LES DROGUES

Depending on which country you reside in, there can be anywhere from hundreds of dollars worth of reasons to choose medical tourism, to hundreds of thousand of dollars worth of reasons.

The much lower cost of surgery alongside just as qualified and professional medical staff, a more luxurious and relaxing recuperative experience, and more personal and friendly service at many international medial tourism hubs is seeing the practice become accepted worldwide. Here we look at whether treatment at a minor hub like South Africa or Costa Rica, or a major hub like Bangkok International Hospital is better suited to your situation.

Thailand is far and away the most practiced and polished of medical tourism hubs, with a large concentration of highly trained (in most cases, internationally trained) doctors and nurses and excellent competitiveness on price terms. In 2006, Thailand had over 1.2 million medical tourists, compared to India's 600,000 odd, and Singapore's 374,000 - the two other major hubs.

Thai medical service and Thailand healthcare is widely recognized as among the world's best, and cost of living differences mean treatment can be offered at fractions from one-sixth to one-third of Western prices. Special packages offered by facilities like Bangkok international hospital can reduce these low prices even further.

However, for those that base their choice of medical tourism facility purely on price, India is still the country to go to. It is the equal of other major and minor hubs in terms of equipment and staff quality, and prices can approach a tenth of those in the United States, especially in the fields of dentistry and diagnostic imaging.

However, some are less than reassured by India's poor infrastructure and development in general, despite the fact that hospitals and facilities are modern and very hygienic. Also, while tourism after a procedure is historic and fascinating, it is not always the most comfortable experience by Western standards.

Thai international hospitals, by contrast, offer more Westernized tourism options, and some minor hubs like South Africa and Eastern Europe are catching up.
With regards to price, it seems that some people actually prefer to pay more for their medical treatment, believing that this factor alone gives them a stronger guarantee of success.

It is for this reason that South Africa is emerging as a stronger player in the medical tourism market, although with nowhere near as many patients as Bangkok International hospitals. Cosmetic surgeries are popular in South Africa, and bundled packages with your hotel, tourism after the procedure and physical therapy and personal assistants are one of the most attractive things about international medical tourism in South Africa.

Costa Rica is a medical tourism market with an unassailable advantage for United States customers - that is the flight to arrive at your hospital is much shorter than the 18-hours plus it takes to reach Asian destinations.

It is recommended for minor surgery, dental work or cosmetic surgery, however prices are around 40-50% of those in the USA. Major surgery is better undertaken at a Thai international hospital or an Indian facility. The recommendations are similar for Eastern Europe, including Hungary.

Bangkok Hospital - 36 years of advanced medical technology and expertise, complemented with Thai hospitality and compassionate care. Includes the world-renowned Bangkok Heart Hospital and specializing in oncology, neurology and orthopedics. Some of the worlds most advanced minimally invasive diagnostics and treatment procedures are in place.

Article Source: The Emerging Medical Tourism Markets Now Competing With The Big Players