5 Best Countries for Medical Tourism

We all have been in, or at least heard of, situations when a close family member suffers from a medical condition for which either the cost of treatment is too high or there is no treatment is available in the country. And the feeling of being unable to get help for a loved one is never pleasant.

Well, do not worry, because help is just around the corner. Enter Medical Tourism - a concept which involves the patient and his family travelling to another country which has better, affordable and timely medical aid available as compared to the source country.

But, how does one really zero down on which country to go to for the medical aid? Right from the ease of getting a visa to assessing the affordability of the treatment, a host of factors have to be considered before one can finalize the destination.

To help you make this decision, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 best countries for Medical Tourism. The methodology used to rank countries is the value for money factor followed by the quality of healthcare & number of JCI (Joint Commission International) Accredited Hospitals.

Presenting to you the 5 best countries for medical tourism in 2017:

5. Mexico

No wonder Mexico is one of the best countries for Medical Tourism because of the close proximity to the U.S. & Canada. The medical infrastructure is quite developed & costs are significantly cheap because of the low real estate prices & low labor costs. Mexican doctors are highly qualified and some of them are trained in U.S. Mexico is also famous for Dental Tourism.

JCI Accredited Healthcare Facilities for Hospital Program = 4

Cost comparison of Key Medical Procedures:

Pros

- Close proximity from U.S. & Canada
- Average Savings 50 to 75 per cent
- Excellent Climate

Cons

- Lack of standardization
- Lack of liability.

4. Singapore

Singapore is largely famous for complicated medical procedures such as heart surgeries. It draws medical tourists with its medical infrastructure that is among the best and English speaking medical professionals. The country has been positioning itself as a destination for modern medical technology with highly trained doctors. Singapore ranks sixth among 191 countries with advanced health systems in the world. Its medical tourism market is expected to grow at 8.3 per cent per annum to reach USD 1.71 billion in 2018.

JCI Accredited Healthcare Facilities for Hospital Program = 10

Cost comparison of Key Medical Procedures:

Pros

- Robust Medical Infrastructure
- Good airport connectivity
- Easy Visa Availability
- Safest of all 5 countries stated here

Cons

- Average Savings only 30 to 45 per cent

3. Thailand

Thailand is a popular destination for cosmetic surgery procedures. The country has been positioning itself as a destination for economical holidays and medical treatments for a variety of ailments. Low treatment cost, internationally accredited healthcare facilities and excellent hospitality services are the key differentiating factors for Thailand. Integration of tourism and medical treatment makes Thailand one of the advanced countries in the medical tourism industry.

JCI Accredited Healthcare Facilities for Hospital Program = 42

Cost comparison of Key Medical Procedures:

Pros

- Average Savings 50 to 75 per cent
- Highest Internationally Accredited Healthcare Facilities
- Excellent Hospitality

Cons

- Highly relies on specialized medicine than general medicine. Only a disadvantage if patient’s underlying symptom is unknown.

2. Malaysia

Malaysia has steadily worked on building a strong healthcare tourism sector, and the revenue from this sector has grown tenfold in the last ten years. The industry is strongly supported by the government through several promotional activities, attractive offers, and favorable guidelines. Competitive pricing, high quality care and attractive nature landscape are differentiating factors for Malaysia. The government is actively promoting Malaysia as a preferred destination for healthcare tourism.

JCI Accredited Healthcare Facilities for Hospital Program = 11

Cost comparison of Key Medical Procedures:

Pros

- Average Savings 65 to 80 per cent
- Attractive Natural Environment

Cons

- High crime rate, especially tourists are targetted.^[3]

1. India

In ancient times, Indian medicine was considered to be the best medicine. Now again in this modern era, India has become the best destination for medical tourism for high-end surgeries at inexpensive costs. India is also well known for immediate treatment, highly trained doctors (some trained in U.S. & U.K.) and no language barrier for English speakers (translators also made available for non-English speakers).

India offers a diverse basket of medical services and rejuvenation facilities to patients at reasonable prices. Medical tourists travel to India to make the most of India’s ancient tradition of Ayurveda and its low-cost medical tourism facilities. Some of the different forms of medical tourism offered in the country include yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, naturopathy, unani, etc. which have scientifically proven zero side effects.

JCI Accredited Healthcare Facilities for Hospital Program = 28

Cost comparison of Key Medical Procedures:

Pros

- Average Savings 65 to 90 per cent
- Beyond allopathy treatments such as yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, naturopathy, unani, etc.
- High number of JCI Accredited Hospitals
- High quality of healthcare
- Best Healthcare Infrastructure
- Excellent Hospitality

Cons

- Potential transportation issues due to heavy traffic in some cities. We recommend to choose your accommodation nearby the medical facility / hospital.

Sources:

1. Cost of Key Medical Procedures of Mexico - Medical Tourism to Mexico
2. Cost of Key Medical Procedures of India, Malaysia, Thailand & Singapore - Medical Value Travel in India - FICCI Heal Conference, KPMG Report
3. Advantages & Disadvantages of Tourism to Malaysia