October 2015

Why Medical Travel is Becoming Increasingly Popular

With the recent public sector cuts in the major economies of Western Europe, there has been an undoubted decrease in the quality of medical care in countries such as Germany, France and the UK. With the major European countries adopting an economic policy of cuts, this had led to less spending on public healthcare in these countries with longer than normal waiting lists.

This has led to an increasing number of people looking overseas for medical care. Tired of waiting on long lists for hospital care, or paying large amounts for treatments, more people than ever are going abroad for medical treatment. It makes more sense to book an appointment abroad when once considers things such as quality of care, waiting lists and most importantly, the cost.

And it’s easy to see why. The financial savings from medical tourism can be significant. For example, a cardiac bypass surgery in the USA would cost you around $100,000. A similar surgery in the Czech Republic would cost you around $40,000, a huge saving of 60%.

It’s not just major surgeries that people are going abroad for. The cost of plastic surgery abroad is considerably cheaper with superior care and technology also available. A whole host of procedures and surgeries are now available from IVF treatment, liposuction to breast augmentation. One of the best-selling procedures are those relating to weight-loss, with the “tummy tuck” proving to be one of the most popular operations that people are going abroad for.

Not only is the price cheaper but in most cases, there is a superior level of care. The industry is much more regulated these days than it was in the past and accredited organisations such as ISO and JCI ensure that world-class treatment is available. As well as this, there are 5-star facilities available which ensure that the client has a luxurious place to stay during their treatment, as well as 24-hour care in a purpose-built hospital which also serves as a hotel.

One of the foremost countries for medical tourism travel is Czech Republic. Only a few hours on a plane from England, the vibrant and cultural Czech capital of Prague has become a hot-spot destination for medical tourism. With its close proximity to most of the countries in Europe, Prague is the ideal city for those seeking medical procedures abroad. In terms of value, few places can compare to Prague. The professionalism and quality of the procedures is first class, with an incredibly low price in comparison to other countries.

If you want to save time and money on medical procedures, then you need to explore the option of medical tourism. There are a whole host of countries in Central and Eastern Europe that provide outstanding medical care at a fraction of the cost of other countries. With the right research and planning, you can get significant value from going abroad for medical treatment.