Bangalore India hospital flow

I always love to hear your stories!
By the way, Taiwan healthcare is superb too.

Glad to hear you've fully recovered. A colleague of mine went back to india for a brain surgery. What was quoted in the 6 figure ranges and not covered by insurance in the US gave him second disease. He lost the will to leave at just 24.

He went back to India, learned that they could do the same procedure for a fraction of the price. It's been two years, and he is fully recovered and it left his bank account intact. It's insane how we've normalized obscene prices in the US.

Glad to hear you are A-OK. Good stuff—thanks for sharing this.

So great to hear this from you! I’m honestly a little tempted to move back to Bangalore myself 😄 I’m originally from Bangalore too, though I’ve been settled in the US for a while. So exciting that you’re making the move - hope you absolutely love being there! (when you make the move).

Amazing story, Derek. Thank you. ... And, wow, you are thinking of moving to India. What a decision. One that I almost took in 2004 when I worked in Delhi as a singer (jeeez, amazing how time flies!). So I can totally understand what you are talking about. I went back 2017 to visit friends. I did not quite get the same vibe. But maybe it was just me. Good luck anyway!

Hello Derek, good morning. I've just read your article from top to bottom. You praise the Indian Medics like no other but I know from your experience that if anyone should know, it's you having been around the block many times. So you're planning to move to Bangalore? Is this a permanent move or just a few months? well, which ever it is it's none of my business but I do wish you well and a good stay. I have known about the medical treatments and expertise that India holds globally in everything the Indians take an interest in. They're very thorough and have good role models. Mentioning their politeness they have in their natures. You've mentioned Bangalore before about being the place to go to work within the IT sector for the up and coming entrepreneurs and wiz kids and you've spoken very highly of the place too. You should'ave a wonderful time there having good friends who care about you. Goodluck in all you do and take good care.

Love your stories, amigo!
So happy you are doing great.
Keep sharing!!
Sending big hugs and lots of love from beautiful Dubai.

Sakra World Hospital has some of the best surgeons. We got my Mother-in-law's knee replacement done there and the doctor performs 1200 surgeries a year - highest total surgeries of the same kind in the last 10 years. Overall experience was just A++. Glad you are doing well and had a great experience there. Looking forward to catching up again in Bangalore sometime :)

Hey Derek - glad you're back on track. Loved this piece as I've found many aspects of living abroad, (Phuket, Thailand), eye-opening, and usually more beneficial. For me, it's the cost of going to the dentist and contact lenses. Also after driving a bike here for 20 years, newcomers must understand the traffic is like Jazz - not Classical! lol. Take care, Derek

Great to hear this positive story about the quality of medical treatment in India. And hey, it’s Bangalore, my city! I like how you saw the lack of infrastructure as water flowing around obstacles. That’s a vivid and favourable description of the chaos, one of the reasons I decided to move out of the city for a while until things become better.

Glad to hear you have fully recovered!

Take care,
Nithish

Interesting, and good to know. Thanks for sharing.

It's complicated, isn't it? Many of their doctors chose to come and work in the UK - there must be a reason. It's also about a whole-culture approach/acceptance to chaos and uncertainty. We have invented "management" in the west, probably as a consequence of hyper capitalism and that means we've tried to bring order in places where maybe it wasn't needed. But the $8 that sound trivial to us might be a month's wages in India. The four hour wait for the op to not happen might have cost someone their job. I also enjoy dipping in and out of different systems (similar affordable on-demand experiences can be had in Greece) but there is a moral element to this. And of course the reductio and absurdum - what would happen if we all did it....

Glad to hear that you’re well now.
It’s interesting how you look at the things that many Indians would have problems with! Just tells you how perspectives (and priors and comparisons) matter! :)

Hi Derek,
Good to hear everything went well!

This reminds of the "Quantity vs. Quality" portion of your TEDxNUS talk from the perspective that the best surgeons are the ones who do a particular procedure the most frequently.

I chose my surgeon in the US for the same reason. Granted the price stack up was much higher than you experienced in India. But, mine was emergency surgery so I didn't have time to travel.

Once I recovered I did a financial analysis of the process. Fascinating that the majority of the difference in price comes from human bloatware: the specialist doctor who you don't need stops by for a few minute chat and charges $5000. Pharmacy Benefit Managers. And the whole bizarre idea of paying an insurance company that then pays doctors using opaque formulas.

Hi Derek,
Greetings from Baramati ,India
Glad to know you are fine now after the surgery . .
Thnks for appreciating Health care system in Bangalore India .
As a doctor , I feel so good ,when work is being appreciated
India is changing .!!!

Very interesting - a topic that's been on my mind for a while. And also because... really? Leave NZ to live in Bangalore? That seems like a major upheaval to a much more stressful environment...

glad to hear you are on the move again. didn't have india on my bingo card. we are wrapping up portugal (finally) and go back to boat life, maybe we'll sail to inda now, who knows :)

would be awesome to catch up face to face and i am sure we'll be at the same spot at some point again - till then enjoy the new country, the new energy and the new adventures :)

cheers
Lenz

Wow, that's wild. Glad to hear that you're okay. Very valid point and logic regarding the volume thing. Impressive to see that you actually followed through on it!

Hey Derek,

Great to hear your recovery went well. Interesting point on the volume. Were you also able to check the complication rate against the volume?

Also, I’m wondering, did you feel totally out of control? I mean, in general, surgeries make you feel out of control, but with all the meandering, wasn’t that feeling even more emphasized?
I felt in control. Like when the surgeon didn’t show and I walked out, all the staff said, “You can’t walk out! You need to do official discharge first! You have checked in so you must stay until it is resolved! You are not allowed to leave!” But none of that is true. ☺ So I walked out. — Derek

A slightly less extreme example of volume beats price is when my Italian friend pointed me to the best coffee in his city. Not the fancy cafe in the centre, but the simple kiosk by the front door of the airport. The coffee machine is always working and therefore produces great coffee. Italians know best when it comes to coffee in my opinion. Us Brits are better with tea! 🫖

So glad it went well and you are happy in this lovely world!!

That was awesome!

I love India, yet I haven't been back there in 10 years. And I've never been to Bangalore. So: thanks for the nudge. I'll get there next spring!

Hey Derek,

Great story. Please find out how the hospitals in india can make their service so cheap and abundant, that you don’t need appointments.

These lessons could really help the western world in improving their own health systems.

All the best
Mark

Another great piece of advice. Thanks Derek. Both on India, travel for health and preventive medecine overall. Interesting to hear you plan to move to India, which remains a place for the brave in my mind :)

First of all I’m pleased to hear you’re are in good health.

I’m not sure I would have your mental strength to fly to India and explore your options but having a great network there must have helped.

In 2022 my wife’s breast cancer returned after 16 years. This time she chose a double mastectomy. The Boston team were amazing at Mass General and while the cost of all the medical care was close to a $1m, our out of pocket was $4000. It was an inspirational team. Having said that I love the idea of the US system being able to replicate the cost and speed of your Bangalore experience without the infrastructure challenges.
Thanks for sharing
Best
Ian

Great story and lots of great comparisons on prices but something I would not be brave enough to risk. Especially the long flight from the US. Michael Moore brought some veterans over to Cuba and had pretty much the same success on cost and competence. Stay safe and healthy ... Peter

Indian people are wonderful
And the food too!! 😀

I was confused about why a neurosurgeon would be handling knee-related surgery, and assumed Derek made a mistake. But no, Perplexity explained it to me.

Never thought I’d read about hospital flow (haha) but gives a lovely 3rd person perspective.

A lot of expats try to find the same information, but it is quite scattered across the web and they end up just giving up or asking a local. This is a good playbook.

Sending this to a few expats I know who have tried getting medical procedure done in India in the past.

I love Bangalore too! Thank you for writing this, now I need to plan another trip there. I love the food too, I could go on and on about the food!

What a unique perspective, as someone born from there, I would have never considered some of the counterintuitive thoughts that make complete sense.

Wild ! My brother Jay lived in Calcutta almost 30 years ago, it was a tech center then, so much has changed and it seems for the better, Your patience is amazing. Glad you're well.

Glad you are better now!

One of the reasons I left US healthcare was that I saw no end to the excuses for why things are so expensive while so many corporations feed off the misery of others. We have a lot to learn from Bangalore and your experience, but how can we bring this message to the forefront given all the other noise?

Hey, Derek!
The beginning of change is feeling the pain & needing to change. A second step is sorting out the ways to "do it"...whatever needs to be attended to. Your insatiable curiosity keeps taking you to places that are amazing in so many ways, and replicable...when you share your stories, it offers a chance. Keep reporting the cool things in the world which work.
With a deep bow of gratitude -
Brother Ian

Glad to hear all went well, Derek. And gladder to know you'll be a hop, skip and jump away in Bangalore soon.

re: traffic on Indian roads, I've often said "God's presence is greater in my country... because only God can prevent so many more accidents from happening here!" But you're absolutely right. Amidst all the chaos and confusion, there's a certain method and "order" that simply WORKS.

🥳

I would not have expected this! I think you must also need a lot of patience to tolerate their way of flow. I think a lot of Americans would have a problem with this!

Your content is so interesting and informative. I love the way you have chosen to live beyond your initial monetary success is life. Adventure, open mind, and always developing new relationships that go deeper than the surface. Thanks for continuing to share your journey.

Great Story Derek- thanks for sharing your journey. Richard

Hello dearest Derek!

Beautiful story and lovely to hear from you as always.

And what a great way to learn about hospitals and medical processes in India.

It's always a treasure when I read your letters and writings.

Thank you for being such a great human.

