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Radha Kishan Home : Medical Tourism In Europe Medical Tourism Europe Over the past two decades, Eastern Europe has emerged as a significant and popular destination for health tourism. Its well-established medical infrastructure built around prominent research hospitals, as well as its proximity, first encouraged West Europeans to consider dental treatments and cosmetic surgery vacations in the East. Shortly afterward, Americans began to follow. Specialized travel agencies offered dental treatments, without the high cost and bureaucratic procedures that their own national health service entails. Prices were so much lower that clients from the UK would fly out, undergo their dental treatment, spend some time sight-seeing, and then return home. Dr. Bela Batorf of the British Hungarian Medical Association told the BBC: "our prices are a third or less than English prices.” Of her trip to Budapest, Sue Smities said, "The only thing we had to pay for was the flight and overnight accommodation. The consultation, x-ray, and CT scan were all free.” West Europeans traveled to Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland for spa treatments as well as biomedical interventions. Both Budapest and Prague offer thermal springs and spa facilities, with treatments such as hydrotherapy and water massage, as well as aesthetic surgeries. The same factors that make healthcare in East Europe so appealing to patients, make a short vacation to recuperate from their surgery seem a good idea as well. The national airlines of East European countries offer competitive airfares. Patients find a short stay enjoying Budapest, Prague, or Warsaw a good value, as they enjoy these cities’ many attractions. Looking to find a rewarding employment opportunity in the health care field? Find information about medical billing careers, general surgery residency openings, medical office staffing, hospital internship and volunteer opportunities & nursing job vacancies - New York Hospital Staffing is your source for health care career opportunities in New York. Cyprus Cyprus has a strong medical heritage and possesses a high-quality healthcare system modeled on the British system, and the country has a number of private hospitals which are seeking to develop medical tourism. Many of the best hospitals have medical staff trained in the UK, Germany and other leading European countries. As of yet, many Cypriot hospitals have not sought international healthcare accreditation. Germany Germany has long been a medical tourism destination for people from the Middle East and North Africa. Now with a reduction in tension between East and West, many Russians and other Eastern Europeans are seeking treatment in Germany. British and Canadians, no longer willing to wait for treatment in their home country, are also traveling to Germany for treatment. Americans are also heading to Germany for the latest in spine surgery and novel cancer treatments and much lower prices than they would pay in the US. However, few German hospitals as yet have international healthcare accreditation. Malta Malta has a strong medical heritage and possesses a high-quality healthcare system modeled on the British system. The population is English-speaking. Malta is part of the European Union, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and has the euro as its currency. There are a number of private hospitals within Malta (see List of hospitals in Malta) which are developing medical tourism, especially for UK residents. Some Maltese hospitals have applied to join the Trent Accreditation Scheme from the United Kingdom. Portugal Portugal's health care system is highly rated by the World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems, rated 12th of 191 countries. This is a European Union country with regulatory bodies that certify doctors and health facilities, thereby protecting patients’ rights. Proximity to the US and Northern Europe reduce patients’ travel risks, while Portugal's mild climate is well-suited for convalescence. English is widely spoken by the majority of the population and Portugal is well known for its low crime rate. Dental clinics and cosmetic surgery facilities are popular. Prices are low when compared with similar procedures performed in the UK or the US. Other medical procedures include bariatrics, orthopedics, cardiology and eye surgery. Spain Spain's strong economy over recent years have provided for modern hospitals and well-trained health care professionals, making it an up-and-coming medical tourism destination. Turkey Turkey has attracted medical tourists from Europe and is seeking to build on its geothermal resources with expansion of therapeutic spas. German Hospital in Istanbul operates the country's first ISO certified IVF center, while Memorial Hospital was the first private hospital to receive American JCI accreditation. According to Visit and Care, a medical tourism agency in Istanbul, average medical costs are 50%-75% lower than those in the United States. Ukraine Ukraine features modern dental clinics with high-quality equipment, materials and effective anesthetics. They provide patients with dentistry services at lower cost in comparison with Western and Russian clinics. Other popular medical tourism offerings in Ukraine include spas, ophthalmology (eye surgery), plastic surgery, and mud baths. As yet, Ukraine medical clinics have yet to seek international healthcare accreditation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism
Author:Radha Kishan
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