Planning a medical journey?
You can start either by choosing a country you want to visit, or by finding the best hospital or doctor for your individual needs.
All hospitals are not the same. Even the best hospitals in one country may not be as good for you as the best hospitals in another country.
How to find the right medical destination
Choose a medical destination not just for its tourist attractions, weather or ease of travel.
Just as medical destinations vary in culture, language, social and religious customs, their medical professionals and health care establishment vary in their approach to medical treatment and care.
Be prepared to find differences among countries, and hospitals in these countries, as to…
- Pain medication
- Diagnostic methods
- Right to life
- Right to die
- Patient information and patient rights
- Patient privacy
- And other health-related issues that may be important to you or your treatment
It is not possible to call an entire country a top medical destination.
Does it make sense to say that India is a top medical destination? A few cities in India may be, but certainly not the entire country.
Most cities or regions in a country cannot be considered good medical destinations.
Bangkok, Thailand, for example, has more than a dozen international-style hospitals that treat medical tourists. But the popular Thai beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket have one international-style hospital each. Are Pattaya and Phuket as good a choice for you as Bangkok?
Depending on the treatment you are seeking and the risk you want to take as a trade off for quality, safety and cost, hospitals in any of these cities may be acceptable.
It’s your decision.