Top 5 Medical Tourism Destinations in the world

Medical Tourism is defined as the process where people from one country travel to another to gain access to specific medical procedures. Traditionally, the flow of people has been from less developed countries to more developed ones. This was primarily due to advanced services and qualified professionals being available at those destinations. 

However, recent times have witnessed the increase in the reverse direction. More people are now travelling from advanced economies to developing countries to access comparable yet substantially lower cost services. A small (yet significant) percentage of tourists may also consider travelling to less-regulated countries to access treatment options which may be illegal or restricted in their countries of origin.

There are several obvious reasons for the growth of the medical tourism industry. Chief among these are:

• Ease and affordability of International Travel
• Improvements in technology and global standards of care
• Avoidance of long-waiting times
• Cheaper prices

Whatever the reasons may be, one thing is for certain. Medical Tourism is a growing segment of the tourism sector. The sooner governments, hospitals, healthcare providers and related regulated bodies wake up to this, the better they can equip themselves to cater to this growing niche.

Depending on which source you choose to consult, countries in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe are the global hot spots of Medical Tourism. While the top five lists from various sources have their own favorites, here is my compilation of the top five medical tourism destinations.

5. Turkey

Considered the meeting ground of the Orient and the Occidental since time immemorial, it is no wonder that Turkey makes it to the list of top Medical Tourism destinations! Turkey today is renowned for eye care, cardiac, cancer and orthopedic procedures. Staffed liberally with American-trained doctors, medical tourists from both America and Europe flock to Turkey for quality and affordable healthcare options. Most hospitals are JCI-accredited and it also helps that Turkey has a lot of fascinating tourism potential!

4. Brazil

Brazil is a country obsessed with looking good – it the recently concluded Rio Olympics are anything to go by. Brazil is considered to be the top destination in the world when it comes to cosmetic procedures. It is home to the world-renowned Clinica Ivo Pitanguy. Even veterinarians offer cosmetic surgeries for pets! While the Brazilian healthcare system is certainly not among the best in the world, the cost-savings on cosmetic procedures are 30-50% lower than what comparable American doctors would charge. Prices at the more premium hospitals can be fairly high so it is best to shop around. But with more licensed cosmetic surgeons than anywhere else in the world, finding one to suit your needs and budget should not be difficult!

3. Malaysia

Malaysia is fast-growing as a medical tourism destination, not only for the region, but also at a global level. The developed infrastructure and low costs, coupled with the tourist potential of the small nation is making it a preferred destination for medical tourists. While Singapore offers comparable facilities, it is fairly expensive when compared to Malaysia. Malaysia actually started developing its medical tourism facilities, as a diversification strategy post the Asian Financial Crisis. The infrastructure is well-developed, English is widely spoken and costs are competitive making it an ideal destination. Malaysian hospital offer services including in-vitro fertilization, complete physicals (including blood work) and sophisticated treatment of burn victims. The Medical Quality Travel Alliance rates the Prince Court Medical Center in Kuala Lumpur #1 when for “patients without borders”!

2. India

India is excellently positioned to make the most of both the traditional flow of medical tourists (from lower income to higher income countries) as well as the reverse flow. While patients from developed economies come in droves to access top-notch healthcare at a fraction of prices in their home countries, patients from poorer neighboring countries flock to India as the leading regional hub for advanced medical services. The global standards of treatment and care offered by the best professionals have seen a surge in medical tourists like never before and the Industry continues to grow at a CAGR of over 30%. According to the Medical Tourism Resource Guide, India offers excellent services for Alternative Medicine, Bone Marrow Transplants, Cardiac Bypass and Hip Replacements. The medical costs of treatment are also reputed to be one-tenth the cost of similar treatments at on-par hospitals in the USA or the UK.

1. Thailand

Thailand is considered the foremost destination for Medical Tourism. The crashing of the Thai Baht in the 90’s actually made it possible for Thailand to attract medical tourists from around the world. Thailand today is a haven primarily for cosmetic surgery but is also well known for a host of other elective procedures. The JCI-accredited Bumrungrad Hospital is especially popular among expats and foreign medical tourists and is reputed to attract over a million medical tourists each year! Most medical professionals are western-trained and speak fluent English. It is advisable however to stick to JCI-accredited facilities in Bangkok for procedures rather than the touristy coastal areas for best, professional results.

So there! This is my compiled list of the top 5 medical tourism destinations in the world. In another post, we will take a look at how they are promoting themselves online and whether they are doing a good job of it!