International Patient Facilitators

What International Patient Facilitators does

International Patient Facilitators (IPF) is a Tijuana-based medical tourism facilitator that coordinates cross-border healthcare for patients primarily from the United States and Canada. Founded in 2007 and led by CEO Sheri Burke since 2008, the company matches patients with vetted surgeons and hospitals in Mexico across four service lines: bariatric surgery (gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, duodenal switch, lap band, mini bypass, revision, and balloon), IVF (via LIV Fertility Center in Puerto Vallarta), dentistry (Dentistar Clinic in Cancun and Tijuana), and cosmetic surgery. Its core technology stack is a content and lead-conversion website (international-patient-facilitators.com) with a BMI calculator, online booking, medical forms, a blog archive dating to 2010, and an active Facebook community; the company also operates Telemedicine follow-ups and digital records management for post-operative care. The proprietary asset is Sheri Burke's personal hospital certification program, in which she personally audits partner facilities for safety and quality, and a surgeon-matching process based on BMI, medical history, lifestyle, and surgery goals.

IPF's revenue model is primarily affiliate/referral: services are free to patients, and the company earns referral fees from partner hospitals. Secondary revenue streams include the Bariatric Food Expert supplement line (sold via Amazon and bariatricfoodexpert.com), 1-on-1 bariatric nutrition coaching delivered by Sheri Burke as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, referral fees from eMedical Financing Solutions, and subscription-style revenue from the Mexico Medical Members (MMM) expat membership program. Pricing is transparent and per-procedure, with savings of roughly 55-70% versus US/Canada benchmarks (e.g., gastric sleeve $4,500-$6,200 vs $18,000-$24,000; knee replacement $13,500-$17,000 vs $42,000-$55,000). The company is privately held, founder-owned with no disclosed institutional capital, has 11-50 employees, and in 2025 extended its certification program to Turkey and Thailand.

Name

International Patient Facilitators

Legal name

International Patient Facilitators Inc.

Website

https://international-patient-facilitators.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Patient Facilitators is a Tijuana-based medical tourism company that coordinates bariatric, IVF, dental, and cosmetic procedures in Mexico for patients from the USA and Canada, earning referral fees from partner hospitals and selling bariatric supplements and nutrition coaching.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Tourism Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (56151)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery Tourism Agencies (THAKAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Inbound Medical Tourism Facilitators (THAKAIAB)

Keywords

• Medical tourism facilitation
• Bariatric surgery coordination
• Cross-border healthcare
• IVF treatment travel
• Cosmetic surgery packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Tijuana

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Medical Tourism Facilitation Services: The company coordinates medical travel arrangements including surgeon matching, hospital arrangements, transportation, and accommodation coordination. Services are provided free for patients as the company works with hospitals that pay referral/partner fees.
2. Bariatric Food Expert Products: Sale of bariatric vitamins, supplements, meal plans, and nutritional products through Amazon store and dedicated website (bariatricfoodexpert.com)
3. Medical Financing Referrals: Referral partnerships with medical financing companies like eMedical Financing Solutions for patients requiring payment plans
4. Nutrition Coaching Services: 1-on-1 bariatric nutrition coaching and pre/post-operative nutrition planning services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Patient Facilitators is a medical tourism facilitation company that coordinates cross-border healthcare for patients (primarily from the USA and Canada) seeking bariatric surgery, IVF procedures, dentistry, and cosmetic surgery in Mexico, Turkey, and Thailand. The company arranges vetted partner surgeons and hospitals, travel and lodging logistics, transparent fixed-price procedure packages, and post-operative nutritional support through its Bariatric Food Expert brand and 1-on-1 coaching. Auxiliary offerings include a Mexico Medical Members (MMM) membership program and a Cosmetic Surgery Group travel program.

Product overview

International Patient Facilitators (IPF) is a medical tourism facilitator operating as a unified service platform that connects international patients (primarily from USA and Canada) with vetted bariatric surgeons, cosmetic surgeons, IVF specialists, and dentists in Mexico. The core offering is medical procedure coordination including surgery arrangement, travel logistics, accommodation, and post-operative care. The portfolio includes bariatric surgery services (gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, lap band, mini gastric bypass, duodenal switch, gastric plication, revision surgery, gastric balloon), IVF procedures, dentistry, and cosmetic surgery. Supplementary services include Bariatric Food Expert nutrition products and supplements sold via Amazon, 1-on-1 Bariatric Nutrition Coaching by Sheri Burke, the Mexico Medical Members (MMM) expat healthcare program, BMI Calculator tool, Cosmetic Surgery Group Travel Program, and the Turkey Surgery Program. The company was founded by Sheri Burke (Registered Holistic Nutritionist) who serves as CEO and medical tourism specialist.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bariatric Food Expert: A vitamin and nutrition supplement line for bariatric patients, sold through Amazon and bariatricfoodexpert.com
• Mexico Medical Members (MMM)

