Medigo.com recently announced the opening of its Australasian base, allowing the German company to be closer to its growing number of Australian and New Zealand medical travel patients.
The Australian medical tourism market has been strongest for Medigo.com, with the volume of patient enquiries stacking up higher against the UK, Europe and the US. Medigo.com is determined to increase its presence in the Australasian region and provide a larger number of patient care advisors.
“Medigo.com patient enquiries have been doubling quarter over quarter since March 2014, and we expect to see this growth continue as we open our Australian operation,” says Medigo.com co-founder, Pawel Cebula.
“We anticipate that by the close of 2016 we will have a staff of 10 in Sydney, meaning a larger marketing and care team close to our Australian and New Zealand patients and partners.”
What gap in the market is Medigo.com filling?
It’s estimated that over 15,000 Australians travel overseas each year for medical care, and with the global industry set to reach AUD $48.5 billion by 2019, Cebula sees that an international company can offer Australians a wider network of options.
“We are in talks with a number of Australian and New Zealand travel businesses, insurers and other companies about partnerships, and hope to expand this part of the business over the coming months. It’s important to us that we partner with companies that share our passion for quality care and travel for Australians,” says Cebula.
Australian Registered Nurse and Medigo.com Head of Patient Care for Australasia, Rohan McNamara, says the move is a response to growing demand among Australians for affordable, quality healthcare options overseas.
“We’ve been astounded by the number of enquiries we receive from Australians wanting treatments in Thailand and Malaysia. Opening a base here means we can be closer to our patients and better able to respond to their needs.”
“A big role that we play in the market is in advocating for patients, centralising lots of expert information and helping them compare options so that they can make the most informed decisions possible.”
The most sought-after treatments from Australians using Medigo.com are for dental care, and the company estimates that the number of dental tourists will only continue to rise as awareness grows about how easy it is to add teeth whitening or veneers to a holiday in Phuket or Kuala Lumpur.
What is the story behind Medigo.com?
Founded in Berlin, Germany, Medigo.com has connected over 15,000 patients from 178 countries with doctors from 500 hospitals and clinics around the world.
In December 2014, the company received $6.2 million (AUD $8.5 million) in A-round funding led by Accel Partners (investors of companies such as Facebook and Kayak).
The Medigo.com advisory board includes Peter Read (Google Ventures), Daniel Graf (Twitter), Dr. Marty Makary (John Hopkins University) and Christoph Maire (Atlantic Internet).
Medigo.com has built a network of over 500 clinics and hospitals worldwide, providing patients with 900 procedures in 35 medical specialties including dentistry, reproductive medicine, and oncology.
The basic use of the platform and customer service are free for patients, and Medigo.com has recently introduced a range of service packages to cater to patients who desire extra assistance with their treatment and travel bookings.
