| Medical tourism might sound like a strange idea, but | | | | abroad, it's important to make sure that the doctor |
| it's getting a lot more popular. People are combining | | | | you've chosen is properly registered with that |
| their trips abroad with surgery to get private | | | | country's medical regulatory board. Be willing to ask |
| treatment that's unavailable at home for the prices | | | | hard questions about the procedures you'll need to |
| paid on other countries, or that's not available at all. | | | | undergo. |
| This activity has been ongoing for a while. Eastern | | | | Other concerns exist, too, and they have nothing to |
| European plastic surgeons and dentists have been | | | | do with the facilities or how competent the surgeon |
| working hard to attract a UK and Western European | | | | is. Travel can be something of an ordeal, meaning it |
| clientele, while Thailand, China, and other Southeast | | | | isn't smart to get on a plane right after surgery. It |
| Asian countries have been visited by patients from | | | | can also be difficult to get good post-op care if your |
| Singapore and similar countries. Residents of many | | | | surgeon is far away. |
| countries are going abroad for medical procedures at | | | | Because of this, many people interested in medical |
| a significant discount. | | | | tourism take the chance to turn their visits into a |
| Many procedures, including cosmetic treatments, | | | | holiday. If you stay for a while after getting out of |
| aren't covered by national health plans or private | | | | the hospital, you'll offer your body a chance to |
| insurance, but can be done abroad at a fraction of | | | | recover and reduce the chances of problems caused |
| the cost that patients would pay locally. This means | | | | by traveling. |
| that procedures like tummy tucks, face lifts and | | | | One big reason that medical tourism has so much |
| breast implants are now available to many more | | | | appeal is that countries with public health care often |
| people, as long as they want to travel. There are, | | | | find their systems are over taxed. Non urgent care |
| however, safety concerns about medical tourism. | | | | can take a long time - up to a year for a hip |
| That's because it can be difficult to tell if the doctor | | | | replacement in the UK or Canada, versus a few days |
| or facility in another country has the qualifications of | | | | for patients who travel to Cuba, India, the Philippines |
| your local practitioner. Standards in other countries | | | | or Hong Kong. |
| are often different, too. This means that if you're | | | | Depending on your circumstances, taking advantage |
| looking for a medical holiday, you'll want to lots of | | | | of your next holiday as an opportunity for medical |
| checking up to make sure you'll be treated in the | | | | tourism could be a great idea. However, it's important |
| best facilities you can get. | | | | to make sure you do your homework and allow |
| As medical tourism becomes more popular, with | | | | enough time for recovery to avoid problems. Be |
| more doctors looking for foreign business, quality | | | | careful if you choose to travel abroad for medical |
| could be a larger concern than it is now. If you're | | | | care. |
| thinking about having medical procedures performed | | | | |