Products and services

• Bariatric Surgery Facilitation (Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass, Revision) End-to-end coordination of weight-loss surgery for self-pay patients traveling from the U.S. and Canada, including surgeon matching, hospital booking, travel/lodging, and post-operative nutritional support via the Bariatric Food Expert brand.
• IVF Treatment Facilitation Coordination of cross-border IVF treatment for patients seeking fertility care abroad, including clinic selection, scheduling, and travel logistics.
• Dental Treatment Facilitation Coordination of dental procedures (implants, crowns, full-mouth restoration) at vetted partner clinics in Mexico for cost-sensitive patients crossing the border for care.
• Cosmetic Surgery Facilitation Coordination of cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures with partner surgeons in Mexico, Turkey, and Thailand for medical-tourism patients.
• Mexico Medical Members (MMM) Membership Recurring-membership program providing enrolled members with access to IPF's vetted provider network and coordinated care, designed for expats and long-stay residents in Mexico (and other medical-tourism destinations) rather than single-procedure patients.
• Cosmetic Surgery Group Travel Program Group-based cosmetic-surgery travel program that aggregates multiple patients into a single coordinated trip, bundling cosmetic procedures with group travel logistics.
• Turkey Surgery Program Coordination of surgical procedures (notably cosmetic) at vetted partner providers in Turkey, extending IPF's medical-tourism footprint beyond Mexico.
• Bariatric Food Expert Brand and 1-on-1 Bariatric Nutrition Coaching Adjacent product and service brand for bariatric patients: physical nutrition products sold via its own website and Amazon storefront, plus paid 1-on-1 bariatric nutrition coaching for post-surgical patients, extending IPF's relationship past the surgical event.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% cost savings on bariatric sleeve surgery (avg. $4,500-$6,200 vs $18,000-$24,000 in US/CA)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Turkey Medical Tourism ProvidersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Expanded certification program to Turkey in 2025 as part of global hospital certification initiative. Turkey is described as a 2025 hotspot for bariatric surgery with luxury private hospitals and exceptional nursing ratios.
• Thailand Medical Tourism ProvidersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Expanded certification program to Thailand in 2025 as part of global hospital certification initiative. Thailand is described as the gold standard for medical tourism with world-renowned hospitality and highly skilled bariatric programs.
• Obesity Good Bye Center TijuanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner hospital in Tijuana for bariatric surgeries. The facility is audited and certified by Sheri Burke as meeting strict national standards for safety and quality. Offers comprehensive weight loss surgery programs including gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and revision surgeries.
• LIV Fertility Center Puerto VallartacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner IVF clinic in Puerto Vallarta offering fertility treatments and procedures. Part of IPF's service expansion to provide comprehensive medical tourism services beyond bariatrics.
• Dentistar Clinic CancuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner dental clinic in Cancun offering comprehensive dental treatments including implants, full arch restorations, and general dentistry. Provides dental tourism services for international patients.
• eMedical Financing SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedical financing partner providing payment plan options for patients requiring financial assistance for procedures. Helps make medical tourism accessible to patients who cannot pay upfront.
• Bariatric Expert (Amazon Store)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSheri Burke's own brand of bariatric vitamins and supplements sold through Amazon. Products include multivitamin gummies, D3, biotin, and protein powders specifically formulated for bariatric patients. Available at bariatricfoodexpert.com.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bookimed: Global medical tourism platform connecting patients with clinics across 30+ countries, including bariatric, dental, and cosmetic procedures. Comparable to IPF in service scope but operates as a marketplace with verified reviews rather than a single-founder personal coordination model.
• Healthbase: Medical tourism facilitator connecting US patients with accredited hospitals in Mexico, India, Thailand, and Turkey for bariatric, orthopedic, and cosmetic procedures. Closely comparable service mix and geographic footprint to IPF's expansion strategy.
• Medical Departures: Online medical tourism marketplace that vets clinics and surgeons abroad and facilitates bookings for international patients. Closely comparable to IPF in core bariatric/dental/cosmetic facilitation, though at significantly larger scale and with a marketplace model rather than founder-led personal coordination.
• Medigo: Berlin-based medical travel platform helping patients book vetted treatments abroad across multiple specialties. Comparable in offering breadth (bariatric, dental, cosmetic, fertility) and use of verified provider networks, though with a more tech-forward marketplace approach.
• MyMediTravel: Medical tourism comparison and booking platform covering bariatric, cosmetic, dental, and fertility procedures across multiple destinations including Mexico and Thailand. Comparable marketplace positioning and procedure mix to IPF.
• PlacidWay: Medical tourism marketplace connecting patients with providers in 30+ countries for bariatric, dental, cosmetic, and orthopedic procedures. Comparable in service scope and in targeting US outbound medical tourism to Mexico and other destinations.
• Medical Tourism Corporation: US-based medical tourism facilitator arranging affordable bariatric, dental, cosmetic, and orthopedic procedures primarily in Mexico and Turkey. Direct competitor to IPF in bariatric surgery facilitation for US/Canadian patients traveling abroad.
• Patients Beyond Borders: Medical tourism information and facilitation resource founded by Josef Woodman, focused on guiding US/Canadian patients to accredited international hospitals. Comparable editorial and advisory positioning to IPF's content-driven approach, though more informational than transactional.

Broad incumbents

• Apollo Hospitals: Large hospital chain across India and the Middle East serving significant international patient volumes. Represents the broad incumbent category that medical tourism facilitators like IPF route patients to or compete with for cross-border specialty care demand.
• Bumrungrad International Hospital: Bangkok-based internationally accredited hospital serving hundreds of thousands of medical tourists annually. Comparable as a Thailand medical tourism destination that IPF now certifies and routes patients to, and representative of the larger incumbent providers IPF competes against for cross-border bariatric and cosmetic patients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalPatientFacilitator
• Xx.com/ipfmexico
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-patient-facilitators

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Patient Facilitators