Medical tourism is a rapidly evolving industry. With the increasing prevalence of disease complications and the search for better options, technology, affordability, and opportunity to easily travel, millions of patients travel every year from one country to the other to get their conditions treated. Those with life-threatening diseases prefer to go abroad for high-quality medical treatment.
India, Turkey, Thailand, and Singapore are famous medical tourism destinations in the world. These are among the best choices which the patient prefers and there are widespread options available for international tourists. Affordability is a huge factor that has driven increasing patient travel in these countries.
Every year millions of patients from Africa, Bangladesh, Iraq, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the US, and the UK travel to India to seek medical treatment. India is home to JCI-accredited hospitals offering world-class quality treatment at affordable treatment packages. Patients from foreign countries prefer JCI accreditation as it guarantees medical procedures carried out on the basis of international standards.
Speaking about complex medical procedures like cardiac surgeries and organ transplantation, the cost is nearly 10 times cheaper in India compared to other countries. This means patients get access to advanced treatment at affordable pricing. India is the first preference for the treatment of Oncology, cardiology, Organ transplant, Hematology, and Gastroenterology. India has the highest success rates for IVF, CABG surgery, cancer treatment, kidney transplants, knee replacement, and many other advanced treatments.
Doctors in India are the most expert doctors worldwide. The hospital staff is English-speaking and this allows easy interaction between the patient and the doctor. Translator facilities are also available to maintain the highest comfort of the patient ensuring there is no language barrier to patients coming from any part of the world.
The travel procedure for India is one of the most simplified ones. The procedure to get a medical visa is hassle-free. E-visas are introduced by the Indian government making travel more easy and quick. The patient needs to fill an online form to complete the procedure. Under this e-visa scheme, nationals of 169 countries are eligible.
With the Medical Visa, one can stay for 60 days in India and is allowed three visits to the country to seek medical treatment in India.
After India, Turkey is setting a new benchmark in the medical tourism industry. It is a famous medical tourism destination among patients from the Middle East, North Africa, North America, Europe, and Russia. This medical tourism destination has a highly advanced medical infrastructure.
Hospitals in Turkey have highly skilled and expert doctors offering personalized treatment at affordable prices. Many facilities like patient transfer, accommodation, language assistance, etc are provided. Patients prefer Turkey for cosmetic treatments like hair transplant services and ophthalmological treatment.
Turkey is known for laser eye surgeries and treatment of eye conditions like glaucoma and cataracts. For hair transplants, Istanbul has registered over 500 hair transplant clinics.
Thailand is also one of the most preferred top medical tourism destinations in the world and the main reason behind the choice is the affordable treatment packages allow medical tourists to avail top-notch medical treatments at cheaper prices.
Doctors in Thailand are English-speaking and have received medical training from Western countries. Thailand is attracting medical tourists preferably for cosmetic and dental treatments.
Thailand is also known for Wellness tourism like herbology, fitness and mind-body, Thai traditional medicine, meditation, spa, yoga, anti-aging and beauty treatment, alternative medicine, and much more. People across the world prefer Thailand as a relaxing destination and as a way to release the modern world’s stresses and spend more time in resorts and spas.
Singapore is a good option to receive some of the best medical treatment in the world. Millions of medical tourists visit Singapore to receive quality medical treatment. There are a total of 21 JCI-accredited hospitals in Singapore. Patients not only visit Singapore for medical treatment but also for screening because of the availability of the most advanced and latest diagnostics.
The most frequently availed medical services are cancer treatment, weight loss surgeries, orthopaedic surgery, heart surgery, and neurosurgery.
The treatment period may last longer than the standard 30-day entry permit by applying for a special permit at the ICA to stay longer for medical treatment.
South Korea's medical tourism industry is a boon for cosmetic procedures like plastic surgeries. Besides cosmetic treatment, patients also visit Korea to receive spinal treatment and organ transplants.
Those seeking beauty standards prefer South Korea in terms of quality services and satisfactory cosmetic surgeries. However, the treatment packages are expensive in South Korea.
The present scenario highlights the tremendous growth of the medical tourism industry. People in the present world have increased acceptance towards moving from one country to the other for the best quality treatment at affordable prices.
Countries like India, Turkey, and Thailand are delivering exceptional healthcare services at affordable prices with the global highest success rates.
Social media in recent years has gained wide popularity in enhancing awareness about medical tourism. It is the main tool used by service providers in showcasing their quality and professionalism.