A Hospital's Role in Medical Tourism

Medical Tourism

Medical & tourism? Doesn’t it sound strange? Medical and Tourism are two different terms but when we combine it, we will get a very different answer, and that too is interesting. Medical tourism is traveling, but for the purpose of availing medical treatment, i.e., the treatment can include surgery, dental care, consultation, etc. This term is basically referred as the tourists who travel to other countries for treatment. Some tourists from poor countries travel to developed countries for seeking better healthcare, and on the other side, some people came to developing countries for getting cheap treatments as compared to their own countries. Studies have shown that the treatment in India is 50-70% less or it is 10th part of the cost of treatment as in the USA.

Contributing factors of Medical Tourism:

To get cheaper treatments that can be half of the price as compared to home or can be less than that.

To avoid long waiting time i.e. in some countries you have to wait for months for scheduling surgery.

Urgent cases where they can’t wait & it's possible to get emergency treatment in other countries.

Considering it as a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery.

To get better treatment as in their country, there is no treatment of a particular disease.

A Hospital’s Role in Medical Tourism

Medical Tourism is meaningless without the support of Hospitals. Nowadays, the Medical tourism industry is growing rapidly because of the best hospitals & qualified doctors in the country. The growth of Medical tourism is directly proportional to the quality of the hospital. However, for a patient traveling to other country, it is important to find the optimal Doctor-Hospital combination. After the treatment phase is over, the patient has the option to either recuperate in the hospital or an accommodation setup nearby. Nowadays, Many hospitals give the option to continue the treatment through telemedicine. Telemedicine is the use of information technology and telecommunication to provide health care support from a distance.

How Hospitals are improving Medical Tourism:

By providing cost-effective solutions.

Ensuring the use of cutting-edge medical equipment and technology that are not accessible in their home countries.

With the help of providing extra-facilities to foreigners and special care as per their requirements.

By offering vacation programs along with their treatment that too with the consideration of their health in mind.

By providing translator services if the patient is not familiar with the language used in the foreign country where the treatment is scheduled.

By providing uncompromised quality and safety standards for their stay.

By using latest technologies like Telecommunication - Before traveling to another country, a patient can interact with the doctor and share all the details related to his/her treatment so that he will be having all the knowledge.

Provide aid in the legal support that should be done before arrival and other formalities.

Conclusion

Cost-effectiveness, medical expertise and low lead times are the key factors that best reflect the healthcare industry along with tourism. Medical tourism also provides growth to travel industry, airlines, and hospitality as well. The trend of healthcare tourism is still in its infancy, but it possesses an enormous potential for growth and development. Personal Care, Treatment, Enjoyment, affordable are the keywords that best define hospital's role in the growth of medical tourism.