What is Medical Tourism?

By: rudy rupak on 2:04 PM

Medical tourism, also referred to as health tourism, is when people travel to another country to obtain medical treatment. It can also be defined as the branch of health and tourism economy that contributes to maintaining and restoring health and well-being in particular by using validated medical services.

The reason for travel for treatment varies. In the past, people would travel from less developed countries to major medical centers in more developed countries from high quality medical treatment unavailable in their own community. Recently, people have been traveling from developed countries to third-world countries for medical treatment because of the lower cost. Another reason for travel is that some treatments are not available in certain countries, such as those having to do with fertility. Some have rare genetic disorders and travel to other countries where the condition is better understood.

Medical tourists are subject to a variety of risks such as deep vein thrombosis, tuberculosis, amoebic dysentery, paratyphoid, poor post operative care, and more.

The first recorded instance of people traveling for medical treatment dates back to when Greek pilgrims travelled from all over the Mediterranean to the Epidauria, the sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios.