What is medical tourism?
Medical tourism is a growing industry as more and more people seek surgical or medical care outside of their country of residence. There are many reasons why people choose to travel abroad for medical treatment. In this article, we will explore the concept of medical tourism and some of the reasons why it is appealing to a growing number of people.
Organization of a medical stay
In most cases, medical tourism requires a relatively long preparation.
Indeed, the patient must manage before his medical trip, the organization of transport, accommodation, as well as the making of various medical appointments.
These numerous administrative and medical procedures can quickly discourage the patient from carrying out his medical stay.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account that during a medical trip, in some cases the patient stays in a foreign-speaking country, which can considerably complicate the organization of the stay.
This is why it is often strongly advised that all patients call upon a medical concierge able to take charge of all the preparation of the stay. Indeed, the medical concierge takes care of everything, for the patient and for his relatives: transport and medical logistics and reservation of accommodation close to the clinic or hospital center in which the patient is staying.
Medical stay in Martinique and Guadeloupe
Do you think consider going on a medical trip? Have you considered the islands of Martinique or Guadeloupe in order to benefit from the excellence of the system offered by France?
Many pathologies can be treated on the islands of the Caribbean basin, mainly in the university hospitals of Martinique and Guadeloupe or in the various private clinics.
The Martinique University Hospital Center will soon host a latest generation device: the Cyclotron. This tool will make it possible to obtain very high quality images as well as a very precise, reliable and ultra-fast diagnosis (prostate cancer, breast cancer, etc.).
And for the organization of your stay, the West Indies Assistance medical concierge service is made for you! Take advantage of 15 years of experience in the medical repatriation and medical assistance sectors and our many services that will allow you to calmly plan your medical stay.
Which destinations for which treatments?
In the world, certain pathologies are associated with certain countries. For example, dental surgery is associated with Hungary or Romania, cardiac surgery is associated with India or Thailand, while cosmetic surgery is more associated with Brazil and the Maghreb.
However, in Martinique and Guadeloupe, health establishments are able to guarantee quality care at extremely competitive costs for various pathologies and surgical procedures.
Call on West Indies Assistance to benefit from our network of specialists and medical partners such as clinics, hospitals, laboratories and research centers throughout the Caribbean basin as well as internationally. Cancer patients can receive treatment at Albert Clarac Hospital in Martinique, including tomotherapy and chemotherapy. The other patients have the possibility of being treated either at the university hospital of Guadeloupe or Martinique (respectively C.H.U.G and C.H.U.M), or in a private clinic of their choice.
Why is medical tourism becoming popular?
Medical tourism initially developed in the Americas and is now becoming popular all over the world.
In 2020, the size of the global medical tourism market stood at $44.2 billion. This represents more than 10 million tourists who travel each year for medical reasons.
Here are some figures, the main motivations of patients who take a medical trip:
- 56% of patients seek better treatment,
- 22% of patients want to pay less,
- 18% seek medical care that is not available in their country,
- and finally, 10% of patients want treatment as soon as possible, without waiting in their country of origin.
Explanations for the success of medical tourism
Different reasons lead patients to seek treatment in a destination other than their country of origin.
The first is an economic reason. It can be very beneficial for a patient to seek treatment abroad and significantly reduce costs. A study published in The Economist newspaper shows that an American can save up to 85% on their medical costs by taking a medical trip.
The second reason is to benefit from a better quality of care and by choosing doctors and other highly qualified specialists. If we take the example of the Caribbean. Many patients, on their island of residence, do not benefit from a sufficient health system. For this reason, doing medical tourism to Martinique or Guadeloupe is an excellent solution that allows you to benefit from a European standard level of care.
Waiting time is also one of the main reasons why a patient does medical tourism. In some countries, patients face a waiting list of several months or even years and sometimes it is unthinkable to wait so long.
Finally, doing medical tourism allows some medical tourists, depending on their condition, to take advantage of a pleasant resting environment for their fitness, especially when it is of long duration. The opportunity to be treated in a place with a privileged climate, for example, and to combine treatment and holidays.
Would you like to know more about medical tourism on the islands of the Caribbean basin, but also internationally? Discover West Indies Assistance’s tailor-made medical concierge service.
