Will India Emerge as the Best Medical Tourism Destination in the Near Future?

                     You might wonder what tourism has to do with medicine. Well, when people travels abroad primarily to get medical treatments or even learn/practice preventive healthcare methods, it is called as medical tourism/well-being tourism. And yes, if people are fit enough (perhaps after the treatment), they can also visit the tourist places/landmarks in their host country!

What drives medical tourism?

Lower cost of treatments, is one of the biggest drivers of medical/well-being tourism, especially to developing countries like India. At times, the cost of certain complex surgeries can be one-tenth of what people might have to pay in their home countries, or even lesser. Include the lower cost of post-treatment stays at top hospitals or 5-Star hotels/resorts around the city, and tourists get a great deal! The travelling cost is the only overhead, but when compared to the total cost of surgeries at home, the savings might still be significant. Besides, connectivity is improving by the day and flight costs are coming down, as well.

Long waiting times for surgery is another issue faced by people in western countries. For some ailments, it is simply not possible to wait for months together and people look at alternative venues for treatments. In developing countries like India, it is possible to fix surgeries/treatments almost without any waiting time.

Expats may want to return to their country (of birth) and be with their relatives while undergoing surgeries. This also drives medical tourism, to a certain extent.

Why India?

The cost of medical treatments in India is quite less, when compared to the west and the country has a number of top rated hospital chains/medical staff. India has the most number of US FDA approved drug manufacturing units and its healthcare system is based on western medicine (predominantly). Large number of doctors/technicians graduates every year, in India. India has a large English-speaking population, and many people consider it important to be able to directly communicate with doctors/hospital staff, in a language they are familiar with.

India also offers a large number of wellness tourism options like yoga, ayurveda, naturopathy, acupuncture, spa/massages, etc. Most of the traditional medicine systems in India focus largely on prevention. Prevention is better than cure, right? Hence, tourists can visit India on a sight-seeing trip and get involved in yoga/ayurvedic massages on the sidelines.

India is already very famous for its historical monuments (like Taj Mahal, Charminar, Qudib Minar, etc.) and has a huge influx of tourists from all over the world. The cost of staying in top-class hotels and resorts is much lower than most other places.

Is everything so rosy about medical tourism?

Not exactly. While developing countries like India do have excellent healthcare facilities, those are restricted to the top hospitals. Hence, the quality of treatments varies with the hospital and their staff members. There are always cultural differences and the way things work in developing countries might surprise foreigners, at times. People visiting other countries for treatment of complex ailments may not be able to roam around and enjoy the sights of the host country! The cost of treatments might vary and increase considerably, when compared to what was estimated and if the treatments take longer, the costs of staying (for family members, etc) might increase considerably, as well.

Conclusion

While medical tourism is definitely an option (especially to reduce treatment costs), it is not an option for everybody and for every ailment. Consulting with existing medical practitioners and medical tourism providers/planners is critical before making a decision to go abroad for treatments. It also helps to get to know the experience of people who have already undergone similar treatments abroad.

But, if it is possible to combine pleasure with treatments and still reduce costs, why not? Medical tourism will only increase in popularity in the coming years and more people might want to explore this new avenue for their benefit. And India is gearing up to the demand!

This is a guest post by Destination Infinity who is a passionate blogger from Chennai, India. If you want to write a guest post for our blog, then just use this Contact Us form to get started.

About the Author

Destination Infinity is a 31 year old blogger from Chennai, India who has an opinion on everything and is an expert on nothing! He has been blogging for more than 6 years @ destinationinfinity.org and has recently released an eBook titled, 'Happiness Guide for Tourists Visiting India: 50 Exciting Things To Do'.

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