A million kisses,
Cari

Good info. I have Medicare and supplemental to cover copays here in USA , was that your knee , sounds like a bakers cyst I’ll have to Google that thing you mentioned
Thanks.
Eric

Epic! I love hearing how systems work; I'm always looking for ideas for us here in Canada, where every aspect of the healthcare system (or many systems, in fact) is broken. As we move fully into our era of Reconciliation, though, the First Nations Health Authority, by and for First Peoples, seems to be following a similar path to India. I cried after my first appointment; with the care I was given, I felt heard and seen - 'There should be no barrier to wellness,' they said.

I look forward to hearing more after you relocate!

Cheerio, and huy chexw a for sharing as always,
Jenn xox

I wasn’t prepared for how wild, crazy, and interesting your story was! My brain is reeling.

Thank you so much for sending, I had no idea hospitals in the world can work like that. The analogy of connecting that to just driving was amazing, it really helped me to understand a bit. I realize how smart I am not! My age I doubt be getting much smarter. So I don’t know what to do with that information, but I’m glad to have injested it, for as long as I can remember.

I doubt there is that kind of Care here in the US at any kind of reasonable price. I guess I’m planning to grow older and just pass away when my time comes. No hospitals. For the time being, I am doing my exercises and chores around the house, and I’m doing pretty good for 73. I must say, though, life with the Internet is a challenge. And I appreciate your stories.

-Pete

Glad to read your well being.

I am so happy to see your story as it's something incredibly amazing being in India - we experience health care services at such ease compared to other countries at very feasible prices.

Dearest friends, I think, stand above all the other perks and that's what stood out to me the most from this post.
Me too. ☺ — Derek

Glad to hear you found a reason to visit India, and that you are recovered from your affliction. In NYC I met an Indian man who said that there were schools in India where one could become certified in psychic healing. He had a thriving practice as a healer. However, his patients would come back after a few months with the same afflictions as a result of not changing their ways. He felt as if he was hindering their spiritual development by taking away their karmic lesson, so he closed his practice and came to the US to study engineering.

Taiwan health care is good but not that good we still need to book for health care service but maybe in days not in months, sorry to hear NZ doing this in this way.

Dear Derek,
Your flow like water attitude is always an inspiration to me…thank you! I think about it often when I find myself trying to push the world around.
Very happy for your great outcome!
Stay well!
Leah Wingfield

I’m always fascinated by how incredibly inefficient the US healthcare system is. I recently had an appointment scheduled with a specialist. They called and said they needed to reschedule, and their first opening is in six months. Insane!

Stories like this show that there’s no reason we couldn’t do so much better.

Indian Hospitality is great when we host our foreign guests.

Our Medical System has improved a lot since 2000s and the cost when compared with US, UK and Australia is much lower.

However for my fellow Indians it’s still a lot and our incomes for many does not keep up with the Inflation Rates. Moreover still we have a lot of people who can’t afford the best hospitals and even those who afford unless has connections & power are not treated with any extra care or attention.

I always felt, Indians needs to respect our own people and try to serve ourselves properly but unfortunately FDI Focus, MNC’s PR and our own inferiority-superiority complexes have made us to squabble ourselves and not improve Indian Branding and Indian Focused Industries. This is a heart burn I am carrying since my teenage.

Wow, Derek. What a story! Are you moving your son with you, or is he staying behind in New Zealand? As usual, you are a fascinating person...:)
Gregg Pasternack
I never leave my son. ☺ “As soon as I can” means when he goes away to university or if he can move with me. He’s half-Indian. — Derek

This is incredible and really helpful to know. The people in Bangalore (India as a whole really) are fantastic. I just wonder...how are those specialists available so quickly? Do they have a lot of unstructured time each day?

Glad you're on the mend and things went well. It's fascinating hearing how they do things there. Adapt and flow. Sounds like you had that mindset on the way there with 'Just Come.' That's hard to do when you're raised in the Western mindset.
The 6 a.m. surgeon disappearing for four hours is almost comical because the Western response would probably be: complain, escalate, find the administrator, demand an explanation, reschedule through the system, write a bad Yelp review.
Your response: Okay. This path is blocked. Different surgeon. Well done.

So glad to hear all is well with you and that you are in good company. As time passes by, I realize how important it is to be well surrounded and to choose wisely the people you surround yourself with. After so many mistakes and deceptions - that are not over yet, I'l sure - I believe I have found a hand full of people with whom I can be fully who I am, feel loved and cherished, without having to prove anything. I can ask anything, any favor, same way they can ask me. And because they love me so dearly I become more myself with myself. Never thought I would be interested in discovering India. Thank you for sharing. Always. Hugs from Atins, Brazil. Martha

Glad to hear you are well, Derek.

It is always refreshing to see your perspective on things!

Thanks for sharing this great story, Derek. The medical industry in the US is so bloated and profit-centric. It's good to know about Bangalore. And I'm glad you're well. I was wondering that as I read the story.

Hi Derek.

Loved your article...my husband and I did medical tourism in Bangalore in 2007 and had a similar experience to yours. Back then, nearly 20 years ago, they outfitted my husband with a bar-coded bracelet that they could read all over India and let him know when the skin cancer stitches were ready to come out. Here we are in 'merica in 2026 still being asked for our scans on CD and having to fax our medical records. Uh huh. "Best health care system IN THE WORLD!" Just keep telling yourself that...

Thanks for always providing your realistic and authentic response to the world.
Kathy & Kevin Doran

Me encantan tus historias! I love hearing from you and your heaven-like medical stories. It’s so wonderful to know that somewhere in the world, healthcare can actually work, offering both high-quality care and affordable prices. ❤️

I love how you follow your passion and moving to another country. I'm so happy to hear you are ok and doing well. Thank you for sharing your story! Ever since quitting corporate my eyes have been open to the health care system & how insurance works. I too have been flying to Asia for the big exams or any specialist visits. While in America, I typically cash pay for visits to the doctor, chiro, etc. I still have insurance, well, for insurance purposes but have contemplated moving to another country, healthcare being a major reason. Wishing you the best of luck on your move and I have no doubt you will be laughing with tears of joy in your eyes reunited with sweet friends.

Wow! Pretty amazing on all fronts. Especially your ability to appreciate and go with the flow! Thanks for sharing!

Loved to hear that you were in Bengaluru. If you are here next time, I would love to have a short connect with you. And the way you co-related the traffic flow to natural stream of water gave a whole new perspective. Everyday we go through that but never got this perspective. All the best to you in your endeavours.

Hey Derek,

What a fun and eye-opening piece to read. I love how your focus is upbeat and...

"Many little things are like this, and it somehow all works. You flow around the obstacles."

I've experienced the US healthcare system as a patient and am delighted to report that I received top-notch care with a twist of kindness and genuine attention. I am also incredibly grateful for the insurance that paid for the vast majority of my care.

I am currently experiencing US healthcare in a support role to a patient... who has a little trouble flowing around the obstacles. This patient's experience seems different than mine.

You leave me pondering... How much of a patient's experience is the patient responsible for? 🤔 And do our systems synchronize with our expectations?

Always love hearing your stories! Glad you are feeling better...

Kind regards from Seattle

What about the air quality in Bangalore? In India, generally?

"Except for the infrastructure"....hmmm.

Also, isn't there a hygiene prob with India in general.

Glad to hear you're healthy and happy. This is the way!!

I really enjoyed reading this. This is absolutely not meant to sound negative, but to me the awareness of corruption in the United States is made more impactful with examples of how things can be done better. It's obvious from reading this that the motivation is not for profit, and again fascinating to see how things could be.
Oh the motivation is definitely for profit! — Derek

Thanks for the update and letting me live vicariously through them :)

I'm glad to hear the surgery went well and you've fully recovered.

Here in the UK all this stuff also takes time. Long waiting lists for tests etc but at least we don't have to pay for it.

Take care

Glad to know you are doing okay Derek. Love how positively you have described your experience. I don't of anyone else who would put it this way. I keep missing meeting you when you are in India (I know this time was just not possible). Hopefully next time. Xx Megha

Glad your surgery went well! Bangalore sounds amazing, and I've heard there is an overall sense of enthusiasm in India concerning technological developments. I've heard it's also an exciting time to be in Cambodia, as it's a fast-developing country.

Haha, what a laugh! Great story. I can relate.
Here in Tenerife (where I currently live) the Germans fly back to Germany because only in Germany (of course!) is there a functioning healthcare system and good doctors. :-)
And we're talking first-world Spain, not like DR Kongo!
Great insight about the bias towards money = quality. Obviously this insight works the same in so many other aspects of life.
Thanks so much again for your great story and insights!

Been dealing with medical issues myself and Arizona is lacking over LA without considerable savings in cost. I have decent insurance but the billing scams seem obscene. They bill $11K for just the room, but accept $750 in payment from Medicare and secondary insurance. Just crazy...

“Who’s recently performed this procedure the most? “

How did you find out which surgeons had done the greatest number of surgeries ?

Adam
PS you are one of my favorite story tellers

Short, sweet and insightful storytelling. Love it!

Chris

Loved the story. Loved the fact that you found the treatment economical and it's best too. It's true India have some of the best doctors in the world.

I am very happy that everything went so well for you. And being an Indian that you loved the stay and experience here.

I love this story! I've only ever spent 2 weeks in India, and I loved it. I'll be back someday. Maybe I'll combine it with some medical stuff while I'm there!

Hi Harshit from
india (Delhi Ncr) hope you are recovering well, Would have loved to meet you in person

I'm glad to hear you're well! Bangalore and India is amazing. But, I'm glad we have free medical care in Sweden. Well, you pay about 20 USD to see the doctor, and then about the same price each night you have to spend at the hospital. Sometimes we have to wait too long to see the doctor though, so Swedes go abroad or to a private clinic sometimes to have it done more quickly. But no one will be broke from having a surgery.
Go to the dentist is another thing. Subsidized but still expensive! I went to Budapest once when my dentist was on leave for Xmas. And I had to take my son when he was 5 to the dentist in Chiangmai. Excellent dentist and cheap, even a Friday night. It's always exciting to travel, even to see their healthcare :D

Hey! Glad to hear everything went well. I agree with your point that India is a place where you roll with the punches and see where it leads. Nothing crazy and nothing easy at the same time.

