The third keynote address at HICSA 2009 was presented by Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman and Managing Director, Global Health. Through his presentation, Dr Trehan highlighted the importance of medical tourism, and India's potential for it. He also mentioned about the road blocks on the way to medical tourism and ways and means to tackle them.

Highlighting the reasons behind India's potential for medical tourism, Dr Trehan said, "Seven per cent of doctors in the US are Indians. India has the ability to provide the best of western and eastern health care system. People are skilled in India and there is no waiting queue for the patients in the hospitals. India provides value for money and the cost of treatment is lower." Patients from around the world come to India for medical check ups.

However, there are certain aspects that prevent the growth of medical tourism such as hygiene, connectivity, visa procedures, pollution and communal unrest. Medical tourism could account for three to five per cent of the total health care delivery market. There is still a long way for India to go.