How to Use Medical and Wellness Tourism for Healthcare Abroad

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Medical and Wellness Tourism has gained immense popularity in recent years, with people from all over the world seeking high-quality healthcare services at affordable prices.

As a result, countries known for advanced medical facilities and skilled healthcare professionals have emerged as the preferred destination for medical tourism.

Before you go this route, learn what you need to know about seeking medical treatments outside the US. You’ll find the benefits and other considerations you should to take into account about top medical specialties and popular destinations.

CONTENTS — In this guide, you will gain insight about medical and wellness tourisms, including:

Medical and Wellness Tourism Defined
Getting Started as a Medical Tourist: A Step-by-Step Guide
Research Your Destination Options
Consider The Cost of Your Healthcare
Compare Accreditations and Quality of Care
Make Travel Arrangements
How Do I Make Sure I Receive Quality Care Abroad?
Airomedical – The Best Medical Tourism Provider
Final Thoughts on Medical and Wellness Tourism
Next Steps

Medical and Wellness Tourism

If you’re looking to travel in order maintain or enhance your personal well-being and health, you’re not alone. Medical and wellness tourism is on the rise.

But what exactly does medical and wellness tourism mean? Both terms are usually considered forms of “Health Travel,” but they are different in some ways.

Wellness tourism includes travel for the sake or inclusion of going to spas, meditation centers, yoga retreats, mineral and thermal springs, and wellness resorts, and the likes.

According to Globe News Wire, “the global wellness tourism market is estimated to reach over USD 1974.18 billion by 2031.”

Wellness tourism, barring serious illness, can be a fun way to travel while improving your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

On the other hand, medical tourism is when you seek treatment for things of a more traditionally medical nature, like cancer treatment, cosmetic surgery, dental care, fertility treatments, and organ and tissue transplants. (Related: 6 Essential Travel Tips For Kidney Patients.)

Simply put, it’s when you cross international borders to receive medical treatment.

According to the US International Trade Commission, “U.S. outbound medical tourists are thought to make up about 10% of the worldwide total.” In 2017, medical tourists numbered more than 1.4 million people — and growing.

It makes you wonder, why so many?

Let’s look at what’s involved in becoming a medical tourist and what you should know before you do.

Getting Started as a Medical Tourist: A Step-by-Step Guide

Medical tourism offers a range of research, diagnostic, and hospital services if you’re seeking to improve your health.

Specifically, Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Spain have established themselves as popular destinations for medical tourism. They provide promising opportunities for those in need.

One way to find the best options is to inquire with AiroMedical. This global service can help you find the best medical care outside your home country.

They use their expertise to help you choose the right clinic, consider essential details, plan your treatment abroad, and explore different options in various countries. With the aim to guide new medical tourists, they’ll help you make informed decisions.

Even so, you’ll want to do your homework on traveling for medical reasons.

Research Your Destination Options

A “Medical Tourism Index for 2020-2021” assessed 46 destinations offering foreign patients medical travel options.

The report noted that hospitals in the US, Switzerland, and Canada are some of the most expensive.

The US is known for providing high-quality medical services and having top-notch doctors with access to advanced equipment for top-level treatment.

In Europe, Germany is considered to provide the highest quality medical care. Local specialists undergo regular retraining, and clinics keep their equipment up-to-date.

Meanwhile, Czechia is also a popular destination for medical tourism, with successful treatments for oncology, neurology, and genitourinary system diseases. The quality of medical services in Czech clinics is comparable to those in Germany and Italy.

Still, the cost of treatment is significantly lower.

When deciding on a destination for medical treatment, you should consider several factors:

The level of medicine and features of the healthcare system
Clinics focus on treating particular illnesses
Whether a visa is required and how quickly it can be obtained
Cost of consultations, diagnostics, treatment, and other medical procedures
Flight length to the destination country and the patient’s ability to travel long distances

These factors are extremely important if you seek an affordable and top-quality clinic.

But if you’d prefer to bypass the hassle of researching medical tourism yourself, it’s good to know AiroMedical coordinators can offer help you sort through the options.

Consider The Cost of Your Healthcare

Medical Equipment — Cost can be a factor in selecting your medical care.

So, how is price determined when it comes to medical and wellness tourism?

Several important factors influence the formation of the price, particularly when it comes to medical tourism.

They include:

The diagnosis and general health of the patient
The clinic level and the type of therapy (with or without hospitalization)
The qualification level of the leading doctor

When you’re planning treatment abroad, it’s essential to consider the expenses associated with the organization.

You’ll want to find out if the treatment package includes lodging and meals. And if you’ll be receiving outpatient treatment, you’ll want to arrange for accommodations in advance.

When you’re researching hospitals, you can look to the AiroMedical website. There, you’ll find data on more than 479 of the world’s best hospitals for treating all kinds of diseases.

You can reach out to their coordinators to help navigate the prices for treatment in different countries, as well.

Compare Accreditations and Quality of Care

When you’re selecting a hospital, it’s crucial to verify its international accreditation.

This certification ensures that the facility complies with the medical standards of developed nations, guaranteeing top-notch services.

As you do your research, it’s helpful to become familiar with the accreditation organizations.

