Medical Tourism - The Next Big Thing

Medical tourism in very simple terms implies the movement of people from one country to another in search of better medical care.

The trips are well planned and a lot of research goes into the whole exercise. They are a combination of surgical care, combined with touring, a small vacation and sightseeing too. It is a silent but powerful revolution that has been sweeping the medical corridors for over a decade now. The countries that have directly benefited from it are India, Greece, Mexico, Israel, Hungary to name a few. The global medical tourism market is anticipated to be around US$60-billion. Lets read some more about this global phenomenon.

1. Sound Marketing Skill

In the last few years after the big bang settled down, nations that lost out on the cake have realized that marketing is the key to success. Hospitals and institutions that have expected patients to reach them and not the other way round are making changes in their approaches. Countries that are marketing themselves as safe medical havens are cashing in on the business and making heavy profits.  The reason that plastic surgeons, dentist and cosmetic surgeons do so well, is much clearer now.

2. Similar Cultures

Over the last decade or so, the ground root problems have become very clear. People travelling to strange countries faced language barriers, dealt with cultural differences and came back utterly dissatisfied. The present day customers are travelling to countries where they know the culture, will get familiar food and probably similar religious backgrounds too. They are now expecting the nurse to speak their language and the doctors to treat them with respect.

3. Global Awareness

The present day customer is comparing the rates of  travel medical assistance companies, doing their homework and only then deciding to move out of the country. The way this industry is heading, it only stands to benefit all associated with it.