What is Medical Tourism?

For those who still wonder- what is Medical Tourism? Medical Tourism also known as Surgical Tourism , Health Tourism or Medical Travel, is the concept of travelling to distant country, with the purpose of seeking medical treatment of a particular ailment, with a limited budget.

Medical tourism is changing the current trends in Healthcare. It is soon going to be the multibillion-dollar industry in the coming decades. With the shrinking distances, changing policies, broad thinking, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), telecommute, patients cross borders to seek medical specialists and facilities in the country of their choice.

Costa Rica, India, Israel, Mexico , Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, United States are some of the countries medical tourists are looking forward to seek medical treatments.

With benefit comes the chances of risk involved, which can be many folds at each level of Medical Tourism process. Risk of travel and stay, in a foreign country, risk of medical facilities unsuitable to a genetic makeup, risk of nosocomial infections(acquired infections), risk of cyber fraud and ethical and legal risks.

Factors that direct Medical Tourism

The decision to travel to distant country for medical treatment is influenced by various factors. Some people travel as they need to accommodate in the limited budget for medical facilities. Also who can not afford the higher medical charges for procedures and treatment in their own country.

Others take decision to travel for medical needs, to explore the medical facilities back in their home country. They know the fact that it might be beneficial to avail the same facilities in home country at a lesser charges, with additional benefits of after-care and much needed affordable physical assistance, during and after the treatment.

There is still another group of people who travel as they seek a particular procedure or therapy in distant country which is unavailable in their own country.

There is another group of people who are not in a condition to wait or put on a hold, in waiting list for certain procedures. Such patients take decision to avail the same procedures in distant country to enhance the process and recover soon.

The advantages Medical Tourism are more than the risk involved. It should be considered as a mean to serve greater mankind with compassion and care and focus on the steps to simplify the process and serve people genuinely.

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