A Look At The Most Ideal Destinations For Medical Travel

Without doubt, medical travel is going to be the healthcare of the future. Unless the United States is able to radically change the health care system, the country is set for continued rising prices and declining coverage that will exclude more Americans from the care they need. They can’t pay for it out of pocket because the insurance companies force the prices too high, but they can’t get it covered under their policy – if they can get a policy at all. It’s a wicked system, and the number of people who must have been hurt by that system before the arrival of medical travel is sobering.

But now, there is another option. Medical travel has always been a popular choice, although it has seen an incredible upswing since the start of the new millennium. Technology and skill abroad have more than caught up with what is available domestically, and the American public is taking notice. The number of patients who take advantage of medical travel every month has grown exponentially.

Modern health travelers only face one problem: deciding which popular medical travel location best suits their needs. With so many options, it can be difficult to decide. The trick is to carefully examine the details of every location, starting with large factors like weather and location but narrowing all the way to the most particular details, like the level of surgical skill available for your chosen procedure. Ultimately, most medical travelers start at the beginning: by understanding the general information about the top medical travel destinations profiled in this guide.

A decade ago, the words “medical travel” probably made you think of India. But today, most American medical travelers are going much closer to home. Mexico has become one of the most popular countries of choice for Americans, eclipsing other destinations like India and Brazil. There are a number of factors recommending this southern country, both to Americans and to those living further afield.

First, the location of Mexico is absolutely ideal. For Americans, medical travel to Mexico can be as simple as driving across the border. In fact, it is so simple for travelers in the southern states to cross the border that some American companies are purchasing health insurance plans that are designed to emphasize treatment in Mexico. These forward thinking health plans often net major savings for the employers and employees alike. But even for health travelers in the northern and central parts of the USA, Mexico is still quite close. A quick flight will deliver travelers to any of the major medical tourism cities.

Not surprisingly, the cities with the most medical tourism advantages are typically those with all the conveniences a traveler would expect to find in his or her hometown. These cities are thriving, urban, and very welcoming. They include Tijuana, Mexicali, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Puebla. In addition to location, these Mexico cities also boast an amazingly welcoming climate. The country never sees the extremes of temperature that are common in the north, nor does the heat become oppressive in the summer. Mexico is a good year-round choice for a recovering patient to relax in comfort.

Although the physical factors of location and temperature are important considerations, Mexico offers so much more to medical travelers. In recent years, Mexico has become America’s equal in medical technology and skilled surgeons. There are many leading practitioners working in Mexico, lured by state of the art hospitals, and they are partnering with leading American and European medical equipment companies, helping to develop some of the most cutting-edge procedures and devices in use today. From working with diseases to developing new ways to manage back pain, Mexico surgeons are helping create remarkable advancements.

Medical travelers will also find advanced equipment that was developed elsewhere in use at Mexico hospitals. These doctors remain committed to excellence in their field, and that includes an ideology of continuing education, often as part of fellowships at leading international research hospitals in the U.S., India, and Europe, and attending conferences and training sessions proctoring and studying new procedures.  Many Mexico surgeons develop protocols for procedures that utilize American medical devices; as a result, Mexico often leads the US in FDA-approved procedures performed.

Another strength of Mexico as a medical travel destination is the beautiful climate that prevails in the most highly sought after medical travel destinations such as Tijuana /greater San Diego area, Guadalajara, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.  Many patients – particularly those seeking extensive dental work, cosmetic surgery, or low invasive procedure – take advantage of the temperate weather to enjoy a vacation before their procedure – and sometimes directly after! The country offers many attractions, from beachside relaxation to cultural events, good restaurants, and shopping. Unless staying in Puerto Vallarta, the medical traveler will likely have to take a plane in order to get to a good facility from the beach, but the trip is well worth it. No other medical tourism country has such a variety of vacation spots and available procedures in US-style state-of-the-art hospitals with special concierge services for international patients.

Another popular medical travel destination is Brazil, where a specialty in plastic surgery draws thousands of patients from all over the world – including, it is rumored, US celebrities.  It can be more difficult to identify a provider and make the travel arrangements needed, since providers in the Brazil health care market do not work with US medical travel facilitation companies as readily as countries such as Mexico and India where the medical travel market is more developed and sophisticated. 

As with any medical travel provider destination, medical travelers who choose Brazil should be cautious selecting a quality surgeon and hospital.   Identifying board certifications, medical licenses, continuing education, and where operating privileges are held are key.  ISO 900 or JCI certified facilities are typically more likely to have experience with the unique needs of international patients.  For cosmetic procedures, referrals, testimonials and a readily available database of before and afters is essential.  A beautiful climate is also a bonus, and the famous cities of Sao Paulo, Rio di Janeiro feature many amenities for the medical traveler.  Prices can be slightly lower than those of top Mexican plastic surgeons, however the additional distance and the costs associated with longer travel times must be taken into account.

A Well Known Destination: India

No guide about medical travel would be complete without considering India. This was once the go-to location for any health travelers, back in the days when health travel was considered a somewhat risky endeavor. However, modern medical travel is shifting away from India and toward Latin American countries like Brazil and Mexico for a number of reasons.

Health travelers used to be content with flying halfway around the world if it guaranteed lower medical expenses. But today, there are more choices than ever before. Medical tourism is available in Mexico and Brazil, both of which are readily accessible from the States instead of hours and many transfers away. Although this distance might at first seem to be nothing more than an inconvenience (and added expense), it is quite different when considered in terms of heading home after surgery. For many medical travelers, sitting in one position for a long period after their procedure can be very uncomfortable. A plane ride back from India can take many hours to reach its destination, and often involved cramped, hot planes that carry many passengers. For a traveler operating at peak tolerance and comfort, it can be a trying experience. For a medical traveler who has just had surgery, it can be much more taxing.

How Advanced is India Medical Travel?

When medical tourism first arose, there was no question that India had some of the most welcoming hospitals and surgeons for international patients seeking surgeries at prices that were often a fraction of US costs.  Choices for medical travel patients included excellent hospitals that used advanced medical equipment and technology. But as medical tourism has grown, that initial advantage narrowed and has disappeared. Now, it isn’t clear that India has significantly more cutting-edge technology than would be found in Mexico.  Closer examination of the lower medical care costs in India often reveals that the added expenses of longer travel time and hotel stays brings India and Mexico medical travel packages within ten percent of one another. Given Mexico’s proximity, with surgeons often practicing or teaching in US research hospitals, many medical travel patients are choosing to travel 80 minutes over the border rather than 8,000 miles around the world to get quality health care at a great value.

Now you understand a little bit about each medical travel destination, including what the strengths and weaknesses of each country are. At present, Mexico is the top choice for most Americans, with state-of-the-art facilities establishing international patient departments to service demand  For those who consider Brazil or India for their medical travel needs, it is advisable to work with a reputable medical travel facilitation company, to make assure you are choosing a knowledgeable and experienced surgeon who has proper medical certifications.

Make sure that the hospital has modern, updated equipment and emergency services, ask what will be expected of you before the surgery, and what you should expect afterward. The best medical travel experience is one with no surprises, and working with a hospital that has established a medical travel system will provide a measure of assurance important during a potentially anxious time.  From the moment you set foot on the plane until your last day of recovery or rehabilitation exercises, you need to have everything planned out. If there are lifestyle changes you will need to make, know how you will make them. Try to anticipate questions you’ll want to ask your doctor in advance. Make sure that your medical records are transferred. Choosing the destination wisely is vital to successful medical travel – but the small details are important too.