A team of surgeons in Argentina where high quality, low cost care is the norm.

A team of surgeons in Argentina where doctors are typically well-trained, confident & knowledgeable.

When most foreign journalists return home from a trip to Argentina, they often pen glowing reviews of their gastronomic conquests down south…Newsweek’s Howard Fineman is not one of those journalists. On a recent visit to see his daughter—who currently lives in Argentina—Fineman had a nasty bout with food poisoning. The illness and his subsequent 3-day stay in a private hospital in Bariloche opened Fineman’s eyes to the cost and quality of care advantages for expats and foreign visitors in Argentina. “My hospitalization included continuous intravenous fluids (to counter dehydration); IV antibiotics; an EKG, two blood tests and a chest X-ray; special meals; a private room; and even satellite-TV access to what seemed to be every obscure soccer match on the planet,” Fineman writes, “The doctors, nurses, aides, and others were all uniformly excellent. Total cost: about $1,500.” Considering that similar treatment in the U.S. would have cost roughly $12,000, the NBC political analyst was impressed by both the quality of care (”The doctors were clearly well trained and knowledgeable, and inspired confidence with their touch of Argentine cockiness.”) and the resourcefulness he witnessed first-hand. (”Perhaps they can’t always afford the latest in technology, but they strike me as doctors who don’t dwell on technology for its own sake.”) While most Argentine medical tourism coverage to date has focused exclusively on elective procedures in BA, InvestBA believes Fineman’s anecdote sheds important light on the non-elective, year-round quality care awaiting  expats, transplants and foreign travelers in Argentina. (Full article)

Members of the La Aguada Polo Team relax at their training facility in Buenos Aires province.

Members of the La Aguada Polo Team relax at their training facility in Buenos Aires province.

In yesterday’s post, we learned why one global investor believes Argentina offers some of the best real estate values in South America. Today, the Financial Times’ Oliver Balch explains why the mega-rich—especially those with a passion for polo—are riding out the recession in Argentina. (Full article) InvestBA readers know October to December is polo prime time in Argentina, but Balch explains that interest remains strong year-round given Argentina’s plentiful and inexpensive prairies…the world-class quality of its bloodlines…(and) its crop of exceptional players (Of the 12 best-ranked players in the world, 11 are Argentine). Cutting-edge breeding and affordable embryonic transfer facilities are also cited as competitive advantages for Argentina’s polo industry.  “Death and bankruptcy are the only reasons to quit polo,” says Balch, “As long as the country’s mega-rich patrons remain healthy and wealthy, its polo industry should as well.” And thanks to Argentina’s relative affordability, it’s not just the mega-rich who can enjoy the polo lifestyle. Polo tourism has grown exponentially in Buenos Aires province thanks to the number of estancias offering polo clinics like La Aguada, El Venado and La Araucaria. So, as long as you’re going to ride out the recession, why not create your own polo uniform and ride it out in style?

Medical Tourism in Argentina is on the rise with companies like RefreshMed, Xetica and Procrearte in the lead.

Medical Tourism is on the rise with companies like RefreshMed, Xetica and Procrearte in the lead.

For the past three years, “medical tourism” has been a loosely-defined concept occasionally surfacing on the pages of popular magazines. In 2006, Time ran a story titled “Outsourcing Your Heart,” while Entrepreneur named “medical tourism” to its 2007 Hot List of emerging trends and business models for aspiring entrepreneurs. Fast forward to 2009 and the industry buzz around medical tourism is large enough to warrant a World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress, being held next week in L.A.  Going forward, Argentina is poised to capture a greater share of outsourced U.S. health care over traditional destinations like Inida, Thailand and Singapore. Similarities in time zones, language and countless tourism options are just a few of Argentina’s competitive advantages. And just to make it official, Argentina’s National Tourism Agency, finally decided to go after this $60 billion global industry with a marketing campaign (Full Story) called Medicina Argentina.

Plastic Surgery on a Budget in BA

With the rising cost of health care and serious concerns regarding quality of care under government-run systems, increasing numbers of middle class Americans and Canadians are weighing the costs and benefits of undergoing elective and programmed surgery abroad. CNN cameras were rolling when James Brandon, a 44-year-old Canadian marketing professional, traveled to Buenos Aires for liposuction, a rhinoplasty and an eye lift. When he realized the cost of all three procedures would be in excess of $50,000 at home in Toronto, CNN says “Brandon began investigating options overseas and quickly settled on a city that has become one of the most popular destinations in the world for plastic surgery — Buenos Aires, Argentina. And as CNN discovered, the advantages of medical tourism in BA aren’t limited to the relatively low cost and high quality of care: Thousands arrive annually for procedures and then stick around to soak up the sexy urban vibe of Buenos Aires, a city where looking your best is paramount.”

For more information regarding cost estimates of specific procedures in Buenos Aires, e-mail me at info@investba.com.

Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires

Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires

InvestBA is a blog dedicated to promoting trade and investment opportunities in Buenos Aires for individuals and small and medium-sized businesses in the United States and Europe. With a population approaching 14 million residents, Buenos Aires is a dynamic marketplace where European sophistication meets Latin hospitality. For decades, Buenos Aires has been referred to as “The Paris of South America;” however, a more apt description today would be “The Manhattan of South America,” given the city’s 24/7 atmosphere, undeniable entrepreneurial spirit and thriving cultural scene. Foreign investors should be encouraged by the fact that recent elections in Argentina suggest a more pro-business, free market mentality is taking hold. Plus the current government of the City of Buenos Aires has made steady progress in the areas of social service improvements, infrastructure enhancements and general transparency.

In short, the business and political climates are positive for foreign investors considering expanding a business, exporting goods, finding a supplier, or buying real estate in Buenos Aires. Going forward, InvestBA will serve as a window to some of these opportunities, so please enjoy and e-mail us if you are looking for specific information regarding Buenos Aires and investment opportunities in this incredibly beautiful and thoroughly livable metropolis.

 
© 2010 InvestBA, S.A.