Health and spa resorts will operate under a new law

The conference programme of Russian Health Care Week 2023 presented a forum for owners, managers, top managers and marketers of health resorts and medical centres – Health and Spa Resorts: Concepts, Marketing, Quality, Personnel. The event was organised by EXPOCENTRE AO.

Tourism expert Valentin Shubin, who moderated the forum, said that for the first three quarters of 2023 the companies of the Russian health resort industry had received income of more than 143 billion rubles, which was higher than in the same period last year. Moreover, it was the first time that the balance of income and expenses of health resorts showed movement in the better direction, that is, income exceeded expenses. Resorts located in the Southern Federal District earned more than a third, i.e., more than 50 billion rubles. In the second place is the North Caucasus Federal District with the result of 28.3 billion rubles. The Volga Federal District rounds out the top three with 19.6 billion roubles.

Over 4.5 million people spent their holidays in health resorts in the first nine months of this year, which is 5% more than the results of the previous year. By the end of 2023, the figures are expected to reach 6.7 million people. At the same time, the visitors to health resorts have become noticeably younger. The average age of patients has shifted from 55 to 45 years old. If in 2022 there was a recovery in demand for health resort holidays after the end of the pandemic, this season the demand has become stable.

Mikhail Nikitin, Chief External Specialist in Health and Spa Treatment of the Russian Ministry of Health Care and Director at the Vulan Health Resort, made a detailed report at the forum.

He elaborated on the new conditions of the health resort industry in connection with the adoption of Federal Law No. 469 of 4 August 2023 on Amendments to the Federal Law on Natural Therapeutic Resources, Therapeutic and Recreational Areas and Resorts, as well as the recently issued Russian Government Decree No. 1923 of 16 November 2023 amending the relevant document of 7 December 1996.

According to Mikhail Nikitin, the main strategies for organising treatment of patients at health and spa resorts are client-oriented management and medical staff of such medical institutions, teamwork of their teams, formation of a safety culture and careful consideration of adverse events in connection with the provision of medical care. At the same time, medical care in health and spa resorts should be based solely on the principles of evidence-based medicine and ensure full epidemiological safety. Particular attention should be paid to the work of the reception department, which guarantees 24-hour emergency medical care for patients.

The forum participants were also addressed by food safety experts from Roskachevo and marketers specialising in the management of camps and fitness tours, service design and customer service.

Press Service, EXPOCENTRE AO