Most people associate traveling as simply going on vacation on some beautiful tourist destination. Tourism is worth about 7.6 trillion in 2016 and is powered by over 1.2 billion international travelers. But what most people don’t know is that 14 million of those are after healthcare. To be specific medical tourism.
Medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling in another country for the sake of receiving medical care. Medical tourism is worth $15.5 billion in the global market and is forecast to grow to $28 billion by 2024. There are numerous reasons why people do some medical tourism:
- They expect equal or greater care
- They believe in specialization
- Better and Abundance of Choices
- Affordability
- Tourism Itself
Medical tourism was coined after a phenomenon happened when Americans started seeking alternative locations and health providers. In 2017, around 1.4 million US citizens went out of the country in search of their medical needs.
So what are the countries in the world tops the list? Please read on.
Thailand
Know for their beautiful beaches, stunning nature and crazy night life, Thailand is also one of the best countries to check out medical tourism especially in terms of cosmetic and dermatological procedures.
Bangkok’s Bumrungrad International Hospital received 1.2 million foreign parents in 2018 alone. With the manpower of over 900 physicians covering 55 specialties, they have the capacity to accept 1,000 international patients daily.
Medical procedures here in Thailand can cut your cost by up to 80%. A bypass surgery can cost $25,000 and a facelift for around $2,500.
Singapore
Even though the majority of it only covers a single island, Singapore is home to the most sophisticated hospital system in the world. Although it can be expensive in this island city, the quality of medical care here is excellent. WHO (World Health Organization) ranked this Asian country as the top health care provider on the continent and is listed as the sixth in the world.
They specialize in the oncology department. Gleneagles Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility manned by well-trained medical specialist. Compare to other countries, medical care in Singapore is expensive but is still 40% cheaper than what you are going to spend in the USA.
Malaysia
More than 500,000 people flock Malaysia to receive medical attention. This country ranked as number one in the International Medical Travel Journal’s award for “Health and Medical Tourism Destination of the Year” in both 2015 and 2016.
Apart from quality healthcare, hospitals in Malaysia offers luxury. Prince Court Medical Centre offers an indoor pool for hydrotherapy and hotel suites for your speedy recovery.
The country is best known for IVF or in vitro fertilization procedures with 32 percent live birth rate. The country with the highest birth rate is the US with a whopping 38.2 percent, 15% higher than the European Union. In addition, physical examinations and blood works are done in their hospitals can help setback the cost by up to 80%.
Turkey
Apart from their stunning lands and beautiful culture, Turkey can help you have the clearest sense of sight. Turkey’s hospitals are best known for their eye treatment that is both high quality, very effective and cheap. Treating both eyes with laser surgery will only cost you around $1,100.
In addition, medical tourist are qualified to get a 50 percent rebate from their flight tickets. All you need to do is pay the tickets full price, provide proof for medical or healthcare visitation and your passport.
Mexico
Getting your braces in the US is quite expensive, and the same goes for other dental services. And that is why Mexico is on the list. Due to its close proximity to the USA, Mexico’s healthcare practices and quality are closely similar to the ones provided in the Land of the Free but with a fraction of the cost. Getting your dental needs in the country can help you save up to 65% of the cost.
In addition, around 98 hospitals are accredited by the Federal Health Ministry with 7 of them accredited by. Joint Commission International – a global organization that identifies, measures and shares best practices in the healthcare industry.