Medical Tourism is a practice that combines tourism with healthcare services. Over 50 countries have acknowledged Medical Tourism as a national industry. This industry has developed rapidly over the last few years. The concept of Medical Tourism has nowadays started being accepted by the public and the medical community of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as a real solution to the high cost of healthcare in those countries. For patients without healthcare insurance, Medical Tourism offers an attractive alternative to the increasing cost of healthcare. Apart from that, Medical Tourism also serves those patients who seek better medical services than those offered in their country or prefer discretion.

Although it is a pioneering concept, it is not something new. The ancient Greeks used to travel long distances to take advantage of the therapeutic properties of the soil, the hot spas and so on, and to meet the famous healers of the time. Moreover, sanctuaries and places of therapeutic restoration and mental rejuvenation, such as the Temple of Asclepius, used to offer their services and receive patients from faraway places.

The main advantage of Medical Tourism is the fact that it combines holidays with healthcare in a foreign country, often at a lower cost than the patient’s country of residence. A recent survey on Medical Tourism revealed that by 2017, more than 16 million Americans will have traveled abroad, and mainly to Europe, for comprehensive medical care. Furthermore, according to The Economist, 150,000 Americans crossed their borders in 2007 in search of cheap and quality healthcare services.

The medical services offered rarely deal with emergency procedures, while more often they involve treatment of a chronic ailment (cardiothoracic surgery, hip arthroplasty, etc). The most frequent cases, though, involve cosmetic or dental procedures. However, the accreditation, legislation, safety, insurance and the quality of the medical services offered vary widely around the world.