Getting appointments with doctors is insane here in Hamburg as well. Back home, in two days I could cover all the checkups and specialists I need. Here, a Hausarzt (house doctor) appointment takes two weeks, and a specialist appointment is 8 - 10 weeks out. Insane.

Bangalore is a wonderful city; I wish you well with your move. I would also suggest Kerala as a top choice if things go south (literally).

I am happy that the surgery went well.

Take care !

@sivers glad to hear about your experience and your speedy recovery in my home town. Curious to know why you’d choose to move there though.

Derek you never disappoint. I usually admire your adventures from afar but I had to leave you a thank you comment. Health care is in such a sad situation here in the States that to read your experience (bad shit crazy as it seems) was refreshing.

Great read mensch!

This sounds terrible?!

>>
I showed up at 5am, checked in for the 6am surgery, changed into the gown, and waited. Nobody came. I asked a few times, but nobody knew where he was. After four hours of waiting, I walked out and made an appointment with a different surgeon, and that went great.
<<

That was a great read Derek! Like being there with you :-)

I on the other hand had a nightmare experience; actually two hospital experiences here in Vegas. Funny thing most of the docs were from India or Pakistan. In fact most of the employees or staff were multi-cultural. Both times were because I lost consciousness and lost my words for 24 hours. They thought I had a stroke both times. Tested the hell out of my; scans, blood, X-rays, MRI's etc. Couldn't find any thing to pin it on except one neurologist woman who looked like a clone,told me they did find evidence of pot in my blood and boy that can really do you in. I told her I'm a light weight and actually just use it for medical reasons. She rolled her eyes at me and left the room. They even put electrodes on my head for 72 hours and found out I grind my teeth in my sleep.
So total time in two hospitals 11 days. One bill I saw from Medicare was $350K I don't know what the other one was. So there you have an example of what happens here.

Raj had cousins in Mumbai but we never got there.

Thanks for sharing Derek! I'm proud of you! Love to follow your wanderings and wonderings. When you have a minute go to YT channel Jazzinger and check out YUBA. It's about a guy who pops into a scene and changes the energy and pops out. It's a 1930's tune and the band is the one before Raj. (Jazz Cache)Done in Santa Barbara years ago, I think 1989ish. I created it with minimal resources; probably 5K.

Love, Light and Laughter,
Diana

Hi Derek,

I'm so glad to hear your surgery went well. Also glad to hear you're doing well now! I have been a diligent reader of your blog and books for over a decade.

India does indeed have some of the best healthcare infrastructure ever. I worked in healthcare tech and pharma in the US for a decade and became disillusioned about changing it for the better. The forces to keep things where they are, are really strong.

also what a small world - Karu and I are childhood friends :) If you're up for it, would love to meet when I'm in Bangalore next!

Interesting perspective, and opens so many other questions, like:
- how do they keep prices so low?
- are the doctors well paid?
- would the 'water flowing in a stream' system work in other countries where management is much more regimented?

Glad you are well and still adventuring courageously.. - Colie Brice

India is chaotic but emotional. Great to hear your pleasant experience with our Medical system. Our Doctors are doing a wonderful work.

Thanks very informative! Best hospital for me was the Seventh Day Adventist hospital in Bandung Indonesia. Back in 1982 my whole system had backed up and I was scared to death after my first field trip in Sumatera. The doctors simply showed me my arm and the sweat pouring off it. They told me I was totally dehydrated and just to drink more water. No charge, I kept going there for 4 years whenever I had a problem. No appointment just like you experienced, just walk in.
Best Regards
Jeremy Clark/Toronto/Canada

Road closures warnings this morning are happening from high winds affecting “ Auckland Harbour Bridge “……
I feel stuck after reading the news…where “when there’s only one road to take “…
Our population is growing but minimal in comparison to a place like India though , another question comes up Are we simply “lazy” here in New Zealand or are there too many obstacles?

Love your story
“Many little things are like this, and it somehow all works. You flow around the obstacles.”

I’m reading about the French…

Thanks Derek and will follow your talk …

Hala

Glad to hear you are well sir! I love the comparison of the health care experience to the traffic in India. FLOW BABY!!

Thanks for sharing your experience with the hospitals in Asia. Hope your checks came out better than expected, all the best 😊

"The awful infrastructure is the only deterrent, otherwise everyone in India would be here."

Very surprised you speak so highly of anyplace in India, especially concerning using the medical services being offered there.

Unfortunately just hearing the word India triggers visions of all the terrible videos and articles I have read about India and the horrific lack sanitation and pollution problems, (I have not been there).

I am in need of medical procedures I have been contemplating having done in China ... after reading your article I will to start doing some research focusing on having the procedure done in Bangalore.

Gracias, Clay

Derek what are you doing?! Please be careful about your health. You are doing major surgery on a whim with completely random doctors?

Why are you doing this like this? Exploration is fun but not at the risk of your health. This is going to become one of the giving up your citizenship mistakes again

Glad it went well. As someone who grew up in Gurgaon, India provides pretty good access to healthcare for people in large cities. And for, like, everything in India, if you have the money, anything is possible.

Derek
Glad everything worked okay that you are feeli m g better

Stephen

Loved the story. Pretty entertaining. Ever thought about writing any comedic fiction? This could be turned into quite a funny piece. Call it Happy Derek's Day or maybe A Doctor A Day Keeps The Medicine Away,...or something a bit funnier. And the part about the two coordinators, that could be comedy gold if written correctly. Think maybe Mr Bean at the hospital? lol. Anyway, just spitballing...
Oh and yeah, I'm glad you're fine and fully recovered and that all is well. :-)

Derek:
First, I’m so glad you’re recovered and a-okay. That’s truly great news. Second, thank you for sharing this article. I feel we’ve been sold a bill of goods here in the United States about how great our healthcare system is supposed to be. It’s prohibitively expensive & it takes forever to get appointments. We need an overhaul for sure. If I get something serious, I’ll hop on a plane and hightail it to India.
Best to you,
Nancy

Thank you for sharing and glad everything turned out well. How confident were you in the (last-minute switch) surgeon's experience with this procedure? How were you able to verify that they did a high volume of that procedure?
Enough. Asked. — Derek

Interesting and timely... I've been thinking about getting these checks done in Mexico the past while but have yet to pull the trigger.

Coincidentally I'm going to India in 3 weeks but only have 1 day free.

Great post, and glad to hear everything turned out well on so many different levels. I’m sure you’ve already read Shantaram, but if you haven’t, I think it’s right up your alley. Cheers, Ianca

Love this and great reminder of my visits in India.

I’m still shocked that you didn’t need to book. Do they just have more capacity than the demand can pay for?

I had major surgery in the uk three years ago and took months to schedule around the surgeon.

I am reminded of the old saying go to a teaching hospital if you can, for similar reasons to the volume aspect you mentioned.

Glad you’re mended and I’m curious how we could take what works there and share it wider to help more people.

I love the idea of the flow. It is very Daoist in nature. We are not to work against the natural order of things, but flow with it. Why would you swim against the current? But in the West, we do so often. We must embrace the philosophy of Wu Wei, or 'effortless action'. By going with the natural flow of the universe, life becomes effortless.

'Nothing in the world is more weak and soft than water, yet nothing surpasses it in conquering the hard and strong.' - Dao De Jing, chapter 78

'Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive. It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.' - Dao De Jing, chapter 8

Hi

I’m a bit confused - you had neurosurgery to remove something behind your knee?

And you’re leaving NZ to live in Bangalore? (I can totally understand your frustration with the NZ health system).

Wonderful to hear you’ve recovered.

the same happens in Spain, the best hospitals to get surgey are public ones because the rule of volume, of course its alway cheaper and your are in great hands! its counterintuitive but makes sense

Hey Derek, hope you feel better soon and you are back to good health. I’m glad you’re finding the hospital system in my city bangalore convenient, high-quality, and affordable. As you know I don’t live in bangalore anymore, but I visit at least once a year. It would be nice to meet you in your new home if your schedule allows next time I’m there. About your blog, just wanted to offer another perspective of the hospital experience for a majority - not complaining, but just thought you should see it too. Take care. instagram.com/reel/DceMh0hKIGh/

Hi Derek,
Glad you are ok and recovering. Being here in the USA I think we are programmed to believe that the healthcare here is the best. The funny part is most of the doctors are from India. But there is no way they will see you the same day. Hopefully one day our services will be as good as theirs.

Glad to hear that everything worked out in such a wonderful manner.

It is comforting to know that healthcare everywhere has its advantages and disadvantages; we’re told equally it’s awesome outside the U.S. just as much as we’re told it’s terrible. Two things can be true. The Brits talk about the NHS being a great idea in principle, but the doctor shortages and waiting in queue for weeks destroys the value proposition.
Great insights as usual, Derek.

Bangalore is THE place to be in India without a shadow of doubt especially if you love good weather, great food options, micro breweries, good nature places within hours, and some of the best minds in India. Truly a melting pot in terms of people, marriage of eastern and western culture, for all things tech, healthcare, fitness & tech.

Glad you are doing well Derek!!

And hahahahhahaha - yes 'Organized Chaos', that's India. Everything's beautifully held together by a delicate invisible thread functioning perfectly, that only God knows how!!

