Facts about medical travel and the effect of recession on medical tourism

The current recession has hit people hard. In these troubled economic times most of us have had to tighten our money belts. A number of compromises, right from entertainment to accommodation have been forced on us due to lack of adequate funds. The one thing which cannot be compromised upon is health. Scarcity of funds might lead us to cut down on those shopping sprees or even on the caviar, but delaying a cardiac surgery or even a dental operation due to financial reasons is not an option. However, medical travel , also referred as medical tourism is most definitely a viable option.

Medical travel refers to people traveling across the globe for getting medical treatment. Medical tourism is by no means a modern concept, traveling for health gains has been done since centuries. However, only recently has medical travel been converted to a highly lucrative industry.

Several Asian and Middle Eastern countries are profiting by the medical tourism concept. The cost of medical treatments in these countries is almost ninety percent lower than that in European and other western countries. Offering low cost medical aid to a western traveler seems a great idea for these countries to make considerable profits.

Medical tourism is a boon to the people in the western countries. Health cannot be compromised but with medical travel it can be achieved at a lower cost. The facilities which are offered by the health care centers offering medical travel are just as good if not better than the ones found in European countries. The medical capabilities of doctors are impeccable and the medical treatments, techniques and equipments are all top notch.

Medical travel is generally not undertaken for cosmetic or any other voluntary treatment. Medical tourism is undertaken by westerners with real health problems, right from a bum knee to a weak heart. In this phase of economic recession medical tourism is blooming as it offers a low price health solution to westerners. The disparity in medical costs between US and India (a nation offering medical tourism) are colossal. Cardiac surgery which costs up to $24000 in US is performed in India for a paltry $6000. Knee surgery which is very common amongst the aged if undertaken in US costs around $17000 while in India the same is performed for $1000.

This huge disparity in cost explains why medical tourism has become so popular. Traveling to a new country might be an inconvenience to some, but compared to the benefits that medical travel offers this inconvenience pales into insignificance. Medical travel also provides the opportunity for people to club their medical trip with a vacation. Asian and Middle Eastern countries are very popular tourist attractions apart from being nations which support medical travel.

Medical tourism has led to the booming of some other related businesses as well. There are companies whose sole responsibility is to cater to the demands of a medical traveler.

Medical travel has always been a booming business but in these financially troubled times the significance of medical tourism has increased manifold.

Facts about medical travel and the effect of recession on medical tourism

The current recession has hit people hard. In these troubled economic times most of us have had to tighten our money belts. A number of compromises, right from entertainment to accommodation have been forced on us due to lack of adequate funds. The one thing which cannot be compromised upon is health. Scarcity of funds might lead us to cut down on those shopping sprees or even on the caviar, but delaying a cardiac surgery or even a dental operation due to financial reasons is not an option. However, medical travel, also referred as medical tourism is most definitely a viable option.

Medical travel refers to people traveling across the globe for getting medical treatment. Medical tourism is by no means a modern concept, traveling for health gains has been done since centuries. However, only recently has medical travel been converted to a highly lucrative industry.

Several Asian and Middle Eastern countries are profiting by the medical tourism concept. The cost of medical treatments in these countries is almost ninety percent lower than that in European and other western countries. Offering low cost medical aid to a western traveler seems a great idea for these countries to make considerable profits.

Medical tourism is a boon to the people in the western countries. Health cannot be compromised but with medical travel it can be achieved at a lower cost. The facilities which are offered by the health care centers offering medical travel are just as good if not better than the ones found in European countries. The medical capabilities of doctors are impeccable and the medical treatments, techniques and equipments are all top notch.

Medical travel is generally not undertaken for cosmetic or any other voluntary treatment. Medical tourism is undertaken by westerners with real health problems, right from a bum knee to a weak heart. In this phase of economic recession medical tourism is blooming as it offers a low price health solution to westerners. The disparity in medical costs between US and India (a nation offering medical tourism) are colossal. Cardiac surgery which costs up to $24000 in US is performed in India for a paltry $6000. Knee surgery which is very common amongst the aged if undertaken in US costs around $17000 while in India the same is performed for $1000.

