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Health tourism and medical tourism are transforming the global healthcare landscape. Patients from developed countries are opting to travel abroad to seek quality and affordable treatments that combine travel adventures with wellness experiences. The increased international medical travel is not only about medical treatment but also the need to combine
world-class healthcare with unique travel opportunities boosting both industries – adventure travel and medical tourism.
The new global trend of medical tourism is offering patients affordable, quality healthcare in picturesque locations. By 2025, the global medical tourism industry is likely to reach USD 278.2 billion from USD 107.5 billion in 2024. This is likely to reach a staggering USD 890.4 billion by 2035.
Adventure tourism has seen exponential growth if one is to see the numbers. Consider this, the adventure tourism market saw an annual compounded 20% growth. From USD351.57 billion, it is expected to touch USD739.56 billion by 2028. A new kind of traveller is seeking both adventure combined with medical procedures. We look at the problems related to the rise of medical tourism, solutions, challenges faced by the stakeholders, and what to expect in the future.
In some countries like the US, UK and Canada, the healthcare systems are unable to cope.
• Long wait time: In publicly funded systems like the UK and Canada, the waiting period is sometimes years.
• Exorbitant costs: A heart bypass surgery in the US would exceed $120,000. In India, it could be under $5,000. Similarly, the cost of any hair transplants or dental treatment in Turkey would be relatively cheaper.
• Limited access: Sometimes treatments like stem cells or fertility may not be available due to limited expertise or regulatory issues.
• Insurance coverage: Cosmetic surgeries are often not covered under insurance in many countries.
These issues push patients to seek quality healthcare services abroad, sparking global health tourism trends.
Medical tourism offers quality healthcare in foreign countries at a fraction of the cost. With the savings, patients can afford treatment, travel, accommodation, and recovery budgets without compromising on quality. A look at some of the benefits of health tourism.
Medical tourism contributes positively to the economy of the host countries in many ways. It creates employment opportunities, brings in foreign exchange and boosts related sectors. Investments in sectors like infrastructure for hospitals, hotels, pharmaceuticals, transport and medical devices can benefit tourists and local residents as well. Malaysia has seen a steady economic boost thanks to over one million health tourists in 2023.
Countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Mexico, Turkey, South Korea and India are promoting themselves as among the best places for medical tourism. For example, India specialises in cardiac, IVF, and orthopaedic surgeries that are almost 65 to 90% cheaper than in the U.S. Thailand offers almost 50-70% savings for cosmetic surgery and dental care treatments. A dental or bariatric surgery in Mexico will easily cost 60-80% less than in the U.S., adding to huge cost savings for patients. Similarly, plastic surgery and advanced cancer treatments in South Korea will cost far less. Hair transplants and eye surgery would be 70% cheaper in Turkey than in Europe.
The medical tourism business is a growing business that will take on a significant role also for elderly care. Patients aged 60 and above today almost make up 25% of medical tourists seeking treatments like cardiac surgeries, joint replacement surgeries, and other age-related procedures.
All is not as rosy as it seems. Medical tourism does have its challenges
too.
1. Health risks: Patients may encounter infections abroad. Sometimes long-distance travel after surgery also impacts patients with deep vein thrombosis.)
2. Follow-ups: Medical tourists often do not carry back complete documentation which could lead to gaps in proper post-operative care.
3. Ethical concerns: Organ transplantation and surrogacy practices in some countries are suspect in ethical questions.
4. Regulatory challenges: Lack of uniform regulations across countries leads to difficulty in ensuring safety and consistency for medical tourists.
5. Public Health Risks: Patients returning to their home countries may bring antibiotic-resistant infections that could pose a serious risk to public health.
6. Language challenges: Sometimes cultural and language differences can result in miscommunication, which could affect the quality of service to patients.
7. Legal aid: Patients need to keep in mind that if a procedure goes wrong abroad, legal recourse could be complicated due to different laws.
8. Scam: It is important for patients to do thorough research before making any commitments, as fake clinics could turn to be fatal.
The future of medical tourism and health tourism looks promising. Several emerging trends are shaping the global outlook:
Medical tourism is transforming lives. Reduced wait time, affordability and professional treatments abroad offer hope to millions of people.
However, challenges like cross-border infections, legal issues and standardization need to be addressed. For health tourism and medical tourism to become a global movement, all parties need to collaborate. Be it countries, governments and the healthcare industry professionals.
However, the future of medical and adventure tourism certainly looks promising as it brings the best of both worlds together. Healthcare and adventure to make the world a better place for patients with happy
memories.
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