World Class Surgery At Third World Price

Davis, 64, has been a long time sufferer of osteo arthritis in his left hip. Last spring, the condition worsened to the point something drastic had to be done.
“The week after Memorial Day it went out on me,” Davis said. “It was bone on bone and the pain became excruciating.”
Davis then ran across an article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal describing the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) procedure. Davis’ research revealed the BHR would likely be a better option than a full hip replacement.
Unlike traditional hip replacement surgery the amount of bone removed is much smaller with BHR. Other advantages were faster rehabilitation, BHR removes only unhealthy bone preserving the normal bone of the hip, better restoration of full function, and an overall 99% success rate, Davis said.
Davis’s internet research then led him to healthbase.com, a “medical tourism” company that helps patients find doctors and facilities best suited for their needs overseas.
“The more I read the more I realized the best orthopedic guy in the world was in Mumbai, India,” Davis said. “And I wanted the best.”
Davis referenced it to having a prized classic sports car in which the transmission just blew.
“You wouldn’t want some kid just out of trade school,” Davis grinned. “You would want a professional to work on it.”
Davis’s hip professional was Dr. Kaushal Malhan, who had nearly perfected the BHR procedure and was credited with almost 1,000 BHR surgeries.
Davis filled out a patient profile online and within an hour received a response asking for x-rays of his hip. He had x-rays done at Calhoun Health Services which he emailed to the doctor.
Davis then discovered a huge discrepancy between having Dr. Malhan perform the surgery in India, compared to finding a “less experienced” doctor do the procedure in the U.S. – the price.
That was really critical to Davis who is one of approximately 40 million Americans without health insurance. Davis said his health insurance cost climbed to almost $30,000 per year, which he deemed too expensive.
Having BHR done at Dr. Malhan’s Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai, India would cost $10,000. The same procedure in the States would cost at least $75,000.
“I was shocked when I saw the price difference,” Davis said.
His mind was made up. Davis was going to India.
It took him two weeks to get passports and all the necessary paperwork through Healthbase. The entire trip would cost less than $13,000, surgery included.
The surgery was done on July 10. Davis said they couldn’t put him to sleep for the surgery due to an irregular heartbeat, so they did it by epidural.
“It sounded like a car in a body shop,” Davis said. “A lot of banging.”
Davis described the care as “first class” and said he had no trouble communicating.
Therapy started the night after the surgery. He was putting weight on the resurfaced hip the next afternoon. Davis said he was put through a 10 minute regimen three times a day.
“I could have been dismissed 72 hours after surgery but I was 9,000 miles from home,” Davis said.
Davis made the trip by himself, not wanting his wife Susan or kids to have to spend all that time sitting around in a hospital.
“They kept me busy,” Davis said. “I was fine. I didn’t want to ask any of my family to go through that.”
He had constant contact with everyone at home with internet and phone available in the hospital room.
A man from California was also there having the procedure done, Davis said. He had to have both hips done and no one in the States would do that at the same time. Davis said the man was unable to get leave from his job for two surgeries so he came to India to get it all done at once.
“It’s a long way to go for treatment,” Davis said. “But when you get the best in the world, it’s all worth it.”
Three weeks after the surgery in India, Davis was back at work at his insurance business in Calhoun City.
“It was a very positive experience,” Davis said. “Medical tourism is in its infancy right now, but if costs here continue going up it’s going to become more and more popular.”
“If something was to happen to me now, I’m hopping a plane to India,” Davis said.

Source: Calhoun County Journal  July 2007