Wellmap is Shaping a New Ecosystem for Medical Tourism

Interview with Ivan Osotov, Co-Founder of Wellmap

— Ivan, you are speaking at the Health Tourism & Medical Odyssey in Dubai. What key idea will you bring to the audience?

— The main message is that digital platforms are becoming system-shaping players in the medical tourism industry. If in the past the market relied on personal connections, intermediaries, and offline communications, the future now belongs to ecosystems.
My panel session will focus on the role of platforms like Wellmap in building global infrastructure: from price transparency to creating trust between all stakeholders.

— What does the development of Wellmap as a platform look like?

— We are building not just a directory of clinics, but a full-fledged ecosystem of medical tourism.
Our development has three core directions:

1. The global network of medical tourism agents.
   We bring together professionals worldwide who help patients choose clinics, accompany them on their journey, and act as ambassadors of quality. For agents, Wellmap is a work environment: tools, access to patient leads, training, and the ability to grow their own business without being tied to a specific geography.
2. Clinics and medical centers.
   We provide them with a platform to reach global audiences without excessive financial risk. Instead of spending millions on international marketing, clinics gain a ready-made channel for attracting patients.
3. Patients.
   They finally get what the market has been lacking for years: transparent pricing, easy comparison of options, access to verified clinics, and secure transactions through smart contracts.

— You also mentioned governments. How are they involved in this ecosystem?

— For many countries, the export of medical services is becoming an important part of the economy.
But to manage this process sustainably, they need digital tools. Wellmap allows governments to see the bigger picture: which patients are arriving, which services are in demand, and where growth opportunities lie. We essentially give them a digital platform to develop medical service exports.

This creates value for everyone: countries receive new revenue streams, clinics get more patients, patients receive quality care, and agents gain meaningful work opportunities.

— Why are the UAE and the MENA region becoming your priority markets?

— Because the environment here is ideal for growth.

• The UAE is already positioning itself as one of the world’s leading hubs for medical tourism.
• Patients from GCC countries actively seek the best treatments abroad.
• Governments in the region are investing heavily in digital health and are open to new technologies.

For us, this is an opportunity to show that Wellmap can be not only a marketplace, but also a tool for public health policy and for building a country’s medical export strategy.

— In your view, what is the key role of digital platforms in this industry?

— I see several critical aspects:

1. Shaping the ecosystem.
   Today, medical tourism often falls into the “grey market”: too many unlicensed intermediaries, opaque schemes, price manipulations. Wellmap solves this problem through transparency: all prices and conditions are available in one place. This sets common rules of the game and builds trust with patients, clinics, and governments.
2. Breaking down barriers.
   The main barrier is distrust. Patients fear overpaying or ending up with an unqualified doctor, while governments fear chaotic market growth. The platform acts as a filter: vetting clinics, verifying agents, and enforcing standards. This creates a sense of safety for patients and control for countries.
3. Reducing reputational risks for countries.
   When patient expectations are not met, it damages the image of the entire country as a medical destination. Wellmap helps create realistic expectations through transparent terms, clinic comparisons, and verified reviews. This minimizes reputational risks.
4. The role of governments.
   States are interested in medical tourism as a source of revenue and prestige. To ensure sustainable development, they need digital tools for oversight and transparency. Wellmap can become a trusted partner for governments, minimizing risks of price manipulation and quality issues.

In short, we are setting new rules of the game: eliminating grey areas, lowering risks, simplifying interactions, and building trust. This benefits patients, clinics, and countries alike.

— One last question: what does participating in the Dubai conference personally mean to you?

— For me, it’s not only a chance to share our vision, but also to listen and learn from colleagues, industry leaders, and government representatives.
Wellmap was conceived as a project of global scale, and Dubai is the perfect stage to show that we are stepping into the international arena. For us, it is not the final destination, but the starting point for major expansion.

We also see the conference as an opportunity to build new relationships and meet investors interested in healthtech and medtech projects. Wellmap is open to exploring different forms of collaboration that will allow us to grow at an even faster pace.

✨ This interview was prepared for the Wellmap blog ahead of the Health Tourism & Medical Odyssey, Dubai, September 2025.