Medical tourism can be defined as travel from one country to another for the purpose of getting medical treatment there. This has captured the attention of media and researchers in recent times. Originally, the term ‘Medical Tourism’ was coined to refer to travel from an underdeveloped country to the developed nation in order to get medical treatment that is not available in their own country.
But this is not the case today! Nowadays, people have started traveling from developed nations to third-world nations for a variety of reasons including medical treatment. The major factor is found to be the higher costs of medical treatments in developed countries. So, what you need to know about Medical tourism? Read on.
Why Medical Tourism?
It is an accepted fact that the healthcare industry is growing in multiple ways all across the globe. An obvious consequence of this growth is the increase in the complexity of today’s healthcare. Yes, the system has become more and more complex. As advanced healthcare development is more prominent in the richer countries, people are struggling to find safe, effective healthcare at economical rates. This is the major reason why the people from developed countries have started seeking the help from less-developed nations where healthcare costs are affordable.
Also, it is inevitable that in developed nations, the patient has to wait for a longer time for an appointment. For example, migraine patients have to wait up to 19 months for their appointments. The reduced wait time is another reason why people go for medical options abroad.
Medical Tourism and Globalization of Healthcare:
Over the past few years, there were lots of enhancements in the healthcare industry and also in the responsibilities of patient care. The following advanced technologies were on the rise, and today they have become quite essential for modern medical treatments:
- PET Scan
- X-Ray microtomography
- MRI scan
- CT scan
- Ultrasound
Although people always look for the best, the present day treatments in most of the developed countries are found affordable only for the rich and not for financially-average people. I would say that ‘Medical Tourism’ is the answer for the higher medical costs of today, as this concept has globalized the medical sector.
The major benefits of medical tourism are high-quality medical services at affordable prices, while at the same time, being able to travel abroad to an amazing destination which always astonishes every one of us.
One has to understand that although being a widespread network, this medical tourism is helping the general public, corporations, and insurers in saving their money and time. With more advancement in technology and with the availability of cost-effective travel, every common individual is now able to access healthcare through medical tourism.
What are the Available Treatment Types?
The treatment types, as well as their availability, are important in the process of decision-making when it comes to medical tourism. The most commonly pursued medical tourism trips are for the following treatment types:
- Cosmetic surgery
- Dentistry
- Organ transplantation
- Cardiac surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- In vitro fertilization (reproductive tourism)
- Stem cell therapy
However, you can also plan for a medical tourism trip for a variety of other treatments like traditional and alternative treatments.
Singapore – Asia’s leading Medical Tourism Destination.
This beautiful island has seen a rapid development in medical tourism over the past few years. Patients from across the globe are coming to Singapore every year to receive medical services that range from screenings to top-end surgeries. The country has well-trained doctors and internationally-acclaimed hospitals in almost all the specialty areas like:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Organ transplants
- Orthopedics
- Pediatrics
Singapore has been ranked sixth in the WHO’s list of countries with the best medical care systems. The top treatment options that are sought in this island city-state are liver and kidney transplants and treatments that are linked to blood disorders.
