Forbes’ survey of sensibly priced care around the globe.
If you’re new to the idea of travelling abroad for medical treatment, you’re in good company.
Joseph Woodman, exhaustive researcher into the modern phenomenon of medical travel, and author of Patients Beyond Borders, Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Care Abroad, recounts his first encounter with the phenomenon.
Some years ago, he says, “My father announced quite suddenly that he was heading to Mexico to get his teeth restored.” He couldn’t afford the American price tag, which was more than $20,000. Woodman went along for the ride.
Like many Americans, Woodman expected to find untrained doctors, rusty instruments and dirty clinics waiting south of the border. “I guess I was just as biased as the next person,” he says. He found exactly the opposite. “In many places, the quality of care was excellent and my father saved $13,000, even after taking into account the cost of the trip, accommodation and bringing his wife along as a companion.”
Woodman acknowledges that there is a widespread belief that medical tourism abroad carries high risks. “People can’t believe that it’s possible to save between 30 and 80 percent on an operation with the same standard as you would get here in the U.S.,” he says.
There are pro and cons to travelling abroad. Yet unanswered, for example, is the question of who is accountable when surgery or the treatment goes wrong. For globe-trotting medical tourists, it’s crucial to know which countries specialize in which procedures. Brazil, for example, is tops for nips and tucks; and Mexico shines when it comes to fixing up those pearly whites. India has great depth in knowledge and experience in a wide range of ailments and diseases, especially because of a very large home population. India also has a long history of sending its citizens overseas for top-quality medical training, Others like Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan have been prioritizing their domestic health care systems for many years.
Which were the hottest medical travel destinations in 2008?
Just in case you mised this roundup of 2008′s best medical tourism destinations from Forbes, here are the highlights and a link to their site
Singapore
The island-state of Singapore in Southeast Asia has an impressive 11 JCI-accredited hospitals, which means there are more than enough well-trained doctors and staff to handle the relatively small population of 4.5 million. Hence, this tiny island welcomes more than 200,000 sick people each year. Prices are reasonable—single-chamber pacemakers are installed for as little as $550 out-of-pocket. That’s cheap enough to speed up your heart.
Mexico
Many doctors in Mexico specialize in elective procedures that aren’t covered by U.S. health plans: cosmetic and weight-loss surgery, dentistry, breast augmentation. Estimates are that Americans can save between 50 and 75 percent on dental procedures. Because of the massive U.S. population centers close to the border like Los Angeles, Tucson, San Diego and Phoenix, the medical economy has grown out of international visitation.
Costa Rica
Around 14 percent of Costa Rica’s international tourism is medical in nature, with much of the activity taking place in private clinics in San Jose and the “Americanized” suburb of Escazú. Though many come for the usual array of cosmetic and dental procedures, Costa Rica stands out for having well-equipped, luxurious recovery retreats. With large staffs and convivial atmospheres, these hotel-style guesthouses cater specifically to post-op patients.
Hungary
Before the Velvet Revolution, medical care in the country then called Czechoslovakia was, at best, erratic. But today, the capital, Prague, is on the rise as a destination for medical tourists. The Czech Republic is also building its reputation for tattoo removal and alleviating temporomandibular disorders, which may affect one in eight Americans.
Malaysia
As a British colony until 1957, Malaysia’s infrastructure is excellent and English is widely spoken. Prices are 30 to 50 percent lower than those in neighboring Singapore: hip replacements can start at $6,800, double-chambered pacemakers from $7,000.
South Africa
South Africa may seem like a long way to go for a doctor, but for many patients that’s precisely the point. For those seeking cosmetic or addiction treatments without the prying eyes of the paparazzi, a “month-long safari” is just the ticket. Prices aren’t the lowest in the world—breast augmentation and liposuction both start at more than $4500—but the extra expense brings with it privacy. And many medical travel agents do, in fact, include safaris in their packages.
India
Medical tourism was practically invented in India, says Josef Woodman, President of the Healthy Travel Media Company and author of Patients Beyond Borders. “It started about 10 years ago when the queues in Britain for osteo and cardio work were so long that people were literally dying before they could get to the operating table.” Today, India attracts more than 150,000 international patients annually. This high patient volume has its advantages, says Woodman. American surgeons may simply not have performed as many operations, and they are cautious about discussing success rates. But ask an Indian doctor, and it’s “550 surgeries and a 95 percent success rate.” Of course how “success” is measured is also a subject that needs to be researched.
Thailand
For many years Thailand was known as the place to arrive “he” and depart “she.” When the Asian economies collapsed 10 years ago, the Thai medical community took advantage of their cheap currency and advanced medical infrastructure to attract international visitors for other procedures, most notably neurology, ophthalmology, cardiovascular and orthopedics.
Brazil
The idea of a butt-lift may elicit smirks, but Brazil takes its cosmetic medical procedures seriously. The secret is that interns must complete two years of general surgery internship, then another three years of plastic surgery internship, before they’re certified. In the States, cosmetic surgeons are required to have just 36 months of general surgery residence.
All the countries featured here have great wellness practitioners for pre and post treatment – and exotic sights and of course, shopping therapy!
takes between 5 and 7 hours to complete. Transplant patients stay in the hospital for 8 to 12 days. Diabetes is regarded as a leading cause of renal failure, blindness, amputation and impotence.
