Once in a while we like to let you know what we’re reading.  Some of the stories below may end up as the focus of a column we do in the future, most will not.  But, strangely enough, all are entertaining in their own right.  We have gone ahead and annotated them for you so that your website surfing on this fine weekend can be all the more enjoyable.

Vietnamese brides without identities in China

As the gap between the number of Chinese men and women becomes more pronounced, and China’s wealth relative to the nations around it becomes even greater, taking foreign wives might become more and more common, especially from countries where women outnumber men (in Vietnam, the ratio of men to women is 3:5).
More here.

Are foreigners really unprotected from malpractice in Korea?

“…price disparity exists in the heavily price-regulated Korean hospitals largely because of the government view that its pricing policies do not apply to foreigners. In fact, Article 1 of the Medical Law states: ‘This law is designed to protect and improve the health of all citizens,” leaving foreigners unprotected from malpractice, discriminatory charging, overpricing and patient privacy rights.”

….hmmmmm…that’s not the way to build a medical tourism industry, Korea.
More here.

The Evolution of Science-Based Business: Innovating How We Innovate

HBS professor Gary P. Pisano examines the changing nature of the science-business intersection and describes the emergence of a science-based business as a novel organizational form. He also describes the institutional and organizational challenges created by this convergence.

Key concepts include:

• Science-based businesses face unique challenges as they straddle two worlds with very different time horizons, risks, expectations, and norms.
• The professions of management and of science are still largely separate: Scientists receive no formal training in management, and MBAs receive no training in science. This is a striking gap.
• Today the “invisible hand” of markets increasingly governs science-based businesses. Assessing this form of governance against the requirements of science-based businesses suggests the need for organizational innovation.”

More here.

Video: Medical tourism to Australia? Bloomberg interview with head of Australia tourism export council.

Question to answer: are prices in Australia that much cheaper compared to the states?  If yes, then how does quality compare – what kind of service should patients expect?
Watch here.

The Hellish Birth of a Beautiful Angel

“I am writing this negative experience down to leave it behind me, to forget about and to go on, to enjoy the new life with my sweet little daughter. I am also writing it down as a warning for other foreigners, expats and Chinese people who are having a baby in Shanghai or somewhere else in China.
Never ever have your baby in a Chinese hospital.
It simply has been the worst experience in my life. I am not exaggerating. It didn’t look bad in the beginning, when it seemed really comfortable to have a hospital nearby your home. Not when we heard the price, which was a quarter of what foreign hospital charge. Not when we saw the equipment, which was modern.
But once the actual delivery of the baby started, all that went to hell in just three days.”

More here.

Social network based around medical tourism

Disclaimer: we haven’t actually tried this site out, but the social network approach seems like a dangerous way to find a treatment option overseas.  It’s like finding an overseas doctor on a dressed up internet forum.
Check it out here.

Video: Commercial for a ‘China Medical’ tour

Starts May 25th 2010, ends June 3rd 2010.

“The primary objective is for participants and Chinese doctors to exchange information about medical care problems in their respective countries. Both groups will learn from each other. Hospital visits will be arranged in Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. Participants will meet with Chinese doctors in each hospital so the groups can talk to each other about their experiences.”

Riiiiight…what if the Chinese doctors can’t speak English?  Who is this targeted at – who are the participants supposed to be?  It’s telling that this is sponsored by two companies called www.yourvacationfriend.com and Spring Tour. This has the potential for high comedy for anyone that goes, assuming that they don’t mind overpaying for anything they are provided. Ten days, maybe a couple of hours of medical related stuff. Not a china medical tour.
Watch it here.

Surrogacy market is going to improve because of new airport.

Mmmmm….what?
Read it here.