Medical travel refers to travel from a home country to a foreign land for better healthcare. People opt for this facility to save money, receive better health services, or avoid long waiting times. Consequently, English-speaking doctors are in high demand where English is not the native language. Because they can effectively communicate with the medical tourists and serve them better. The same notion works behind the thriving medical tourism in India. Here a pool of qualified English-speaking doctors provides the best medical treatment.
It attracts foreign people to undergo complex medical procedures in India. Some medical procedures and specialties get immense importance in medical tourism. People seek treatment in these specialties in a foreign country to get better service at a lower cost.
Moreover, some countries invest hugely in building advanced healthcare facilities to become a preferred medical tourism destination. Here we will discuss the top procedures in medical travel in India.
Top 7 Common Procedures in Medical Travel
With the advancement of medical tourism, travelers tend to seek treatment in various specialties. Here are seven common procedures that invite people to undergo medical treatment in foreign countries.
Dentistry
The dental implant is a popular medical tourism procedure for people of the United States, Western Europe, and Australia. The primary reason behind this trend is the high cost of dental treatment. In the US, the price tag for a single teeth implant is about $5,000. Also, health insurance doesn’t cover dental procedures in most cases. Apart from implants, medical tourists also seek care in dental procedures like veneers and crowns, which are equally expensive.
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is a crucial medical procedure that ensures a better quality of life. But in most cases, health insurance doesn’t cover this specialty. In the US, the average cost of cosmetic surgery is $6,400. This is why cosmetic plastic surgery is one of the most common procedures in medical travel. Some of the standard cosmetic procedures medical tourists seek are Liposuction, Breast implants, Rhinoplasty, Facelifts, and Tummy tucks.
Ophthalmology
Some eye treatments like cataract surgery and Lasik to correct vision using lasers have become popular procedures in medical travel. The Americans opt for medical tourism to avail of eye treatment at a 50% lower cost. In addition, the US health insurance doesn’t cover Lasik, which costs about $2,200 per eye. On the other hand, people get the same treatment in India at $1,000 for both eyes.
Besides, it takes a day or two to recover from Lasik, providing you with a holiday period. And Medical Tourism Companies in India offer a complete package of eye care procedures combined with a vacation in India.
Hair Restoration
In the U.S., the cost of a hair transplant varies from $2,000 to $15,000. And obviously, it doesn’t come under insurance. So, Americans leave for a medical tourism destination where they can afford a new head of hair.
Reproductive Medicine
Reproductive tourism has become widely popular over the last decade. Statistics say about 70000 Americans seek in vitro fertilization in a foreign country every year. And India has become a major global destination for reproductive tourism. There is a US$2.5 billion industry exists in India. It helps childless couples, where most foreigners become parents through the IVF process.
Cardiology
Heart surgery comes to the top when we talk about medical travel. And it is the prime reason behind the thriving medical travel in India. The country is home to the best cardiology hospitals in India. And medical tourists come here for advanced health facilities and heart transplant surgeries at lower costs. Further, the medical tourism companies in India ensure the top-rated medical facilities for the patients. The average cost of a heart transplant ranges from 20 to 25 lakhs in India. It includes pre-transplant evaluation, the surgery, and the post-transplant recovery period.
Oncology
Cancer treatment is among the top medical tourism specialty. Several reasons lead people to undergo cancer treatment in foreign countries. Some people visit abroad to get innovative procedures or therapies unavailable in their home country. Also, people opt for medical travel for cost savings as cancer treatment is very expensive.
Conclusion
Medical tourists seek treatment in foreign countries due to various reasons. Some people visit abroad to get innovative procedures while some want to save cost. However, out of several medical travel procedures, the most common are heart surgery, cosmetic surgery, cancer treatment, dental treatment, etc.
