An interesting bit of history of the medical tourism industry by Alfred Anderson

The present phenomenon called “Medical Tourism” was conceptualized more than a thousand years back when the Greek pilgrims traveled to the sanctuary of healing god Asklepios at Epidauria to seek medical treatments. Over a period of time Epidauria became a destination for medical tourism. Through the centuries, healthcare had always been a major concern for the average human being. The quality of treatment, degree of cost involved and the convenience of the system have always been the major determinants of a good healthcare system. Post-Epidauria medical science has come a long way; nevertheless some of the developed nations fail to satisfy the healthcare needs of their people despite having great medical infrastructure.

United states is one such country where the healthcare expenses have gone out of reach of the general public. While those covered under a medical insurance do not feel the financial pinch, but the ones without a cover suffer the most. As of 2005, about 41.2 million people in the United States did not have a medical insurance. The astronomical healthcare expenses had even led to personal bankruptcy in some cases. Confusing/ multiple medical bills, bulk cash payment upfront, aggressive collection procedures often lead to financial instability. Even the ones covered under a health insurance plan along with the low-income individuals face the risk of a medical debt. Though the quality of medical care at the United States is superlative, the prices charged to avail such a treatment pokes a major hole in common man’s pocket. However, it’s not just the cost factor that makes the healthcare system of United States inaccessible. The waiting period for certain procedures are so long that in some cases a patient ends up waiting for a year or more for the treatment to get started.

The rising costs of healthcare and the inconvenience related to its accessibility have made the age-old concept of medical tourism a phenomenon today. Countries like India, Singapore, Thailand and U.A.E have become the most preferred medical tourism destinations for the patients. Not only do they provide world-class medical care at affordable rates but also couples the medical tourism package with a brief sightseeing tour. As a result, people from all over the world are coming to these countries to seek medical treatment. Over 3,74,000 people came to Singapore in the year 2005 to meet their healthcare needs. The medical tourism industry in India is estimated to touch $2 billion by the year 2012.

Having visualized the immense potential of the medical tourism industry, the concerned authorities of these countries are leaving no stones unturned to become the market leader in this industry. While most of the developed nations like that of the United States are still struggling to balance their out of track healthcare system, destinations like India, Singapore and Thailand have surely cashed in this opportunity by attracting a growing number of medical tourists.

Alfred Anderson has rich experience in the field of online brand marketing. His interests includes Internet marketing and research on emerging online business trends. Healthcare Tourism India

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