The Pros and Cons of Medical Tourism

Affordable healthcare treatments have become a thing of the past. With the unstoppable soaring of medical bills today, citizens of developed countries like the US and Canada are compelled to find refuge in medical tourism destinations. Of course, it is a well-known fact that medical tourism is a viable option when it comes down to costs and the easy accessibility of medical procedures, unlike the extended waiting times for procedures and medical expenses in developed nations. Statistically speaking, the healthcare costs in Mexico can be as much as 60 percent less than in the US. Having said that, weighing the pros and the cons of medical tourism industry carry paramount importance today.

Every medical procedure calls for precautionary measures in varying degrees, and medical tourism is no exception to that. If a patient is interested in taking up medical treatment abroad, understanding the risks and the necessary arrangements involved in the process are some of the prerequisites. First of all, cheap medical bills at the cost of quality medical treatments can cause irreversible damage both mentally as well as physically. Medical tourism is best complemented with medical tourism insurance, in which case the medical tourist will be covered financially from various medical procedures and travel expenses.

In fact, the major reason why medical expense is remarkably cheaper abroad lies in the value of favorable exchange rates. For example, Costa Rica in Central America is one of the most visited medical tourism destinations for Americans and Canadians. The proximity of Costa Rica from the US and Canada along with the availability of cheap medical costs, and skilled and qualified doctors make this picturesque nation one of the one of the most desired and popular places. It being a major eco-tourism destination, Costa Rica medical tourism is perennially thronged with medical tourists flocking in from the US and Canada. On top of that, the costs of Costa Rica plastic surgery packages are one-third or even a fourth of what they would have cost in the US.

An increasing number of people travel to perform plastic surgery abroad each year, and the trend has proved to be inclining. The best way to gain viable benefits out of medical tourism is to keep precautionary measures in mind. Most people depend upon medical tourism facilitators or groups to make the necessary arrangements and preparations on their behalf, and this is one of the most hassle-free processes.

To do so, it is imperative to check if the facilitator is certified by governing health authorities such as the AMA (American Medical Association) and JCI (Joint Commission International), the latter being the healthcare industry’s official accreditation institution on quality. Likewise, medical clinics or hospitals should be verified and checked for JCI certification or International Organization for Standardization (ISO). For obvious reasons, medical tourists should ensure that plastic surgeons or personal consultants are associated with JCI-accredited health facilities. Last but not the least, online researches and feedbacks on the credibility of the healthcare facilities, facilitator, and surgeons are equally important part of the drill.

Medical Retreat Abroad is one of the leading medical tourism companies in Costa Rica, offering medical treatment abroad. It offers medical tourism at hospitals in Costa Rica.