It's hard not to believe in God living in the country :)

Glad to hear that everything went well! Im from India but could never admire the traffic the way you described. Next time when Im frustrated over traffic, I will try to look at it this way :-) . I was in Bangalore for a couple of years but couldn't come to admire the beauty of the city due to the bad traffic jams and other civil infrastructure problems. Have you been to the North side of India? Chandigarh is a beautiful city with beast of the weather (except harsh summers). If you are planning to be in India for a long, do consider visiting Chandigarh someday. That's my future plan too

Wow! What an amazing read. Good to know you're well again. We have many Indians in Australia, and it would be good if their health system follows them to their new country. :) Luckily I've not needed a hospital since I had my tonsils removed at age 6 in Holland. I'm now in my late 60s. Cheers, Thea

Thanks so much for sharing this - I'm filing it away, and I do hope you are well.

Hi Derek, happy to hear you are fully recovered. Nevertheless, I'm amazed at your patience and resilience in the face of chaos and uncertainties.

"It flows around obstacles. Everything is opportunistic, selfishly taking the effective path, exploiting available gaps. It's natural."

This is wonderful… maneuvering chaos like a water flow. Today I learned to look differently at my chaos-filled city. You're right, they mysteriously work!

Also, the way you speak highly of Bangalore reminds me of our Shanghai discussion. For a country I had never been interested in visiting, this December will be my third visit to China in a year. India is the other one I've never been interested in, and maybe it's time I find a reason to visit :-)

Wow big contrast! To me it looks like a futuristic scene to have access to such efficiency in Healthcare. It proves an important point: it is possible.

Happy to know you are connected to beautiful souls, they created the magical atmosphere you describe.

Happy to know you are doing great and wishing to talk with you someday.

Greetings from Chile!!!

Great stories Derek! Indian healthcare sounds like a hidden gem

Great story, Derek! I sometimes feel like China exists in a parallel universe of its own — everything somehow works within this strangely organized chaos.

I was chatting with my husband the other day about where we might want to settle down in the future — China or the UK? Honestly, it only took us a few seconds to decide. The convenience of everyday life, combined with the relatively lower cost of living in Asia, is just pretty hard to beat.

My mother-in-law is actually thinking about selling her house in the UK and downsizing to a smaller one, so she can free up some capital and have a bit more flexibility. She’s also planning to spend more time with us in Zhuhai next year, which I think says something!

Anyway, wishing you a speedy recovery. And who knows — maybe one day we’ll end up being neighbours in Zhuhai! 😄

Interesting story, and nice work finding a cheap and fast alternative to the NZ health system. Although, private healthcare in NZ is much faster than the public system, and if you were waiting 3 - 6 months it sounds like you were using the free public system.

Have you done your dash in New Zealand then? But what about your perfect Derek & son house in the woods?

I know it's a detail and for the story unnecessary but curious. With your daily journaling can you check whether the tests you did in all of those cases are identical?

The app you used at the Indian hospital worked perfectly on your degoogled android?

Also with your financial status why buy packages / do you also consider things outside of for example this package like a cac test?

Thx for the beautiful story.

This is a great story, Derek!

If I'm honest, I did felt distressed while reading the adaptyve systems section. It reminded me of how things were done in Thailand. I did have a few not-so-good similar experiences.

Also, the fact that I'm considering traveling to get medical attention... doesn't sit right.

Maybe I'm just a bit gloomy. Or maybe not.

A friend did a visiting residency of sort in Mumbai. The main hospital she was assigned to was equal in terms of personnel, equipment, technology, etc to any of the world's best hospitals.

She also did rounds in local clinics during her stay and said when she got ~5km from her hospital, having a place to wash her hands in between patients wasn't necessarily a given.

I think this explains a lot in the country.

Such an interesting read! My aunt Sonia lives in Bengaluru, I think you two would get on. She regularly hosts folks and runs a cool design agency, she has a gorgeous garden where they grow everything too it's called the design farm which brings together artists, entrepreneurs and curators. www.instagram.com/design_farm_blr

Wow, welcome. Being a Banglorean I'm happy you feel at home here. And agree you can just walk in for any specialist appointment. Once you start living here you can even call your doc anytime and ask for advice. Some are that friendly.

It's all low cost for people with decent income. But majority don't make much here. That's why the baseline cost is low.

But it's opportunities galore. It feels like a mix of NY and San Francisco culture.
If you can dream it, you can do it. 💛

Loved this! Fun, interesting, personal and a great length! Hope you’re feeling better!

Thanks for the kind words about the quality of healthcare and its costs in India. Yes, it's a fact that in sharp contrast to the US, where one has to wait for weeks to get an appointment with a specialist doctor, in India, one can meet a specialist in just a day or two.

But the fact is, healthcare costs are rising at a dramatic pace in India. Your experience might well as an exception than the rule. Treatments at certain private super-specialty hospitals in India likely cost a bomb these days, and without insurance, are simply unaffordable for the masses. And having insurance poses a different challenge — the moment the hospital comes to know you're covered by health insurance, their billing structure changes, so that you end up paying more from your pocket, despite the part reimbursement of the hospital bills by the insurance company.

Medical tourism to India from the West and even within Asia has been on the rise of late. But if costs of treatment in India keep rising, the cost arbitrage might be severely diluted, going ahead.

My friends dad went to India as a last resort whilst suffering from advanced stage cancer. He passed away but his wife had nothing but good things to say about his treatment (was probably just too late). Glad to hear your well dude and good luck with the new adventure. Bangalore sounds chaotic enough to be attractive to me ;)

Yeah, interesting.
Reminds me of www.elysian.press/p/if-i-get-sick-im-moving-to-malaysia

Hey Derek, I'm glad to know that you are doing well. And it is great that you had your agency and choices intact all through this ordeal.
I had never paid attention to the healthcare system comparison for countries before the pandemic hit, and once it did, I never thought about having a home base anywhere apart from India. The level of support, speed and competency that saved me and my family during that time was precious. Good to know you got that experience on your visit too.
I hope your move to Bangalore is smooth and soon.

Healthcare is really the USP in India. Sometimes we take it for granted having expert doctors on call, walk-ins, consultation on video calls even while travelling abroad and medicine delivery in 20 mins using apps.

There has been an influx of medical tourism in India for exact same reason. Although like everywhere, there has been some bad actors in the private hospitals space and govt is trying to regulate. I hope it improves more.

Glad you had a good experience Derek, and hope you’re recovering well, sending quick healing wishes🙌🏻

I'm glad you've recovered!

It's heartening to see positive stuff about India. Love it!

Come back again. And again! Do give a holler if you're in Chennai, which isn't too far from Bengaluru. I'll buy you beers and ghee roast ;)

Be well and stay safe.

Cheers!

Hello Derek. Your stories are always so encouraging and insightful. It's also inspiring to see how you are constantly open to embracing new "unknowns" and seeing the positive in the uniqueness (even when at odds with your familiarity) in other cultures – along with the traffic ;) My nerves barely survived driving in Rome during my twenty years living there.

Wishing you all the best with your prospective move!

Happy to hear you are healthy and have wonderful friends who showed up for you. I love traveling and laughing with new friends the same way you would with a lifelong one. Thank you for sharing different ways to think about healthcare as a girl in the States.

First of all - Really glad that your surgery went well and you are doing fine now ! :)
Secondly - Welcome to Bangalore :) and I'm a local here.. so, know that you have another friend in town and a home for you to crash at ! .. well, till you move to Bangalore I guess.
I stay in an area called "Mathikere" for your reference. :)
Take care Derek - Hope to catchup with you.

Hey Derek, thanks for sharing and glad to know that you've fully recovered. B'luru is an awesome paradise in our tropical country. As are those Indian cities with elevation ~1,000m or more

-Vivek, writing from elevation of ZERO metres :/

That's true, actually. Healthcare in India is really good if you have the means for it.

But glad to hear that your surgery went well and your recovery is going well.

Wow, that would induce so much anxiety in me! But your approach is probably the best you can have. Flowing with everything, not letting people scare you with bureaucracy.

I have had good experience with seeing doctor for family members in Bangalore.

The treatment is better and cost effective. Doctors are also very professional and helpful.

In 2023 I went to Narayana Health, a hospital founded by Dr Devy Shetty, for heart surgery for my niece.

Recently another family member is having some issue with spinal condition, disc bulge that is cause pain in the back and neck.

I am not sure which specific hospitals to go. I did contact with Manipal Hospital.

At the moment the patient doing physiotherapy to see if that helps get ride of the pain, if need to visit hospital which hospital is good for the similar treatment.

Hi Derek!

So happy to know all went well!

I'm also happy to see how observent you are of the environment and how the things work, so I have a question: do locals enjoy this fast and flexible, relatively cheap process? Is it available for them too?

The reason I'm asking is because foreigners often enjoy some benefits in other countries even without knowing and I've seen examples of that in my country too - something would be easily attainable to a foreigner but almost (or actually) impossible to attain by a local.

Take a good care of yourself and hopefully see you soon in Shanghai, again!

Wish you the best of health Derek. Glad that you got what you needed in Bengaluru, like how everyone eventually does there :)

Hi Derek, Good to know you're fully recovered and well. I think you have a great set of friends all over the world and that's wonderful.

I hope I get an opportunity to meet you when you move to Bangalore.

Hey D- wow youre moving to india! thats iconic, I want go check it out. ive been dealing with health issues myself but I qualify for medi-cal so its been covered for the most part. (im an artist so ofcourse I qualify and im sick :) nothing terminal- vestibular migraine, insulinoma, HSD, cervical spine issues and gastritis/hypylori and im 26 yay. but with all these health issues its made me ponder if the stress of wanting to be a big pop star/actress is my spiritual purposeful walk in life? anyway, im super down to go continue exploring my health shit in india since it sounds fast and cheap. the therapies out of pocket here (Los Angeles) are just too much. ive started a new tik tok about my health stuff and its connecting with people so thats fulfilling. Glad you're doing good and all went well. I would of lost my shit waiting 4 hours for a surgery but good outlook on the "going with the flow vibes" I need to practice that more cus losing my shit is also not good for the nervous system. well I turned my comment into a diary entry lol. much love xo

This article is fantastic, inspiring, practical.
Some of the food may look like vomit, but it's great to know that the healthcare is the antithesis of the vomit like quality of healthcare in the United States.
There's been a radical change in your articles. These are such a joy to read. Derek, do you notice the change? What prompted this style change? Psilocybin? A neuralink chip? New girlfriend? Something else? There is a blaringly obvious difference in the tone and trope of your recent articles. Care to share What brought about this change? Fellow writer wants to know.

