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.