Global Health Asia-Pacific Issue 1 | 2023 GHT64B | Page 47

Mayo Clinic to open first patient information office in India
UN tourism body seeks new global chapter as China reopens

Mayo Clinic to open first patient information office in India

The new facility aims to streamline patient registration

The Mayo Clinic has set up a patient information office in Mumbai to help patients schedule appointments at Mayo

Clinic facilities worldwide .
Staff will process appointment requests directly from patients , family members , and physician referrals for the numerous Mayo Clinic institutions in the United States , including Minnesota , Arizona , and Florida , as well as Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London . Office personnel who are bilingual in English and Hindi are accessible at no additional cost to facilitate communication between patients and healthcare providers in different languages . The team will also assist with travel , accommodations , billing , and insurance arrangements for patients ’ convenience .
The Mumbai office , however , will not offer medical services but can provide general clinic orientation , collaborate with clinics in reviewing medical records , and handle future appointments . “ Our international patient information offices help us provide patients with a seamless experience when seeking care at Mayo Clinic ,” said Dr Mohamad Bydon , a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon and executive medical director of academic affairs , in a press release .
In addition to the new Mumbai office , the Mayo Clinic has patient information offices in Canada , Colombia , the Dominican Republic , Ecuador , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , Mexico , Panama , and Peru .
Established in 1864 , the Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit academic medical centre based in Rochester , Minnesota , USA , and is dedicated to advancing integrated healthcare , medical education , and research . Newsweek magazine ranks Mayo Clinic as the top hospital in the world , while US News & World Report ranks it as the best hospital in the United States .

UN tourism body seeks new global chapter as China reopens

China ’ s comeback is “ The Final Piece in Post-Pandemic Tourism Recovery ”

The UN World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO ) anticipates that China ’ s reopening will promote a worldwide tourism revival .

UNWTO Secretary-General �urab Pololikashvili , who led a delegation attending an official border reopening ceremony in Huangzhou , China , hailed the auspicious event as “ the moment we have all been waiting for .” As the first UN Head of Agency to visit China after COVID travel restrictions were lifted , Pololikashvili said that the country ’ s reopening would significantly boost economic growth and social opportunities throughout Asia and the Pacific and the world .
“ The significance of China to global tourism is widely recognised and appreciated ,” he said in an interview with China Global Television Network ( CGTN ). UNTWO data showed that , in 2019 , China became the most significant source of tourism globally , with Chinese tourists having spent a total of US $ 255 billion on international travel . With over six billion trips that year alone , domestic tourism was a pillar of growth and employment , supporting jobs and businesses nationwide .
The Huangzhou event also saw China ’ s Minister of Culture and Tourism Hu Heping and Pololikashvili agree to extend their cooperation in placing tourism on the agenda for international development cooperation , tourism education , and tourism for rural development .
The UNWTO ’ s efforts in strengthening China ’ s tourism industry include recognising rural tourist attractions like Yucun Village as the “ Best Tourism Villages ” and engaging with Chinese public and private sectors in discussing the industry ’ s future regarding sustainability , equality , and resilience .
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