The term medical tourism can also be called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare. Information and translations of medical tourism in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Dec 10, 2015 medical tourism is often referred to as the act of leaving ones country to go to a country other than the home country for specific and enhanced medical care and recuperation. Medical tourists elect to travel across international borders to receive some form of medical treatment treatments may span the full range of medical services most common. The book addresses topics such as the future of 21st century global healthcare and the medical tourism industry as a whole. Medical tourism meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. They include handbooks for running a medical travel business or an international patient department and research and whitepapers on the marketplace. Medical tourism organizations medical news medical. Medical tourism is the practice of travelling abroad in order to receive medical treatment.
A patient going to a different country for either urgent or elective medical procedures is called medical tourism. Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes. Recent examples include surgical site infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria in patients who underwent cosmetic surgery in the dominican republic. For the purpose of this paper medical tourism will be defined using the medical tourism associations definition. Medical tourism simple english wikipedia, the free. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Much of the time it comes down to procedures being substantially cheaper overseas, or not being able to find the right treatment at home. The economic definition is not sufficient or useful for those on the ground who provide the goods and services. Available in spanish and english from amazon, it focuses on challenging issues such as dealing with supply and demand, developing adequate marketing channels, the importance of patient nurturing and patient centred care. Health tourism definition of health tourism by medical.
Surveillance data indicate that millions of us residents travel internationally for medical care each year. Globally, medical tourism is a multibilliondollar industry, and it is expected to keep growing. Medical tourism itself is a more recent example of niche tourism, with increasing numbers of people travelling abroad in search of cosmetic enhancement and solutions to various serious medical conditions often by surgery. A term coined by travel agencies and the mass media for the practice of travelling across national borders to obtain health care. This book is a onestop guide about all medical tourism options in two easy to follow parts.
Currently, there is no clear legislative picture or developed body of case law to guide practice in this area. Domestic medical tourism a neglected dimension of medical. Medical tourism refers to the activity where patients travel across borders for the purpose of better health and treatment. Other medical tourists may seek treatment abroad because a certain procedure or therapy is not available in their home country.
The medical tourism association is a global nonprofit association for the medical tourism and international patient industry. Our guide to medical tourism worldwide helps you to decide which is the best destination and healthcare provider for your needs, and provides practical advice about going overseas for surgery, dentistry or other kinds of treatment. To those who answered that the definition is about traveling abroad, internationally or. The spiraling cost of healthcare has contributed to the growth of medical tourism.
By 2017, over 15 million americans are expected to travel overseas each year to have at least one medical procedure completed. Although spas and improved wellbeing have long been part of the tourist experience, health tourism now includes travel for medical purposes ranging from cosmetic and dental surgery through to transplants and infertility treatment. It represents the less costly private medical care for patients, mostly from developed countries that need serious surgical operations. Galichia heart hospital in wichita, kansas, for example, decided that it could. The term medical tourism has come to embrace all facets. The best practices in medical tourism publications from the. Pdf medical tourism besides others is one of the recognized new niche. Medical and health tourism is a significant area of growth in the export of medical, health and tourism services. Medical tourism is a term that has risen from the rapid growth of an industry, where people from all around the world are traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care, while at the same time touring, vacationing, and fully experiencing the attractions. Important factors such as job creation and tax revenues as well as the impact to hospitality and tourism have been less emphasized in medical tourism forecasts. Medical tourism association a global platform for the.
Medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of. Medical tourism is a worldwide, multibilliondollar market that continues to grow. Medical tourism is often referred to as the act of leaving ones country to go to a country other than the home country for specific and enhanced medical care and recuperation. It covers a wide field of healthoriented, tourism ranging from preventive and healthconductive treatment to rehabilitational and curative forms of travel. Definition of tourism noun in oxford advanced learners dictionary. Medical tourism looks at the background and rise of health tourism, new emerging facets of the sector, and examines how.
The total cost of hospitals, physician fees, airfare, and hotel expenses for a patient in mexico is less than the cost of the procedure in the us. Many factors influence the decision to travel overseas for medical care. Medical professionals, health care providers, and medical travel service companies need a useful and practical definition that guides them in caring for traveling. Sociological studies of tourism have largely categorised tourism as a leisurerelated activity separated from the everyday, whereby the tourist gazes upon the other in a foreign locale urry 2002. Medical tourism is defined as travel primarily for the purpose of receiving health care. The etcunwto publication on exploring health tourism aims to provide a better understanding of the growing segment of wellness and medical tourism. In general, it is the travel of people to another country for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment in that country. Over 50 countries have identified medical tourism as a national industry. Researchers estimate that there are hundreds of thousands of people from the u.
