Today I briefly mentioned the term
Medical Tourism while speaking on the private hospitals of India.
Medical Tourism (also called
medical travel,
health tourism or global health care) is a term that describes the growing market of international travel for health related procedures, therapies, and surgeries. The rising costs of treatments, especially in USA, encourage people to use the global village while shopping around for better prices.
This is a rapidly expanding market and facilities with 5 star amenities are constructed in countries like India, Thailand, and many other destinations. Many combine a vacation with the procedure.
The history of Medical Tourism is ancient and evidence for long journeys for healing abound. In Greek times many traveled to the sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios. Many more travel to distant sights of mineral springs, or steaming caves all in the search for help.
This phenomenon worries many in the US and puts further strain on failing health care systems around the world.
For a
story on Medical Tourism in the Time.
And another.
One of the most important books on globalization is "
The World is Flat" by Thoma Friedman. Medical tourism is truly a phenomenon of the flattening of the world (and of some noses in plastic surgery).
In a world that ships melons over oceans, what is another hip surgery?
For an
ABC video about medical tourism to India.