Medical tourism is an progressively emergent industry where people travel to receive remarkably less steep medical treatment, including dental, cosmetic, surgical, and general medical care. Although traveling for health reasons goes back to ancient civilizations, ‘medical tourism’ is a fairly new term coined by the mass media to advertise the expanding industry. It is commonly used interchangeably with medical travel, health tourism, healthcare travel, healthcare abroad, and overseas healthcare.

The history of medical tourism dates back to 4,000 B.C., when the Sumerians built health centers around thermal springs that were visited by health pilgrims. In Greece, a temple was made for Asclepius, the god of medicine, and the Temple of Asclepius turned out to be one of the pioneering health centers in the entire world. This caused the erection of other Grecian health structures, such as Epidaurus, the most renowned of all ancient health complexes. Epidaurus had a gymnasium, a snake farm, a dream temple, and thermal baths. At the same time, on the other side of the world was India, where healers were also enticing pilgrims to receive the advantages of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine.

Different people have different reasons for wanting to fly to another country to receive medical treatment. The most powerful reason, however, is that medical procedures in other countries cost substantially lower than procedures done in the United States and in the United Kingdom. For example, heart surgery in India may be priced only $12,000, but in the U.S., the cost can go up to $200,000. And though the price is cheap, the quality of healthcare that is received satisfies international specifications enforced by the Joint Commission International (JCI). Health facilities and equipment are up-to-date and the specialists, of whom many are trained in Western countries, are usually the very best in their own country. At the same time, the level of service is higher than the usual given in the U.S. and U.K. Private rooms, lavish accommodations, and a very welcoming and caring staff are often only accessible to those who can afford them in the West. There is also the advantage of fusing recovery with a vacation, which allows patients to receive the pampering they need.

The costs of receiving treatment in other countries are far lower than having the procedure done in the U.S. For instance, in India, a heart valve replacement surgery can be carried out for $12,000. That is radically lower than the $200,000 price tag American health providers put on this complicated heart surgery, so that even when other expenditures are included, there still is a considerable amount of savings left. These other costs include airfare, lodging, local transportation, meals, recreation, souvenirs, etc. In South American nations, 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 offset, however, by the lower travel costs such as airfare.

There are quite a number medical tourism destinations to pick from. India, unquestionably, is at the top of the list when speaking of the lowest prices and highest quality of healthcare services. India’s practitioners are among the finest in the world and they offer a huge assortment of treatments, from tummy tucks to dental cosmetics to knee replacements to heart bypass surgeries. Other remarkable Asian countries are Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The industry is also booming in South America, which boasts of the top cosmetic surgeons and facilities in the entire world. It is not shocking, since this alluring land is much known for its obsession for beauty and physical appeal. In Europe, other countries are catching up. Hungary, Belgium, and Germany are ideal destinations for Europeans who want to receive less expensive treatments without flying across oceans or entire continents.

Medical tourism facilitators, also named medical tourism agents, assist people in making the arrangements for their overseas treatments. They work much like tourism agencies. They coordinate the travel plan, make reservations, book tickets, arrange schedules, etc. The primary variation is medical tourism facilitators also facilitate the communication between their clients and the chosen healthcare provider and medical practitioner. 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 tricky because many dubious parties have easily materialized on the Internet, exploiting the rising popularity of this new medical craze. When searching for 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-commercial organization that encourages high-quality medical tourism services. It is also the only body that awards certification to facilitators that meet the criteria of outstanding service. It is also good to conduct research on the healthcare facilities that your chosen facilitator is affiliated with. Reliable international hospitals are those that have been certified by international bodies, such as the Joint Commission International.

One of the defining features of medical tourism is the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine, which was formally began in the late 1980s, involves the transfer of medical information through technological devices. Talking to the phone to discuss your symptoms with your doctor is considered telemedicine, and so are transferring medical records via the Internet and holding two-way videoconferences with your doctor. This makes possible the maintenance of healthcare even after the treatment and recuperation period have passed and the patient is back in his/her home country.

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