Medical Tourism and How to Choose the Right Medical Tourism Provider

Medical tourism refers to the practice of travelling across international borders to get medical treatments. The medical tourism industry is a growing one, particularly in certain developing Asian nations including- India, Thailand, Singapore and few others. The Indian medical tourism industry is a booming and is expected to double its growth. According to study by Grant Thornton, the cost effectiveness of medical treatments in developing nations is the major driver leading to increase in medical tourism. As a result of healthcare services getting costlier in coming years, the medical tourism industry of India is expected to grow in size from 3 million USD in 2015 to about 8 million USD in 2020.

The reason for India being a preferred medical tourism destination is the right combination of cost-effectiveness and accredited services which are at par with those in many developed nations. The top medical tourism service providers in India include the following:

·      Fortis Healthcare

·      Apollo Hospitals

·      Care Hospitals

·      P.D. Hinduja National Hospital & Medical Research Centre

·      Aster Medcity

·      Narayana Health

Besides these top guns, medical service providers like Max hospitals, Medanta- the Medicity amongst many others are also the contenders to a share in India’s medical tourism industry.  Choosing the right medical healthcare provider for ones needs is thus an important and difficult task. Listed here are a few key points that will help you in choosing the right medical care service provider.

·      The Credentials of the Service Provider:

The first thing to do when contemplating between different medical tourism service providers is to check the credentials of each probable option. Ensure that the respective healthcare provider meets the international healthcare standards and are well maintained to tend to medical tourists.

·      Experience and Specialties:

Besides looking at the credentials of the service provider, you must also take a notice of how experienced they are in catering to the needs of patients from other countries, of varied ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. In this regard, you must look for recommendations made by international medical bodies. A place that is the most recommended is probably going to be the best option. Also look for a medical center that specializes in the field that you need help in. For example, if you need a cardiovascular surgery, then opt for a healthcare provider which specializes in cardio.

·      Price/ Cost of Treatment:

Price is one of the major deciding factors; it is the reason why medical tourism to developing nations like India is building up. So seeking the best price/ package availability is a huge part of picking out the right service provider. Compare the package prices across all of your preferred healthcare providers and choose the one that best suits your medical and budget needs alike.

·      Check out the surgeons/ team:

List the doctors/ team that will take on your case and do ample research about them. Get to know about their personal credentials and backgrounds. You should naturally prefer the team with greater experience in handling cases similar to yours.

·      The Package/ Convenience:

Considering that you need medical assistance; you are bound to be in an emotional/ worried state of mind. Travelling to another country with a probable language barrier in such a frame of mind is not the most comforting of situations. Take a look at what the package includes. Getting a package which caters to all your accommodation, escort and intra-city travel needs is a plus. Many healthcare providers recommend accommodations for those accompanying the patient, and may also be open to sending an escort to meet you at the airport. Choose the service provider which provides you the best all-around services/ package in regards to convenience.

·      Feedback from Current/ Previous Patients:

Getting to know about the hospital’s services from existing or previous patients is highly beneficial when considering your options. You can look at the various surveys on patient satisfaction conducted either by independent entities or by different medical bodies. You can also go through patient testimonials to decide whether the respective hospital/ healthcare center will be the right fit for you.

These are a few points which must play a crucial role in the decision-making process of every medical help seeker when traveling abroad.