Medical tourism has become a common term for wouldbe patients who travel to other countries to get medical treatment sometimes for procedures that arent available or. Sep 17, 2014 as medical tourism gained momentum, it became clear that only multinational and unaffiliated nonforprofit organization could provide unbiased and safe information on healthcare abroad. Once relegated to facelifts and fat reduction, medical tourism has branched out into almost every kind of procedure, including bypass surgery, heartvalve replacement, angioplasty, knee reconstruction, and spinal fusion. Examples of common medical procedures done for medical tourists are surgeries like joint replacement, heart surgery, cosmetic surgery, dental treatment, and. Medical tourism definition of medical tourism by medical. Demonstrating mastery of the relevant literatures in the social sciences, law, ethics, and. Aug 23, 2018 medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of residence for the purpose of receiving medical care. Medical tourism when people travel from one place to another place, across the international border, to receive some form of medical treatment is called medical tourism. Medical tourism who world health organization pages 1. To those who answered that there is an official definition i challenge you to provide proof of this. The patients usually come from developed countries to find treatment at lower prices. Medical tourism definition, tourist travel for the purpose of receiving medical treatment or improving health or fitness.
Millions of people travel abroad for medical treatment from dental work to major heart surgery. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Medical tourism refers to people traveling abroad to obtain medical treatment. Medical tourism definition in the cambridge english. The spiraling cost of healthcare has contributed to the growth of.
Medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of residence for the purpose of receiving medical care. Medical tourism chapter 9 2020 yellow book travelers health. Medical tourism is booming, and people from all around the world have become accustomed to traveling overseas for medical care in another country. Mar 11, 2017 medical tourism meaning medical tourism definition medi. The medical tourism calculator mtc is an adaptable tool used by all industry stakeholders to demonstrate the total economic impact of a medical travel program. The definitive guide to medical tourism has been written with the intention of not only answering your questions and relieving your assumptions and anxieties. Medical tourism, law, and ethics offers a thorough examination of the growing practice of medical tourism, the legal regulations governing it, and the many ethical issues it raises for policymakers, health care providers, and prospective medical tourists. Tourism definition in the cambridge english dictionary. It also refers to the practice of healthcare providers travelling internationally to deliver healthcare, which is both pejorative and less common. The study introduces the evolution of healthrelated tourism products and services from all around the world and provides insights into the current situation of the industry, as well as the future. However, many that research where to go may book travel and have the procedure performed without knowing everything.
Growth in the popularity of medical tourism has captured the. It represents the less costly private medical care for patients, mostly from developed countries that need serious surgical operations 2. Mtqua best practices in medical tourism executive summary medical tourism describes the act of people making health choices and accessing health treatments across borders. In order to prevent the disaccords to define tourism, unwto defined it as indicated below.
Medical tourism chapter 9 2020 yellow book travelers. The definition of medical tourism the travel of a person from the united states to another area of the world for a medical procedure that is less costly or may provide better benefits than found in the american states is medical tourism. Globalization of capital funding and advancement in medical technology has led to the betterment of international healthcare services. Best practices in medical tourism are few and far between. Medical tourism is when patients visit other countries for medical care. The common examples are cytoplasmic transfer or stem cell therapy. This definition of medical tourism serves a need to count and put an economic value on movement of people. Ongoing reports of infections and other adverse events following medical or dental procedures abroad serve as reminders that medical tourism is not without. In general, it is the travel of people to another country for the. Medical tourism meaning medical tourism definition medi. The first part lists different types of medical procedures and has reference to the second part, which gives details about the countries that offer the best facilities. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage.
Definintion of tourism unwto definition of tourism. Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of health. Broadly speaking, medical tourism involves patients intentionally going abroad to pursue medical services outside of formal crossborder care arrangements that are typically paid for outofpocket. Health tourism is a wider term for travel that focuses on medical treatments and the use of healthcare services. Tourism has long been associated with improved health, resulting in a boom of spas, yoga and rejuvenation treatments. As medical tourism gained momentum, it became clear that only multinational and unaffiliated nonforprofit organization could provide unbiased and.
Medical tourism definition, history, types, importance. In june 2007, the american medical association ama provided a cleareyed assessment of a growing phenomenon. Medical tourism refers to traveling to another country for medical treatment. Depending on who is asking the question, it can be trade in goods and services, a health choice, or a health service. The mta works with healthcare providers, governments, insurance companies, employers and other buyers of healthcare in their medical tourism, international patient, and healthcare initiatives with a focus on. Inside the book, you will find everything you need to know like costs, locations.
255 1052 378 945 1397 607 772 73 152 1141 183 366 1116 144 1547 1525 1246 579 306 664 1258 715 294 575 1435 900 699 229 414 1195 1255