Top 10 Destinations for Medical Tourism

Medical tourism is a multibillion-dollar industry active in dozens of countries worldwide and serving millions of patients every year. In search of everything from discounted healthcare procedures (routine, elective, or critical) to surgeries and treatment options unavailable in their home countries to lush surroundings in which to recuperate, these men and women descend on hospitals from Costa Rica to Thailand with money in their hands and hope in their hearts. The following 10 locations stand as some of their most favored destinations, each offering up their own unique opportunities and perspectives.

1. Costa Rica

Costa Rica apparently boasts one of the best healthcare systems in the world when it comes to World Health Organization standards, making it an extremely popular destination. Hospitals with accreditation from the Joint Commission International attract medical tourists from North America and Europe – where many of the nation’s doctors received training prior to returning. Dentistry remains one of the most popular motivations for medical tourists, with costs for these and other procedures hovering around 1/3rd of the price charged by North American professionals. Cosmetic surgery, orthopedic reconstruction, implant surgery, and cesarean sections are also quite common reasons for seeking out Costa Rican doctors as well. Around 25% of patients seeking treatment at CIMA Hospital in San José are estimated to be foreigners taking advantage of the country’s reasonable healthcare rates, and 15% of tourists in general flock to Costa Rica for medical reasons. Many resorts and tourism agencies now offer packages that combine sightseeing with doctor or hospital visits in order to provide visitors with a diverse and rewarding experience.

2. India

Like Costa Rica, doctors in India receive their medical education in Europe or North America – and while many of them stay put afterwards (about 1 in 20 physicians in America originally hail from India), others bring their knowledge and training back home with them. American and European patients take advantage of this familiarity and flock to the country for treatment at between 40% and 80% of the costs at home. Orthopedic care ranks as one of the most common reasons why medical tourists flock to reliable JCI-approved institutions India, but many of them go for the more routine ones as well due to the low prices for state-of-the-art attention. New treatments and procedures unavailable or awaiting approval in America or Europe are offered here, and doctors are given more freedom to offer up a plethora of options and take a more active role in their patients’ care. Because of this, people from not only North America and Europe take advantage of the healthcare climate in India, but South Asia and the Middle East as well. The government actually encourages medical professionals to embrace this unique brand of tourism due to the amount of money that flows into the economy, and it has stimulated the industry with the equivalent of about $6.5 billion in American money to date.

3. Brazil

Brazil’s thriving medical tourism industry revolves mostly around inexpensive cosmetic, plastic, and reconstructive surgery, but in-vitro and other fertility treatments are becoming increasingly popular as well. However, anti-aging procedures nevertheless continue to hold the greatest appeal in this sweltering South American sanctuary. Breast augmentation, tummy tucks, Botox, and skin resurfacing – among many, many others – draw thousands (if not millions) of visitors to Brazil every year. And the numbers just keep swelling. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons estimates that the amount of plastic and cosmetic procedures performed grows by 25% every year and results in an annual net of around $30 billion. Brazilian doctors especially benefit from this due to their dedication to pioneering new techniques, including a 10-minute nose job that requires no surgery whatsoever. Unavailable in the United States and Europe, men and women alike venture to partake of these reconstructions for health and cosmetic reasons at up to 1/10th of the price back home.

4. Panama

Both one of the most popular and fastest-growing medical tourist destinations in the world, Panama attracts droves of North Americans in need of low-cost, high-quality healthcare. Around 65 to 80 thousand international patients patronize doctors and hospitals – some of whom are even affiliated with the prestigious Johns Hopkins University – in this tiny Central American nation for medical and dental procedures alike. In addition to lowered costs, those seeking treatment at JCI facilities in Panama enjoy a much shorter waiting period for tests and appointments than the ones back home. The currently uncertain status of healthcare in the United States is expected to grant a significant boon to their neighbor’s economy as more Baby Boomers begin to retire, with an estimated 500 to 700 thousand new tourists popping in every year for everything from life-saving surgery to routine checkups. And the savings add up. Most medical care offered in Panama is offered at costs of around 50% less than those found in the United States.

5. Malaysia

JCI-approved doctors and hospitals in Malaysia have been experiencing healthy growth as of late, as have spas – enough to see the South Asian nation ranked as one of the top 5 medical tourism destinations in the world. As with many other nations that attract a lucrative following due to their healthcare facilities and personnel, Malaysia serves as a haven to these individuals for their reduced costs and advanced practices. It serviced 296,687 foreign patients in 2006 (garnering a “modest” sum of around $59 million in the process) and was once projected to grow by about 30% every year until 2010. Most medical tourists head to the country for cardiac, cosmetic, and dental care – as well as alternative medicine practices – and their money attracts quite a diverse crowd of investors to encourage their continuous patronage. The nation’s capitol, Kuala Lumpur, even played host to the 2006 World Conference of Gynecology and Obstetrics, further solidifying its place as a global hotbed of healthcare practices.

