What is medical tourism
Medical tourism (also called medical travel, tourism health or global healthcare) is a term first coined by travel agencies and mass media to describe the growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care. It also refers pejoratively to the practice of health care providers travel abroad to provide health care [1] [2].
Services typically requested by travelers include procedures not urgent as well as complex specialized surgeries such as joint replacement (knee / hip), cardiac surgery, dental surgery and surgery aesthetics. However, virtually all types of health care, including psychiatry, alternative treatments, convalescent care and burial services are readily available. In practice, suppliers and customers commonly use informal channels of communication-connection-contract, and in these cases, it tends to mean less legal or regulatory oversight to ensure quality and less formal recourse to reimbursement or redress, if needed [edit].
Over 50 countries have identified tourism as a national medical industry. [3] However, accreditation and other quality measures vary considerably across the world, and there are risks and ethical issues that make this access method controversial medical quote [Necessary care]. In addition, some destinations may become dangerous or unsafe for medical tourists to contemplate.
In the context of global health, "medical tourism" is a derogatory term because for travel suppliers such as health care practitioners often outside their areas of expertise or have different (lower) standards of care [4] [5]. A larger number of student volunteers than ever, health professionals and trainees researchers resource-rich countries are working temporarily and to anticipate future work in areas lacking resources [5] [6]. This underlines the importance of understanding this alternative definition.
History
The concept of medical tourism is not new. The first known case of medical tourism dates back thousands of years when Greek pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean for the small territory in the Saronic Gulf called Epidauria. This territory was the sanctuary of God's Healing Asclepius. Epidauria has become the destination Travel home for medical tourism.
Spa towns and sanitariums may be considered an early form of medical tourism. In England in the eighteenth century, for example, patients visited spas because they were places with supposedly beneficial mineral waters, treating diseases from gout to liver disorders and bronchitis. [3]
Description
The factors that led to the increasing popularity medical travel include the high cost of health care, long waiting times for certain procedures, the ease and accessibility international travel, and improvements in technology and standards of care in many countries [7].
Medical tourists can come from any where in the First World, including Europe, the Middle East, Japan, the United States and Canada. Because of their large populations, relatively rich high, high costs of health care or lack of health care options locally, and increasingly high expectations of their populations in health care. An authority at the Harvard Business School recently stated that "medical tourism is promoted much more strongly in the United Kingdom and the United States "[8].
A forecast by Deloitte Consulting published in August 2008 provides that medical tourism from the United States could increase by a factor of ten during the next decade. Approximately 750,000 Americans went abroad for health care in 2007, and the report estimates that a million and a half would seek care outside the United States in 2008. The growth in medical tourism has the potential cost of health care providers in the United States billions of dollars in lost revenue [9].
A draw large medical travel is convenience and speed. Countries that operate public systems of health care are often so taxed that it can take much time for non-medical urgent. Using Canada as an example, an estimated 782,936 Canadians spent time on medical waiting lists in 2005, pending an average of 9.4 weeks. [10] Canada has set benchmarks for waiting time, eg 26 weeks for hip replacement and 16 weeks for surgery cataract, for non-emergency medical procedures [11].
In addition, patients find that insurance either does not cover orthopedic surgery (Such as knee / hip) or imposes unreasonable restrictions on the choice of school, a surgeon, or prosthetics to be used. Medical tourism for replacements of knee / hip replacements has emerged as one of the most widely accepted procedures because of lower cost and minimal difficulties related to the movement to / from the surgery. Colombia provides a knee replacement for about 5,000 USD, including all associated charges, such as prostheses approved by the FDA and the hospital charges for staying in office. However, many clinics quote prices that are not all inclusive and include only medical costs associated with the procedure [12].
According to a University of Delaware publication, UDaily:
"The cost of surgery in India, Thailand or South Africa can be one tenth of what it is in the United States or Western Europe, and sometimes less. The replacement heart valve that would cost $ 200,000 or more in the United States, for example, goes for $ 10,000 in India – and that includes airfare round trip and a holiday package of short duration. Similarly, a metal-free dental bridge worth $ 5,500 in costs U.S. $ 500 in India, joint replacement knee in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one fifth of what it would be in the States, and Lasik eye surgery worth 3700 $ U.S. is available in many other countries for only $ 730. Cosmetic surgery savings are even greater: A full facelift that would cost $ 20,000 U.S. runs about $ 1250 in South Africa [12]. "
Popular destinations worldwide Medical Travel: Argentina, Brunei, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and recently, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Tunisia and New Zealand [3].
