim has effectively established Jamaica’s wellness industry as the premier Health & Spa destination in the Caribbean through symposia & conferences, advocacy, marketing & advertising campaigns.

MISSION OF POSITIVE TOURISM NETWORK:
To be the positive voice of Wellness Tourism in the Caribbean and Latin America.

VISION FOR THE CARIBBEAN:
The Principals of the Caribbean Resort & Day Spa Association, Theo and Sharon Chambers envisage a unified Caribbean Health & Spa Tourism Industry as each CARICOM nation become more aware of the vast potential of health & spa tourism. They will begin to lay the policy framework for growth of this important sector. To realize this potential, a trained workforce would be vital to the development of this market, followed by job development and target and niche marketing.
In 2007, the IMSA/RDSA collaborated with the Caribbean Export New Sectors Division to stage a conference at the Hilton Kingston Jamaica hotel on May 15, 2007. The keynote presenter was Eric Light, President, International Medical Spa Association; the joint programme was coordinated by Sharon Chambers, President, Positive Tourism Network and Executive Director Caribbean Resort & Day Spa Association. This initiative was an attempt to collaboratively work towards establishing a roadmap for the future development of the wellness sector within CARICOM.

Sample Conference Overview

Caribbean VeggieFest and Health Tourism Spa Conference 2008

The Wellness Revolution, which came into prominence back in the 1990s, has anticipated the growth of the wellness industry’s trillion dollar business, which has now spawned this most recent amalgamation – The Caribbean VeggieFest and Health Tourism Spa Conference. This initiative celebrates the culinary, health and spa segment of the wellness industry.

The Caribbean VeggieFest and Health Tourism & Spa Conference explored the theme Caribbean Healing Streams of Wellness, which was explored by Keynotes: Doctor/Minister Sar Yah Dial, Agricultural Minister, Damona , Israel. Several Panels such as Using Healing Streams of Wellness on Saturday, March 15, 2008 and continued on Sunday with “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”

Caribbean VeggieFest – Health Tourism & Spa Conference 2008 – This mega event was a celebration of wellness from a wholistic perspective with its foundation in vegetarianism.

The Culinary Section will have its focus on preparation of a wide variety of vegetarian foods available in the Caribbean including five star gourmet preparations, raw foods, healthy juices, natural pies, natural herbs & spices, natural wines & tonics (from plant sources). Exhibitors will include vegetarian restaurants, vegetarian food purveyors, juice makers, natural seasoning producers, herb growers, and a farmers market.

The Health Section will take a more professional approach by having wellness professionals from around the world sharing their knowledge and expertise in the form of workshops and seminars. This section is usually reserved for individuals who are in the health and wellness industries and are looking to improve their skills, knowledge and marketing strategies.

The Spa Section will focus on how to run a successful and professional spa. A sample Spa management program will showcase Frontline staff training, customer satisfaction during the spa experience from the time the customer enters the spa until the moment they leave. The use of Caribbean natural products will also be showcased.

Commitment to Health & Wellness
Positive Tourism Network demonstrates its commitment to health and wellness through its philosophy of lifestyle transformation. Our vision of healing our minds, body and spirit through thoughts, words, and food has led to the creation of this Caribbean wholistic health & wellness event. This initiative can be applied outside of Jamaica, to other islands of the Caribbean and Latin America with natural botanicals, herbs, spa (a body of water with proven curative properties) for example: mineral springs & rivers, destination & resort spas, lifestyle transformation centres, indigenous and natural healing centres, spa products; hotel and spa cuisine; production of organic foods and specialty foods for the hotel sector.

Caribbean VeggieFest – Health Tourism & Spa Conference 2008 delivered on March 15 and 16, two days of learning, networking and business development which took businesses to a new spiritual high.

Positive Tourism Network produced the fifth annual Caribbean VeggieFest, Spa and Wellness Conference in collaboration with the Hilton Kingston Jamaica Hotel and Wellness Partners June 13 – 14, 2009 in Jamaica, West Indies.

Wellness transformation is taking place globally and represents a trillion dollar industry. We have found that not only individuals, but non-traditional sectors, such as schools and the health-conscious male population, are significantly pursuing the healthy lifestyle.

Traditional doctors are now recommending dietary change for their patients, yet restaurants, hotels and event venues around the world are not providing significant enough healthy lifestyle choices on their menus. Thus, one of the goals of our conference is to create a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with hotels restaurants and tourism venues to have at least two finger-licking gourmet dishes on their menus to include meals for adults and children.

This year’s programme returns to the original format of educational training workshops facilitated by recognized wellness experts for wellness professionals & students. The conference offers an exciting slate of Topics. Workshops & Courses would include but, are not limited to the following:
The demand for natural products within the Spa industry (Janet Thomas, Inesscents, Ltd. (USA), Dr. Diane Robertson and Dr. Carolyn Hayle (to be confirmed)

How to prepare finger-licking five-star vegetarian dishes (Showcasing the Flavours of the Caribbean: Rosemary Parkinson, Culinary Author & Photojournalist, NYAM Jamaica; Dr. Aris Latham, Sunfire Culinary Institute; Ramson’s Amy’s Kitchen (Organic prepared foods). The programme was hosted by Gourmet Chef Kayah Maat from Forgotten Foods Remembered.

lob (Theo Chambers, Event Co- Producer and Chairman, Positive Tourism Network.)
A Roundtable update on the TPDCo- Led Caribbean Wellness Standardization and Accreditation Initiative Moderated by Sharon Parris-Chambers/Rose Marie Headley-Smith (Spa Standards Development Steering Committee – Vice President and Coordinator respectively (Jamaica); Patricia Berry-Greenidge (Barbados). [This symposium panel was a transformed into a collaborative discussion among stakeholders on establishing a Caribbean Health Tourism Council.]

