People from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom usually aim for Asian countries when getting medical treatment for a variety of reasons. Asians are known to be very kind, accommodating and friendly. Asian nations are also widely popular for their unique and colorful culture, so you get to learn a lot from your trip. Finally, the technologies and practices in these countries are now considered globally competitive and safe.

Going to India

Medical tourism in India experiences a yearly growth rate of about 30%. By 2012, experts estimate the revenues brought in by the industry will reach about $2 billion. Some of the reasons why foreigners go to India include the very low cost of medical treatment, the very rich culture, historical and religious landmarks and the availability of modern medical technologies and equipment.

At present, infrastructures in India is not that many, but the cost of treatment in India is only around 10% of the cost you expect to pay in America or the United Kingdom. Some of the most popular treatments that visitors go for include cardiac bypass surgery, alternative medicine, eye surgery, hip resurfacing, heart surgery, orthopedic surgery and bone marrow transplant.

The health capital of India is Chennai, located at the southern region. The city brings in around 45% of medical tourists from other nations and about 40% from local places. Other medical tourism hotspots in India are Mangalore and New Delhi.

More Asian Countries

Malaysia is one of the newest favorites of medical tourists. Some of the advantages of visiting the country include the availability of top quality hospitals, experienced and well-trained medical staff and English being widely spoken throughout the main cities. Malaysia also has a very active association that aims to develop medical tourism. There is a national accreditation scheme as well. A lot of the hospitals aim to become dually accredited in a few years.

The Philippines is known for having very qualified doctors and dentists. A number of medical institutions are already accredited by JCI. Expect treatment to be only a fraction of the cost you pay for in the States. Some of the popular procedures done in the country include dental work, plastic surgery and heart surgery.

Korea and Singapore

Korea is one of the hottest medical tourism destinations today. Japanese patients usually go to Korea to avail of cheaper prices and the modern medical equipment and facilities. Korean clinics and hospitals are especially popular for procedures like cancer treatment, organ transplant, joint care, dental care, ophthalmology, spinal treatment and infertility treatment. Other popular procedures are mostly included in cosmetic surgery, such as nose jobs, skin lightening, eyelid surgery and facelifts.

Singapore has several health centers and hospitals accredited by JCI. It is preferred by several tourists because English is widely spoken and the equipment, technology and practices are always updated and are among the best in the world. Singapore also has agencies working to ensure that the country becomes one of the best when it comes to providing quality and advanced patient care.

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Medical tourism is now more popular than ever, with over 50 countries named as a hot destination and thousands of tourists flocking new places to visit and get treated. The concept is actually not a new one, since people from the ancient times used to move out of their place of origin to visit well-known healers and places in other countries. Today, you can get the advantages of getting the best medical help, plus a vacation to boot.

About the Concept

The first documented occasion of medical tourism was thousands of years ago when Greek pilgrims moved all throughout the Mediterranean towards Epidauria, a minor territory in the Saronic Gulf. The place was considered as the home of Asklepios, the god of healing. Epidauria was visited by thousands of people each year, for cases like fever, bone problems, heart ailments, skin disease and many more. It was the first travel destination of medical tourism.

Over the years, sanitariums and spa towns were also built and became the early types of medical tourism. Patients visited the spa towns during the 1700s to get mineral water that is believed to boost health and treat problems like bronchitis, gout and liver conditions.

Becoming Popular

Several factors triggered the vast popularity of medical tourism. Primarily the increasing cost of health care had people asking if there were other places where they can receive the same kind of treatment without the huge expense. The next was the very long waiting periods and several requirements before they can be treated or even diagnosed. Modern medical tourism destinations provide patients only a fraction of the cost they expect to pay at their local hospital.

They can also enjoy other state-of-the-art and quality accommodations, and get their dream vacation at the same time. Some destinations are known for treating patients like royalty, so everything will be taken care of. You will be provided with a complete schedule of activities, so you do not waste your time waiting in line or running everywhere to get the needed documents for the procedure.

More Reasons

Medical tourism continued to spread as the cost of international travel became much cheaper. The technology and care standards in several countries, especially in Asia have improved significantly in the past decade, making the institutions highly competitive against the best in the United States. Medical tourists usually come from the United States, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, because individuals from these places usually have more money to spend when visiting third world countries.

Medical tourism is expected to grow ten times more from 2007 to 2017. In the United States alone, over 750,000 people traveled abroad to get treated in 2007. Experts calculated 1.5 million Americans traveling in 2008 to get treatment abroad. The United Kingdom currently advertises more about medical tourism compared to the United States. Canadians preferred the very fast medical waiting period in other destinations. Some procedures are even more convenient when done outside the United States or Europe.