This huge disparity in cost explains why medical tourism has become so popular. Traveling to a new country might be an inconvenience to some, but compared to the benefits that medical travel offers this inconvenience pales into insignificance. Medical travel also provides the opportunity for people to club their medical trip with a vacation. Asian and Middle Eastern countries are very popular tourist attractions apart from being nations which support medical travel.

Medical tourism has led to the booming of some other related businesses as well. There are companies whose sole responsibility is to cater to the demands of a medical traveler.

Medical travel has always been a booming business but in these financially troubled times the significance of medical tourism has increased manifold.

International medical travel made easy by firms offering a number of health travel facilities

International medical travel or health travel as it is commonly called is a flourishing industry in today’s health conscious times. International medical travel refers to traveling abroad in order to get some medical treatments. These treatments range from the cosmetic ones to something as important as cardiac surgery. Dental treatments are also commonly undertaken in health travel.

There are several Asian and Middle Eastern countries in the world which offer world class facilities and the best of medical techniques, know how and equipment for a fraction of the costs that are incurred in western countries. International medical travel sounds like a costly affair, as it would involve traveling and lodging in a different country altogether. However, these expenses pale into insignificance when compared with the fact that countries offering health travel often have medical costs which are up to ninety percent less than the western countries.

A study shows that a staggering 16% of the US population is ‘Uninsured’. Such people with no medical insurance to cover their treatment costs can be greatly benefited by international medical travel. A knee surgery which might cost as much as $17000 in US can be undertaken for $1000 in another country. A staggering difference in costs indeed and it certainly explains the popularity of health travel. Insurance companies have decreased their coverage in these economically troubled times and this has led to millions of people being underinsured. Only a fraction of the total cost incurred can be retrieved through insurance and so more and more people are also resorting to health travel.

These health care facilities are highly luxurious ones. These ensure that the western patients coming in for health care are offered the same amenities that they might have in a western hospital. There are several health travel facilitators which have tie ups with these health care centers and also with the travel industry. They arrange for everything, right from travel and lodging to a local translator for the people traveling to a new country to avail the health care benefits. Even visa and passports are taken care of by these companies, international medical travel might sound daunting; traveling to a new country to get treated is not a walk in the park after all, but these firms catering to the medical traveler needs make health travel very easy indeed.

The medical knowledge of doctors employed by the health travel offering centers are extensive. Only the best are hired by them. The medical professionals also come with the added benefit of being able to offer more personalized care and attention as opposed to the generally overloaded western doctors. The wait time in these health travel centers is also much less than what you can expect in US or UK. Patients feel happier as their questions are answered by the doctors and any concerns personally put to rest. Such direct contact with the doctors is very rare in western countries. Couple such individualized care to the best medical facilities possible and you get a great reason to undertake international medical travel.

Medical Tourism - How to Pick a Medical Travel Company

Google any of the most-searched terms for medical tourism industry – medical tourism, medical travel, and overseas health care – and you’re going to find a lot of links to medical travel facilitators.

With all of these medical tourism companies out there, how can you differentiate between the reputable companies that have done their due diligence about their network partners and who have a proven track record of putting their patients’ first, and the fly-by-the-night companies looking to make a quick buck off of you?
Here are a few key points to look at when considering which medical travel company to use:

Transparent pricing – Before you sign any commitment, you should receive a detailed account of the price you can expect to pay. Some companies break down the price, so you know how much each aspect of your medical journey will cost. Others lump it all into a package price. However they price it, you should be aware of exactly what costs will be covered. Most reputable companies will at the minimum cover the following in the price they charge you:
-Transmittal of your medical records to the surgeon for review
-Assistance in arranging any passports or visas you may need (although the fee to acquire these documents will generally be extra)
-Procedure price (inclusive of doctors’ fees, hospital fees, and medications associated with surgery)

-Hospital Room and three meals a day for you and a companion for a specified number of days after surgery -Flight arrangements

-Hotel costs

-Transportation to and from the airport

-Transportation to and from the hospital for pre- and post-operative care

You may also pay extra for additional amenities such as a cell phone, but this should be clearly stated in your contract.

Communication with your surgeon – A good medical travel company should offer you a free conference call with a surgeon before you have made any financial obligation to go. This benefits you by letting you discuss the different treatment plans available based on your condition. You will be able to determine whether you feel comfortable with the surgeon and with the surgeon’s medical philosophy.

