| Increasingly, people from the industrialized | | | | facilities.Medical Tours to the East IndiesFor North |
| countries of the world are seeking out places | | | | American patients, the East Indies and Costa Rica |
| where they can both enjoy a vacation and obtain | | | | in particular, are the chosen destinations for |
| medical treatment at a lower price, than in their | | | | medical tourism.Costa Rica provides close, |
| country of residence.Medical tourists are increasing | | | | inexpensive, high-quality medical care without a |
| in numbers, but which country is best for medical | | | | trans-Pacific flight. Cost wise though, it is more |
| tourism?Medical Tours to IndiaFor medical tourism, | | | | expensive for medical tourists generally, |
| India is a relative newcomer, but recent estimates | | | | particularly from destinations outside of the |
| indicate that the number of foreign patients is | | | | USA.Medical Tourism in South AmericaMedical |
| increasing by 30 percent each year.India has | | | | tourism in South America is mainly cantered on |
| world-class medical facilities, with excellent staff in | | | | Brazil, which has been a centre for plastic surgery |
| all areas of medical care. | | | | for many years.With a large influx of medical |
| All Indian hospitals are equipped with the latest | | | | tourists particularly from the USA, Brazil has built |
| electronic and medical diagnostic equipment.India | | | | a well-developed healthcare industry in all |
| also has the technological sophistication and | | | | areas.Although slightly more pricey than many |
| infrastructure to maintain its market lead. Indian | | | | other destinations, you are assured of good |
| pharmaceuticals for example, meet the stringent | | | | quality healthcare in Brazil - one of the most |
| requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug | | | | beautiful countries on earth.Argentina also has a |
| Administration.India's quality of care is world class, | | | | flourishing medical tourism industry, but its |
| competing with any other industrialized | | | | geographical position is a problem for many.The |
| country.Indian medical centres provide services | | | | RestMedical tourism is growing in other countries |
| that are in fact uncommon elsewhere. For | | | | with Eastern Europe, Africa, and Dubai entering |
| example, hip surgery patients in India can have a | | | | the industry.Dubai will be providing the Dubai |
| hip-resurfacing procedure, in which damaged bone | | | | Healthcare City by 2010 and this clinic will be the |
| is taken away and replaced with chrome alloy, an | | | | largest international medical centre between |
| operation that costs less and causes fewer | | | | Europe and South East Asia. Including a new |
| traumas than the traditional replacement | | | | branch of the Harvard Medical School, it will be |
| operations carried out in western countries.Medical | | | | prestigious, but aimed at the medical tourist with |
| Tours to South East AsiaSouth East Asia offers | | | | more money.Eastern Europe and Africa are |
| some great advantages for medical tourism with | | | | emerging markets, but probably have some way |
| Thailand being the main destination and the main | | | | to go to match the healthcare services available in |
| rival to India.The Thai medical profession is | | | | countries such as India.India for Medical |
| probably the most advanced in the region and | | | | TourismThere are many choices for medical |
| successive governments have invested in | | | | tourists seeking overseas healthcare and many |
| ensuring the necessary education and | | | | destinations have reasons to recommend them, |
| training.Many doctors undertake specialist training | | | | but overall for medical tourists, it will be India that |
| abroad, particularly in the United States and | | | | will be the most attractive. Why? Simply, India has |
| Europe and are at least as well qualified as | | | | wide variety of treatments, world-class hospitals, |
| physicians in these countries.Singapore and | | | | and medical staff, is inexpensive, and offers a |
| Malaysia also have well developed medical | | | | beautiful holiday destination. |