For years, India is seen as a medical tourism destination for patients from across the globe. Medical tourist from countries like UAE, South Africa, Ghana, Bangladesh, Nigeria and several other countries travel to India for treatment and surgical intervention. Orthopaedic surgery is the most commonly pursued medical treatment in India. Owing to the accessibility of quality healthcare services at a relatively lower price, India is becoming a famous medical tourism destination.
Medical tourism in India
Medical tourism is termed as the instance where patients leave their home country because either they cannot afford the treatment in their home country, or the treatment is just not available. No matter what the motivation for travelling out of the country is, the trend is catching up. Many countries are now also striving to be a medical tourism destination.
The Asia Pacific is considered to be the leader in global healthcare, and in 2017 it generated the highest revenue in the medical tourism market. Increasing health insurance penetration and improved opportunities for medical tourism players are driving the industry forward. High treatment costs in developed nations are this market’s push factor. Treatment costs in the U.S. are nearly 60% greater than in developing nations.
Factors contributing to medical tourism
The main reasons for the increase in medical tourism may include long waiting time to obtain medical facilities, elevated expenditures, or the absence of proper medical infrastructure in the home country. Some of the major factors why medical tourism in India is a preferred option are as follows:
Affordability:
Medical tourism in India is affordable due to the highly competitive healthcare sector and the role of private players. Factors like affordability, quality treatment in developing countries, adoption of innovative surgical interventions, and improvement in modes of communication have given a boost to medical tourism over the years. The cost of liver transplant in India starts from 34000 USD while the cost of liver transplant in the US starts from 577000 USD.
Accessibility:
The accessibility to the latest and technologically radical treatment procedures is another significant reason for medical tourism. For instance, the Cyberknife robotic surgery method used to diagnose and treat different types of cancer and Tomotherapy, the latest radiotherapy device is also present in most of the top hospitals in India.
Accreditation:
Joint International Commission (JCI) is increasing at a pace of 20 per cent annually. India, today has over 550+ healthcare providers and super-speciality hospitals which are NABH, JCI and ISO accredited. The specialists and surgeons in India have years of experience with expertise in employing the newest technology and innovative surgical intervention to treat medical tourists. Some of these surgeons are also part of international associations and guilds.
Easy visa:
The provision for a medical visa for patients travelling to India has made the procedure so much easier and less troublesome. A medical visa is granted to patients seeking medical therapy in reputable, specialized hospitals or treatment centres in India. For the ease of medical tourist and taking into account recovery time, the Government of India has given the provision of up to a year.
Immediate medical attention:
India does not have a wait time to perform surgeries unlike the weeks and month-long wait time in western countries. Getting treatment immediately also helps reduce complications and health problems. The no-wait time to get treatment in India appeals to medical tourists. Owing to the wide pool of healthcare providers in India, there is absolutely no wait time and the treatment can be done almost immediately.
Alternative therapies:
Many hospitals in India are starting to offer holistic, natural treatments such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy, and Yoga originating from India itself. These are brilliant methods that help many patients recover from post-retreatment. The therapies provide healing with a relaxing element that helps many patients feel better much earlier. The psychological advantages are also often positive.
As India becomes a top destination for medical tourism, the government has an obligation to maximize quality and accessible healthcare, not only for medical tourists but for everyone. To know more about medical tourism in India, you can visit our website www.medicoexperts.com
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