Rise of Health Tourism
From cosmetic procedures through to medical
services and rehabilitation, health tourism continues to grow and evolve across
the world. According to Healthy Travel Media, publisher of Patients Beyond
Borders, more than 11 million people travelled to another country in 2016 to
undergo medical procedures. From the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Costa Rica
through to the popular medical hubs of Malaysia and Thailand, the ongoing
transformation of the global healthcare industry has opened the floodgates for
healthcare tourism.
Over the last few years, the global
healthcare industry has expanded beyond cosmetic and medical services into
preventative and rehabilitative care. Medical tourism generated between US$60
and US$70 billion in 2015 alone, with additional healthcare services likely to
double revenues within five years. Lower costs are motivating people to travel,
with access to experimental and state-of-the-art medical treatments other key
drivers of this boom. Dentistry and cosmetic treatments are two of the most
commonly sought procedures, with patients also travelling to receive cancer
treatment and organ transplants among other services.
According to Patients Without Borders, the
top ten destinations for healthcare tourism in 2017 were Brazil, Malaysia,
India, Thailand, Turkey, Costa Rica, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea, and
Singapore. While most of these countries are in the developing world, patients
are also surprised by cheaper prices in parts of Europe and developed Asian
nations. Destinations often become well known for particular medical services,
with people choosing locations based on availability of services, industry
reputation, and lifestyle considerations. Waiting times in developing countries
are generally much shorter, meaning patients can access services when they are
needed and avoid stressful waiting periods.
According to Daniel Carlin, M.D., founder
and CEO of WorldClinic, “The best healthcare solution to a particular problem
is often not found in your local medical centre or health system and I suspect
that challenge will probably get worse before it gets better." While not
everyone wants to travel overseas to get the medical help they need, growing
wealth inequality and globalisation of the healthcare industry will continue to
create clusters of hospitals and medical services on a global level. A
substantial number of medical institutions and practices are looking to
capitalise on the coming boom in health tourism, from expensive facilities
designed to deliver exceptional care through to a wide range of affordable and
accessible services.
There are lots of hurdles to overcome when
receiving medical care in another country, including different standards of
sanitation, inability to access insurance, counterfeit medications, travel
concerns, and communication issues. While it's easier to get accurate
information and reviews than ever before, language barriers and other cultural differences
can be difficult to overcome. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's website. "Receiving care at a facility where you do not speak
the language fluently might increase the chance that misunderstandings will
arise about your care." If you're planning on getting involved in
healthcare tourism in any way, it's important to do your homework and reduce
risks at every stage of the process.
Image source: Africa Studio/Shutterstock
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