| Medical Tourism can be defined as the provision for | | | | One major reason that medical tourism is attractive to |
| patients to travel offshore in search of faster, | | | | many people is that it offers medical treatments at a |
| cost-effective and safer medical and surgical | | | | comparatively low cost. Moreover the public |
| procedures. A combination of various different factors | | | | healthcare systems in developed countries are very |
| have led many people from industrialized countries to | | | | much overburdened and traveling to foreign land for |
| migrate in order to get high quality medical treatment. | | | | immediate treatment is often a solution to the problem. |
| The various reasons are the cost issues, ease and | | | | Medical tourism is popular and generally accepted |
| affordability of international travel, long frustrating | | | | because it provides the patients with medical |
| queues in many nations and above all improving | | | | assistance accompanied by five-star treatment and |
| technology standards of health care in many countries | | | | exclusive vacations. Thailand and India are among the |
| of the world. Both the health sector and the tourism | | | | emerging popular spots for medical tourism. The |
| industry help to facilitate the process in these countries. | | | | Government of of these nations have successfully |
| The concept of medical tourism actually traces back | | | | exerted their leadership to assist in the development of |
| to ancient Greece, where pilgrims and patients from all | | | | the medical tourism industry. |
| over the Mediterranean came to the sanctuary of | | | | India is one of the leading players in the medical tourism |
| healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In the 18th century | | | | industry today. Cosmetic surgery and dental |
| the wealthy Europeans from Germany traveled to the | | | | treatments is usually what the medical tourists have |
| Mediterranean spas. The 21st century has taken the | | | | been looking for, but recent studies reveal even eye |
| medical tourism industry beyond the wealthy and the | | | | surgery, kidney dialysis and organ transplantation are |
| desperate providing low cost treatment and | | | | among the most common procedures sought by |
| transportation services. The leisure, fun and relaxation | | | | medical vacationers. In particular, India excels in |
| together with health care attached to it have made | | | | open-heart surgery, pediatric heart surgery, bone |
| medical tourism a common form of vacation. | | | | marrow transplants and cancer therapy. The hospitals |
| Medical tourism presents an opportunity for hospitals to | | | | are equipped with the latest electronic and medical |
| tap the potential of the international healthcare market | | | | diagnostic equipment. Pharmaceuticals too meet the |
| and eventually leverage their business. The | | | | stringent requirements of U.S. Food and Drug |
| advancement of medical technology, increased | | | | Administration and even qualify for the American |
| transportation facilities and necessity of immediate | | | | standards for quality of care. |
| quality healthcare has encouraged the healthcare | | | | Marketing one's facilities with informative websites on |
| providers to go global. Medical tourists travel great | | | | medical tourism, outlining the transparent pricing |
| distances to seek world-class doctors and hospitals. | | | | schemes and availability of latest medical |
| The healthcare providers worldwide are investing to | | | | accoutrements are the trend of the day. As more and |
| acquire the cutting edge technology and venture into | | | | more patients from affluent nations look for effective |
| the areas of latest medical research. They even | | | | options offshore, the medical tourism industry has been |
| provide lucrative non-medical services such as | | | | expanding at a fast pace. Developments will of course |
| hospitality services, spa facilities, and pick-up services | | | | lead to various other economic activities where the |
| to facilitate the stay and treatment of their international | | | | main element will always remain quality. |
| clientele. | | | | |