FROM THE ARCHIVE · Originally published in Destination Health Magazine, Spring 2019
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An Evaluation of the Healthcare Tourism in Today’s Realities

For countries which are incapable to meet healthcare demands of their citizens, healthcare tourism options are helping to find medical care, especially for the global middle class.

Dr. H. Omer TONTUS

By Dr. H. Omer TONTUS

Editor-in-Chief & Publisher

Lead surgeon, health informatics authority, and creative architect mapping the socio-demographic realities and macro-economic infrastructures of global player networks.

People around the world are seeking quality health services at an affordable price. Increasing healthcare costs in the US, long waiting time in the UK, lack of specific treatment modalities in underdeveloped countries force some people to look abroad to seek treatment solutions. The result of these kinds of demands with many other causes medical tourism industry is growing.

Medical tourism is booming in India, Malaysia, Turkey, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica and UAE. But, who are happy in the medical tourism sector; patients? or healthcare providers? or investors? or government? and Why it is booming?

At one end of the span are the US citizens who either lack of fund or want to avoid financial failure. For example, a $140,000-$200,000 open cardiac surgery bill in the US may cost a merely $10,000-$15,000 in Malaysia, India, Thailand or Turkey. At the other end of the span, Africa’s expanding middle class is driving a growing market for outbound medical tourism. Estimated 50,000-70,000 African received medical treatment abroad last two years.

Additionally, companies from different countries operate telemedicine or tele-radiology services for reporting or second opinion. And some healthcare providers are opening facilities to offer post-operative care in patients’ homeland. Africans prefer relatively cheaper countries such as India, Turkey and Thailand rather than the UK, the US or UAE.

"Medical tourism through developing countries is the middle-class income people’s reality. On the far-left side of the line, there are poor people who cannot afford the costs of travel."

In developing countries, the modernization of the private health sector has far outpaced the public health sector. Meanwhile, healthcare needs remain unmet for “the majority of citizens of developing and underdeveloped countries”. Thus, medical tourism through developing countries is the middle-class income people’s reality. On the far-left side of the line, there are poor people who cannot afford the costs of travel and overseas treatment.

Possible solutions are beginning to put on practice more quickly. The international hospitals in poor countries are training doctors on how to perform specialized procedures in the way of reducing medical travel. This is an income or profit based solutions for the international hospital. If the cost of travel and accommodation cost deducted, people who are not the poorest but below the middle class of income can afford the treatment cost in their homeland by in a higher quality healthcare institution.

In overall, for countries which are unable to meet their citizens’ healthcare demands, medical tourism can help for demands met the need of the middle class, globally. In order to find a solution for the poorer populations, governments and the private sector must work together to increase healthcare service capacity affordability for their citizens. Everyone has the right to access to healthcare which is a universal human right.