[email protected] http://www.medbrick.ca/ About Pablo Castillo Pablo Castillo is CEO at MedBrick, a Canadian company specializing in travel assistance, medical cost containment and medical tourism in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada. In 2000, Pablo graduated from Bishop’s University in Quebec. Since then, he has been involved in the health insurance industry and developed strong expertise in the medical cost containment and travel assistance fields. Through a growing network of medical providers in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada, Pablo and MedBrick are reaching out globally, providing specialized and reliable services to insurance carriers, assistance companies, third party administrators and individuals looking for medical services abroad. About MedBrick MedBrick is proudly a Canadian-based company located in the province of Quebec. The firm was founded in 2010 by a team of service-oriented healthcare specialists. We offer our services to: – Organizations doing business in international markets; – Individuals looking for medical or specialized care abroad. Our workforce combines expertise and dedication in the services we offer. With many years of experience in the Healthcare and Travel insurance industries, we are continuously focused in exceeding customer service standards. Medical Travel Today (MTT): Can you provide our readers with some background on MedBrick and how it has evolved since its launch in 2010? Pablo Castillo (PC): MedBrick offers professional healthcare management services to a variety of organizations and individuals internationally. Initially, MedBrick began working with a select number of insurance assistance companies from Canada, and has gradually developed into offering services to both insurance carriers and assistance companies in North America and Europe. We work with a number of health insurance and travel assistance companies in North America, Spain, Germany and, of course, Latin America-which has become our market of expertise. Specializing in medical cost containment, MedBrick helps companies and individuals find providers who offer quality medical care at an appropriate cost by negotiating claims with providers, performing negotiations prior to directing patients into facilities, and/or auditing bills. MTT: What is it about MedBrick’s unique approach that allows the company to be successful? PC: MedBrick’s success and ability to stand out in the industry is attributable to the multifaceted dimensions of the company. We partner with medical providers from different countries in Latin America and offer our services to clients, whether they are corporations or individuals seeking medical care abroad. MedBrick handles both insurance business and medical travel, creating the opportunity for additional exposure-especially considering that many organizations only focus on one aspect of the industry. MTT:In terms of medical travel, are Latin American countries actively attempting to further develop the industry? PC:Absolutely. As the medical travel industry continues to evolve and expand, we are seeing more and more countries in Latin America getting involved. A number of events covering medical travel continue to surface, as well, which is great for MedBrick, providers and individuals in different locations who wish to enter the medical travel market and offer care to companies and individuals within their countries. MTT:Have you noticed any particular marketing tactics that healthcare facilities, doctors or industry professionals use in order to advance the medical travel industry? PC:There has definitely been an increase in social networking utilization, as well as an overall growth in technology familiarity. As more healthcare providers and professionals begin to develop their online communities and increase awareness regarding the industry, the more likely it is for additional individuals and facilities to become interested in entering the international market and attracting patients globally, as well. MTT: Costa Rica has been a leading destination for medical travel-is this still the case? PC:Yes, I would place Costa Rica in the top three destinations in Latin America for medical travel. Costa Rica was involved in the medical travel industry long before other countries showed any interest, allowing the opportunity for growth, development and advanced knowledge in terms of treating international patients. MTT:Has the recent 15 percent tax increase for professional services in Costa Rica impacted the volume of medical travel in the area? PC: It is always possible to find reasonable rates despite the taxes in Costa Rica because there are plenty of new vendors consistently emerging and offering their services – and generating more competition rather than discouraging it. Costa Rica is an extremely popular destination for travelers as it is, especially travelers within a close proximity, such as Americans and Canadians. People not only reflect on the attractiveness of the country’s cost-effective, quality medical treatment, but also its desirable amenities, as well. MTT:Based on the current medical travel trends in Latin America, where do you see the future of the industry headed? PC: I have different visions for different destinations in the industry. Mainly, due to the close proximity and affordability, I see Mexico as an emerging country in medical travel for North Americans. The Mexican government has a strong interest in generating positive exposure internationally for Mexico. The country has slowly been removing the negative stigma it endured for several years because of drug wars and, instead, is now emerging as one of the top three destinations in Latin America for medical travel because of its exceptional quality of care. There is a lot of potential for the entire industry. Countries such as Nicaragua, Panama and Columbia are doing a great job promoting themselves internationally, and it is just a matter of time before they receive more exposure and further develop into prominent medical travel destinations.