Medical Tourism – Getting Well Just Got a Whole Lot Cheaper!

Medical tourism, even a decade back, was largely unheard of. However, in recent years, medical tourism has become an industry on its own. It is a phenomenon that has taken the world of healthcare by storm. Its impact can be felt strongly in the tourism industry as well. Everyday we get to hear about how medical tourism has helped, and continuing to do so, countless people get better at affordable costs. So, what is medical tourism? Why is everybody talking about it these days? Let’s take a closer look.

Medical tourism, as the name itself suggests, is a combination of medical services with tourism. In other words, it’s tourism with a purpose. The practice of visiting new places in search of favorable climate or on just being advised by a doctor to go ‘on a change’ is not new. Medical tourism is just an evolved form of this age old habit of humanity.

The primary reason behind its surging popularity is better healthcare services at an affordable budget. When one’s health is one’s concern, it is natural to look for the best treatment options within one’s budget. Countries such as India, Malaysia and Dubai are fast coming to the forefront as provider of world-class healthcare facilities. These include a wide array of highly skilled healthcare professionals, trained in various specialized disciplines, state-of-the-art equipment and modern amenities, impeccable service and personal attention to every need of the patient, and all these at a cost that’s surprisingly affordable.

Let’s face it, medical services in the west are expensive by most standards. Most people in need of specialized healthcare services feel daunted by the high cost associated with them. Countries such as US, Canada or some European nations, offer the same high standard healthcare facilities as India, Malaysia or Dubai, at a cost that’s substantially greater. Frankly, not everybody can afford the high cost associated with healthcare services in his or her own country.

All this naturally necessitates the need to look for similar healthcare services elsewhere, where the cost is significantly lower. Healthcare tourism makes it possible to save up to 80% (as compared to US/UK) on medical costs by opting for countries like India. Healthcare tourism in India is fast gaining in popularity because of this simple reason.
Medical tourism also gives you other advantages such as reduced waiting periods for your treatment. If there is a critical treatment involved, or an operation that needs to be done quickly, you can initiate the process almost immediately after contacting the healthcare professionals in these countries. Most hospitals or medical establishments in the US or UK have lengthy waiting lists and necessitate wait for a substantially longer period of time.

Medical tourism does not mean that you have to compromise on anything just because you are not in your own country. Smart and well-informed professionals, speaking fluent English and attending to every detail with meticulous attention, only add to the overall experience. You can rest assured knowing that the task of caring for your health is in good, able hands.

In the final analysis, the reasons that contribute to the ever increasing popularity of medical tourism are not difficult to understand. Exorbitant cost of healthcare and medical facilities in advanced countries, ease and affordability of international travel, favorable currency exchange rates in the global economy, rapidly improving technology and high standards of medical care in the developing countries - all of these have contributed to the rapid development of medical tourism.

Low Cost Appendectomy in India With Medical Tourism

India is benefiting in a big way from globalization. It has become the latest hub for medical outsourcing, with patients from all over the world flocking to Indian hospitals for appendectomy. They are the new medical tourists and India is flaunted, as a medical tourism destination India's tourism industry is thriving due to an increase in foreign tourist’s arrivals and greater than before travel by Indians to domestic and abroad destinations. The visitors are pouring to have their appendectomy in India from all over the world: Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. At the same time, the number of Indians traveling has also increased. India is probably the only country that offers various categories of tourism. These include history tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism (ayurveda and other forms of Indian medications), spiritual tourism, beach tourism (India has the longest coastline in the East)

What is an appendectomy?

An appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix, a tube about six inches long or less that branches off the large intestine. The procedure is performed to treat appendicitis, an inflammation of the appendix caused by infection.
Acute appendicitis is the most common condition of the abdomen to require emergency surgery. Because of the likelihood of the appendix rupturing and causing a severe, life-threatening infection, the usual recommendation is that the appendix be removed as soon as possible.

