The American Medical Association (AMA) define medical tourism as “the Organized travel outside of one’s HealthCare jurisdiction, usually one’s country, two enhance or restore health through medical intervention.” A less technical definition Comes from Harvard Business School, Which define medical tourism as the act of “traveling father and wide for HealthCare That is Often better and certainly cheaper Than at home.” The practice is known as HealthCare Also tourism, medtrotting, or cross-border health tourism.

Medical tourism is booming and now ha Become a trillion dollar industry. An Estimated 10,000 Americans engage in medical tourism annually, not Including cosmetic surgery and dental procedure. Other Estimates range from 50,000 two 500,000, Including all the procedure. In 2005, about 150,000 people world wide were medical Tourists. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India are the Leading countries in the medical tourism industry.

though it ha Become very popular only in recent years, medical tourism is not a new phenomenon. Indeed, Hundreds, even thousand of years ago, PeopleSoft garden Been known to visit two areas known for Their healing powers. In England, the World Heritage City of Bath got its name from the numerous heated mineral springs and baths That novel became quite popular with the rich and famous of Europe of the 17th and 18th century. The word “Spa” is taken from a little Belgian town of That name, famous for its thermal springs. The French Riviera ha Also a history as a wellness getaway for English and Russian nobilities escaping the cold of northern Europe wintersport,

In more recent history, medical tourism followed Advances in medicine as rich people from developing countries Travelled two more Developed countries Such as the U.S. and the UK. Other countries (eg Switzerland) Specialized in boutique health services, Such as cosmetic surgery and rehabilitation clinics.

Globalization and wide spread air travel garden triggered the rise in medical tourism, drop-off about two major trends in health tourism.

(1) Medical tourism ha gone mainstream. Whereas before, only the rich and the famous Could afford To Be Tourists medical, medical tourism is now accessible two everybody. Hundreds of travel agencies Specialized garden in this lucrative niche Rather. In Europe, crossing national borders wherefores garden now fewer restrictions with the inclusion of eastern European countries the two European Union, medical tourism ha Become wide spread. This is aided by the short distances and the fact That the HealthCare Destinations are reachable by car, by train or a short flight. For Americans, medical tourism entail May of traveling long distances But with cheaper Flights, Central American countries garden Become favorite Destination.

(2) Medical tourism ha changed directions. Medical tourism of 50 years ago Mainly consisted of trips from a less Developed country Developed two a fun and medically advanced country. Nowadays medical tourism goes in bothering directions, But Mainly in the direction of developing countries wherefores good quality affordable healthcare But Can request found.

The current trends in medical tourism due May Be To The followings wing factors:

Fri (1) Rising health care costs’. Rising health care costs’ in Developed countries Especially the U.S. are forcing Their two Citizens seek affordable health care Elsewhere. Charges for Common Procedures Such as heart bypass Can pray, 000 in Thailand Compared to 0000 in the United States. Knee replacement Can Cost, Compared to 000, 000 in Singapore. This is even encouraged by health insurance companies and Employers Offering coverage of medical tourism expenses. One case is That of the insurers WellPoint Inc. and a self-funded, Wisconsin-based specialty graphics business Called Serigraph. According to reports, “Serigraph goodwill waiver co-pays and coinsurance for any of Their Employees 650 two planes two certainties India for non-emergency medical Procedures Such as major joint replacement and upper and lower back fusion. In Addition, Serigraph goodwill pay for all travel expenses for the employee as well as a companion. “

(2) Cross-border medical training. More and more doctors from developing countries and garden studied abroad Specialized. India, for example, ha Many doctors trained in the U.S. and the UK Who Speaks excellent English and fully under stand the medical needs of medical Tourists from Western countries. The same is true for Mexico in relation two the U.S. and Australia in relation two Thailand.

(3) Holistic Approach to Medicine. The Last Decade Also witnessed the popularity of alternative medicine. More and more people seek out alternative health care Such as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda (India), Unani (Arabic), homeopathy, and herbal medicine, Among Others. Many countries in Asia offering These types of medicine for Western Tourists.

