In a world of fast-paced business and where the economy is the power tool that solves any problem, medical tourism is something that has entered the 21st century without warning and it’s booming more and more.
Tourism is an important asset to the economy in any country and some have the subgenre of medical tourism, which is making their land known and many are travelling to those locations only for getting something done. But what is medical tourism exactly? What does it mean?
If you’re clueless as to what medical tourism is exactly, keep on reading.
Medical Tourism 101
Medical tourism is defined by people who travel abroad to get medical treatment. This might be something you have heard of in the past, and you might have the idea that is when people travel to less-developed countries because they’ll find treatments they are looking for for a third of the price at their home country.
While this is true, more recently, people do not only travel for lower prices, they also travel because there might be certain treatments they are interested in that are not allowed in their country, therefore they’ll go looking for these procedures somewhere else.
National health institutions are not all the same and do not have the same regulations, so it’s easy to see how a certain procedure you want to get done might not be allowed in your country, but somewhere else and maybe not that far away from you.
A very common example that might have crossed your mind is cosmetic surgery, which can be cheaper but most importantly, legal in other countries. But any kind of healthcare is available and people have different reasons why they will search for help abroad. Another question that might be on your mind is, are there any risks?
What risks are there in medical tourism?
There are obviously many risks involved in any surgery or medical treatments, however, this isn’t specific to medical tourism. Those risks are present no matter where you decide to go, your local clinic or across the world.
There are things you should be careful with, for example, is that clinic certified? Can you easily access feedback from other patients? Does the centre show photos of before and after and do they look real?
Be careful with who you choose and always make sure you are comfortable with your decision. Have a first appointment with the doctor and ask any and all questions you have and see how you feel. Don’t just jump into a procedure.
Why is medical tourism so popular?
Besides the above-mentioned facts (cost and regulations), medical tourism is highly sought-after, especially nowadays. It’s not only about how much you’ll spend, it is also about the best surgeons, dentists, dermatologists, psychologists in the world. Because of social media, these practitioners are easily discovered, and some are even using social media to spread their work and results.
According to Auralia, who “are the only cosmetic surgery provider in Ireland with [their] own on-site surgery. [Their] state of the art hospital includes two operating theatres, a 6-bed recovery area, (…) providing exceptional standards of surgery and unrivalled recovery care for [their] patients.” Their approach is that they provide the best they can and what will be the right fit for you.
So, the question is, would I want to travel to Ireland specifically to go to Auralia? I would most likely have to say yes. After having read their description, reviews from former patients and just their overall approach to cosmetic surgery and support, I would trust them to do whatever procedure I wanted to get done.
And just like me, many others will choose a specific clinic or doctor because of this. People need proof of their expertise, or they’ll have seen a celebrity go to that place, or a friend has recommended it to them. The reasons are limitless, and the fact is medical tourism is seen more and more often.
These are the reasons why medical tourism is so popular nowadays and my guess is that it won’t stop soon. People love finding the exotic in anything they do and getting work done while abroad is the epitome of ‘going on holiday’. You go ‘you’ and you come back with a toned stomach, better pectorals or even looking younger.
If everyone knew they could go on holiday and come back with more than just a tan, don’t you think we would all be doing it?