What causes appendicitis?
Appendicitis occurs when the interior of the appendix becomes filled with something that causes it to swell, such as mucus, stool, or parasites. The appendix then becomes irritated and inflamed. Rupture (or perforation) occurs as holes develop in the walls of the appendix, allowing stool, mucus, and other substances to leak through and get inside the abdomen. An infection inside the abdomen known as peritonitis occurs when the appendix perforates.

Because of the risk of rupture, which may occur as soon as 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin, appendicitis is considered an emergency and anyone with symptoms needs to see a physician immediately.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

Appendicitis may cause pain in the abdomen which may be described as follows:

• may start in the area around the belly button, and move over to the lower right-hand side of the abdomen, but may also start in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen
• usually increases in severity as time passes
• may become more severe with moving, taking deep breaths, being touched, and coughing or sneezing
• may spread throughout the abdomen if the appendix ruptures

India has one of the best pools of qualified professionals in every field of health care domain combined with world class Medical Facilities comparable with any of the western countries. India has state of the art hospitals and the best-qualified doctors for appendectomy. There is no doubt that the Indian medical industry's main appeal is low-cost appendectomy. Most estimates claim appendectomy costs in India start at around a tenth of the price of comparable treatment in America or Britain. Foreign patients can get package deals including flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and post-operative vacation for their medical visits to India. Many foreign patients prefer to combine their leisure and relaxation visits to India with healthcare. Medical tourism companies have tie-ups with the best hospitals of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore in India to provide world class medical facilities to international patients.

 

State of the Heart: A Medical Tourist's True Story of Lifesaving Surgery in India Author by : Maggi Ann Grace We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Healthcare Tourism In Kerala

the southernmost state of India is renowned world wide for its scenic beauty, picturesque beaches and tranquil backwaters. All these things very well attracts the both national and international tourists. But a new added feather to Kerala's crown is the booming of health care facilities in the state. Both Government and private enterprises collaborated to enhance the health care sector.

The state government has prepared some ambitious planning to merged the tourism industry of the state with the medical facilities. The term given to this collaboration is Health Care Tourism or Medical tourism.

From the ancient times, Kerala is synonymous with the magical world of Ayurveda known as to be the "mantra or science of life". But with the rapid changing world scenario, Kerala now emerges as a modern health care provider. To attract the foreign tourists and projects itself as a international destination for health care tourism, Kerala government has established some world class hospitals equipped with all modern technologies and well qualified doctors. Even the State government organizes some road shows in some South Asian countries like Sri lanka, Maldives and also in some West Asian countries to showcases the possibilities and major attractions of Kerala's health care tourism.

Thanks to the scenic beauty of verdant valleys, sandy beaches and placid backwaters, every year more than 15000 tourists from across the globe, choses Kerala over other tourists locales as a destination for health vacation. And the state government is hoping that by the year 2010 this number could be rises to 100,000. Most of the foreign tourists who throngs to Kerala for health care belongs to the U.S, the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the Maldives. Even the NRI's who stays in other countries prefer India especially kerala for treatment. Due to the excessive health care cost and long queues for medical treatments, these bulk of tourists opt for Kerala as because here in Kerala the medical expanses like cost of surgery and hospital charges are very cheap in compare to other countries.

Kerala government is offering various kinds of medical tourism packages which includes various services that come in affordable prices. This kind of tour package provides facilities like –

? at first the medical history of the patient is emailed and discussed with the related doctors.

? on receiving airport the patient is received by the representatives.

 
? he is than escorted to the hospital for treatment.

? on being discharge, a recuperative holiday at a resort is offered to the patient.

? before the final departure, a post treatment check up is done.

This are the inclusive facilities which are included in the package for the patient and the accompanying person.

In the coming years, it is for sure that India especially Kerala which has immense potential may attain the top slot in the country as well as in the world i n terms of health care sector.

