Health Tourism Innovations Honored in Athens, Greece

New ideas that have created value for the health tourism sector were honored at the Innovation Awards held on the sidelines of the International Health Tourism Convention (IHTC) that opened on Thursday at the Royal Olympic Hotel in central Athens.

Organizers of the International Health Tourism Convention Constantine Constantinides (healthCare cybernetics) and Zacharias Kaplanidis (Zita Medical Management).

Organized by healthCare cybernetics and Zita Medical Management, the convention brings together sector experts and professionals in efforts to address pressing issues while endorsing policies and strategies that will ensure the best utilization of the country’s offerings. The event includes seminars, workshops and forums.

According to the organizers, the Health Tourism Innovation Awards scheme was inspired by and modeled on that of the “Economist Innovation Awards”.

Health tourism stakeholders from around the world — individuals, organizations and destinations — were invited to submit nominations or even nominate themselves.

The nominee categories were: Macro Level (i.e., Destinations and Destination Level Legal Entities), ht8 Segments Category (providers of health-related services involving some travel–in one or more of the 8 Health Tourism Segments) and sector-supporting Industries Category (providers of services – or products – supporting the Health Tourism Sector).

The Innovation Awards ceremony took place after the first day of the International Health Tourism Convention. The awards were presented to six recipients by Elena Sergeeva and Marissa Tejada of Travel Bloggers Greece (TBG).

Winners

• Professor Ioannis Pallikaris – Greece

A health tourism innovation award was presented to Professor Ioannis Pallikaris for introducing innovative Medical Technology which has been adopted and implemented by facilities and providers in several Health Tourism Destinations and which in turn has led to growth and expansion of Medical Tourism.

• Dubai Health Authority – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Dubai Health Authority received a health tourism innovation award for introducing “destination-level” innovations which serve as “benchmarks” for other health tourism destinations to adopt and implement. The award was received by Layla Al-Marzouqi (Director of Health Regulation Department and the Dubai Medical Tourism Program) and Linda Abdullah (Head of Medical Tourism Office, Health Regulation Department).

• Leila Wilcox (CEO, Wilberry Solutions – Medical Travel Shield) – United Kingdom

Leila Wilcox introduced the concept and practice of “Destination-based” and “Provider-provided” Medical Tourism Indemnity Insurance.

• MEDIGO – Germany

MEDIGO conceived and introduced the Curated Platform Business Model for simplifying and facilitating Medical Travel. The award was received by MEDIGO CEO Ugur Samut.

• Business Global – ExpoOnline – Cyprus

Business Global – ExpoOnline introduced the concept and practice of the “Permanent and Interactive OnLine Exhibition” which will include the permanent “Health Tourism OnLine Exhibition”. The award was received by Olga Thoma (General manager, Global Destination Exhibitions division, ExpoOnline – The Global Distribution Network).

• LIV Hospital Group – Turkey

LIV Hospital Group introduced innovations which successfully met the challenges of treating international patients in a hospital setting. The award was received by Meri Istiroti (Group Coordinator for LIV Hospitals).

The International Health Tourism Convention will continue until March 14.

GTP is a media partner of the convention.

Photos © GTP