Mexico's first Department of Medical Tourism appointed in the State of Baja California

Mexicali, Baja California, March 11, 2014 - Due to continuous growth derived from satisfying the demand for top level, affordable medical care and services, the State Secretary of Baja California (SECTURE) has named Dr. Jorge Tagle as the first Director of the Department of Medical Tourism.

Medical Tourism has established as a flourishing industry, since visitors from the United States and Canada have found in border cities like Tijuana and Mexicali (the state capital) a rapid access to highly-rated medical services. The creation of this department symbolizes also a heads-up call for other industries in the state, benefitting from patients' and their relatives' stay in the cities of Baja California while undergoing any procedure and/or receiving treatment. "The purpose of creating this department within the State Secretary of Tourism's structure is to unify efforts by both public and private hospitals, hotels, restaurants, government agencies and related businesses and entities in order to improve every patient's experience when visiting us", said Dr. Jorge Tagle, head of Medical Tourism.

Mexicali's Dr. Alberto Aceves, leading bariatric surgeon in the state and in Mexico, seemed optimistic of the government's statements regarding support to private practice and other validating agencies for the actual services' improvement. "We are hoping for government health agencies to regulate and provide proper validation and certification into just about every service regarding medical tourism, thus creating a trustable atmosphere among patients visiting us", stated Dr. Aceves. A significant number of specialists and surgeons within private practice like Dr. Alberto Aceves from Mexicali bariatric center have delivered excellent medical services for more than a decade to an increasing number of foreign visitors; this cycle has made that more doctors join the health services offer.

For tourists coming to Baja California, the second most important reason to travel to the state is related with receiving health services, as over 800,000 visitors traveled here during winter 2012-13 with such purpose. Although some patients may visit just to receive regular consultation, it is easy to deduct that some visitors will remain in Mexico for more than one night if they undergo any kind of treatment or surgical procedure (adding up to 66% of their traveling budget spent on medical attention). Patients bring along relatives and/or other companionship (at least in over 70% of the cases) in need of services such as hotels, restaurants, entertainment and other activities.

Baja California keeps being a groundbreaking entity among Mexico's states by creating this Department of Medical Tourism. The official acknowledgement of recent and previous single efforts regarding foreign visitors coming to the state of baja to receive any kind of health services is a very important step forward which able to benefit both many sectors of Baja California's population as well as any potential visitor to the state, either in the short, mid or long term.