 

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India - the Global Hub of Healthcare Tourism

The Indian healthcare sector has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the past few years. This phenomenal success is largely due to the increasing global demand for world-class healthcare facilities. India not only boasts of a huge pool of talented and experienced doctors but also is equipped with the latest technologies that aids in quality diagnosis and treatment of the illnesses. Apart from that, the medical services in India are relatively affordable as compared to that of the developed nations. Superior medical facilities at low cost is the prime factor that has been inducing patients all across the world to seek medical treatment in India. The growth of medical tourism in India has tempted many other countries to introduce packages offering similar facilities, but despite this, India still has an upper hand on them and is moving at a rapid pace towards its objective of becoming the global healthcare destination. Though the services provided by the other countries are good enough, India still continues to have an edge over the others due to a variety of underlying factors.

Some time back, the healthcare tourism industry in India comprised of a handful of big private healthcare providers promoting themselves through tie-ups with various insurance companies and travel agencies. Over the period of time, the Indian government realized the immense potential of the Indian healthcare industry as a major source of employment and foreign exchange revenue generator. It then started collaborating with the smaller as well as the bigger medical service providers and worked together towards the common objective of making India a global hub for world-class healthcare solutions.

Over 5 lakh surgeries, more than a million other successful surgical procedures, a success rate of 98.5% in cardiac surgeries till 2002, 80% success rate in bone marrow transplants and 95% successful renal transplants… statistics can’t get any better than this. India produces the largest number of doctors in the world. Most of these doctors have completed their specializations from premier institutions across the world. India too has some world-class institutions that train these doctors. The presence of some of the best hospitals and medical institutions equipped with good doctors makes India a global choice among the patients worldwide.

Medical research in India has experienced remarkable success in the recent years. There has been substantial investment in the field of biotechnology research. Apart from that India has emerged as a leader in stem cell research. The superior healthcare infrastructure available in India has led her being considered as the preferred location for low cost medical research. Similar research costs a lot more in the developed countries. Several bodies such as the DCGI and ICMR have worked out guidelines to promote medical research in India. The growth and achievements in the field of medical research in India adds further solidity to its global image of a preferred healthcare destination.

The advantages of opting for healthcare tourism in India are manifold. It is not only the cost advantage that works in favor of India in making it an upcoming global healthcare destination; the growing government intervention, private sector investments, country specific marketing strategies, overseas facilitation centers and the unmatched credibility of Indian specialists has played an even bigger role in making India a stronger choice among the patients worldwide.

Medical Tourism: the Next Big Thing in Healthcare Industry

Medical tourism is the act of touring different countries or nations around the world to receive medications like dental, neurosurgery or surgical care and various other forms of specialized treatments. Medical tourism or healthcare facilitation is very cost effective and has grown to become very popular with time. Due to much technological advancement and improvement, standards of care and the affordability of international travel have become the primary factors leading to the popularity of medical tourism.

In the past few years, the costs of medical treatment or health care have soared high in industrialized nations and developed countries. And with this rise in health care costs, people from USA, Europe, Canada and Australia are seeking alternatives to reduce their expenses and build financial savings. This has prompted the people of developed countries serve as medical tourists.

Among all the nations where people are going for low cost medical treatments, India has emerged as a significantly favorable destination or a top hot spot. India is, now, one of the leading countries promoting medical tourism. With an increasing number of outside patients flocking to India for low cost medical treatments, India's medical tourism industry is doing pretty fine.

The focal attraction for the medical tourists is the price factor or medical costs. Medical tourists believe that, in India, the cost of surgery or other treatments is one tenth of what it is in European countries or in developed nations. The concept of medical tourism is new to many people and it is up to them whether or not they will find the desired medical treatment at a minimum cost. Medical technology has improved drastically in Indian hospitals and their standards have increased too, being at par with American and European countries.

Among all the various treatments that are done in India, the commonest are heart surgery, Lasik eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery and dental care. India has some of the best hospitals and treatment centers in the world with the best facilities. Infrastructure, technology advancement, outstanding doctors and medical staffs, world-class hospitals, all these have made India the prime location or the top choice for medical tourists seeking overseas health care.