Popular travel destinations surgery : Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico and Turkey. In South America, countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia lead on plastic surgery medical skills relying on their experience of plastic surgeons. In Bolivia and Colombia, surgery Plastic has also become very common. According to the "Sociedad Boliviana de cirugía Plastica Reconstructiv Y", over 70% of medium and higher female class in the country had some form of plastic surgery. Colombia also provides advanced care in cardiovascular surgery and transplantation.
In Europe Belgium, Poland and Slovakia are also breaking into the business. South Africa takes the term "medical tourism" quite literally by promoting their "medical safaris" [13].
A specialized subset of medical tourism is reproductive tourism and reproductive outsourcing [14], which is the practice of traveling abroad subject to in vitro fertilization, pregnancy Substitution and other assisted reproductive technologies treatments including freezing embryos for retro-Production [15].
However, perceptions of medical tourism are not always positive. In places like the United States, which has high standards of quality, medical tourism is considered risky. In some parts of the world, more political issues can influence medical tourists choose to seek health care.
providers of health tourism services have developed as intermediaries to unite potential medical tourists with hospitals supplier and other organizations. Companies are beginning to offer global options of health care that will enable North American and European patients to access to global health care at a fraction of the cost of home care. Companies that focus on the medical value travel typically provide nurse case managers to assist patients with issues of pre-and post-travel medical. They also help provide resources for care post-return monitoring of the patient.
Process
The typical process is as follows: to the person seeking medical treatment abroad in contact with a supplier of medical tourism. The provider usually requires the patient to provide a medical report, including the nature of evil, the view local doctor, medical history, diagnosis, and may request additional information. medical certificate or medical consultants, then advice on medical treatment. The approximate cost, the choice of hospitals and tourist destinations, and length of stay, etc., is discussed. After signing consent agreements and obligations, the patient receives letters of recommendation for a medical visa, to be acquired from the Embassy concerned. The patient moves to the country of destination, where the medical tourism provider assigns a case executive, who handles hosting the patient, treatment and other forms of care. Once processing is done, the patient may remain in the tourist destination or return home.
Accreditation Healthcare International
Because standards are important it is for health care, there are parallel questions on medical tourism, accreditation of international health care, medicine and evidence-based quality assurance.
The oldest organism International accreditation is Accreditation Canada, formerly known as the Canadian Council on Health Services, which approved Bermuda Hospital Board since 1968. Since then, it has accredited hospitals and health service organizations in ten other countries.
In the United States, the accreditation group best known is the Joint Commission International (JCI). They have inspection and accreditation institutions of health care and hospitals outside the United States since 1999 [16]. Many international hospitals today see obtaining international accreditation as a means to attract American patients [17].
International Joint Commission is a relative of the Mixed Commission USA. Both are independent private nonprofit sector who are developing nationally and internationally recognized procedures and standards to improve patient care and safety. They work with hospitals to help meet Joint Commission standards for patient care and accredit hospitals meet the standards [18].
In the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, the Trent International Accreditation System of a key player. Different systems of international accreditation of health care varies in quality, size, cost, intent and the skill and intensity marketing. They also vary in terms of costs for hospitals and healthcare institutions using them. [19] A forecast by Deloitte Consulting on medical tourism published in August 2008 highlighted the importance of accreditation to ensure quality health care and specifically mentioned JCI and Trent ISQua [8].
Increasingly, some hospitals are turning to the International Accreditation double Perhaps having two JCI to cover potential U.S. clientele, potential clients Trent UK and European Accreditation Canada. In because of competition between clinics for American tourists, there have been initiatives to rank hospitals based on measures reported by patients [20].
Other organizations, making contributions to quality practices include:
- The Company international health accreditation (SOFIHA), a free-to-join the group provides a forum for discussion and sharing of ideas and best practices by providers of international health care accreditation and users of the same. The main role of this organization is to promote a hospital safe for patients [21].