Additional participants joining the Roundtable were: Carib Export Development Agency (Barbados) and their representative – Tonika Sealey, Senior Services Advisor. Other Barbados delegates were: (Steve Andrews, President, Caribbean Spa & Wellness Conference; Damien Cohall, Dept. of Pharmacology, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill); Jamaican delegates: Carol Straw, Manager, Tourism & Allied Services; Harold Davis, Executive Director, Jamaica Business Development Corporation and Leticia Achils, Director, Group D-1, S.A. (Group D-1 brought five delegates from Panama lead by Lorraine Washington, International Public Relations Director to network and develop linkages within the Wellness sector.)

HEALING CIRCLE OF LIFE: Dr. Danovan Whyte and Sharon Parris-Chambers lead a gathering of healers to begin the session of “Healers healing themselves and others”. Sister Gloria, a maroon priestess, created a peaceful and relaxed ambiance with incense and herbal plants. Subhadra Bowman, founder and director of Yoga Angels, led the group in Yoga asanas. Other participants included: Orah El, Baratunde,
the Richi Master.

In tribute to women, Sister Lily, a well known herbalist, washed the weary feet of fellow delegates with mineral spring water from the flaming spa in the conference hall. Rosemary Parkinson, author of NYAM Jamaica cookbook and photojournalist was so touched; she gave Sister Lily an autographed book valued at US$150.00. The conference stimulated spiritual connections and friendships which we believe will last a long time to come.

Contact: Sharon Parris-Chambers
Co-Producer
+1-876-381-1591
sharon@positivetourism.com
www.CaribbeanHealthTourism.com

Thermage Facial Treatment

Thermage facial treatment utilizes cutting edge radiofrequency technology to cosmetically enhance and renew the appearance of facial skin and features by reducing wrinkles and skin laxity and promoting the skin’s own natural collagen production. Thermage facial treatment was developed by dermatologists with a California-based company that also provides training to cosmetic surgeons throughout the nation.

Thermage facial treatment techniques are non-invasive and do not require anesthesia or recovery time. Thermage facial treatment is also a quarter of the cost of traditional surgical facial cosmetic enhancement procedures. Thermage facial treatment was approved by Food and Drug Administration in 2002 as a safe and effective way to cosmetically enhance the features of the face.

Experts state that patients in their mid to late thirties to fifties with mild photoaging or wrinkles in the skin respond best to Thermage facial treatment. The best candidates for Thermage facial treatment are patients who have a good understanding of what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.

Thermage facial treatment is administered by qualified cosmetic surgeons in a hospital or doctor’s office. The Thermage facial treatment procedure can take anywhere between a few minutes and an hour, depending on the area of skin that is treated. A numbing cream is typically applied to the treatment area before the procedure to mitigate any potential pain. Most patients who have undergone Thermage facial treatment describe the procedure as causing a mild, but manageable, pinching or burning sensation that lasts briefly.

Once the Thermage facial treatment procedure is completed, a patient is normally able to immediately resume their daily activities. Some Thermage facial treatment patients will experience some minor redness after the procedure, but this is usually resolved in a few days. The recommendation of sunscreen use is the only specific aftercare that is encouraged, besides normal skin care treatment. In rare cases, a patient may experience peeling, scarring, indentations, and other skin irregularities, but overall Thermage facial treatment is safe and effective.

The results of Thermage facial treatment are usually noticeable a few weeks to a few months following the cosmetic procedure. These results from Thermage facial treatment last up to two years or more.

If you are interested in enhancing your facial features and skin, Thermal facial treatment may be the right cosmetic procedure for you. If you are interested in learning more about Thermage facial treatment procedures, please contact us to speak with a qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeon in your area.

Villa Marita is one of the area´s most enjoyable eco-lodges, perched in the serene hills of Boquete. There are 7 cottages and 3 rooms, offering the comforts of home (e.g. satellite TV, wi-fi, in-room refrigerator and free telephone call to the US and Canada). We offer a great breakfast buffet for all our guests and always complimentary gourmet coffee. Additionally, you can request a tour of our hydroponic greenhouses and orientation about the many activities in Boquete and beyond.

Villa Marita is family-owned and offers personalized service, integrating local culture and activities, to ensure that your stay will be enjoyable, productive and memorable.

Which health care center/doctor did you select for your treatment?
Dr. Arias & Staff – Ageless Wonders, Panama

Have you completed your procedure?
No
Procedure Date: Jan 18, 2010

Would you recommend health tourism to your friends or family?
Yes

Best communication ever experienced and a warm, caring attitude.