Doctor eyes hotel partnerships to grow medical tourism venture

For Dr Charmaine Thomas, a Jamaican physician with more than two decades of experience, medical tourism represents more than a business opportunity. In a region heavily dependent on tourism, she believes healthcare and wellness services could become an increasingly important draw for visitors.

To that end, Dr Thomas launched DCT Global Clinic earlier this year, positioning the business at the intersection of healthcare, wellness and tourism. The company has already established a presence in Grenada through the Royalton Grenada Hotel and is now seeking partnerships with hotels in Jamaica.

Medical tourism remains a relatively small part of Jamaica’s tourism product, despite growing interest from both private operators and policymakers. Recently, the government signalled its intention to develop the industry.

Speaking in Montego Bay last October, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang said Jamaica was positioning itself as a destination for quality medical care and noted that JAMPRO was actively promoting the country’s healthcare capabilities to overseas patients.

Against that backdrop, Thomas attended this year’s JAPEX tourism trade show in Ocho Rios to forge links with hoteliers and tourism stakeholders.

Hotels are already required to have medical personnel onsite, but visitors often need to leave properties to access additional healthcare services. While hotel nurses address routine medical needs, Thomas argues there is an opportunity to offer guests a broader suite of wellness and preventative healthcare services during their stay.

“We’re trying to inject ourselves into the hotel industry to offer wellness care, so it’s more about medical tourism,” Thomas told The Gleaner.

DCT Global aims to fill that niche by offering services that are not typically available through hotel healthcare programmes, including aesthetic treatments, longevity care, menopause and andropause management, hormone-replacement therapy and other wellness-focused interventions.

“We’re not trying to take away from nurses’ station but, we’re trying to add. We’re trying to bring value for clients. When they come to your hotel, they can understand they can get a dermablading, they can get a facial that is far beyond what the spas offer in the hotels; they can get menopause care, they can get andropause care, they can get longevity care, aesthetic care. I’m also able to offer hormone replacement therapy, for women and men,” Thomas said.

“Persons are living longer now but they want to live longer and healthier. How does that happen? Well, they have to see an expert, of course, and with longevity you’re able to help persons live a healthy and happy life and that’s what we offer.”

DCT Global Clinic’s strategy reflects a broader shift in global tourism, where wellness and preventative healthcare are becoming increasingly important travel considerations. The company is seeking to introduce services that remain relatively unfamiliar within Jamaica’s tourism sector, while capitalising on growing demand for personalised health and wellness experiences.

For Thomas, the broader goal is to make wellness care a recognised part of the visitor experience.

“Living longer, staying healthier, looking better, all have a lot to do with one’s mind, body, and spirit and, according to Dr Thomas, ‘We offer that here at DCT Global.’”

She said discussions with tourism operators are focused on giving visitors access to healthcare options that have not traditionally been associated with Jamaican hotels.

“We’re trying to whet the minds of hotels, of the hotel leaders so they can allow us to be a part of their group, when a guest comes in the guest is able to have access to other aspects of healthcare that have never been offered before in Jamaica. We are willing to be that pioneer to offer that. Wellness care, medical tourism, that’s what we’re about.”

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com