If you’re considering traveling abroad, or possibly in need of medical care that you can’t get or afford at home and are considering becoming a medical tourist, then you’re probably wondering which are the best countries for medical tourism.
An interesting fact about medical tourism is that it has been growing annually by 20%, over the past several years. Patients Beyond Borders, a source of consumer information about international medical and health travel has estimates that the worldwide medical tourism market will be reaching approximately $47 Billion by the end of the current year. Different countries around the world are the chosen destinations for medical tourism, from South America to Asia and eastern Europe. Moreover, different medical agencies around the globe have started to promote less expensive health care costs in order to attract more foreign visitors, especially from developed countries where health care costs are very high. In the United States this tendency has been seen for some time and and with the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the influx of traveling patients to foreign destinations for medical procedures is estimated to increase.
The top destinations regarding medical tourism tend to vary depending on the type of intervention in question. Emerging countries have started building pretty impressive healthcare infrastructures, with good medical teams and very competitive prices. A procedure that can cost into the six figures in Europe or the United States might not cost above four figures in some of these countries. About seven million people travel abroad each year looking for every possible sort of medical treatment.
Another fact that influences the increase in medical tourism is the increasing number of job offers medical professionals are receiving around the world. Doctors are considered among the highest paid professionals in the workforce, yet considering the sometimes reduced conditions in which some work, the opportunities in less developed countries are seemingly more attractive. These countries have started to lure professionals from different places of the world with high salaries and amazing job positions. If you are interested in finding out which are the 16 Highest Paying Countries for Doctors, check out this list we’ve made!
Medical tourism is growing and many countries are seeking to offer high-quality health care at a good price as to attract more patients. And it seems to be working as in 2013, around 900,000 Americans traveled overseas for treatment, according to Patients Beyond Borders. But which are the selected destinations for these health-care travels? This time we’ve gathered some information about the 10 best countries for medical tourism.