What a fascinating journey, Derek. I loved the way you described India not just as a place, but as a system that adapts, flows, and keeps moving. I’m from India and would genuinely love to meet you someday. It would be a pleasure to hear your thoughts in person.

Hi Derek! I’ve always admired how you manage to find something uplifting and positive wherever you go and whatever you do—it’s truly great.
Bangalore sounds like a nice place—have a wonderful time!

Great information, interesting to learn how their system of testing is affordable and doesn't take a lot of time. Way better system than in the US, prescription only $8. You saved $12,000 compared is awesome stuff. Hope you're healing and feeling much better now. And thank's for sharing this great information. Peace and Blessings

Happy to hear your recovered! It’s always fascinating to see how the cost of doing the same thing differs so much in different parts pf the world.

I can't wait to hear about your move to and life in Bangalore Derek, wonderful

Glad you're feeling better and thanks for sharing this Derek.

Goodness gracious! I am glad you are fully recovered. Such a good-natured soul you are. It feels like you never see chaos and therefore never really experience it. Yoda-level. Beautiful friends sitting with you through the experience, blessings all. I admire the way you think and rock this life! Sending warm wishes for continued good health and peace.

You just convinced me to possibly make Bangalore my main destination when I eventually finally visit India.

And to echo Lau in the comment, Taiwan's healthcare is indeed wonderful. I moved to Taipei earlier this year and had my first doctor visit last weekend after catching a stomach bug. I was blown away by the efficiency and care.

India seems more focused on the fundamentals in the national healthcare. Great to know India's medical flow.

As a preventative health check ups, South Korea could be the good option too regarding the skills and volume.
Roughly a third of the population(17 million) Koreans get general health screenings annually through national health insurance system.

Glad to hear that surgery went well, Derek.

The only way to really know a city is to try get something done there. A million tourists could take a million trips to Bangalore and not understand 1/100th of what you do after a few days of trying to manage their healthcare system.

Looking forward to the new stories!

Hey Derek,

I really like your natural-flow of water analogy for the Bangalore traffic.

In my 30's, I drove around dozens of foreign (all western) artists and production people in Istanbul (part of my odd jobs as a protocol-host for the independent film festival and sometimes as the local production fixer for foreign film crews).

Every single one of these people were shocked with the way people drove in Istanbul. How come no one crashes? If this happened in Oslo, we would be in the emergency room now...

I always told them:

"You have to think of it like buffalo herd. So to fit in, you have to act like a buffalo. The buffalo is disinhibited by nature, so you need to expect that they will impulsively jump at the chance to gain a meter or 5 seconds - regardless of the traffic rules and conventions. And if you don't act this way yourself, the buffalo behind you will crash into you, or at least will honk and curse your mother."

This analogy amused my guests, and I perfected my delivery of it over time - commentating live on the traffic-situations we found ourselves in, demonstrating the analogy.

But I always felt it was a bit of a hateful analogy. You see, buffalo in turkish is "ÖKÜZ", and it is also used as a deragotary word to describe uncivil, borderline sociopathic behaviour.

The water flowing analogy is much more thoughtful, so thanks Derek.

PS: I don't know whether it was a programmatic email with diffrent city names in the subject for each recipient; or if you are actually coming to Istanbul soon, but I can surely fix you up with people who I know would love to meet you and discuss the cross-cultural nuances of Istanbul. Artists, authors, intellectuals... I am quite networked in those circles, fyi. Let's for sure correspond before you come... Cheers.

Truly sounds like you are good at discerning between Facts & Impressions, what's Up to you & what's not. Impressive.
- Wishing you good health.

Glad to know you have fully recovered, Derek.
Your story is nothing short of a wonderland experience, thank god your heart health was in a good condition :-)
I had a bad experience in Sakra Hospital myself back in 2014. For a viral infection, they prescribed 4 pages of blood work (for real). That made me run to the nearest physician only to be cured with two kinds of tablet. All costed less than INR 450 back then. In a way, Manipal did the magic to your health all within a fraction of the cost. Good for you.
Its equally challenging in Canada to get timely medical care, its a structural drawback. No wonder people flock to Mexico for affordable health care. I do my health check ups in Chennai during my yearly visits. Works out pretty well that way. If you can withstand heat plus humidity (equally bad traffic like Bangalore), you can access some of the best health care services in Chennai.
Good luck with your move to Bangalore! I only earnestly hope you don't have to wade through the city's traffic on a regular basis. Otherwise, its a great city to live and has a lot to offer!

For now, adios!

Wow. Glad to hear you are OK, that mustve been a bit concerning. Agreed with your data driven thought process of how to source healthcare, it makes a lot of sense.

Also agreed with your "flow" analogy, that was my impression of India too - but the flip side is water molecules collide with each other, just like Indian traffic, so as long as you are willing to make that trade and be pragmatically resilient to it, it makes sense (eg book another specialist when one doesnt show, keep driving if you have a scrape).

Good to here you are well Derek, I look forward to my yearly checks up in India purely for how quick the system is.

Great to hear that you're fully recovered, Derek. Private hospital scenes here in India is indeed really good.

I am glad you are ok. Take care. I am from Hyderabad. If you have plans to visit Hyderabad please let me know

Another GREAT Derek Sivers adventure unfolds! As usual - written with ease and a smile, as though we were chatting over lunch discussing your latest “Can you believe...” The unusual discovery of the Bangalore health system is one of many “unusuals” I’ve learned about through the VERY enjoyable TED talks I’ve rewatched with literally hundreds of middle and high schoolers!

I am so glad you have recovered now. India really has a great healthcare system. Whenever I am at a big hospital, I always see people from other countries come here to get treated. I asked one of them a couple of years ago why they were in India when their country might have a better healthcare system. They said the amount of money their country would charge for surgery is what they can use to come to India, get the surgery, fly back, and save money. I was genuinely shocked. And yes, I never thought about how crazy it was to show up at the hospital and have them check you. We sometimes take it for granted, haha. Also, I was in Bangalore in July. Let me know the next time you're there, and hopefully we can catch up :)

Happy that our country gave you a positive experience,
Sending you love and healing ❤️.

Your stories are wonderful. Thank you.
I am in the flowing around rocks stage. Going through old papers and discarding most, planning to scan a few, sharing some of the stories with others. My posture is improving.
I am grateful.

Yes!! Love Bangalore too. I can’t wait to get back there!

Glad to hear that you fully healed and fighting fit, Derek. Healthcare is A1 in most of the big cities in India. The traffic is another thing by itself but hey, thats the 'swarasa' of life (juice/fun/intention)!

Glad to hear you're fully recovered and well, Derek.
Your story reminds me of a conversation I just had with a friend about how nothing is standardized in India. I replied to them - Chaos reigns in the system, but the agents adapt locally.
Somehow, it all flows!

Warmly,
Siddarth

What a beautiful story. Glad to hear you are well. Thank you for inspiring a new travel destination, maybe the infrastructure is what keeps it genuine.

Derek, great reading your article, great to know you are ok. You didn’t talk about the cost of travel and hotel to add to the surgery cost, just to compare with home hospitals.
Love your writing style.

procedures cost in India. There’s something about it that just gets me, though. Watching how the whole place moves — the traffic, the markets, the way things somehow work themselves out without anyone seeming to be in charge — it feels less like a system and more like something alive. Like it’s breathing. I find that genuinely beautiful, this idea of order without control, flow instead of force.

Well Derek without meaning to do so, you just became a most embraced health influencer.

This message confirms a suspicion I've harboured for a while. 'More expensive doesn't mean more effective or even more useful'. Price is not always a value indicator.

I like it when people buck the trend and discover newer, cheaper and more effective ways to meet essential needs.

I'm personal weary of anything that is big, shiny and overhyped. Big pharma, big tech, big media.

So this is quite an eye opener. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Derek,

I’m glad you’re doing well.

My heart is always where my legs can be fixed painlessly by professionals at the lowest possible price. That’s why you should definitely move to Bangalore.

I mean, if a place has a healthy, pleasant, and safe environment, you should go there.

It also seems that you have many friends in Bangalore.

Hi Derek,

This is true, but it’s one of the least appreciated aspects of India. When I first moved to Australia, I really understood the value of the Indian medical system. In Australia, I had to book appointments a few weeks in advance to see specialists.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t meet you this time. Please let me know the next time you’re in Bangalore. I’ll fly over to meet you.

Thanks,
Martin.

Happy that everything worked out at the end of the day.

$14000 versus $2000! The difference is too great to ignore. I love the insight about being open to flow, we will all be happier if we can embrace changes in that way.

Hi Derek! I am happy for your great discovery and recovery. There is so much that can be unpacked from this story which is ultimately about life. This might be one of the most impactful stories you’ve shared, because it shows your gratitude yet also gives a snapshot of what life could be like for our present and future generations. I certainly will never look at healthcare in the same way ever again. Kudos to your friends who were there by your side:)

What a story - revealing how our beliefs determine so much of our perception and experience. Someone else in your situation could have been extremely frustrated not seeing the doctor on time or not getting the hospital you initially wanted. But you learned how things worked in this culture and ran with it. Really glad to hear you’re all recovered Derek!

