Medical Tourism FAQs About Medical Tourism

General Medical Tourism FAQs

• What Is Medical Tourism?

• Why Are Procedures in Medical Tourism Destinations Cheaper Than They Are Back Home?

• Why Is Medical Tourism So Cost Effective?

• What Makes Medical Tourism So Affordable?

• Besides Cost, Are There Other Advantages of Medical Tourism?

• Am I a Good Candidate for Medical Tourism?

• Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Tourism?

• What Are the Dangers of Medical Tourism?

• Is It Possible to Connect with Past Medical Tourism Patients So That I Can Ask Individual Questions?

• Is Medical Tourism Something I Can Do Alone? Should I Take a Companion?

What Is Medical Tourism?

Broadly speaking, medical tourism is the practice of going abroad for medical care.  As a general way of life, medical tourism dates back to the earliest days of civilization when patients would travel far and wide in search of medical expertise and counseling.  As an industry, however, it is only a few decades old.  Globalization and mass communication have helped many developing countries compete in the wider world of health care.  Due to lower labor costs, more reasonable malpractice insurance, and heavy investing, certain medical tourism destinations have emerged as leaders in affordable health and medicine. 

For a more detailed discussion, please visit our What Is Medical Tourism? section.
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Why Are Procedures in Medical Tourism Destinations Cheaper Than They Are Back Home?
What Makes Medical Tourism So Affordable?
Why Is Medical Tourism So Cost Effective?

There are a number of reasons (some hotly debated) why procedures in medical tourism destinations are often cheaper than what you would find in your home country.   

• Lower labor costs help explain why medical tourism procedures are cheaper.  Hourly wages in countries like India, Thailand, and Argentina are usually lower than they are in countries like the United States, England, or Japan. 

• Malpractice insurance usually isn’t as high as it is in the US.  This is not to say that the safety and quality of medical treatments are inferior.  It's just that hospitals can afford to lower their prices since they themselves don't have to pay as much to their insurance companies.  This also means that you won’t necessarily receive large balloon payments if you sue a hospital and win in the event of a botched surgery. 

• Healthcare simply doesn’t have to be that expensive.  Medical tourism countries aren’t necessarily more affordable.  It’s just that many developed countries make healthcare unreasonably expensive.  Perhaps a better question is, “why is the cost of healthcare in my country so high?”

Besides Cost, Are There Other Advantages of Medical Tourism?

Cost is obviously the most conspicuous advantage of medical tourism, but it’s not the only one:   

• Wait times are typically much shorter than what you’ll find back home.  This is especially true if you come from a country with socialized medicine.  The average wait time at Thailand’s Bumrungrad Hospital, for example, is less than 20 minutes.  And that’s to see a specialist. 

• The quality of service is sometimes superior to what you’d find back home.  With lower labor costs, medical tourism facilities can often hire more support staff than a comparable facility in the West can.  Nurse-to-patient ratios are often higher, and many medical tourism patients admit that their experiences are more like hotel stays than typical hospital visits.

• With medical tourism, you sometimes have access to procedures that are not available in your home country.

• The very act of going abroad is often reward enough for many travelers.  They fly to Budapest or Phuket for dental surgery, but they spend the remainder of their time shopping, sightseeing, and trying out new experiences.

For a more detailed discussion, please visit our Advantages of Medical Tourism section.
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Am I a Good Candidate for Medical Tourism?
Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Tourism?

Going abroad is a very personal choice that obviously varies from individual to individual.  Some people don'tt like airplanes, travel, exotic foods, new experiences, and anything else that removes them from their comfort zone.   

The same can be said about medicine.  Receiving treatment is a very personal choice that varies from individual to individual.  Some people don't like doctors, hospitals, dentists, and anything else related to health care.   

So it is very difficult for us (or anyone) to say that you are an ideal candidate for medical tourism.  However, if you meet some of the following criteria, medical tourism might actually be a good option for you: 

• You require expensive medical treatment, but you lack basic insurance.
• You require expensive medical treatment, but your insurance is not sufficient.
• You require medical treatment, but your country does not offer the necessary procedure.
• You require medical treatment, but there’s a long waiting list in your country.
• You require medical treatment, but the quality of healthcare in your country is not sufficient.
• You can afford basic treatment, but the recovery and recuperation costs in your home country are out of your budget.
• You plan to travel abroad anyway, and you have a few procedures that you’d like to cross off your list.
• You simply want to travel, explore, and see what all the medical tourism hype is about.

For a more detailed discussion about whether or not you’d be a good candidate for medical tourism, please visit Is Medical Tourism Right for Me?
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What Are the Dangers of Medical Tourism?

There are several very serious concerns you need to research before going on a medical tourism trip.  Vacations abroad (medical or not) bring certain risks like food poisoning, injury, culture shock, and countless other potential “threats.”  But with medical tourism, there’s also the added pressure of putting your health and life in the hands of a potential stranger. 

It’s important to understand that there are inherent dangers in any medical treatment, no matter where you receive it.  It is estimated that close to 100,000 people die every year in American hospitals due to preventable medical errors.  So no matter where you decide to receive your treatment, understand that you always face certain risks. 

For a more detailed discussion, please visit our Dangers of Medical Tourism section.
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Is It Possible to Connect with Past Medical Tourism Patients So That I Can Ask Individual Questions?

Healism.com is a free resource designed to answer general questions about medical tourism.  We have tried to make this Web site as extensive as possible, but even we can't anticipate every question or concern.  If you have unanswered questions about the relative safety and affordability of a potential medical tourism country, facility, practitioner, hotel, restaurant, spa, or resort, we invite you to use our Medical Tourism Forums.   There, you can interact with past, present, and future medical tourists from around the world.

Alternatively, you can contact the hospitals directly and ask to speak to past patients and clients.  Obviously, most medical facilities are only going to refer successful cases, but you should probably ask nonetheless.
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Is Medical Tourism Something I Can Do Alone?  Should I Take a Companion?

Although there is much to be said about traveling on your own, we’ve found that medical tourism is most enjoyable (and successful) when you have a travel companion.  This is especially true if you’re about to undergo extensive surgery or treatment.  Having a trusted friend or family member handle the paperwork, liaison between you and hospital staff, and keep you company will help remove some of the potential stress inherent both in travel and healthcare. 

Obviously, adding a second person to the trip increases the cost considerably.  We feel that the extra expense is worth it, but ultimately, the decision is yours.
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