Medical and Dental Tourism in India - Part 1

What is Medical Tourism?

Medical tourism is the term used when someone travels for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment. Although some definitions include domestic medical tourism, within the same country, the term is mostly used for foreign medical travel. The number of medical tourists is on the increase. Although it is difficult to obtain reliable statistics, it is estimated that currently between 8 and 12 million people travel abroad annually for healthcare. The medical tourism market is thought to be growing at a rate of 15-25% annually.

In the past, the majority of medical tourists were from less developed countries travelling to seek treatments that were not available in their home country. Whilst this is still the case, more recently, the trend is for people to travel abroad to seek treatment at a lower cost. 

The phrase "medical tourism" may be relatively new but the practice of travelling for health reasons dates back to antiquity. One of the earliest known destinations is Epidauria, in ancient Greece, which was believed to be the birthplace of Apollo's son, Asclepeios, the healer. From the 6th century BC or even earlier, those who were sick would travel long distances to seek healing. 

In Israel, the Dead Sea is believed to be one of the world's first health resorts, dating back to the time of King Herod the Great. For over two thousand years up to the present time people have traveled to the Dead Sea for health therapies, due to the high mineral content of the water and beneficial climatic features.   

Why do people choose to travel for healthcare?

There may be many factors involved in a person's choice. Here are some of the most common reasons:

Cost

Treatment abroad may be available at a fraction of the compared to the USA or Europe. It is estimated that 40 to 45 million Americans (one in seven) do not have health insurance and many more may be under-insured. Some people are unable to get insurance for a pre-existing condition. Even for those who have insurance, certain treatments and procedures may not be covered (eg. cosmetic surgery) and for some treatments the deductible amount the patient has to pay may be higher than the total cost of travelling abroad for treatment. 

Less Waiting

In countries with nationalized health services, such as the Canada, Australia, the UK and many other European countries, there may be long waiting lists for important surgeries. By seeking treatment abroad, individuals may be able to get treatment with minimal or no waiting.

Treatment not available at home

Some treatments may not be available due to lack of resources. Other procedures may be unauthorised or even illegal, in the person's own country eg. new, experimental treatments, some reproductive technologies or surrogacy. People also travel for traditional medical practices, such as Ayurveda, in India.

Tourism

People may use the chance to have a vacation see a new place whilst also receiving medical treatment.

Which specialties are popular with medical tourists?

• Orthopedics - including hip and knee operations
• Heart Surgery
• Fertility and Reproductive Health
• Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Oncology (cancer treatment)
• Weight loss surgery
• Ophthalmology (eye surgery)
• Dentistry

Where are the top medical tourism destinations?

• Malaysia - burns treatment, health screening
• Thailand - cosmetic surgery
• India - surgery, especially heart surgery and orthopedics
• Brazil - cosmetic surgery
• Singapore - many surgical specialties and stem cell treatments
• Costa Rica - cosmetic surgery, dentistry
• Hungary - dentistry
• Mexico - dentistry and cosmetic surgery
• Turkey - ophthalmology

amongst many other countries.


In further posts we will look more specifically at the pros and cons of medical tourism, tips and advice for those considering medical care abroad and more specifically at medical and dental tourism in India.