No person likes to go under the knife. It is a very scary and stressful experience. Also not to forget the time you spend in the appalling hospital room to recover, with the noisy roommates, unpleasant food and grumpy nurses can become a bit too unbearable at times. But, people who need surgeries often combine exotic destinations and comfortable stays in a world-class hospital’s luxurious suite.
What is Medical Tourism?
Medical Tourism refers to the treatment that people receive in the best medical center, located in a different country than that of their native country. These are mainly done due to the lack of treatments and facilities or the unavailability of a particular drug in that particular country. Traveling to another country for medical purposes is also known as a money-saving option. While some countries have lower prices, it is still a form of luxurious travel. Medical tourism reached a great height since the past few decades. Every year, more than seven million people travel around the world in search of the best medical treatments, resulting in a 20 billion dollar global industry.
The 10 Most Luxurious Medical Tourism Destinations
Here, the top 10 luxurious medical tourism destinations are listed:
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Thailand
- India
- Turkey
- Czech Republic
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Mexico
- Brazil
Malaysia
Malaysia is one of the unique destinations as the majority of its medical tourists are not from the USA, Canada or Europe. They are mainly from Indonesia. According to the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, Indonesian medical tourists constitute 60% of the ratio. But it is believed that around 12,000 American medical tourists visit the country annually. Patients visit this country for In vitro fertilization, oncology, general surgery, and gynaecology procedures. After being surveyed in the year 2013, it was reported that between 560,000 and 700,000 medical tourists visited Malaysia.
Singapore
Singapore, being expensive consists of one of the most sophisticated hospital systems in the world. As Singapore is known for its capitalism and it is a highly developed nation, medical tourists visit this place from all over Asia and the western countries for years. It is famous for cancer treatment. If you are looking for a highly developed country which offers less expensive surgeries then Singapore is the right place for you.
Thailand
Thailand is known to be the best medical tourism destination in the world. Patients from the USA, Canada, the Middle East, Europe, Vietnam, and Laos come here for their medical treatments. Thai institutions offer advanced medical treatments in the fields of orthopedics, oncology, plastic surgery, dentistry, ophthalmology, AIDS/ HIV treatment, deliveries, etc.
India
India belongs to the top 5 medical tourism destinations according to the Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance. Over 460,000 international patients choose India for medical treatments. Most of India’s medical tourists come from Bangladesh, Iraq, Nigeria, Kenya, and Pakistan. However, medical tourists from America, Canada, and Europe is rising each year. India is considered the best place to receive medical treatment due to the price-quality ratio.
Turkey
Turkey is quite a strong competitor in the medical tourism market. It boasts about its zero waiting time, quality and affordable healthcare delivery. Specifically, transplant surgery, radiation, therapy for cancer, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and genomic medicine are its forte. Alongside, its national carrier, Turkish Airlines, offer discounts on flight rates to medical passengers.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is one of the best options of healthcare to choose, among the various choices in the European Union. This part of Europe offers the most highly developed medical services that one would expect but at a better value than its counterparts in the western parts of the continent. This place is well known for teeth whitening, cosmetic surgery, etc.
Costa Rica
Similar to Mexico and Panama, Costa Rica is one of the most developed and expat-friendly countries in this region. After rebuilding its economy which was shattered by the tropical storm some months back, it is gradually becoming a leader in the medical tourism market. In the last few years, it has become well known for dentistry and cosmetic surgery, leaving US and Canada behind. The Chetica Ranch located at San Jose offers exotic recovery services for medical travelers who wish to enjoy recovering in a much more relaxed ambiance. Costa Rica provides 45%-65% lower prices for healthcare services than that of the US, saving a lot of money for the patients.
Panama
Panama is not only a top choice for retirement or second citizenship but also for medical tourism. Its private hospitals offer excellent medical treatment partnering with major hospitals in America with which you might be familiar with already. International medical travelers can get beneficial schemes that may include coverage in Panama for a reasonable monthly rate. The medical staff speaks English and it is a well-developed and well-connected country here. Panama is a capitalist nation and it welcomes people of various nationalities to visit with a 180 days free Visa. It offers its patients with dental implants at reasonable rates which might cost hundreds and thousands of dollars in the US.
Mexico
Mexico, often regarded as the entertainment destination rather than a medical once was successful to attract over a million patients in 2012. Majority of its patients were from the neighbouring US states like California, Arizona, and Texas. It provides its medical tourists with the best dental and weight loss treatments. The most popular private luxurious facilities are ABC Medical Center with several specialized units consisting of 200 beds, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops and Christus Muguerza Super Specialty Hospital in Monterrey.
Brazil
Brazil is the den for plastic surgeons. It consists of over 4,500 licensed cosmetic surgeons. This country also has veterinarians who offer plastic surgery to pets. Medical tourists are attracted to this place for low prices and affordable luxurious accommodations. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the cities which provide the best services for tummy tucks, breast implants, rhinoplasty, and facelifts.