Medical tourism is becoming increasingly popular, and it is projected that as many as 750,000 Americans will seek offshore medical care in 2007. This phenomenon is driven by marketplace forces and occurs outside of the view and control of the organized healthcare system. Medical tourism presents important concerns and challenges as well as potential opportunities. This trend will have increasing impact on the healthcare landscape in industrialized and developing countries around the world.
Patients from highly industrialized nations, the primary reason to have medical services in less developed countries is attractively low cost. Such cost-conscious patients choose to accept the inconvenience and uncertainties of offshore healthcare to obtain service at prices they can more comfortably afford. While most people like to think that ‘you get what you paid for’, the main reason why medical tourism is much more affordable has to do with legal and economic factors in overseas countries, and not a reduction in service and standards.
For patients from countries where a governmental healthcare system controls access to services, the major reason to choose offshore medical care is to circumvent delays associated with long waiting lists. National health programs do not typically pay for cosmetic surgery and similar type services.
Patients also travel to offshore medical destinations to have procedures that are not widely available in their own countries. Some patients, particularly those undergoing plastic surgery, sex change procedures, and drug rehabilitation, choose to go to medical tourism destinations because they are more confident that their privacy and confidentiality will be protected in a faraway setting.
Finally, some patients have medical care abroad for the opportunity to travel to exotic locations and vacation in affordable luxurious surroundings. Although medical tourism agents and travel professionals may promote the “tourism” aspect of offshore care, the recreational value of travel has decreasing importance to patients with complex, serious medical problems.
Although the cost of care is perhaps the most important reason to travel abroad for medical care, the benefits go far beyond saving money. Medical care in medical centers abroad is provided by board-certified physicians, many of whom have previously trained in top U.S. or European medical programs. International patients receive 5-star personal care, from treatment and recovery in the finest hospitals and clinics, and 24-hour attention and services, to luxury accommodations while recuperating. A stress-free environment and privacy away from neighbors, family, or colleagues relieve anxiety, speed the healing process, and produce better, faster results. We suggest that you carefully review all of the information on the medical center and physicians prior to making this decision. There are risks involved in surgical procedures regardless of where you receive medical care. You should take time to understand these risks. We also strongly suggest that you discuss this decision with your doctor in your own country, family members and others prior to traveling overseas for medical care.
Bulgaria is a popular destination for health tourism and prophylactics. Modern clinics and sectors in the main medicine fields, apply high standards of studies and treatment, also welcome tourists from all over the world. All major Bulgarian cities and balneology centers offer professional healthcare, as well as dental and aesthetic services. The quality health care Bulgarian hospitals have all the advanced amenities and maintain world standards in quality and patient care. No compromise with quality is the key feature of the quality medical health care facilities in Bulgaria. There is no time lag in initiation of the quality health care and medical care due to the space for more patients as well as the state-of-the-art medical facilities.In Bulgaria the patients need not wait to get admitted and need not hurry to vacate as is the case in most of the foreign hospitals in USA or Britain.