The highlights of medical tourism in India are as follows:

·India has world-class medical facilities, with excellent staff in all areas of medical care
·Consultation with leading doctors or specialists
·Indian hospitals are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipments
·Low cost medical treatment or health checkups
·Luxurious rooms within affordable ranges
·Accommodation for attendants or accompanying family members are provided
·Ayurveda Therapy and Spa resorts available for relaxing and refreshing
·Exclusive Indian cuisines, Indian movies, Indian music and Indian dance
·Diversified cultural heritage in the different states
·Some top tourist destination spots like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutab Minar etc.
·Holidaying, family reunions, festive occasions and medical checkups—all in one tour to India

Although there are many countries giving world-class medical assistance to the medical tourists who are seeking overseas healthcare or low cost healthcare, India attracts the most. Since it offers a beautiful holiday destination, apart from having a wide variety of low cost medical treatments, good hospitals and medical staffs, it is the foremost choice among people. Medical tourism India or health tourism India is an emerging concept whereby people from all over the world visit India for their medical and relaxation needs.

 

Technorati : Tourism,Medical Tourism

 

The 2009-2014 Outlook for Medical Tourism in India Author by : Icon Group International We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism – Getting Well Away From Home!

Medical tourism, according to the simplest of definitions, combines healthcare with international tourism. Disparate as the two entities may seem, medical tourism, nonetheless, offers the excellent prospect of receiving high quality medical treatment in the lap of foreign hospitality. In the ever-changing world of international healthcare, medical tourism is a rising trend. In fact, medical tourism is a phenomenon that has taken the world of healthcare by storm in recent years. It remains a unique proposition that no only involves the healthcare industry but also has a significant impact on the tourism industry.

There used to be time when going abroad for improving one’s health, or on being advised by one’s physician, was in vogue. Such a practice of going ‘on a change’ is still prevalent in many parts of the world. Medical tourism is just an evolved form of this age old habit practice of humanity. The primary reason behind its surging popularity is that it enables the common man to get access to high quality healthcare services on an affordable budget. Countries such as India, Dubai and Malaysia are fast emerging as the forerunners in providing world-class healthcare facilities. These include a wide array of highly skilled healthcare professionals, trained in various specialized disciplines, state-of-the-art equipment and modern amenities, impeccable service and personal attention to every need of the patient and all these, at a cost that’s surprisingly affordable.

The cost is a major consideration almost always. Most people in need of specialized healthcare services feel daunted by the high cost associated with them. Countries such as US, Canada or some European nations, offer the same high standard healthcare facilities as India, Malaysia or Dubai, but at a cost that’s substantially greater. All this naturally necessitates the need to look for similar healthcare services elsewhere, where the cost is significantly lower. Medical tourism makes it possible to save up to 80% (as compared to US/UK) on medical costs by opting for countries like India.

Medical tourism also gives you other advantages such as reduced waiting periods for your treatment. If there is a critical treatment involved, or an operation that needs to be done quickly, you can initiate the process almost immediately after contacting the healthcare professionals in these countries. Most hospitals or medical establishments in the US or UK have lengthy waiting lists and necessitate wait for a substantially longer period of time.

So what can you look forward to after landing in the lap of foreign hospitality? Nothing less than what you would in your own country. Smart and well-informed professionals, speaking fluent English and attending to every detail with meticulous attention, only add to the overall experience. You can rest assured knowing that the task of caring for your health is in good, able hands.

The reasons that contribute to the ever increasing popularity of medical tourism are not difficult to understand. Exorbitant cost of healthcare and medical facilities in advanced countries, ease and affordability of international travel, favorable currency exchange rates in the global economy, rapidly improving technology and high standards of medical care in the developing countries - all of these have contributed to the rapid development of medical tourism. Online agencies like Recover-Discover are offering excellent packages in medical tourism. Such online agencies are a great starting point to find out how medical tourism can help you.

 

The Medical Tourism Travel Guide: Your Complete Reference to Top-Quality, Low-Cost Dental, Cosmetic, Medical Care & Surgery Overseas Author by : Paul Gahlinger We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Consumer Guide to Medical Tourism

When buying a new car or even a small inexpensive object, you probably refer to a buying guide or try to find out what others who have bought the product in the past are saying about it to make smart shopping decisions. But when it comes to buying healthcare, do you do the same? You must.