6. Singapore

Unsurprisingly, Malaysia’s neighbor to the south has also eked out a place for itself in the medical tourism community. While pricier than other South Asian countries, Singapore’s rates for healthcare stand at a little more than ½ of what consumers pay in North America and Europe. Its hospitals, regardless of whether or not they have been granted JCI accreditation, boast the same reputation for absolute spotlessness as the nation-state itself. Though patients end up here for an exceptionally diverse selection of reasons, hip and knee replacements and cardiac surgery rank as the top medical procedures offered. Breast augmentation, liposuction, and rhinoplasty seem to be the most common of the elective, cosmetic surgeries. Dentistry, alternative medicine, and health spas also rally a bevy of tourists as well. Singapore welcomes an estimated 200,000 foreign visitors a year who drop in with the intention of taking advantage of their doctors – many of whom have received their education in the United States – and hospitals.

7. Cuba

Off-limits to many Americans, the Cuban government thrives on the $40 million USD it earns each year from tourists seeking medical attention. The amount of Europeans and crafty Americans who patronize Cuban hospitals – which emphasize primary care above all else – increases by an estimated 20% each year. Though broader healthcare procedures and treatments are available to foreign visitors, patients suffering from night blindness, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease pay a visit to the small Caribbean nation for its top-notch ocular and neurological services. In addition, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery, and rehabilitation from substance abuse also draw thousands of medical tourists a year. Around 3,500 individuals take advantage of Cubacaban Tourism and Health’s packages every year, lured in by the sultry beaches promising a luxurious recovery and costs slashed by 1/3rd of those found in the United States and Europe. And the fact that Cuba boasts more doctors per capita than any other country in the world doesn’t hurt, either.

8. Mexico

As more and more Americans find themselves panicking over the perpetually confusing and waffling healthcare climate, they have turned their attentions and their pocketbooks towards their neighbor to the south. In many cases, these patients seek treatments that have yet to obtain FDA approval in the United States. Others, though, simply make the trip in order to save between 50% to 80% on everything from simple dental work to open heart surgery. Wait times are significantly reduced when compared to many other nations, and the most common procedures that draw people in include orthopedics, heart surgery, elective cosmetic surgery, eye surgery, dentistry, and more. The World Health Organization ranks the country as 61st in the world for healthcare and believes its hospitals to be as sanitary and advanced as their American counterparts. Unfortunately, the estimated 150,000 to 500,000 annual visitors welcomed into Mexico for healthcare purposes do have to face the extreme difficulty in filing legal action in the event of malpractice.

9. South Korea

Backed by the Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Program (funded by government and private hospitals alike), South Korea has quite firmly established itself as a hotbed for medical tourism. American, Canadian, and British patients pack up and head to doctors and hospitals here with the hopes of saving a significant amount of money. Americans pay 9 times more for outpatient care and 13 times more for inpatient than their South Korean counterparts, which contributes greatly to the influx of 13,000 medical tourists the Asian nation entertains every year. Allure also comes from the fact that the doctors and hospitals make an effort to eliminate wait times for their international visitors and the fact that many offer up new or experimental procedures unavailable in America and Europe. In South Korea, those flying in from abroad to take advantage of their healthcare system tend to favor the same goals as those who elect to go elsewhere – including dentistry, cardiac and orthopedic care and treatment, and cosmetic or reconstructive surgery.

10. Thailand

Frequently touted as one of the best (if not the top) destinations in the world for medical tourists – with 1.2 million foreigners seeking assistance in 2009 alone – Thailand boasts everything that their demographic demands. Beaches for recuperation, well-equipped, clean hospitals with educated doctors and nurses, minimal waits, and medical procedures performed at a fraction of the prices found in America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Dental work, MRIs, CT scans, fertility treatments, and cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentations and face lifts rank as some of the most commonly accessed services offered in Thailand. Here, medical tourists save up to 70% on elective, routine, and serious medical attention alike, and many insurance companies in the United States (such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina) actually cover certain hospitals located in this South Asian destination. As with many other countries with a thriving medical tourism industry, it is possible to book travel packages blending healthcare services with the requisite sightseeing.

No matter an individual’s motivation, seeking out healthcare opportunities overseas may prove a better fit than those available at home. However, it is always a good idea to check Joint Commission International and other reliable accreditation services prior to making any commitments. Likewise, one must also research a doctor’s qualifications (as should be done at home as well), potential insurance issues, personal finances, and the intended destination’s malpractice laws as well. In spite of the necessary research, however, some will find the idea of medical tourism a worthwhile alternative to the options available in their country of origin.