The most prestigious type of accreditation in medical tourism are:

Joint Commission International (JCI) – This certificate confirms the clinic’s high level because the selection follows strict criteria. It needs to be confirmed every three years.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – An independent international organization carries out accreditation. Implies the quality and safety of medical equipment and services.
Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA) – An independent international organization that promotes high standards of services and care for medical tourists. It issues a certificate only to those institutions that have passed a strict selection.

Whenever you consider a hospital for medical treatments, be sure you select an accredited organization. Your health may depend on it.

Make Travel Arrangements

Arranging medical travel on your own can be time-consuming and expensive.

First, you’ll need to select the country where you want to receive medical treatment.

Next, make a list the best hospitals in that country and gather as much information about them as possible.

Then, you can send requests to several medical institutions and choose the most appropriate one.

Your planning should involve:

Communicating with medical institution representatives
Searching for information about specialists
Gathering necessary documents
Arranging travel logistics

This process can cause delays for patients who cannot wait for such a long process.

So it makes sense to seek help from a specialized company, which can be more efficient and cost-effective.

Here’s how that works.

You’ll order a consultation – You’ll discuss the details of the disease, the medical history, and the results of examinations with a coordinator. That’s when you’ll also name the countries and hospitals you prefer.
The coordinator doctor sends requests to hospitals – They’ll select 3-8 doctors and clinics according to the disease profile and send the hospitals a medical history. You can rest assured the coordinator works with each patient individually.
You’ll receive a proposal – Foreign doctors study the results of examinations and give their conclusion: a second opinion on the diagnosis, a preliminary treatment plan, and cost.

As a result, you’ll have the medical opinion from 3-8 foreign doctors with treatment plans and costs, information about doctors, clinics, and treatment methods with different budgets from different hospitals.

To make it easier you to decide on the best plan, you’ll be informed about the methods of treatment, the achievements of the doctor and the clinic, and the pros and cons of different options.

Working with a global service like AiroMedical can certainly streamline the process.

Of course, the final choice is always up to the you, as the patient.

How Do I Make Sure I Receive Quality Care Abroad?

Hospitals can be classified into different categories such as university, private, multidisciplinary, and specialized. However, all patients should expect excellent medical care that meets global quality standards.

University hospitals serve as treatment facilities and research centers for international clinical trials, ensuring patients receive the latest and most advanced treatment methods.

Private clinics are known for their specialization and dedication to providing a comfortable patient experience. Typically, you’ll find top professors from university clinics working in private clinics.

Additionally, all famous clinics undergo regular re-certification by state medical supervision authorities. This ensures strict quality control of their services.

To find the best options for patients, AiroMedical regularly attends international conferences on medicine so they know the leading experts and high-class doctors in various fields. As a result, they turn directly to the best professors worldwide – and share them with you.

That way, you can be sure that the best doctors are engaged in your health.

Airomedical – The Best Medical Tourism Provider that Helps You

So, let’s take a closer look at AiroMedical in case you’d like to rely on them for help in making this important decision about medical tourism.

AiroMedical is an international online platform that specializes in medical tourism. They can assist you with any questions if you need medical exams, diagnoses, surgeries, or therapy.

They also cooperate with well-known doctors whose experience and professionalism have gained respect in their countries and are recognized by colleagues worldwide.

These are practicing professors, heads of departments and clinics, and authors of their own methods that are successfully used in wide practice. Such professionals will consider your medical case, decide your therapeutic program, and treat you.

This team of people have dedicated their lives to medicine. As such, they enthusiastically monitor all medical technological breakthroughs and know which clinics will best cope with a particular illness.

In addition, they collect statistics on successful treatment and can recommend the clinic with the highest chance of your recovery.

If you have any questions, reach out to their expert team, always ready to help you.

Final Thoughts on Medical and Wellness Tourism

By following this comprehensive guide, you will be well-prepared to embark on your medical and wellness tourism journey.

Whether you’re seeking a wellness experience or have medical needs that need attention, it’s important to be well-informed. Remember to thoroughly research and select reputable healthcare providers, plan your trip and accommodations in advance, and ensure you have all necessary documentation and insurance coverage.

With proper planning and guidance, you can confidently navigate the process of taking advantage of medical and wellness tourism in the best way possible.

Then, you can easily benefit from the excellent healthcare services worldwide.

About Jackie Gately, editor-IN-CHIEF

I'm Jackie Gately, your travel confidante and the creative force behind Enjoy Travel Life, awarded the "Best Casual-Luxury Lifestyle Blog (USA)" in Travel and Tourism by LUXlife Magazine for four consecutive years.

With 25 years of published expertise, I'm a seasoned writer, editor, and photographer curating inspiring travel guides and lifestyle tips for empty nesters. I hope to kindle your spirit of exploration, encouraging you to overcome obstacles and turn your dreams into reality.

Learn to minimize your pre-travel angst and maximize the joy of exploration with insights from my experiences. Let's make every adventure a celebration of this exciting phase of life! 

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References

Medical tourism index 2020-2021 reports. Medical tourism. https://www.medicaltourism.com/mti/home
Volvak N. New oncology treatment in Germany. AiroMedical. Updated December 17, 2022. https://airomedical.com/blogs/articles/new-oncology-treatment-in-germany
Volvak N. Treatment in Turkey (advantages and benefits). AjroMedical. Updated December 05, 2022. https://airomedical.com/blogs/articles/treatment-in-turkey-advantages-and-benefits

Next Steps

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