Medical Tourism

What is medical tourism?

Health or medical tourism represents the journey of people to other countries to obtain medical treatment in that country.
The term medical tourism appeared for the first time in old Greece, when Greek pilgrims traveled to a small place known as Epidauria. This place was a shrine devoted to Asclepius, a God of healing.

There has been a rise in the popularity of this type of travel in recent years due to the high cost of health care outside the public health system in developed West, the lack of access to certain medical services beyond the public health system, ease and lower prices for international travel, faster development of medical technology standard care in some countries. Medical tourism encompasses a wide range of services and can combine multiple elements of activity, with medical services including leisure, entertainment, relaxation, wellness. The primary motive of medical practitioners is to preserve and improve health.

The advantages of medical tourism

• Lower cost. One of the major reasons why people even consider going abroad for major healthcare procedures is the cost difference. For example, in developed countries, medical treatment costs far more than third world countries such as India.
• Medical procedures that are uncovered or unapproved by your insurance. Even if you have a good insurance policy, there are always exclusions. This is particularly true for certain treatments, such as infertility.
• Experimental procedures, and medical procedures that aren’t yet approved. This applies to experimental procedures for critical illnesses, or something less critical that hasn’t yet been approved.
• No waiting period. Many medical procedures have queues that extend back to a year and beyond. For a patient with extreme pain, waiting is unbearable. Medical tourism helps patients bypass such waiting periods by finding treatments in foreign countries where they can get the necessary attention within a shorter span of time.
• More Specialized Doctors. Medical tourists have the opportunity to avail the services of highly qualified medical professionals.

The risks of medical tourism

• Risks inherent in foreign travel. Any time you travel to a foreign country, there are certain risks – those risks can be multiplied when you’re venturing to a country for medical treatment. First and foremost, if you don’t speak the local language, there can be communication problems (translation: make sure you have a trusted translator). You may also find problems with local customs and practices.
• Hazards of travel. A trip to tropical climes may be the perfect answer for medical tourists residing in colder places. But keep in mind that traveling just after surgery is not good for your health. Do an extensive research about your operation’s procedure, the time required for recovery, and all the possible complications that may occur. Search about all relevant immunization programs too.

Destinations

Popular destinations in health tourism include: Argentina, Brunei, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Jordan, Philippines, Sigapur, and recent years and Tunisia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates.
Popular destinations for plastic surgery include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Turkey and Thailand.