Medical Tourism Shapes the Future of Global Healthcare

Over the past decade Medical Tourism has been rising rapidly and the industry has been transformed from a niche marketplace to a highly competitive environment. An increasing number of people is becoming aware of the numerous medical options waiting for them abroad and many are willing to travel to a foreign country to get the treatment or procedure they need.

PlacidWay, a leader in the global medical tourism industry, has been analyzing the Medical Tourism trend over the past 8 years. The recent 2014 Medical Tourism Global Consumer Demand Survey Analysis has shed some light upon the medical tourism industry seen for the consumers' perspective, collecting information from people who have traveled abroad for medical care and those who would consider this option, people of various ages coming from 70 countries.

The reasons for traveling abroad vary from affordable prices, new technology available abroad, treatment not available in the patient's country, to simply looking for a second opinion. The survey has showed that the top 10 treatments for which patients will be willing to travel abroad are:

·         Cancer Treatments (71%)

·         Stem Cell Therapy (68%)

·         Chronic Diseases Treatment (61%)

·         Dentistry Procedures (58%)

·         Heart Surgery Procedures (58%)

·         Organ Transplant (57%)

·         Orthopedic Surgeries (56%)

·         Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery (55%)

·         Eye / Lasik Surgeries (53%)

·         Wellness Programs (52%)

When choosing the medical destinations, patients take into consideration factors such as the quality and availability of the needed treatment, prices, proximity to their home country, if the hospital has accreditation and the doctor training and experience. The results of the survey have showed that the top 10 most chosen medical destinations are: Mexico, India, Thailand, Germany, United States, Costa Rica, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and the United Kingdom.

More and more consumers are not limiting themselves to the solution local doctors are recommending. They are exploring outside the local boundaries, regionally and, in many cases, globally for the option that fits their health care buying behavior, being motivated by price, quality, accessibility and second opinions.

About PlacidWay

PlacidWay, a leader in the medical tourism industry, offers health travelers extensive, reliable information related to medical travel destinations, international medical providers, foreign treatment packages and resources. PlacidWay's network has over 250 renowned medical centers from more than 30 countries. PlacidWay is able to help customers from all over the world get access to personalized, safe, and affordable medical care, no matter where they are from, meeting their budget requirements.