Traveling overseas for medical treatment, or medical tourism, has grown in popularity. It presents the possibility of reduced expenses, availability of cutting-edge therapies, and even an opportunity to travel to a new location. But there's a hidden cost to this amazing opportunity: Stress.
What is medical tourism?
Medical tourism is travelling internationally for health care purposes. A lot of people have been opting for this in order to receive the required medical care at a lesser cost, which has led to a widespread need for stress-free medical tourism. Such travel is also carried out when the required procedure isn’t available in the home country. The nature of the services sought can range from complex surgeries to cosmetic surgery.
What are the types of medical tourism
The major types of medical tourism are:
Medicine Tourism
It’s also generally called medical tourism and it’s more related to direct medical procedures such as dental surgery, organ transplantation, cardiac surgery. Many reasons have contributed to the growth of this tendency. First and foremost, compared to other countries, many have far reduced medical procedure costs. In addition, certain countries provide highly qualified healthcare workers and cutting edge medical technologies. The popularity of medicine tourism is partly influenced by the allure of mixing recreational activities with medical care.
Thermal tourism
This type of tourism serves as a way to relax your mind and body. These are usually coupled with baths in the healing water or wellness or yoga retreats. In order to relieve tension both physically and mentally, people submerge themselves in these warm, mineral-rich waters. Massages and saunas are among the extra services that many thermal spas provide to improve the whole experience. Thermal tourism is becoming more and more popular among those looking to rejuvenate themselves because of the healing qualities of the water and the generally tranquil nature surroundings.
Fertility Treatment
Most people prefer to go to cheaper countries to get IVF and other fertility treatments. This may be because those countries may have better technology for a safer process at a lower cost. Moreover, patients seeking higher success rates are drawn to some locations by more flexible rules and advances in fertility technologies. While cost is a significant consideration, patients also take the medical staff's experience and the clinics' overall success rates into account.
Why is medical tourism popular?
Medical tourism is a growing area. There can be many reasons for the same. The low costs, the opportunity to visit a new country, getting top-of-the-line treatments and surgeons.
Low cost
There’s not much to be said for the low cost of medical treatments. You can save up to 90% of your medical bills which is a huge deal especially when multiple treatments are needed. Most of the companies also provide insurance against any malpractice.
Quality of Care
Moreover, the quality of care is also considered, where it can be a make-or-break for a lot of people. Anyone going ahead with medical procedures will want top-of-the-world quality in terms of qualifications and skills.
New sights
Anyone who gets an opportunity to experience the culture and sights of a new country won’t lose it. Most importantly, this is a comparatively inexpensive way of exploring a new country.
Mental Health Impact of Medical Tourism
While there are multiple beneficial reasons for medical tourism, we cannot deny the stress this entire process causes.
Unfamiliar Language and Cultuew
Being in a new environment, a lot of times when you don’t know even the language of the other country, it becomes fearful and stressful, plus the anxiety can be very sickening.
Isolation
Since the entire family can’t go together, it gets overwhelming being away from them, especially for treatments that require longer times can make it feel lonely and isolating, which adds to the stress already caused by medical conditions.
Post Treatment Blues
Patients might also feel post-treatment blues after returning home, as they feel difficulties in adjusting to the new situations. They might experience feelings of depression and feeling out of place.
Uncertainity
Not knowing if the procedure will go well or not can cause additional anxiety that can contribute to stress.
Financial and Additional Stress
Even with lower costs, medical tourism can involve significant financial outlay, creating added pressure and worry. It can be very overwhelming to plan the trip and try to find the best country and the doctor for the procedure.
Tips to Minimize Stress During Medical Travel
In order to decrease tension and improve the medical tourism experience, you may use the following techniques:
Conduct a Comprehensive Study
Make sure that you gather as much information as possible about your destination, healthcare facilities and procedures so as to be able to make informed choices.
Choose Recognized Institutions
Choose the hospitals and clinics that have world accreditation for you to be provided with high quality care.
Budget Finances Properly
Prepare for all the aspects of travel such as transport, accommodation, post-operative expenses in order to avoid getting into debts due to overspending.
Make Arrangements for Post-Operative Care
There should be some follow-up care in place either in the home country or when one returns from abroad so that there is a smooth healing process.
Get Assistance
Having someone accompanying one during the trip or finding support groups can bring emotional comfort and practical help. Having some support can help you deal with stress better and even reduce some of the logistical stress. Moreover having a familiar friend around helps make you feel comforted.
Opt for medical tourism companies
The best advice here is to find organizations that provide services to help you plan your medical trip. They have connections with doctors and hospitals all around the world and help you to plan the most cost-efficient and detailed medical trip.
Companies with the best medical tourism
Contacting a medical tourism company will provide you with a detailed cost and quality comparison, helping you plan your trip with minimal stress. Some companies with the best medical tourism are as follows:
PlanMyMedicalTrip Pvt Ltd
Plan My Medical Trip helps you to actively plan and promote your hospital across 8 countries, attracting foreign clients and growing your practice/Business. They provided their clients with first-class treatment, modern technology as well as excellent customer support. Other services include advanced equipment, planned business operations and management approaches that takes into account real-life experiences of the users thus actually meeting the industry’s production needs, which allows them to receive quick benefits but good results and standards due to high productivity level for brief period.
For more information about Plan My Medical Trip, contact them at https://planmymedicaltrip.com/home
Medigo
Medigo is an online portal that arranges medical travel and links patients with recognized clinics and hospitals worldwide. It provides a wide range of services, such as post-treatment care, vacation planning, and consultation. The organization prioritizes quality and transparency, making certain that all partner hospitals satisfy global healthcare requirements. To guarantee a flawless experience for medical tourists, Medigo also provides help with trip arrangements, such as lodging and visa applications.
Patients Beyond Borders
Patients Beyond Borders is a well-known manual and online resource for medical tourism that provides guidance and assistance to individuals thinking about receiving medical care abroad. The organization offers comprehensive analyses of different medical tourism locations, covering aspects such as healthcare standards, expenses, and cultural nuances. In order to assist patients in organizing their travels, Patients Beyond Borders also collaborates with medical travel companies and facilitators, providing services including hospital selection, appointment scheduling, and travel planning.
PlacidWay
Global medical tourism provider PlacidWay provides a wide range of services to assist individuals in receiving medical care overseas. To help individuals make educated decisions about their care, the organization offers comprehensive information about medical procedures, travel locations, and healthcare providers. PlacidWay ensures a smooth experience for medical tourists by providing individualized help with treatment planning, trip preparation, and after-treatment care.
Conclusion
When combined with the option to see a new place, medical tourism provides a rare possibility to obtain top-notch treatment at a possibly reduced cost. But it's important to recognize that this procedure may have an influence on mental health. Through careful planning, budgeting, post-operative care planning, and support-seeking, you may reduce these pressures and enhance your medical tourism experience while guaranteeing a smooth recovery process.