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A lot of people are going abroad to avail of fertility methods and procedures. Fertility tourism has become widely popular especially in countries like Thailand, Jordan and Malaysia. You can get the benefit of cutting costs, enjoying a great vacation and having a child you have always wanted. Procedures in developing countries are generally state-of-the-art, top quality and reliable. Here are some more tips and details about the approach.

What is Fertility Tourism?

Fertility tourism is also called reproductive tourism, described as the process of going to a different country to receive fertility treatments. The approach is considered a part of medical tourism. The main reasons that foreigners go to other countries to seek attention is the lower price offered by developing countries and legalities concerning the procedure in their home nation. The major procedures done include donor insemination and in-vitro fertilization. The term was also proposed to be “reproductive exile” to focus on the difficulties that infertile patients have to face, having to travel globally to receive treatment.

On IVF Procedures

Israel is the number one fertility tourism destination in the world for IVF or in-vitro fertilization techniques. It has the most number of fertility clinics per capita globally. America is preferred by several Europeans due to the bigger success rates and less stringent regulations. A lot of infertile patients go to Italy and Germany as well because of their lenient laws. Countries like America and Spain are quite restrictive when it comes to donor egg utilization as well as the number of eggs that can be fertilized.

Some of the risks include women having multiple pregnancy and the development of some complications because of the minimized restrictions on the number of eggs allowed to be implanted into the uterus at a single session.

More Details

Some individuals who wish to choose the sex of their child usually travel to the United States. A lot of people from the United Kingdom travel to the States, due to the PGD or pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, which is an extension of IVF for sex selection, which is not allowed in the United Kingdom. The UK only allows the procedure, if the patient needs to be screened for genetic problems, while other regulations in the United States are more lenient.

Other Destinations

The United Kingdom and Sweden are short on sperm donors and only allow identified donors. The stock has dropped by one-third in the United Kingdom. Sweden, at present, has an eighteen-month waiting list for donor sperm. British women, as a result, go to Spain and Belgium for donor insemination. The laws have been changed, however, so Spain and Belgium now purchase donor sperm overseas to meet the growing demand.

Other Swedish visitors go to Denmark each year for insemination. Denmark allows single women to receive artificial insemination. In Canada, you are not allowed to pay donors to provide sperm or eggs. Canadian women can get sperm from the United States. Eggs are not allowed to be imported, however. Canadian women continue to go abroad to get such treatment.

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Medical tourism is fast becoming a preferred choice among individuals living in big countries like Canada, United Kingdom and the United States because of lower cost and added convenience and luxury. There are now various treatments available and people can expect to get the highest quality care available anywhere in the world. Some countries, however, are known to be experts in some types of treatment. Here are the different procedures.

About ACLS

ACLS stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery or Repair. The procedure aims to reconnect a torn ACL ligament. There are 4 total ligaments that stabilize the knee, and ACL is one of these. Among the four, the ACL is the most commonly damaged. Some individuals choose to have ACLS abroad if they suddenly feel unstableness in their knee while playing sports, after a rehabilitation program or if the problem has long been existent.

The procedure generally takes around 1 to 2 hours. ACLS does not require patients to stay in the hospital. As a medical tourist, you can choose to get back to your hotel right after the procedure and continue to recuperate there. After a few days, you may take tours that do not require a lot of walking or heavy lifting. Patients can go back to their home country 1 to 2 days after the procedure.

About Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement or THR is one of the most common surgeries that patients look for abroad. The procedure involves rebuilding a damaged or deteriorated hip joint for it to return to optimal and functional condition. During the process, an artificial prosthesis can substitute for the damaged joint. A hip replacement is sought after by medical tourists who experience stiffness in their hips, thereby limiting leg movement, have problems with bending and are taking medications that lead to side effects or are not that effective. Patients can expect the surgery to last 1 to 3 hours.

When traveling abroad, you will be advised to take about 1 to 2 weeks off, since you will be staying inside the hospital for 4 to 10 days. Doctors will recommend patients to recuperate for 4 to 7 days before going back to their home country.

About Spinal Infusion

Some medical tourists go to destinations like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia to undergo spinal infusion. The procedure involves linking two vertebrae to get rid of the friction and extra motion in between. The lumbar spinal fusion can treat various conditions, such as scoliosis, slipped disk, degenerated disk, herniated disk and other injuries. The procedure is done when other types of treatment are not working.

Patients may also undergo the surgery abroad, aside from having other types of spinal surgery. Other techniques may be incorporated based on the condition of the patient and the extent of the damage. Patients can expect the surgery to last 3 to 4 hours. When traveling abroad, you should book for a minimum of 1 week, since you will be hospitalized for 3 to 4 days after the operation. Patients can return to their home country after 5 to 7 days.

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