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Kill Two Birds With One Stone Medical Tourism
edical tourism is a over the world are struggling to
fairly new term used to meet the medical needs of their
describe an amazing amount own populations. In the United
of people globally that travel States, the price of health care
world-wide for health care. Why is beyond the means of most and
these people travel and for what there are an estimated 40 million
differs, but basically there are people without health insurance.
two types of medical tourists – While in Britain, Canada and
the regular tourist that adds a Holland, socialised health care
visit to the doctor for some ensures affordability, demand for
minor treatment, as part of his medical services far outstrips
or her holiday, and the tourist supply and waiting lists for
travelling primarily for medical surgical procedures or specialty
treatment. medicine can be as long as
two-to-three years.
Before there even was a term
'medical tourism', it was common Today, governments, insurers and
practice among the well-to-do in employers are carefully looking
third-world countries to travel at outsourcing medical treatments
to the USA, Switzerland and as a way to improve access and
Germany for medical care. lower health care costs for their
However, since the year 2000, citizens, policy-holders and
this trend has been reversed and employees.
now countries such as Thailand,
are attracting patients from the Thailand's health care services
USA, Canada and the United are about one-half the cost of
Kingdom. similar services in Singapore,
one-third the cost of Hong Kong
This new market has grown as and one-tenth the cost in the
modern health care systems all United States.
cardiac surgery, pose a greater
Who are the medical tourists and challenge because these medical
what are they coming for? services are not as easily
packaged and require
By and large, medical tourists significantly more knowledge
are travelling for specialty about medicine.
surgical and medical services.
The recent upsurge in the Bumrungrad Hospital, located in
popularity of plastic surgery, central Bangkok, is a major
however, has led to a new wave of player in the medical tourism
medical tourists and headlines field in Thailand, attracting
like "Sun, sea and surgery" or over 360,000 international
"Scalpel tourism" have helped patients every year from over 150
create the buzz for this growing countries worldwide. But
phenomenon. Medical tourism Bumrungrad is not alone. There
destinations, such as Thailand, are quite a few other hospitals
promote the benefit of in Thailand and also in out-lying
high-quality medical care as just regions that are aggressively
one more reason to visit the marketing their hospitals to
kingdom. capture a slice of this fast
growing market. Both Bumrungrad
Elective out-patient procedures Hospital and the India-based
like check-ups, dental care, and Apollo Hospital were recently
LASIK eye surgery are becoming featured on the CBS award winning
increasingly popular and there is news program "60 Minutes" as
a growing interest on the part of medical tourism destinations for
the tourism industry to include a growing number of Americans.
these services as part of their
travel packages. Higher intensity Reliable figures on the size and
medical services, like spinal and growth of medical tourism are
hard to come by, as government
and immigration statistics do not So, whether you are the casual
yet categorize inbound travellers visitor that will take advantage
coming for medical care. That of some minor medical work while
said, the Tourism Authority of in Thailand, or you are planning
Thailand is actively promoting your vacation around your
medical tourism as medical surgery, Thailand is the place to
tourists on average spend more go and get it done professionally
and stay longer than leisure and at an extremely good price.
travellers.
About the Author:
Larry Westfall is the owner of Pattaya-Crazy - Newbies Guide to Pattaya
Read more articles by: Lawrence Westfall
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
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