Medical Tourism involves traveling to other destinations or countries to seek highly specialized medical treatment that is also comparatively cost-effective. Many countries are best in providing quality medical treatments in specific fields, such as surgery, transplant, or fertility treatments. However, in the past decade, some countries have become highly attractive destinations and many others have emerged as preferred medical tourism destinations.
The most common procedures patients undergo during medical tourism include cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, cardiac surgery, organ transplantation, cancer treatment, dental procedures, and hair transplant.
In this article, the Top 10 Countries for Medical Tourism in 2021 in respect of their medical services and facilities will be reviewed in the context of the scope of medical tourism.
Canada
According to the MTA (Medical Tourism Index) survey, Canada is one of the top preferred destinations attracting around 14 million Americans besides other nations. Canada is famous for its surgical procedures i.e., coronary angiography and angioplasty, joint replacements, plastic surgery, and other treatments.
Singapore
The World Population Review has ranked the medical facilities of Singapore as the sixth best in the world.
It offers the latest medical treatments and surgeries with modern techniques and arrangements. Singapore offers cost-effective medical procedures when compared to US e.g. heart bypass surgery or joint replacement procedures.
Japan
Japan is famous for its cosmetic surgery procedures and cancer treatments that are cost-effective when compared to other major medical tourist destinations.
Spain
Spain, a cost-effective medical tourism destination for advanced orthopedic procedures such as tendinosis treatment, foot and ankle deformities, flat feet surgery; Dental procedures – laser whitening techniques; cosmetic surgeries, breast augmentation which are available at one-third of the price as compared to USA.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is an attractive hub for medical tourism with its charming destinations which include England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Whales. The UK is famous for its cosmetic procedures, such as jaw surgery, facial fillers, skincare treatments, and other anti-aging procedures.
Dubai
Dubai is famous for its modern advanced infrastructure that attracts more than five million tourists every year. The Medical Tourism Index ranked Dubai as the most visited medical destination of the Arab region, with its world-class hospitals and best doctors in several specialties. Dubai attracts medical tourists mainly from neighboring Arab and Gulf countries, Asia, and some European and African nations. Top-class medical services include orthopedics, dentistry, dermatology, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, which is very near to Miami, has become a preferred tourism destination for health tourists. It is ranked high in dentistry and cosmetic surgery procedures by MTA. Some of the best health services this country offers to medical tourists are eye surgery, weight loss surgery, and cancer treatment at very low costs when compared to regional centers.
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, the capital city of UAE has been an emerging destination for medical tourists. It provides numerous medical and surgical facilities in the field of multi-organ transplantation, cancer care, and heart bypass services. The Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic have established their hospitals in the emirate. Abu Dhabi offers easy medical visa procedures, medical tourism insurance, cost-effective packages to attract medical tourists globally.
India
India has been a preferred medical tourism destination among other Asian Countries due to its favorable medical visa policy which also allows family members to stay on a medical attendant visa. Some of the main services that attract medical tourists to India include cardiac care, cosmetic surgeries, multi-organ transplantation and alternative medicine like Ayurvedic treatments.
Pakistan
Pakistan has emerged as a favorite destination for medical tourism amongst many neighboring countries including patients of Pakistani origin from the Middle East, African Nations, United Kingdom, and the United States. The country is known for its internationally trained physicians and surgeons along with availability of modern treatment facilities. It has also become a sought after destination due to religious and cultural similarities with countries in Gulf, MENA and Central Asian regions.
The best healthcare services, for which the country is recognized for are dentistry, orthopedics, fertility treatment, cardiac surgery, and dermatology with the world’s top-class specialists. The cost of treatment is much lower than those in western, Asian, and neighboring countries.
Shifa International Hospital is a JCI accredited, one among the best hospitals in Pakistan. The hospital has its setup in Islamabad and Faisalabad and is fully dedicated to providing valuable healthcare services in numerous fields since 1993. The hospital has more than 30 specialties and subspecialties in various fields of surgery and medicine. These include Interventional cardiology, orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Interventional radiology, Cancer treatment, dentistry, and Liver Bone Marrow, Kidney, and Cornea Transplant.
A Patient Facilitation Office in Dubai to promote health tourism has been established which assists patients to make hassle-free appointments with the world’s top-class doctors at Shifa International Hospitals Ltd, Pakistan. Till now it has assisted hundreds of health tourists with their complex treatment and surgeries such as transplants, cardiac surgeries, neurosurgeries, and cancer treatments.
