Medical Tourism Problems

Medical tourism also known as health tourism, involves traveling to a foreign country for a medical procedure. Medical tourism can be defined as provision of 'cost effective' personal health care in association with the tourism industry for patients needing surgical healthcare and other forms of treatment.

Medical Tourism Problems:

While there are advantages of going abroad for the treatments like affordable costs, quality health care and a chance to recuperate and have a vacation at the same time, there are also risks of medical tourism that are involved. These risks are broadly classified as legal and ethical issues.

Legal issues:

Receiving medical care in other country may subject medical tourists to unfamiliar legal issues. If a problem arises, the patient may not be covered by insurance or be able to get compensation via malpractice lawsuits. Few nations recently sought after as medical tourism destinations provide some type of legal cure for medical malpractice. But, these legal issues are unappealing to the medical tourist. Advocates of medical tourism recommend tourists to evaluate the unlikely legal challenges against the advantage of such a trip before undergoing any surgery abroad. People must be aware that the quality of post-operative care may also depend on the hospital and nation and may be different from US or Western standards.

Ethical issues:

There can be major ethical issues around medical tourism. For example, the illegal purchase of organs and tissues for transplantation has been alleged in countries such as India and China prior to 2007.

Medical tourism may raise broader ethical issues for the countries in which it is promoted. For example in India, some argue that a "policy of 'medical tourism for the classes and health missions for the masses' will lead to a deepening of the inequities" already embedded in the health care system. In Thailand, in 2008 it was stated that, "Doctors in Thailand have become so busy with foreigners that Thai patients are having trouble getting care".

Medical tourism centered on new technologies, such as stem cell treatments, is often criticized on grounds of fraud, blatant lack of scientific rationale and patient safety. However, when pioneering advanced technologies, such as providing 'unproven' therapies to patients outside of regular clinical trials, it is often challenging to differentiate between acceptable medical innovation and unacceptable patient exploitation.

Like every other thing, medical tourism also has its disadvantages. Some of the risks associated with Medical Tourism are:

• Medical tourists also face the risks of acquiring infectious diseases in countries like Thailand, India, Malaysia, Cuba or Costa Rica which are quite different than in North America and Europe. These patients who are still weak after their surgery have no natural immunity to foreign diseases and this may be one big hazard they have to face.


• Going to a foreign country for medical treatment has its own risks as the country you go to may not regulate professional licensing and certification of the medical professionals.


• The most common issue related to medical tourism is the quality of the medical institution itself. It can be difficult to check the qualifications of the doctors and other specialized staff at medical facilities which are privately-owned and operated.


• Also, traveling long distances soon after surgery can increase the risk of complications. Long flights and decreased mobility in a cramped airline cabin are a known risk factor for developing blood clots in the legs such as venous or pulmonary embolus economy class syndrome.

The bottom line is that medical tourism isn't a perfect, guaranteed option. Travelers will be out of their element both during and after the procedure, potentially adding stress to the situation. Although medical tourism is not the perfect solution to fight rising medical costs in the United States, it does offer a viable and feasible alternative to many people.