There has always been a common misconception amongst people that travel in general does a person much good.
Lately, this has been taken literally with the advent of medical tourism. This refers to traveling across borders for the purpose of health care.
A medical tourist may get any kind of procedure. The most common procedures medical tourists have include bypass surgery, joint replacement, and cosmetic surgery.
Facts and statistics
It was reported that in 2008, about 1.3 million Americans went overseas seeking medical attention. Current estimates show that the medical tourism industry is worth approximately $20 billion. By 2012, it is predicted that the industry will grow to a $100 billion market.
The four most common reasons people give for going abroad in order to seek medical attention are:
• that facilities in other countries are more technologically advanced;
• patients believe that healthcare quality is better elsewhere;
• it is their opinion that their medical needs will be attended to more quickly abroad; and
• medical services in other countries are cheaper.
Parts of the globe that are currently doing well in the medical tourism industry include; Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, South Africa, Latin America, and Mexico.
Planning your vacation
Due to the growth of medical tourism, companies and associations have been founded to offer the patient information on global medical resources as well as reasonable medical tourism vacation packages. These vacation packages typically include the following services; counseling on what kind of procedures the patient needs, guidance in choosing the appropriate destination, finding a suitable doctor for the patient, a concierge during the trip, as well as planning and overseeing the patient’s recuperation.
Concerns regarding medical tourism
With the people’s show of interest in cosmetic procedures today, concern for patients’ safety and security has been growing in professional medical communities around the globe. Medical tourists can be easy targets for fraudulent healthcare providers. Some cosmetic procedures are fairly easy to perform, and such may be offered by non-certified doctors in exchange for a cheaper deal. Such examples of medical tourism pit falls are likely to jeopardize the patient’s health, or worse; endanger the patient’s life.
International associations
In order to prevent these kinds of situations from happening, doctors all over the world have formed associations that aim to provide patients with extensive information about their medical options. One such association is the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).
ISAPS has been around for 40 years. It aims for the homogenization of plastic surgery standards world wide. ISAPS has been responsible for facilitating the exchange of new knowledge in the field of cosmetics, particularly in the area of disseminating new technological know-how to developing countries involved in medical tourism.
The ISAPS website offers people information on all kinds of cosmetic surgery. It educates patients on the benefits as well as the possible risks of undergoing a certain procedure.
ISAPS also ensures prospective patients of the qualifications of its members. Doctors and surgeons that are part of the organization are guaranteed to be trained and certified medical practitioners in their respective countries.