Medical tourism is an vastly growing industry where people travel to receive drastically less expensive medical treatment, including dental, cosmetic, surgical, and general medical care. Even though traveling for health reasons goes back to ancient civilizations, ‘medical tourism’ is a fairly new term created by the mass media to advertise the expanding industry. It is often used interchangeably with medical travel, health tourism, healthcare travel, healthcare abroad, and overseas healthcare.
The history of medical tourism reaches back to 4,000 B.C., when the Sumerians erected health multiplexes around thermal springs that were patronized by health pilgrims. In Greece, a temple was raised for Asclepius, the god of medicine, and the Temple of Asclepius became one of the pioneering health centers in the entire world. This led to the building of other Grecian health complexes, such as Epidaurus, the most famed of all the earliest health complexes. Epidaurus housed a gymnasium, a snake farm, a dream temple, and thermal baths. Similarly, on the other side of the planet was India, where healers were also inviting pilgrims to receive the advantages of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine.
Different people have different reasons for choosing to journey to another country to receive medical treatment. The most powerful reason, however, is that medical procedures in other countries cost significantly lower than those performed in the United States and in the United Kingdom. For example, heart surgery in India may be only $12,000, but in the U.S., the cost can go up to $200,000. And though the price is economical, the quality of medical care that is received complies with international yardsticks enforced by the Joint Commission International (JCI). Health facilities and equipment are the latest and the doctors, of whom many are trained in Western countries, are usually the very best in their own country. At the same time, the amount of service is higher than the usual given in the U.S. and U.K. Private rooms, plush accommodations, and a very friendly and attentive staff are often only accessible to those who can pay for them in the West. There is also the advantage of mixing recovery with a vacation, which allows patients to receive the relaxation they deserve.
The costs of receiving treatment abroad are far lower than having the procedure completed in the U.S. For instance, in India, a heart valve replacement surgery can be executed for $12,000. That is dramatically lower than the $200,000 price tag American health providers put on this complicated heart surgery, so that even when other expenses are included, there still is a sizeable amount of savings left. These other costs include airfare, hotel reservations, local transportation, meals, recreation, souvenirs, etc. In South American destinations, such as Brazil, Panama, and Costa Rica, treatment expenses are commonly a bit higher than in Asian countries, such as India, Thailand, and Malaysia, being only 50% lower than costs in the U.S. This is made up for, however, by the lower travel costs such as airfare.
There are many medical tourism destinations to choose from. India, undoubtedly, is at the top of the list when speaking of the lowest prices and highest quality of healthcare services. India’s health workers are among the finest in the world and they offer a vast selection of treatments, from tummy tucks to dental cosmetics to knee replacements to heart bypass surgeries. Other notable Asian countries are Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The industry is also flourishing in South America, which lays claim to the top cosmetic surgeons and facilities in the entire world. It is not new, since this alluring land is much known for its obsession for beauty and physical attractiveness. In Europe, other countries are drawing alongside to the rest of the world. Hungary, Belgium, and Germany are ideal destinations for Europeans who wish to receive less expensive treatments without flying across oceans or entire continents.
Medical tourism facilitators, also known as medical tourism agents, assist people in making the engagements for their overseas treatments. They function much like tourism agencies. They organize the travel plan, make reservations, book tickets, arrange schedules, etc. The primary variation is medical tourism facilitators also enable the communication between their clients and the chosen healthcare provider and specialist. A medical tourism facilitator is like a one-stop shop for all your healthcare travel needs.
Choosing a medical tourism agent that is sure to be worth your money can be taxing because many unscrupulous operations have easily emerged on the Internet, exploiting the increasing popularity of this new medical movement. When selecting a facilitator, one of the first things to seek is qualification from the Medical Tourism Association (MTA). The MTA is the first and only international non-profit organization that furthers high-quality medical tourism services. It is also the only body that grants certification to facilitators that meet the requirements of outstanding service. It is also recommended to conduct research on the healthcare facilities that your chosen facilitator has partnered with. Reliable international hospitals are those that have been certified by international bodies, such as the Joint Commission International.
One of the characteristic features of medical tourism is the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine, which was legitimately inaugurated in the late 1980s, involves the transfer of medical information with the use of technological devices. Talking to the phone to discuss your symptoms with your doctor is considered telemedicine, and so are sending medical records via the Internet and having two-way videoconferences with your doctor. This supports the continuation of healthcare even after the treatment and rest period have passed and the patient is back in his/her home country.
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