Glad to hear you're in good health! I'm based in Bangalore and I often take this city for granted in my day-to-day existence (e.g. frustrations with the city infra, landlords, etc), so it is nice to be reminded that sometimes the grass is greener on this side. Thanks :)

Exciting to hear from you, and this time from Bengaluru!

Last month, I also visited Bengaluru. I can relate to the weather there; yeah, it's sooo beautiful. I have plans to settle down there maybe in the near future.

I've been living in Kolkata for the last 2 years.

I'm glad to hear that you're fine now... Take care.

Happy to hear you’re well
And was a smooth piece to read about
India’s healthcare ~ compared to what we have here in Canada (a bit the opposite feel).

For Bangalore, my only experience there has been visiting the Art of Living center & doing a 5-day silence retreat. It’s a nice space.

Wishing all is well 🙏

Dear Derek!!😀🖐️💐
I am so happy that your surgery went well and wow, how you did move like 🌊🌊 water!!
So interesting 🤔 your new destination!
Where I was working a few weeks ago, my favorite co-worker was from India. She was kind, and caring. She misses India, but came to Canada for opportunities.
I've often wondered if she would be happier in India.
Yes, taking care of yourself is so important.... I'm learning of so many natural ways to be healthy there's so much to learn!
I'm looking forward to hearing how your new destination becomes for you!!
So many creative avenues we can all explore.... from places to inventions !!!!
Great to hear from you Derek!!😃👋🌄🎶
Rachel!!

I think I need the details of this full body check - as the one in Harley Street, London is about £15,000!
I will email you for more details as I may visit India for work within a couple of months.

Hey Derek, hope you feel better soon and you are back to good health. I’m glad you’re finding the hospital system in my city bangalore convenient, high-quality, and affordable. As you know I don’t live in bangalore anymore, but I visit at least once a year. It would be nice to meet you in your new home if your schedule allows next time I’m there. About your blog, just wanted to offer another perspective of the hospital experience for a majority - not complaining, but just thought you should see it too. Take care. instagram.com/reel/DceMh0hKIGh/

Thank you for sharing this Derek! This may be very useful. Glad to hear you are well.

Interesting timing on this one. I recently had to change health insurance and am now on my wife’s plan. Of course, the deductible is pretty high, and with the end of the year coming up, I’m already thinking I may wait until 2027 before making any major “investments” in myself. :)

That said, I could definitely use the full-body once-over you described, plus I have a dozen or so lipomas I’d love to get removed. At roughly $350–$500 each here, that adds up quickly.

Maybe an overseas medical visit needs to make its way onto the calendar. Luckily, the wife is a flight attendant, so at least getting there could be the cheap part!

Fascinating read, Derek. Glad you’re fully recovered.

-Adam

Unforgettable sensory experiences from starting my motorbike trip On a rented Royal Enfield which had done over 450k miles ( probably double that )
from Bangalore through Southern and South west India and back to Bangalore .

Awesome to see that you're doing well now Derek, could almost imagine you being redirected to other people multiple times and the
inevitable delays in procedures. It's almost like a hallmark of India I feel like. It's Interesting you also experienced that the healthcare here is on the same quality if not better than the states. my friend is studying there and they think a lot of doctors there don't know much compared to India, probably could be argued but hey, I'm glad you got good treatment.

The way you wrote about Bangalore really made me want to visit, haven't travelled much in my 21 years, but i'd like to. I've always been fascinated by New York's hustle culture and so many artistic people gathered there.

Thank you for sharing. cheers.

Wow, the price differential and speed is insane compared to what we're used to here in the UK!

Great to hear that you're living abroad. Take care of yourself and enjoy Indian food while protecting your stomach!

Loved the story, Derek. Flowing with whatever life deals us and being adaptable is life's secret sauce! So much acquired prejudice against doctors from developing countries, much of which is still tainted with the vestiges of Colonialism's superiority-complex. I lived in Peru for eight years and found the doctors and medical profession to be be excellent. They took the time to explain what was going to happen and were open to a mix of pharmaceutical-based and alternative (natural) medicine, unlike the Big Pharma stooges of the West. Have an amazing time in Istanbul! Was there (in Turkiye) late last year and loved it.
Shayne Newby
Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Australia.

I’ll be honest, I’ve become a content camel…not for some noble cause, just genuinely overwhelmed with work/personal/whatsapp etc comms. I hit your link because I haven’t heard from you in a while and I remember when you personally replied to one of my emails a few years back.

Thanks for the post, I’ll probably ultimately thank you for my time in Bangalore as well. John.

Thank you for sharing your story. It feels like the medical system in India is more interested in delivering a quality product vs fitting into the system.

I have been impressed with the technical help I have received from individuals in India over the past couple of years. Your experience has given me something to think on.

I *love* that you walked out.
The coercion of medical systems, and our blind obedience to authority figures in general, is how we arrived at 2026!
Blessings to you Derek, safe travels! <3

As an American, am I programmed somehow to have the gut reaction that this flow is bananas?!? That high-resistance, cumbersome and expensive health care is a sign of quality and indicative of the best outcomes? Despite your experience, I can't shake the feeling that this was risky, haha, but I am thinking that is just me.

Also maybe TMI here but... I changed hospitals at 9 months into my 3rd pregnancy, because it just didn't feel right. Went from a small, high-touch birth center to a megaplex, anonymous feeling city hospital.

Medical staff told me I couldn't, then when that didn't work, they told me I was crazy.

Ended up having a uterine rupture after 24 hours of labor!

High-touch birth center would have required a 1+ hr drive to emergency hospital. Megaplex hospital wheeled me to a different floor, within minutes.

Changing hospitals at 9 months saved both my boy's and my life.

In the last century, wink, wink, BCBS in one very expensive state, paid for patients to go to India for total hip replacements. The hospital there passed American standards and the patient could go there have surgery, undergo rehab and return cheaper than having it done here. Quality was excellent. I don't think that is happening now that many people have an overnight stay and go home the following day.

Healthcare in India is the best. Also, they are so much kinder, and it doesn't feel like they are doing you a favour (as opposed to Australia). It feels like they like to be of service here. Not all ... but most. Come to Goa Derek ... it'll be baller.

I always have to be stocked on inhalers for asthma. I the USA, they require a perception and and cost a ton. On my adventure across India, I stocked up on the $1.80 inhalers they have at every corner. No prescription needed!

I love Healthcare in India. The one thing I observe is the speed of diagnosis. Having lived in the US and the UK, I find the diagnosis quite slow. You keep doing blood work and tests, with repeated visits to the GP without any diagnosis of the root cause. I find in India, majority doctors are able to diagnose the root cause very quickly. My assumption is that it’s just the population and number, types, and variations of patients the doctors see on a daily basis.

Always opening and reading your articles as 99% of the time it is something I do not expect to read. I'm in Italy, waiting times are worse than in NZ.
I'd love to chat about life with a lot of red wine.

Just come in.
lol

Thank you for sharing, Derek. So fascinating is the world of health care. Glad you're fully recovered and excited to hear your experience with the move!

Derek,
Hello, I am so glad you are doing good! Next I want to thank you for sharing your story with me. I am running 4 family companies right now in a role that I never dreamed I would be in, not because it's great but because I'm the only one capable. lol Anyway, I love this story because who knew you could get such great health care in Bangalore or all of India for that matter. But mainly I love it because, I want to flow around the obstacles more. I know in my heart that everything happens for a reason and when I can flow most things turn out so much better than I could have imagined. So your story was a reminder to me to just flow around the obstacles of my life, find the joy, or make the joy and watch how things always work out when we just allow. Thanks again! Theressa

Hi Derek, thank you for your fascinating story about the healthcare system in Bangalore! I am wondering if you have any insights into the musical theater culture there. I am working on getting my musical through the labyrinth of the New York City musical theater scene and am told that I need to raise $25 million to do it. That’s astronomical for me. I’m trying to connect with the labyrinth of investors that can facilitate such a thing but it is threading a needle in a haystack. So I’m fascinated about alternatives. Incidentally, the musical is called “El Sidd & The Healers”, and is a reimagining of Herman Hesse’s “Siddhartha”, set in 1969 in the USA. A teen runs away to California seeking enlightenment and gets tangled in the underbelly of the counterculture in southern California and Mexico. Here is a three minute sizzle reel from the 2024 New York City concert version: youtu.be/Dn5vvREjQ8w?si=6_pamdzPVAetPbGz good luck on your move from New Zealand to Bangalore! Maybe I’ll meet you in person there one of these days! With warm regards, Joe Waters.

Hey Derek, glad you're healing up well! So much of this resonates with me here in San Francisco where even a cup of coffee can cost as much as a doctor's home visit somewhere else and an actual doctor's visit (assuming you're paying out of pocket) could cost as much as a home somewhere else. When we allow adaptive systems to flow naturally verses damning them up with bureaucratic stops, the quality of every human experience improves. This article feels a much about how we as a society value value, as anything else. Thanks for sharing!

The only way to really know a city is to try get something done there. A million tourists could take a million trips to Bangalore and not understand 1/100th of what you do after a few days of trying to manage their healthcare system.

Looking forward to the new stories!

Bangalore is THE place to be in India without a shadow of doubt especially if you love good weather, great food options, micro breweries, good nature places within hours, and some of the best minds in India. Truly a melting pot in terms of people, marriage of eastern and western culture, for all things tech, healthcare, fitness & tech.

So much comes up for me in this post Derek.

Why do you think medical is so expensive and behind in North America? One small example, I have tried to get a new GP for my dad 2x now and he has been rejected due to the 'complexity' of his healthcare. He is 86 with dementia, that is it. Read between the lines he will not be a 10 minute appointment that can be sent away with a prescription or referral.

The power of community and people who show up, support and care, no matter what the city, this is what matters.

