Medical tourism refers to the practice of men and women heading abroad to acquire health care, dental, or cosmetic providers.  From the viewpoint of Us residents, healthcare tourism is a rapidly expanding pattern, in which patients look for out large-quality and reduced charge healthcare in foreign nations (this kind of as India,
Thailand, or Costa Rica), since they do not possess the indicates to pay for the wanted (or necessary) health-related companies here in the U.S.

What is Driving the Progress of Healthcare Tourism

The Range A single factor fueling development of health care tourism is simple:  charge savings.  While it is debatable no matter whether the U.S. has the ‘greatest healthcare technique in the globe,’ there is no doubt we have the most costly.  The subsequent comparison table illustrates this position:

U.S. Average                        Abroad (on typical)

Hip replacement                                      43,000                                   nine,000-eleven,000

Heart valve replacement                         160,000                                 nine,000-twelve,000

Breast augmentation                             five,000-10,000                                 3,750

Liposuction                                           2,000-10,000                                 1,000

Dental implants                                     2,000-5,000                              500-two,000

Crowns                                                    500-three,000                               170-700

[Source:  J. Woodman, Patients Beyond Borders, 2007 and PW Marsek &amp F. Sharpe, Total Idiot’s Guide to Medical Tourism, 2009]

Other aspects escalating the health care tourism market (besides economics) contain:

Increasing good quality of hospitals in building countries [the gold standard is JCI-accredited hospitals: there are currently about 140 JCI-accredited hospitals in 26 nations, outdoors of the U.S.]

Overall pattern toward globalization (e.g. numerous U.S. multinational companies are expanding into Asia and India)

Improvements in technology  (the web and Telepresence videoconferencing, as examples)

Media and marketing about medical tourism

Who Are the Health-related Vacationers

In accordance to the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), some 500,000 Us residents traveled overseas for health-related/dental treatment in 2006.  The MTA forecasts that figure to rise into the millions by 2010.

Profiles of the Normal Health care Tourist

A single of the several millions of uninsured People in america, who are incapacitated (e.g. require hip replacement medical procedures but really don’t have ,000 to shell out for it)

A patient has insurance, but their insurer denies authorization for a procedure—perhaps due to a ‘preexisting condition’ clause

The particular person needs a cosmetic procedure (these as breast augmentation or facelift), which would not be covered anyway, but she can not pay for Beverly Hills prices

Which Countries are Healthcare Visitors Traveling To

According to Josef Woodman (in Sufferers Over and above Borders, 2007), right here are some of the top travel locations of American medical visitors, in alphabetical buy:

-Antigua &amp Barbados  (mentioned for Infertility and IVF treatment options)

-Brazil  (has over four,500 skilled cosmetic surgeons, including Dr. Ivo Pitanguy—known as the ‘Godfather of Cosmetic Surgery’)

-Costa Rica  (specialists in Cosmetic Medical procedures, Dentistry, and Orthopedics)

-Czech Republic  (Cosmetic Surgical procedure and Dentistry)

-India:  India is rapidly turning into a powerhouse in the healthcare tourism sector: components include a burgeoning economy, a significant provide of health-related specialists, very low charge, and a flourishing travel &amp hospitality industry  (India is sturdy in Cardiology &amp Cardiac Surgical treatment, Orthopedics, Dentistry, and Transplants)

-Malaysia  (Infertility, Cosmetic &amp Orthopedic Surgery, Dentistry)

-Mexico  (Mexico has two robust points: geographical proximity, and very low charge but these are offset by two weak points: the lack of JCI-accredited hospitals, and people’s fears about drug-connected violence in the border towns of Mexico)

-Singapore  (English is the key language and the World Well being Organization lately ranked Singapore’s healthcare technique as #one in Asia)

-Thailand  (Bangkok, Thailand boasts Bumrungrad Global Hospital—the 1st hospital to attain JCI-accreditation, and the single most well-liked hospital for worldwide medical tourists.  Yearly, Bumrungrad treats some 400,000 foreign individuals, such as site visitors and expats from 190 diverse countries.)   Source: Full Idiot’s Information to Health care Tourism, 2009.

-UAE/Dubai  (Cardiovascular, Oncology, and Orthopedics)

Which Cosmetic Surgeries are the Most Well-liked

According to CNN Wellbeing (on cnn.com, dated 8/eleven/ten), here are the Leading ten cosmetic surgeries that individuals sought out:

Liposuction

Breast augmentation

Blepharoplasty (eyelid medical procedures)

Rhinoplasty (nose medical procedures)

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)

Breast reduction surgery

Breast lift

Facelift

Gynecomastia medical procedures (male breast reduction)

Otoplasty (ear surgical procedure)

Can You Get Higher-Quaity Health care Care Abroad

This is the million-dollar question that every person asks.  No 1 will argue that you can’t get less costly care overseas, but  ‘how can I be assured of a excellent outcome?’  Whilst the healthcare tourism nations listed above have different ranges of service, it should be noted that individuals JCI-accredited hospitals that cater to foreign travelers represent the quite best good quality hospitals within every respective country.

Achieving JCI standing is extremely rigorous and lengthy, and these hospitals have ongoing Quality Assurance (QA) plans to sustain their difficult-earned accreditation standing.  In addition, most are staffed with doctors and nurses who are conversational (if not fluent) in English.

Fact:  Several JCI hospitals (particularly in Asia) boast reduce morbidity and complication rates than that of key U.S. hospitals—particularly with regard to cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeries.  [Resource:  Individuals Past Borders]

Will Health care Tourism Retain Developing

By all accounts—a resounding yes.

In light of current passage of President Obama’s Health Reform Bill, U.S. well being insurers will face elevated laws and diminishing profit margins.  In response, insurance policy businesses have began pilot assignments to investigate how much financial savings can be actualized by incorporating health care tourism into their benefits menu.

In addition, U.S. firms are also eyeing health-related tourism as a way to slow down the double digit boosts in wellbeing premiums which appear unsustainable in terms of corporate viability.  As a testament to this pattern, David Boucher—CEO of Companion International Healthcare [CGH]  (which sells health positive aspects deals to firms, which contains remedy abroad as an selection) states CGH’s record of corporate consumers has grown from  three to 255 companies in the last two many years.

In light of the economics, developments among insurers and companies, as nicely as developing client awareness about health care tourism, it is a secure wager that health care tourism will keep on to expand exponentially over the up coming 10 years and beyond.

Exactly where Can I Get A lot more Info

If you’re considering (for yourself or a loved a single) surgical procedure or a health-related/dental treatment abroad, the greatest piece of guidance is this:  do thorough analysis, think about ALL your choices (such as acquiring medical procedures in the U.S.) cautiously, and program in advance.

Josef Woodman in Patients Past Borders [Healthy Journey Media Publications, 2007] recommends that potential patients start the ‘planning stage’ six months ahead.  His guide is an exceptional, extensive resource for people taking into consideration healthcare tourism.

The Full Idiot’s Guidebook to Health-related Tourism,  by   P. Marsek and F. Sharpe [Penguin Proup Publishing, 2009] is an additional excellent reference guide to have.  Right here are some other great sources of data:

-The Health-related Tourism Association   www.medicaltourismassociation.com

-Medical Tourism website   http://medicaltourism.com

-Planet Hospital    www.planethospital.com

Conclusion

If you are in want of a healthcare method or surgical treatment (which you can not find the money for here), and have done due diligence to discover a leading-notch surgeon at a JCI-accredited hospital (at an inexpensive price tag), and are prepared/in a position to make an overseas trip, then health care tourism is one thing you ought to give mindful consideration to.