A business that weathers the crisis: medical travel

The three or four times lower prices charged in Romania compared with Western Europe coupled with the opportunity to visit a Eastern European country are the driving forces behind the medical tourism market in Romania, although it is still far behind countries like Poland and the Czech Republic, writes Business Magazin weekly.
From the window of his practice in Iasi, dentist Sebastian Lupu watches aeroplanes land on the city's airport. "It appears patients will not be a problem this year, either," he says. Back in 2004 the dentist started a business not many thought would be successful: Dental Travel set out to provide quality services to foreigners at a significantly lower price than in their home country. Lupu found the idea on the Internet and, after talking to other doctors abroad, he opened a practice in Iasi and invested in a website to promote the business.
It is not very complicated to organise the "'stay": "Once they get to Romania, the patients are picked up at the airport by my partners and transported to the hotel they chose from the Iasi-based websites."
Patients are usually between 40 and 50 years of age, have a family, responsibilities, but can only afford to pay for dental treatment in their own country via a bank loan. The doctor says Italians, who come to him most often, are very prejudiced about Romania ("we are negatively depicted in the Italian press"), so those who come to Romania usually had previous contact with Romanians and know they have nothing to fear.
Some of the patients return even for the sixth time, attracted by Romania, but more than anything else, by the price.
"Whereas a porcelain tooth crown costs 650 euros in Italy, here we charge four-five times lower prices, and give discounts to loyal clients," explains the doctor.
The price of such a holiday is up to 5,000 euros, whereas in Italy, the treatment alone costs close to 20,000 euros.