Adaptive, flexibility, to go with the flow and not resist the change - the skill that will keep us alive and sane.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Bangalore on my must come and stay for awhile list.

Great post Derek

Hi Derek, glad that worked out for you. For some reason India has always been a place I don't want to visit. Along with Jamaica (the country, not the NY borough) and New Orleans. I've been in dicey places (including Haiti, where I did many tours with Mini All Stars during the reign of Baby Doc Duvalier) but I do follow my instincts. I am happy in Ecuador. Maybe not as cheap as India, but it ticks my boxes. Wishing you well and hoping I get to run into you again at some point!
--Su Terry

Very interesting, enlightening and made me smile. I’m contemplating your experience, as the soonest I can see a dermatologist in my local area is 6 months 🤪.

Many years ago, in the 1970s, I lived in Mexico City for a while. I found doctors their just as caring and well trained as anywhere else. After that I moved to another part of Mexico that was more rural. The medical care available there was just the same, and so cheap it was nearly free. As a gringo foreigner I could not comprehend it. There are some places the world where money and profit do not trump care.

onwards and upwards, derek!
see you bengaluru :)

I know, I am not the only one who amaze with your story,

I have some experience with health care in Malaysia, which is some of their doctor are looks from India, and you know what, Indonesian people if they have enough money, prefer to go to Penang Malaysia rather than Jakarta for their health problem.
so I just can imagine what kind of doctor I may get in India, with lower cost than Malaysia or event Indonesia.
so this is really nice share, I will not surprise if after this story, many Indonesian will fly to India instead of Penang for the health care.

Brilliant! Xo

That is an amazing story. And I love the emphasis on Flow and Fluidity. You clearly were adaptable when others would have found the situation maddening.
And talent "Density" is incredible in places such as India and China. Here in New Zealand, we are spoiled in many ways, blessed you could say, but talent scarcity (Medical and otherwise) is a real issue.

Derek,
Thank you for sharing your story. Having friends to sit beside you for seven hours is a gift. Laughter and friendship is always a good reason to move. It is nice to see old friends, and it is priceless to be seen. As you, Derek.
xo
Pamela

Amazing story, im indian and honestly dislike very much the manner of the culture - ie setting an appt for 5am and pulling a no show! However your calmness of explaining how the flow is natural with the trafffic selfishly taking the most effcient path made me see things differently, i was having second thoughts on getting my OCI card for india, however, you’re making me give india another chance.

Thank you for your insight and sharing

Amazing! Does it mean that a chaotic system works because it's a system? Good to know you are doing well.

What a lesson. Here in France the Hospital is suffering from a huge lack of investment. The government doesn’t Care. Privates clinicals are appearing. It’s not easy to find a doctor, even for simple exam.
Good to know that everything is fine for you now. Thanks for sharing

I love this article as I am flying tomorrow to Puerto Vallarta for dental work. Another friend chose the Czech Republic for her dental work. I'm also seeing an orthopedic doctor I know in Mexico because he is a great diagnostician. My U.S. doctor said, "trying icing it." Not a cure. Anyway, I love your notes and please keep sending them.

I am Chaitanya Krishna an actor in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh .. hyd has some of the best hospitals and i do have some good friends who are doctors in hyd ..if u ever visit hyd ..do let me know ..I can get u n touch with the best poeple derek...

much love
chaitanya

There is, one must confess, a peculiar delicacy in being cut open cheaply, a vulgarity redeemed only by the surgeon's volume, that curious modern superstition by which we have replaced the aristocracy of guineas with the democracy of throughput; and it was with something between horror and rapture that I read of hospitals which, being *busy*, are thereby *good*, as though a barber's chair, worn smooth by a thousand undistinguished heads, were proof against a bad shave.

Bangalore! Bangalorified bloodstream of the subcontinent, city of coordinators who say no and other coordinators who, contradicting the first with the perfect serenity of men reading from different scriptures, say yes, snapyes, comeinsir, justcomein, come-in-come-in-comin, and the six-o'clock surgeon who is not six-o'clock at all but a rumour, a vapour, a doctor dissolved into the general weather of the ward, leaving our narrator gowned and ungirt and gorgeously patient in his four hours of nothing, which is, when one thinks of it, the only honest consultation fee in the whole account: paid in time, that currency no rupee can counterfeit.

One is asked to admire the traffic, that famous disorder which is not disorder at all but a kind of unwritten sonata, everyone soloing, nobody colliding, the whole intersection improvising itself into sense the way a sentence, if you let it run on long enough, on and on, comma after comma, clause tumbling into clause without ever quite arriving at its verb, will nonetheless deliver you, breathless and somehow instructed, to its full stop. It is not efficiency. It is *appetite*, the same appetite by which Sakra's shuttered doors become, without a flicker of remorse, Manipal's open ones, and the pilgrim simply flows, flows, riverrun past hospital and mosque and MRI machine, back to a warm bed and a waiting friend.

For in the end the essay is not really about medicine at all, though it wears medicine as a very convincing costume, it is about the shocking, almost indecent discovery that healing may be had cheaply while love may not be had at all unless one has already, foolishly, generously, given it away first: Alicia and Komal at the bedside for seven hours, which is longer than the surgery, longer than the flight, longer certainly than anything a Swiss clinic bills by the hour. The great joke, and it is Wildean in its cruelty, Jamesian in its shading, Joycean in the way it puddles and eddies before it lands, is that the man went to Bangalore to be cut open, and came away instead merely *opened*.

Always great to read of your adventures and adventurous thoughts, Derek. Glad to know you are well again. May you find the place where you can be most at peace.

Facinating for way more than those five reasons -- thank you for laying it all out like that! Your stories, your voice actually, really sticks with me -- as do your reactions to what you enounter -- and I learn a lot from your commenters, too. But I was really moved by your friends coming to spend those hours in the hospital with you... THAT'S good medicine.
Thanks for including the happy ending;
Bangalore would be lucky to have you.

Further to what Lou said, I had retina reattachment surgery in March and the surgery and meds cost me around $10. I saw the doctor on Thursday for diagnosis and the surgery was the next morning.

Have you any exposure to turkey medical setup.?rod southafrica
No. — Derek

im so jelly!

i long for such a medical system here in the States

perhaps someday - when we can realize we never were so great after all .. to imply we could be great *again*

im gonna have to share $This article with some friends of mine! See if i can stir up some conversation 😈

Nandhini

Hi Derek,

Good to hear that you are doing well now. I totally understand how frustrating it is to wait for weeks to see health specialists in other countries. I hear the same from my friends in the US. Having said that, I am not completely proud of Indian hospitals either. Costs are huge for most of the Indian population, which you can't compare with other countries' fares. Generally, the system can be even more responsible and accountable. We are improving, and lots to achieve over time.

I am happy that you are enjoying our 'flow' and lifestyle in the southern city, Bangalore. See you soon here.

What is the name of the hospital in Bangalore where you completed the executive health screening? Apolgies if this is a repeat question I may have missed.

Fascinating approach to choosing a healthcare provider - volume vs quality is an interesting/unusual comparison to make, but it shows that we need to think about things differently to get better results.

It's really interesting to read bout India from your perspective and from the perspective of my people.
I'd feel the same I wonder in the streets of Thailand or Taiwan.

Derek,

Thank you for this incredibly informative post.

I’ve been wanting to get a preventative health check for a while now, and after reading this, I will likely do this in Bangalore at some stage in 2027.

Travelling to India has also been on my radar, so this will enable me to kill two very meaningful birds with one stone.

Cheers!
Niall
So weird that we use killing birds as the common metaphor for getting things done. ☺ — Derek

Well! That was eye-opening!

Fascinating.

I can envision the appointment-making and specialist schedules as running like the crazy traffic of rickshaws and cars with no lines on the road. Everyone just kind of "does it." Higher-level of awareness, faster results. But shocking to slow moving bureaucracies like here in US.

On my other browser tabs, I was just sorting through a morass of medical bills, health insurance mechanisms, and applications for aid on my computer, so your story lets me know how it all could be so much better. I think I'd rather toss myself around another country's med system than sit here with my credit cards and entering my financial life into someone else's databank, but alas... I'm still trying to be a 'normal arse American.'

When I try to track how my med data is linked all over the web, including to my financials, I find myself dismayed that the US has such a convoluted system. But, it does keep lots of administrative/bureaucrat-types employed, so I get that. What else would they do?

Anyway, I'm glad you are well. Thank you for sharing your story. I'm not surprised that is so much better/faster in India. I have friends who go to China for surgery because of quality of care, efficiency and thoroughness. Similar, but more expensive than India.

Stay well, and keep being adventurous in body and soul.
E

Hey Derek, lovely to read your experience. We're in India as well, I can relate to what you're describing.
Are your plans fluid? How about coming to Kausani to learn and practice Transcendental Meditation?
Time and money are just excuses, but experiences last a lifetime 🙏🏻

I’m interested in the Indian medical system, for different reasons! I am a homeopath and, although homeopathy was discovered in Germany, it was adopted wholesale in India and the homeopaths there are MDs. I have studied with Indian homeopaths who treat (and cure) cancer patients, with homeopaths living in Africa who treat (and cure) AIDS, and on, and on.

The medical stranglehold in the US is a major reason why we don’t have meaningful alternatives, but it’s not the *only* reason: medicine is cultural as well as technical, and I believe the Medicine of One’s People is a major factor in both experience and outcomes. I’m writing about this.

Thank you for your writing, as always!

Hey Derek,

Glad that you had a good procedure and experience here at Bangalore, India. As someone who lives in Bangalore and a student of development studies I’d like to highlight the flip side to this. India is home to the best of talent and facilities at a fraction of the price yes, but that is also a precondition for two states of reality. One is that it means that healthcare access is pertinent on the economic condition of the patient which is far from ideal. And so, the fractional price is still inaccessible to most people in the country due to ever increasing economic disparity. Two, it manifests in a differential and graded view of professions where some are labelled to be inferior and others superior. This paves the way to a society that values some people more than others without paying due attention to the underlying factors that play out.