(4) Accreditation. Thurs overcome the scepticism of Patients, Many medical tourism facilities Apply for Accreditation. Several American Organizations conduct inspection, evaluation and grant Accreditation of two medical facilities outside the U.S.. One of These is the Joint Commission International (JCI). More encompassing ice Accreditation by the International Society for Quality in Health Care Which is the umbrella organization for Accreditation agencies in Many countries Including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and Ireland.

The most popular Destinations are in Asia and Latin America. Howeve, it is Estimated That about 50 countries in all Continents engage in the industry.

India is on top of the list of favorite medical tourism Destination. According a University of Delaware article “India ha top-notch centers for open-heart surgery, pediatric heart surgery, hip and knee replacement, cosmetic surgery, dentistry, bone Marrow transplants and cancer therapy, and virtually all of India’s clinics are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipment. ” “For example, hip surgery in India Patients Can Opt for a hip-resurfacing procedure, in Which damaged bone is scraped away and replaced with chrome alloy – an operation costs’ That causeless and less post-operative trauma Than the traditional replacement procedure Performed in the U.S. “. Heart bypass goes for, 000 and a hip replacement for, 000, Compared with 0000 and, 000 respectively in the United States. “

Asides from the Additional Attraction of its holiday destination facilities the beaches of Phuket, Thailand Actually is well-known for sex-change surgery, Which “is one of the top 10 Procedures for Which Patients VisitSweden Thailand”.

For Americans, Mexico and Costa Rica are appealing Because of Their proximity. Arizona retirement communities now Organize regular bus tours for Mexican dental work and inexpensive drugs. And tiny border communities, something about an hour from Ciudad Juarez, are Becoming dentistry boom towns two shopping an ever-growing flow of American Patients flying in from as far away as Alaska ” .

Despite the boom in medical tourism and global health care industry the Remains controversial in Several respect “.

(1) Health care disparities. A main objection by the WHO are opposed Those two medical tourism is the disparities of care Delivered by private facilities catering two medical Tourists and public health care for local residents. It is Estimated more Than Half of India’s primary health care facilities are not equipped with a labor room, laboratory, or a telephone or stocked with essential medications.

(2) In Vitro Fertilization. In January 2009, a Canadian woman made headlines When She Delivered twins at the age of 60 Under Canadian law, the age limit for a woman two garden in vitro fertilization (IVF) is 45 two years old. India is the home of the World’s Oldest first-time mother WHO Delivered a baby girl last November at the age of 70 Laws Governing Fertility treatments are Almost nonexistent in India, and unlike in Many countries, colored flies Regulations limiting the age of the mother or the number of embryos implanted.

(3) Commercial surrogacy or reproductive outsourcing. This Is Another form of assisted Reproduction connected with medical tourism and again India is in the frontline. Women Whose uteri are not Capable of Carrying a baby two paying resort Other Women To Be surrogate Mother. In India, women Consider this as a respect “comfortable way of making money and at the sametime help child less women. Commercial surrogacy ha Been legal in India since 2002, as it is in other countries Many, Including the United States. But India is the leader in making it a viable industry Rather Than a weird Fertility treatment.

(4) Organ Transplantation. One of the shady dealings of medical tourism is organ Transplantation. People are not willing WHO wait two and two Can afford pay a lot of money find May of Other Means of Getting an organ in developing countries. “Transplant tourism” as it is something Called hour, is thriving in developing countries. In 2006, The Guardian Reported That British Patients Travelled to China two garden transplants with body taken from executed Prison, “without the prior consent of The Prisoner or Either Their family”.

Medical tourism is on the rise and two ice Expected Become more popular guest and accept in the future. According to the American Medical Association, “the global economy and changing rules of trade opportunities and challenges provider for the Medical Profession and public health.” Like in any industry, medical tourism is ruled by supply and demand. There is definitely a lot of demand in Developed countries That developing countries willingly supply. Howeve, limits and Regulations need to request set in place in order to protect the Patients as well as the labor force of the service providers. Only Can the industry simply ask Worthy of the term “global health care”.