How to start medical tourism abroad?

In 2019, the medical tourism market was valued at $65-80 billion, and will grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 12% from late 2019 to 2025. This sector is growing dynamically every year, showing that getting treatment abroad has become easy and safe. A high level of medical care can be obtained by any patient who decides to undergo treatment or health improvement abroad.

What is Medical Tourism?

When a person travels outside of their home country to receive medical services or treatment, they become a consumer of medical tourism. The term “tourism” in this context implies that many patients stay in another country both before and after medical procedures to enjoy travel and relaxation.

Medical tourism services

The ease and accessibility of international travel for medical tourism is fueling the growth of the industry, as are:

• Various packages and discounts offered by airlines and hospitals.
• Favorable exchange rates and economical prices combined with higher quality services.
• The hospitality provided by the health tourism destination and the opportunity to combine treatment with relaxation.

In addition to lower costs, there are other reasons why patients are increasingly turning to this route:

• Active certification of local hospitals by international associations, which increases trust and ensures effective treatment for foreign patients.
• Faster access to the services you need. Thanks to various programs of health institutes, medical tourism eliminates patients from the waiting list.
• Qualified doctors with international practical experience.
• The latest treatment methods and surgeries available only in other countries.
• Comfortable conditions of stay in hospitals with the latest infrastructure.
• Individual approach, hospital staff who are assigned to the patient individually and translation services.
• High quality of medicines and medical equipment.Тенденции туризма в области медицины

Previously, the first choice destination for medical tourism was European countries – Germany, France or the USA, but now the scenario has changed. Countries like India, Turkey or Malaysia have developed their healthcare system and attract millions of medical tourists every year:

• TOP 10 rising destinations of 2019: Costa Rica, India, Israel, Turkey, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand (according to the Medical Tourism Association).
• The list of the most popular procedures is headed by cancer treatment, cardiovascular surgery, dental procedures, kidney dialysis, cosmetic and plastic surgery, organ transplants.
• According to the Medical Travel publication, the turnover of medical tourism in 2019 is about 45 million trips per year.
• 15% of investments in the global medical tourism market comes from tourists from the United States.
• From 2018 to 2019, this sector grew by 17%.

The development of this direction suggests that patients will spend less money on high-quality services and medical interventions.

Main directions

Marketing research by the International Office of Social Research shows that the largest number of patients travel abroad for the following procedures:

• Cosmetic surgery (breast, face, liposuction).
• Dentistry (cosmetology and reconstruction).
• Cardiology / cardiac surgery (bypass, valve replacement).
• Orthopedic surgery (hip replacement, resurfacing, knee replacement, joint surgery).
• Bariatric surgery (gastric bypass, gastric band).
• Fertility / reproductive system (IVF, gender reassignment).
• Organ, cell and tissue transplantation (organ transplant; stem cell transplant).
• Eye surgery.

Features of medical tourism in Turkey

Turkey is among the top 10 best destinations for healthcare services in the world due to its healthcare sector reform. In 2019, Turkey received 800,000 medical tourists. To meet the needs of those who want to receive high-quality, fast and effective healthcare services around the world, Türkiye is ready to offer:

• JCI-accredited hospitals. 50 Turkish medical institutions are accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the second largest number of hospitals in the world accredited by this organization. The country’s medical sector receives large investments every year, with 24 new hospitals opened in 2019 alone.
• Easy access geographical location. Turkey is located in the center of Europe and the Middle East with a visa-free regime with more than 70 countries, of which Turkish Airlines operates flights to 120 countries, 299 cities, 302 airports.
• High quality of medical services. Due to seasonal advantages, quality of medical services, world-class technological equipment, Turkey’s price advantage is up to 60% compared to Europe.
• Patient support and service. All overseas patients are guaranteed to have an interpreter. In Turkey, an International Patient Support Center is available 24/7 to ensure easy access to medical services. The support number is 0 850 288 38 38, consultations are conducted in German, Arabic, English, Russian, Persian and French.
• Opportunity to travel. During the treatment, nature, history, tourist excursions and seaside recreation are organized for all clients upon request.
• Package offer system. All hospitals offer convenient price offers and package discounts, which often include everything except the flight. The cost of operations in Turkey is on average 50% less compared to European countries and 45% less compared to Israel.

How to properly organize a trip for treatment When choosing a clinic and doctor, you can act independently or through a medical consultant. A consultant will save you from questions about financial calculations and headaches when organizing a trip. He will select a suitable doctor, protect your interests in front of the clinic and act as a translator. Consultants do not charge clients any fees, they are paid by the hospital itself, so the price does not change. On the contrary, hospitals very often provide them with special discounts.

Stages of organizing a trip:

• The first step is to choose a clinic for treatment. Use the Internet. 68% of patients make decisions by searching the Internet. Of this group of patients, information influences decisions regarding the choice of procedures (in 53% of cases), the choice of a surgeon (36% of cases), and the choice of a hospital (25%).
• Prepare all documents – medical histories, photographs, early consultations, images, test results, etc. Both consultants and clinic representatives will ask about them first.
• During the consultation, ask about everything that is included in the cost. In addition to the operation and medications, the price may include payment for a hotel and transfer at all stages within the destination country.
• Ask about legal guarantees and insurance for complications.
• Conclude an agreement with the clinic, it is better to use the services of a professional translator for this. An oral agreement is also valid. The payment and an official invitation from the clinic serve as evidence.
• You can pay for services by credit card or bank transfer. Clinics often give an additional discount for cash payments.
• Prepare for your trip – a visa for you and your family (if you are traveling with them) and personal belongings.

Any patient who decides to undergo treatment or health improvement abroad can receive this level of medical services. Globalmedik provides a full range of information on the selection of doctors, the best clinics, including those that are not on the Internet, and support at all stages of organizing treatment only in Turkey. Here we personally meet patients, accompany them and provide the necessary assistance throughout the entire treatment period. Free full consultations based on the patient’s individual case will help make the best choice and get the best result.

Medical Tourism: Pros and Cons

Medical tourism opens up a lot of opportunities and only positively influences the improvement of the quality of life and health of people who use this opportunity. Traveling abroad for treatment implies choosing a doctor, hospital or consultant at a distance, which is the only difference from treatment in your home country. Therefore, to avoid any negative aspects, we urge you to: • Be responsible when choosing a surgeon and a clinic. • Be persistent, don’t be shy about asking questions and demanding answers. • Be wary of big discounts and ask yourself whether a high-quality service can be provided for this money.