Medical Tourism or health tourism is a travel trip to a foreign destination for medical treatment. People travel across the world to receive health-treatments, much of it depends upon factors those are:
- Usually People travel from developing countries to highly developed countries for medical treatment because of unavailability of treatments in their own communities.
- In recent times people travel from developed countries to for medical treatments because of the two main reasons, one is cost and another reasons are, some treatments may not be legal in their own country ,Skilled doctors and improved quality of private healthcare etc…
Companies like International Hotel Group and tourism resorts that provide facilities mainly on recovery needs and also leisure recovery. Recovery retreats provide high-end services to the patient. There are many Emerging Medical professionals that guides the people who are looking for a trusted support – The Holiday Healer.
The Global Healthcare in Medical Tourism:
The following are Some Common Treatments/Procedures that patients pursue during medical tourism trips to India
- Knee Replacement
- Cardiac surgery
- Cosmetic surgery
- Dental Care
- Organ transplantation,
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Urology
- Eye Treatment
It also provides Traditional Rejuvenation Therapy:
- Yoga
- Ayurvedic therapy
- Homeopathy
- Naturopathy
Impact of Medical Tourism:
The medical tourism has an impact on hospitality and tourism industry. It can influence,
- Social
- Industrial
- Financial
- Environmental
- Business and Hospitality sectors in an economy
Its impact on global health care leads to, innovation in health care solution, enhancements in health care solutions and in the number of health care professionals, Increased Healthcare international standards in healthcare and emergence of supporting healthcare infrastructure.
India‘s Strong Growth in Healthcare:
- In India the medical tourism business has been growing in recent years and is considered as one of the popular and best destinations for medical tourism. The medical tourism industry is experiencing marked growth.
- In India, 150,000 foreigners sought care in 2004 and 5 this number is growing at a rate of about 15% annually.
- People receive effective medical cures at lower costs than in developed countries.
- From the International Passenger Survey, in 2004 approximately 25,000 Briton patients experienced a medical visit as compared to the 77,000 patients in 2006.
- Medical Tourism is an emerging industry and estimates show that size of medical tourism industry stand between Rs.1500 crore and is increasing at the rate of 30 % annually.
- The number of medical tourists to Asian countries is increasing by about 20% to 30% each year.
Indian healthcare sector and its Statistics
India is home to a host of top medical facilities and many provide Medical Tourism facilities by attracting patients from all over the world. India differs from many other developing countries in its advanced medical delivery system. To know more about Indian HealthCare Market Overview.
Future strategy for medical tourism development:
- Medical Tourism is one sector that has show consistently high global growth in recent years.
- Indian too achieved spectacular success in tourism with a growth rate the surpassed the global average consequently.
- In the world tourist arrival India’s share continued to increase from 2002 onwards.
- India offers a variety of services for overseas patient.
Reason for attracting medical tourist to India:
- Support of government and infrastructure facilities
- No language barrier
- Personal touch
- Foreign investment
- Quality and range of services
- Alternative therapy
- The price advantage
Globalization of health services:
- Globally there has been tremendous growth in the health service sector, caused by inadequate national public health services, the spiraling cost of health services and the availability of cheaper alternatives.
- In India, health care is one of the largest sectors, regarding revenue and employment, and this sector is expanding rapidly.
- Medical tourism in India has gained momentum over the past few years.
Health-care Delivery
Medical tourism facilities may lend a helping hand to India’s health policy aspirations by developing a more robust private health sector.
Expansion of medical tourism in India:
- There are several features that make India an appealing destination for visitors seeking health services.
- These include its large populace of good English-speaking medical staff; a good mix of allopathic and alternative systems of medicine, well-trained health practitioners, the availability of super- specialty centres, use of technologically advanced diagnostic equipment, finally and more importantly, the availability of these premium services at competitive cost.
- The treatment costs in India are on average one-eighth to one-fifth of those in the West. For Example, a cardiac procedure that costs anywhere between US$40 000–60 000 in the United States is priced at US$30 000 in Singapore, and only US$3000–6000 in India.
- Ministry of Tourism of India has new category of ‘M’ or medical visas for medical tourists
- Efforts are underway to improve the airport infrastructure to ensure smooth arrival and departure of health tourists.
- If the present trend continues, trade in health services will become one of the biggest sectors in India.
Medical Tourism’s biggest attractions in India
- Quality care
- Relatively cheaper services compared to the west
- Package deals and cheap services from the tourism
- Hospitality sectors and the options offered by holistic
Implications of Medical Tourism
Asia has become a prominent destination for global medical tourists. Within it, India has a relative advantage, as is evident from the institutions involved and the services offered as well as the low cost of treatment.