- The United Kingdom Accreditation Forum (UKAF) is a network set up organizations for accreditation with the intent to practice the exchange of experiences and good ideas around the methodology for certification programs, covering issues such as the development of quality standards of health care, the implementation of standards within healthcare organizations, the peer review and exploration of the peer review techniques include recruitment, training, monitoring and evaluation Peer and mechanisms for granting accreditation status of organizations [22].
References
- ^ Shaywitz, DA, and Ausiello, DA (2002). Global health: a chance for Western physicians to give – and receive. The American Journal of Medicine, 113, 354-357.
- ^ Bezruchka, S. (2000). Medical tourism as medical harm to the Third World: Why? For whom? Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 11, 77-78.
- ↑ a b, c, d Gahlinger, PM. The Medical Tourism Travel Guide: Your Complete Reference high-quality, low cost dental, cosmetic, medical care and surgery abroad. Sunrise River Press, 2008
- ^ Roberts, M. (2006). Medicine Duffle. Journal of the American Medical Association, 295, 1491-1492.
- ↑ AB Pinto AD, & Upshur, REG (2009). Global Health Ethics for Students. Developing World Bioethics, 9, 1-10.
- ^ James, D. (1999). Going Global. The new doctor, 48 years, online. Accessed May 7, 2009. [1].
- ↑ ab Laurie Goering, "For the surgery great, Delhi is dealing with," The Chicago Tribune March 28, 2008
- ^ Lagace, Martha "the rise of medical tourism," Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, December 17, 2007. Accessed July 1, 2008.
- ^ Linda A. Johnson, "Americans look abroad to save on health care: Medical tourism could jump tenfold in next decade, "The San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2008
- ^ The private cost of public Queues in 2005, the Fraser Institute
- ^ The shorter waiting time for certain medical procedures: report. Canwest News Service
- ↑ a b "tourism development in the medical world "by Becca Hutchinson, UDaily, July 25, 2005, retrieved September 5, 2006
- ^ "Medical tourism: the need for surgery, travel" CBC News Online June 18, 2004, retrieved September 5, 2006
- ^ Jones CA, Keith LG. Medical tourism and reproductive outsourcing: the dawning of a new paradigm for health. Int J Fertil Women Med 2006; 51:251-255
- ^ Jones C, ethical and legal reproductive riddles post-modern " Int J Gynaecol Obstet December 4, 2007
- ^ "Medical certification of the tourism industry and information"
- ^ "Magazine of medical tourism, Medical Tourism Association, February 2008
- ^ http://www.jointcommission.org/AboutUs/Fact_Sheets/jci_facts.htm
- ^ "INDIA: Accreditation a must", International Medical Travel Journal
- ^ Http://www.worldhospitalmonitor.com
- SOFIHA ^ – Welcome to SOFIHA
- United Kingdom Accreditation Forum ^
About the Author
Theron M. Claude is President of MedicalJobClassifieds.com, the webs leading source of both medical jobs and healthcare talent. Find medical jobs, healthcare jobs in Nursing, Rehab Therapy, Radiology, Allied Health, specializing in MD jobs. The Web’s #1 Healthcare Medical Job site. If you’re looking for healthcare jobs or medical jobs, look no further.
http://www.medicaljobclassifieds.com
Spa Massages in Turkey Clip New 2008
|
|
Spa and the English: Or, English influence in the history of Spa (Belgium Ardennes) … |
|
|
Resorts in Belgium: Seaside Resorts in Belgium, Ski Areas and Resorts in Belgium, Spa Towns in Belgium, Blankenberge, Ostend, de Panne $14.14 Resorts in Belgium: Seaside Resorts in Belgium, Ski Areas and Resorts in Belgium, Spa Towns in Belgium, Blankenberge, Ostend, de Panne |
|
|
Municipalities of Lige: Lige, Spa, Belgium, Bllingen, VIS, Plombires, Neupr, Verlaine, Modave, Hamoir, Burdinne, Hron, Belgium, Huy $19.99 Municipalities of Lige: Lige, Spa, Belgium, Bllingen, VIS, Plombires, Neupr, Verlaine, Modave, Hamoir, Burdinne, Hron, Belgium, Huy |
|
|
Tourism $10.99 Tourism |
|
|
Belgium $32.45 Belgium |