Some medical tourism companies will require a certain degree of commitment before scheduling the conference call. MedTrava, for example, prefers to have patients submit any medical records they have and fill out a medical evaluation form. This allows the surgeon to review your records and to direct his comments specifically tailored to your case, making the call much more valuable for you.

Having a conference call with a prospective surgeon does not indicate any obligation on your end. With a reputable medical travel company, if you do not feel comfortable with the surgeon you should be able to ask for a conference call with a different surgeon, or if you choose to seek care elsewhere you can request the return or destruction of your medical records. Complimentary conference calls are a service provided by good medical tourism companies to help you-the patient-feel comfortable about your decision to go abroad for medical care.

References: In addition to setting up a call with a surgeon, your medical tourism facilitator should offer to put you in touch with one of their former patients. Not only will it reassure you that the company has successfully arranged medical tourism packages before, but it will give you a first-hand account of what to expect from your overseas surgery.

Money-back guarantee – If at any point during your medical travel journey - prior to actually having the surgery - you decide not to go through your planned surgery, a good medical travel facilitator will refund you all of the money you have paid, except for the expenses you have already incurred (airfare, hotel, etc.) Your medical tourism company should have enough faith in the doctors and hospitals in their network that they should be willing to offer you this guarantee. It’s in our best interest to make sure our patients return home satisfied – even if that means allowing you the option of bowing out of surgery if you don’t feel comfortable.

In-country patient care manager – One of the benefits of using a medical travel company for your overseas surgery is the reassurance that you will have someone to rely on for any issues or questions you have. All medical travel facilitators will have a patient care manager to answer your questions and help you out before you set off on your journey. But you should choose a company that can offer you a patient care manager in the country you’re traveling to. That way, you’ll have a point-of-contact, someone you already know in your destination country. If you ever have any communication issues, you can give them a call and ask them to translate and advocate for you, and they should also visit you in the hospital to check up on you.

Post-operative care – Some medical tourism companies consider their job done once you’ve returned to your home country after surgery abroad. The distinguishing factor of a really good medical travel company is one that promises to follow up with you after you’ve returned and who will assist you as much as possible with any questions or issues you have afterwards.

International Medical travel: A highly affordable way of getting health travel benefits

The ever rising medical costs and the long wait which generally precedes any medical treatment are major contributing factors to the success of International Medical travel. Health travel is not a really modern concept. The erstwhile kings and emperors have been known to have traveled to retreats which were salubrious to their health. The same principle has now been embraced in international medical travel.

Several Asian and Middle Eastern countries are offering health travel to the western patients to whom traveling across nations is preferable to spending exorbitant amounts on treatments in their native country. US, UK Canada and some other European country residents are benefited immensely by international medical travel. The medical costs in these countries were always astronomical and are now soaring further. Add this to the fact that quite a few westerners are underinsured or even uninsured and you will get a perfect recipe for health travel.

Despite the added traveling and lodging costs that international medical travel entails, it is still much cheaper as opposed to getting treated in US or UK. The medical cost in the health travel offering countries is as much as 80 percent lower than in western countries. The low medical cost in no way reflects the quality of medical treatment offered in these countries. The centers offering international medical travel employ the best of medical professionals with extensive knowledge. All the modern techniques and equipment are present in these centers. The reason for the lower costs is much less labour charge in these countries. Very high labour charges and exorbitant insurance charges are what make medical treatment so expensive in the US and UK.

It is a testimony to the benefits of international medical travel that almost 20 million people traveled to Health travel offering countries last year. This number is predicted to shoot to 40 million in the next few years. Apart from the amazing monetary benefits health travel also offers quality treatments and personalized attention. Long waiting queues and a mere two minutes spent with the doctor post the long wait is not a common scenario in centers offering international medical travel. These ensure a more personalized attention to all their patients, with doctors actually going to the trouble of putting their doubts and concerns to rest and also answering any questions that they might have. Such a caring attitude is one more factor in the favor of health travel.

Traveling to a new country for getting medical treatment might seem a rather inconvenient prospect to begin with. There are several firms catering to all the requirements of health travel. The sole basis of the existence is to make life simpler and more comfortable for those undertaking international medical travel. They take care of all the traveling details, right from the tickets to visa. They also book comfortable lodging in the country offering health travel. Such health travel is no longer a daunting prospect. Infact, quite a few people are now clubbing health travel with their vacation. Considering the fact that many of the countries offering international health travel are major tourist attractions as well, this seems like a great idea.

