Check into a 5-star hotel experience in Singapore, Bangkok, or India, except this is for cosmetic surgery or a critical angioplasty instead of a spa. And rather than a $100,000 price tag, the surgery could be 75% LESS without sacrificing quality or care - less even than a deductible in the US.
Which leaves plenty of room for the actual hotel and whatever travel pleasure you choose afterward, as travelers are increasingly combining vacation with treatment in hospitals noted for world-class facilities and service for international guests.
Even the American Medical Association recently issued guidance for international medical travel and recognized the quality of care and facilities.
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Videos
Destinations and Categories
Hospitals and Medical Travel facilitators
Hospitals
Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok treats 400,000 international patients annually from 190 countries
Christus Muguerza Hospital, named as a Top 5 Best hospital for international healthcare by Men's Health
Parkway Health, with facilities in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and China
Anadolu Medical Center Istanbul, affiliated with Johns Hopkins
Weill Cornell Medical Center Qatar, a full-service teaching hospital of the Cornell Medical Center of New York
Medical Travel Facilitators
Healthbase
Industry associations and Travel health insurance
Travel health insurance
Global Travel Shield by American Express
Medical Tourism Industry Associations
World Medical Tourism Conference
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
World Medical Health Tourism Conference; Phuket, Thailand - September 16-18, 2009
Benefits of medical travel
By Wouter Hoeberechts of WorldMedAssist
Here's what Americans who've joined the growing number of medical travelers have learned:
1. Cost savings can be tremendous
2. Quality assurance is supported through rigorous accreditation
3. Waiting times are shorter
4. Success rates can be even higher than in the US
5. Access to some treatments can be greater
6. Personal attention is unparalleled
7. Longer supervised recovery periods
8. World-class facilities
9. Anonymity and security
10. A true travel experience if desired
Medical travel isn't for everyone, but with U.S. health costs now the highest in the world according to a recent McKinsey study - it provides a viable and affordable option for many.
Using a Medical Tourism facilitator
Medical Tourism is a fast-growing experience with many positives in these economic times, though you should always research thoroughly. Contact a healthcare provider directly, or evaluate a reputable medical tourism facilitator.
A facilitator can offer additional value, and you should always interview your medical tourism company to get a clear understanding on several items, such as whether it has visited its partner hospitals in person
For more information, see A Medical Traveler's Guide
Medical travel articles and health resources
Health resources
US State Department - travel health insurance providers, emergency assistance, etc
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - health topics on vaccinations, diseases, destinations, etc
Articles
Fast Company magazine - "Medical Leave"
Business Week - "Medical Tourism: the Insurance Debate"
Business Week - Parkway Health interview
Time.com health - "Medical Tourism"
NPR - "Insurance Industry watches Medical Tourism"
CNNMoney.com - "Employers make a push for Medical Tourism"
NuWire Investor - "Seeking Affordable Healthcare Overseas"
