It might sound like an unusual concept, but medical tourism is growing in popularity. People are combining their holidays with surgical measures, going abroad for private treatment that they can't get at home, or can't get at the same price.
This activity has been ongoing for a while. Eastern European plastic surgeons and dentists have been working hard to attract a UK and Western European clientele, while Thailand, China, and other Southeast Asian countries have been visited by patients from Singapore and similar countries. Residents of many countries are going abroad for medical procedures at a significant discount.
Many procedures, including cosmetic treatments, aren't covered by national health plans or private insurance, but can be done abroad at a fraction of the cost that patients would pay locally. This means that procedures like tummy tucks, face lifts and breast implants are now available to many more people, as long as they want to travel. There are, however, safety concerns about medical tourism.
It's hard to tell if a surgeon you've met primarily online is as well qualified as one you can find out about in your home country, and standards will be different abroad. That means that people looking for medical holidays should do a lot of checking up to make sure that they'll be treated in the best facilities.
As the popularity of medical tourism increases and more doctors seek the business of foreign patients, this could become a bigger concern. If you're considering having a medical procedure done abroad, be sure to make sure that your doctor is properly registered with the medical regulatory body in that country, and be willing to ask some tough questions about his or her practices.
Other concerns exist, too, and they have nothing to do with the facilities or how competent the surgeon is. Travel can be something of an ordeal, meaning it isn't smart to get on a plane right after surgery. It can also be difficult to get good post-op care if your surgeon is far away.
Because of this, many people interested in medical tourism take the chance to turn their visits into a holiday. If you stay for a while after getting out of the hospital, you'll offer your body a chance to recover and reduce the chances of problems caused by traveling.
One of the big reasons that medical tourism appeals so much is that public health systems are often over taxed. For non urgent care, it can take some time to receive treatment. The speed and convenience of care in another country often appeals, with patients in the UK and Canada possibly waiting as long as a year for a hip replacement, but able to have an operation the day after arrival in places like Hong Kong, Cuba, India or the Philippines.
Depending on your circumstances, taking advantage of your next holiday as an opportunity for medical tourism could be a great idea. However, it's important to make sure you do your homework and allow enough time for recovery to avoid problems. Be careful if you choose to travel abroad for medical care.