By Sigrid Salucop
Two years ago, the long waiting lists to get medical
attention in the UK took its toll on the patience of many Britons leading them
to seek medical attention overseas.
An article in the Daily Telegraph back in 2010 said that the
long waiting lists and rather expensive private healthcare has helped boost the
medical tourism industry. With approximately 2.65 million British nationals
going abroad yearly to seek affordable healthcare, it’s no wonder that medical
tourism agencies are making a profit in the UK alone. And it’s not just the
British who are seeking affordable healthcare services making the medical
tourism a multimillion dollar industry.
The blog Treatment Abroad said that 43% of Britons went
overseas to get dental implants and other dental related treatments while 29%
flew out of the country to get cosmetic surgery overseas. The rest on the hand
booked flights to get infertility treatments and orthopaedic-related
procedures.
In the United States, millions of Americans fly to countries
like Costa Rica, the Philippines, and South Korea yearly to get the treatment they
need. It was in 2005 when approximately a million lipotourists went to the Dominican Republic to get cosmetic
surgery. While some did not get the desired results, others went back to the
United States quite happy.
Two Sides of the Coin
As with every story, medical tourism has two sides –one that
gives you affordable prices and quality healthcare and one that gives you
affordable prices and ailments or even death. The latter of course does not
represent medical tourism as a whole but rather a rare occurrence in reputable hospitals overseas.
Like what
most of the writers and researchers of International Medical Vacations say, it
is ALWAYS a good idea to get more information about the medical tourism
destination one is planning to go to as well as the hospital one is planning to
get treatment from.
Sun, Sand, and the Dream of Perfection
The sun and the sand have always lured many a tourists to
exotic destinations and in since we live in a world that craves for perfection,
many people from the West are now flocking medical tourism hotspots to get
cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery overseas only costs a fraction of US and UK
costs making them more appealing to potential patients.
Tips
- Before flying to a foreign destination, be sure to get an overview of the country you are going to. It pays to know a lot about your destination and whether it is safe for you to be there or not.
- Get travel insurance to protect your baggage and yourself from unforeseen events.
- Make a few copies of your passport in case it gets stolen in your destination.
- Get the number of your embassy, they are your lifeline to your country. They will be able to help you in case you get into some kind of trouble.
More Information
Photos via worldental.org, medbirds.blogspot.com, escapefromamerica.com, traveldestinationinfo.com
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