 

THE TOURISM SYSTEM Author by : MILL ROBERT C We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Holistic Medicine Options Available Via Medical Travel

As consumers learn more and more about their health care options, people are increasingly turning to holistic medicine to aid the healing process. Homeopathic and holistic treatments take a big-picture approach that looks at the dynamics of the entire body rather than focusing on a single issue.

Unfortunately, most standard American health care providers consider homeopathic treatments out-of-scope and require costly out-of-pocket payments.

Now, with new medical travel options, you have access to a different kind of health care--world-class homeopathic treatments performed by extensively trained doctors who appreciate the combined benefits of traditional medicine and holistic health.

Mexico has become a premier location for American medical tourism, with holistic practitioners versed in the following types of treatments:

Ozone therapy for back pain--a revolutionary treatment for disc herniation. In this therapy, a highly beneficial molecule, Ozone (O3), is injected inside the diseased intervertebral disk in trouble. Ozone reduces the production of pain-causing substances that are produced by a diseased or injured disc. It sets off production of antioxidant enzyme system that works on injured tissues that have been subject to long standing oxygen injury, releasing chemicals that oppose inflammation and indirectly relieve pain.

Colon hydrotherapy-- a gentle internal massage and bath using warm, purified water for safe, painless, and effective of cleansing your body's accumulated waste and toxins.

Cell therapy rejuvenation--a cutting-edge technology to transplant healthy cells into damaged tissue or cells. This process of biocellular rejuvenation stimulates healing, joint cartilage rebuilding, and a stronger immune system.

Chelation- the use of chelating agents to detoxify poisonous metal agents such as mercury, arsenic, and lead by converting them to a chemically inert form that can be excreted without further interaction with the body.

 

Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies Author by : Charles R. Goeldner We Have More Tourism Guide Book in : BookmanClub. ....

Medical Tourism: Its Emergence, Growth and Potential

Healthcare expenses have always been a major cause of concern for the general public. No matter how consciously a person builds up his savings from the earnings, it takes one major bout of illness to drain out a large portion of the accumulated savings. Health disorders are unforeseen and thus many people opt to cover such sudden medical expenses with some medical insurance. However, a health insurance policy sometimes falls a way short in covering up the costs involved in some medical procedures. Even if a person has a health insurance, it still takes a considerable amount of time for the medical procedure to get started. The waiting period for a hip replacement could be more than a year in countries like Britain and Canada. Under such adverse scenario, the general public had to look for other alternatives outside their countries. If they are looking for a cost effective alternative for similar medical procedure, then medical tourism definitely is the way to go for.

Medical tourism is a service extended to the people all over the world to travel to other countries that provide similar medical treatments at comparatively lower costs than their own country. The health care providers of such countries have tie ups with various travel agencies. People desirous of seeking such treatments need to contact either the medical centers of such countries or the travel agencies who work in conjunction with some medical centers to provide healthcare tourism services. Among the various healthcare tourism destinations, India, Singapore and Thailand have emerged as most the popular ones.

If estimates are to be believed at, the medical tourism industry will be worth US $2 billion by 2012. Since the emergence of this industry, people from most of the developed nations have continually flocked to the medical tourism destinations to avail quicker as well as good medical treatments at low cost. A heart-valve replacement that costs around $200,000 in US can be done for a mere $10,000 in a country like India inclusive of the air fare and even a brief vacation package. A knee-replacement procedure costs a lot less in Thailand as compared to that of the United States. Most medical procedures cost around one-tenth of what it costs in countries like United States and Britain. Affordable and prompt medical care has made healthcare tourism a major draw among patients from all over the world.

The immense potential of the medical tourism industry has resulted in more healthcare investments in such countries offering the service. The Indian government is leaving no stones unturned to make it a global healthcare destination. The concerned authorities in Singapore has organized conferences and gained accreditations to attract more medical tourists. Similarly the other countries venturing into medical tourism are also taking necessary steps to popularize themselves. In the next few years medical tourism industry will continue to grow bigger and serve people all over the world with cost effective and superior medical treatments.