Cebu Doc ventures into med aesthetics
The Cebu Doctors' Group of Hospitals is venturing into the medical aesthetics business amid the growing demand for dermatology and reconstructive surgery services.
Company president and chairman Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal III said the hospital firm's foray into aesthetics business is also in line with the promotion of medical tourism in Cebu.
On Wednesday, the company launched its Center for Aesthetics and Laser located at the Medical Arts of its Cebu Doctors University Hospital in Cebu City.
Larrazabal noted the growing demand for beauty and wellness in Cebu.
He said the company's long-term plan is to develop the so-called wellness complex starting with this aesthetics center.
He said that more and more people are starting to invest into preventive healthcare and aesthetics services.
He also attributed the growing demand to the rising population in Cebu.
Larrazabal pointed out the establishment of this center is also key to further promote Cebu as a medical tourism destination, considering its edge in terms of costs compared to other countries.
He even cited the US and European countries as among the potential markets.
The hospital-based center has a team of board certified plastic surgeon and dermatologists, headed by Dr. Fremont John Base, a top Cebuano plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
The center specializes in aesthetics and wellness services such as skincare, body sculpting, and plastic and reconstructive surgeries. It also offers both non-invasive and surgical procedures.
Plastic surgery procedures include rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, otoplasty, chin augmentation, scar revisions and excisions.
The treatments are done by members of t he Philippine Dermatologic Society and the Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetics Surgeons.
The group has six hospitals namely South General Hospital, North General Hospital, Mactan Doctors Hospital, Ormoc Doctors Hospital, San Carlos General Hospital and Cebu Doctors University Hospital.
Earlier, Roberto Alabado III, director for medical and wellness tourism at the Department of Tourism, said that Cebu needs to have more internationally accredited hospitals and wellness-oriented hotels and resorts to cash in on the billion-dollar medical and wellness industry.
He said the agency is now looking at re-launching the Philippines as a wellness destination, citing Cebu as a primary spot.
"We are looking Cebu as one of the potential destinations for wellness tourism," he had said.
Alabado urged Cebu to have more hospitals and clinics with international accreditation to attract more medical tourists.
Nowadays there is an increasing number of health and wellness conscious tourists and the Philippines should position itself as the new luxury destination, he said.
Moreover, better air connectivity and aggressive marketing must also be pursued to boost Cebu’s standing in medical tourism.