Healthcare has gone global today. The rising cost of healthcare in the US has led many Americans to seek health-related services in other countries. There are sellers all around the globe selling health care packaged in attractive and appealing packages on the Internet. And people are shopping for health on the Internet just like they shop for products. In such a market, it becomes all the more important that you go through the medical tourism consumer guide before setting out for your medical travel trip.

Here is a quick consumer guide for your reference when buying medical tourism services.

Can medical tourism solve your problem?
Firstly, find out the problems that you want medical tourism to solve. For most people it’s either the high price that their local hospital is asking for because of lack of insurance or the long wait for surgery. You might have another problem but will medical tourism help you solve that? Find out if medical tourism is right for you by reading facts and frequently asked questions about it.

What are your expectations with the medical procedure you are seeking?
Is the procedure that you are seeking elective or medically indicated? Find out all you can about the medical procedure in question. This will help you answer a few questions: is the treatment right for your condition; are you the right candidate for this treatment; should you obtain this treatment abroad; what physical therapy and follow-up care you will need; do you need the procedure urgently or can it wait, or in other words, when is the right time to obtain care; how much time will you need to take off from work (which will include not only the time that you are overseas for surgery but also recovery time upon your return); and so on.

What all countries are out there where you can obtain treatment?
Check out the various international destinations that offer the treatment that you require. Some countries are known for offering good orthopedic treatments, some for their cardiac surgery, some for cosmetic treatments and others for their dental works. Travel and lodging costs add to your final bill so consider those costs not only when calculating the expected savings but also when choosing the international destination for your treatment.

How do you sniff the good provider from the bad?
The Internet has given anybody and everybody the liberty to sell their service making it all too easy for the consumer to land into a wrong place. When studying about a particular hospital or clinic don’t fall for slick websites offering services on sale. That, of course, doesn’t mean that slick websites offering healthcare services on sale are not genuine. The point is that you should do your proper research about the hospital or the clinic you are considering. Ask people around who have used their services in the past. Read their customer testimonials. Inquire about their doctors’ certifications, qualifications, training and experience. Call them up and find out what equipment and technology they use. All these will give you a fair idea of the quality of the healthcare provider. Ask for quotes from different providers and compare them. As you will notice, costs vary from country to country and from provider to provider. You shouldn’t automatically select the one that offers the lowest price but should base your decision on the quality of care offered.

Are your medical records in place?
Get all your medical records in order. At the time of pre-consultation, your foreign doctor may ask for your digitized medical records so he may evaluate your condition and prescribe a treatment course.

Do you have your passport and visa yet?
Next, acquire your passport if you don’t have it yet. Any companions traveling with you will also need to acquire theirs. Depending upon the destination you are heading to, you may require entry visa and therefore need to apply for that as well for both you and any companions.

Booking your transportation and accommodation
Book your tickets and hotel rooms in advance. After your surgery you can choose to recuperate in a hotel or a resort setting or go traveling in the foreign country if allowed by your doctor. But travel or tourism should always take a back seat on your medical trip abroad.

Taking proper follow-up care
Finally, remember that your treatment doesn’t finish with your surgery. How you follow the aftercare rituals as important as your surgery. If needed, prepare your home for recovery prior to leaving for surgery, like rearranging furniture. Also, in case you have even limited insurance coverage, find out if your insurer will reimburse you and how much they will reimburse. Even a small amount may help.
The above medical tourism consumer guide will help you make good decisions when purchasing overseas medical care. To ease your job you may want to use a medical tourism service provider to help you research, plan, arrange, schedule and book your medical travel trip. Medical tourism providers like Healthbase connect you with the hospital of your choice and provide you with many other related services while saving you valuable time, resources and money.
You can learn more about medical tourism, international healthcare providers, and the details of the medical tourism process by logging on to http://www.healthbase.com. Healthbase is a medical tourism facilitator committed to providing low cost high quality medical travel services to the global medical consumer.

 

Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody's Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Tourism Author by : Josef Woodman We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....