I hope it helps to paint a slightly more granular image of the country today.

Best,
Santhosh

I'm glad to hear you're okay.

Doctors that live in places that are costly to live in, like the US or Canada, have to get the big pay for their services, while Doctors that live in places that are cheap to live in, like India, don't need big pay for their services. The Doctors may be just as good or even better, are satisfied with a certain lifestyle. If they all get the same quality of training, they should all be capable of performing their trade, though some may be a bit more skillful. It is too bad that health care is a profit driven business in the US, that means the poor can go bankrupt for good health care, unless they have health insurance which can be very expensive.

Really appreciate hearing all this Derek! So good to know—& So glad for you!

This is a very interesting post. On the one hand the medical system seems accommodating, on the other you did have to wait several hours before surgery which must have been nervous-making....
In any case are you moving to Bangalore as well as residing in New Zealand? As a SF Bay area resident now i am curious and want to visit!
Really I want to live everywhere. ☺ — Derek

Fascinating indeed! Thank you for sharing this, Derek. Really glad you've made a full recovery.

Derek,

You almost lost me at the beginning when you recommended the "executive health checks". The human body is not a car. We don't know how most of it works. There are a handful of labs you should start getting once you hit 40 (or earlier depending on family history), and a few cancer screenings we know work. Anything else is a needless waste of money at best, and a recipe for an iatrogenic disaster if an incidental finding from a whole-body MRI leads to a wild goose chase, biopsies, surgeries, etc. Not to mention the false sense of security these things can give.

Writing this as a practicing hematologist/oncologist and an internist. Hope you reconsider.

I lived in Bangalore in the late seventies. It was called "the air conditioned city". Later in became the Silicon Valley of India. I will say my experience with their hospitals and doctors at that time was opposite of yours. Glad things have significantly improved, haha. We traversed the city on a motorcycle and yes...a very interesting experience in India. We were attending an international Montessori Teacher Training which required near daily attendance. One of my most memorable experiences was motoring on Christmas Eve in Bangalore with the temp in the high eighties. I made up a song about it as we traveled along.

I used to think the way you did, had major dental work done in Hungary in 2005, saving 60% compared to UK prices at the time, flights and hotel included.

Now, I do surgery in my home country/ies. Why? Because it's fair to pay the society that made me rich back.

Look at where you got your CD Baby from, Derek. I'd bet US, Europe, the old world that could affort $10-20 for an indie CD. And now you go use your capital elsewhere. Kinda violates the Stephen Covey interdependent principle.

Known paradox of of the lifestyle nomad: it works for you, but there's a selfishness/narrowness to it. Pay your home country princes is playing for the team. Otherwise: how will the people around you get the same level of wealth that you have. And that rolls up to the economy near you. More so in India's multi-tier economical system, with little or no middle class, and a lot of folks living hand to mouth.

To draw a parallel: a Chess.com membership costs $150 per year in the UK, where I am, and $8 in Nigeria. So: VPN and life-hacking or pay full price if I can afford it?

Not a criticism or a fancy contrarian take. Really the way I think about it. Says the man who knows that the last suit he'll ever wear has no pockets.

Nice to know you are fully recovered, Derek! Inspiring story once again. I've spent 2 hours this morning re-re-reading Useful, Not True (I've read 27 Conflicting... more than 50 times). Best!

As always, Derek, a breezy to-the-point read.
We hail India's medical tourism here in Nigeria. And I think their current government is cranking it a notch higher.
Glad to know you're in a good shape now.
Finally, did I misread or are you hinting that you'll relocate?

Thanks Derek,
That's an amazing story, and good to know you are well. I love things that challenge the old stories we have in our head. It's why curiosity is so powerful. Be like water.

I am glad all is well! That is a cool perspective that you got to experience. India is full of wonders and wonderful people doing great work. Keep enjoying life my friend!

What’s gonna happen to your house in NZ???
Glad to hear you are well Derek. And, in somehow, it’s selfishly calming to hear you are still on the move looking for new adventures and places where to live.

Same here, Derek. Flew to Delhi last year from the U.S. in severe pain, got opinions from three hospitals within a few days, admitted to Gangaram, had my gallbladder removed. Agree about speed, options, and general quality of care, though less about handling rare and chronic diseases. India's hospitals are not huge research centers since they are inundated with people.

Definitely agree about Bangalore. Grew up there, came to the States, went back for high school. There's so much chill love let's-do-something energy in that city, and I find myself often reminiscing and hoping to live there sometime soon.

Plugging a few Bangalore-esque posts from my Substack you might like:

- The casualties of what war: substack.com/@balooandbagheera/p-179697537
- It's human, cheta: substack.com/@balooandbagheera/p-167927742
- Bro, look at me. Am I good?: balooandbagheera.substack.com/p/bro-look-at-me-am-i-good

Glad that you're healthy and you feel the Bangalore vibe.

Hi Derek, I'm so happy to hear that you're okay.

Thanks for the post. Illuminating!

Interesting insights! Would love to explore Bangalore and hope to see you there soon!

always interesting thought journey.
thanks for daring and sharing

simple, interesting, instructive

Thank you, Derek.
As an Indian, I found your article fascinating because it gave me a fresh perspective on something that feels so normal to us. Your description of adaptive systems and comparing with water stream, tells the way how people navigate through complexity and uncertainty.. and Yes. there are dedicated and compassionate doctors. You also touched the fact that how powerful it is when people place real value on relationships and make time for one another, even in a fast-paced world.
I appreciate you shining a light on this and sharing it with the world.

Well, great to know all went well and yes, I kinda need to learn the flow system of living. Amd Bangalore sounds like quite the place. Also, thank you for this info that's being saved if the medical need ever arrives.

I am very glad that you have recovered well. I've never been to India, but it's interesting to read about your experience there. If people live in Korea and then move to the U.S to study or immigrate, they are often very surprised by very high medical service cost. Therefore, students or immigrants from Korea often maintain the medical insurance provided in Korea. Then, when they visit back to Korea, they could receive medical services that are not urgent but necessary with the help of medical insurance.

Anyway, I'll wait for your next article. : )

Nice story. As usual.

I live in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. USA folks ask me three questions.

1. Is it safe? LOL. Safer than many USA cities.
2. How is the beach? I am at 1,800 meters.
3. How is the healthcare? It's very pro and, to put it mildly, a bit less costly. Plus, my doctor actually sits and talks to me.

Oh, some of my India is here: peterlevitanphotography.com/india

Hey Derek, glad to learn at the end that in tghe end everything went well!

I found the perspective described in the article thought provoking, on medical systems, and normalizing expectations on healthcare.

I would have found it an emotional rollercoaster, was actually surprised to read in the comments to the article that you felt in control, any specific reason you could think that could explain it？

Is great to think you can meet people as nice as the one you described, also for me, that gives a beautiful color to this story.

Take care!

Thank you, Derek. My first thought was: not everyone has the possibility to go with the flow. In fact it takes a lot of structure to go with the flow, or great resources. My second thought was: since when did I become so rigid? I definitely have some food for thought, so thank you.

Did you say moving to Blr as soon as you can😃😃!!! 
The infrastructure is pretty bad, but still it hasn't yet convinced me to leave Blr. It's not even hometown.
Thanks for the perspective on healthcare costs. Was slowly starting to believe that the grass is greener elsewhere..

PS “Useful not True” hasn't left my head ever since I read it. Im not able to unsee it or unhear it anymore.

Love the way you let the story flow, Derek. We, Indonesians have similar problem in costly medical cost that is currently helped by universal health care, but some issues still persist. I often see relatives flying to Penang for some operations and coming back saying that the cost is lower and the service is much better than what our medical system has.

I understand that the cost of medication in each country depends on the policy one country has, but here’s hoping we have actual universal healthcare agreement to have maximum cost of each medical procedures or medicines.

Glad that you are well, Derek.

Thank you very much for sharing this story. I am currently evaluating life outside of the US and healthcare cost is high on the list of reason for the change. Options are a good thing and you have provided examples of such. Thanks again for sharing and showing what is possible.

I love the description of all the 'chaos that works' in Bangalore. Decades ago I spent 5 years based in Jakarta and although Singapore was only a short hop away I applied (what I will now forever call) the Sivers Volume Test and got some surgeries done locally over the 5 years.
Australia has much the same issues as you describe for NZ (although my GP is usually a 2 week wait, not months) but both are way ahead of the disaster that is the USA.
Many, many similarities between our respective experiences and these far apart places.
Glad to hear you have recovered and all is well. Sounds like NZ's loss will be India's gain. Be well.

This is a terrific post and quite insightful. Thanks for sharing your experiences and I'm glad all went well.

I'm happy to hear about your recovery, Derek! Keep using your talents to share your experiences and help people with these meaningful stories that you have. I'm glad to know that you devoted yourself to continuously learning every day.

Hey Derek, great to see you had a good surgery experience in Bangalore. Things and systems in India are surely adaptive (just like water flow), no doubt about that.
Do post when you plan to move here. Will meet over a cup of coffee.
Best!

Thank you so much for sharing this informative and encouraging story. Now, I would love to visit Bangalore.

Nice to hear about your experience at Bangalore.

I generally prefer hospitals that have philanthropic backing since Private Equities like Blackrock own significant shares in the private healthcare space.

But good that you had a nice experience.

Shifting to Bangalore? That's awesome. Would love to catch up!

Hello, Derek. I'm very happy to hear that you're fully recovered. It's surprisingly reassuring to hear that India has okay healthcare.