More and more people are choosing to travel abroad in order to receive high quality and discounted medical care. However, there are many misconceptions and preconceived notions about medical tourism available, so many people remain skeptical. Below is a list of common misconceptions that need to be corrected.
Myth: Medical tourism is a new concept
Fact : Medical tourism is nothing new. In recent decades, people have been traveling to foreign countries to see doctors, undergo cosmetic surgery, etc. In recent years, medical tourism has become even more popular. In recent years, medical tourism has seen a huge boom.
Medical tourism dates back to ancient times, when Greek pilgrims traveled across the Mediterranean Sea to take refuge in the Saronic Gulf of Epidauria in search of Asclepios, the god of healing.
Myth: Low-cost medical care is of poor quality
Fact : Usually, people think that the lower the cost, the lower the quality. However, studies on medical tourism have shown that the low cost of medical care abroad is due to cheap labor. In addition, the popularity of medical tourism has contributed to the improvement of service quality in medical tourism centers in Thailand, Costa Rica, India, Singapore, and Argentina.
Many private healthcare providers abroad use the latest medical methods and technologies. Due to the intense competition in this rapidly growing market, medical tourists can find the same or even better medical facilities and equipment abroad than in their home countries. Foreign clinics offer state-of-the-art instruments and qualified doctors, many of whom have experience of training in North America and Europe.
Many foreign medical services are accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). In addition, clinics abroad offer a higher level of medical care compared to general community hospitals in their home countries.
Myth: Foreign doctors are not as good as local doctors.
Fact : Medical tourism information provided by the U.S. National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) shows that overseas healthcare providers and medical tourism brokers compete by advertising the credentials of their medical teams. These doctors are usually certified by the U.S. Board of Commissioners, while others have globally recognized educational credentials. Most doctors serving medical tourists have been trained in the United States, Australia, Canada or Europe.
Most physicians in China, Southeast Asia and Middle Eastern countries have been educated and trained at universities and hospitals in the United States.
Myth: Foreign hospitals and medical centers are technologically substandard compared to their home countries.
Fact : Economic and population growth in Asia is the main reason for the rise of medical infrastructure in recent years. Due to technological and medical developments, medical services are also extremely advanced and sophisticated.
Most hospitals and medical centers abroad are private services that cater to medical tourists and the elite of these countries. They utilize the latest medical technology to create a comfortable treatment environment for patients worldwide.
To ensure quality of service, choose an institution authorized by Joint Commission International (JCI), an affiliate of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations International (JCAHO).
NCPA's medical tourism information shows that more than 600 hospitals overseas are accredited by JCI. ISO also accredits hospitals that meet globally recognized standards.
Before seeking medical treatment abroad, you need to gather reliable information about medical institutions and doctors to judge the quality of overseas healthcare services. And the Internet is a great source of reliable medical tourism information.