The Transition Of Medical Tourism & Its Impact On World Health Standards-00-4349

By Author: 4Ps--Marketing
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With 1 in 10 people in the USA and UK already participating in medical tourism and these numbers predicted to rise sharply in the near future, it will be interesting to watch as the barriers to international standard healthcare break down to allow a worldwide sharing of affordable and accessible treatment.

The product evolution

Although many may feel that the comparison between a mobile phone and medical tourism is a far stretch, the adoption and availability transition of both product categories is almost identical. In the 80's and early 90's, mobile phones were a luxury good that were used almost exclusively by what was considered society's elite, and yet now in modern times mobile phone technology is abundant and available to all walks of life at what seems like any age. Mobile phones are affordable, and even considered somewhat disposable with regular model upgrading and countless carriers. Thus, what was once only an option for a selected special few is now an everyday item available to connect the masses.

Like mobile phone technology, medical tourism has shifted its emphasis from being an ...
... exclusive luxury that only the wealthy could afford, to a viable option to the masses that is both cost effective and readily available.

In the past, an ultimate indulgence was to travel abroad to an exclusive location for medical treatment. Of course this was usually cosmetic in nature, and those travelling were celebrities and the wealthy who chose to have their transformation in exotic locations, conducted by the best-paid specialists, and away from the prying eye of the general public. In the current climate, medical tourists are people from all demographics and socioeconomic status, and are seeking treatment in areas far beyond the tradition of cosmetic surgery. Medical tourists are increasingly seeking treatment in anything from cancer treatment or urology, through to cardiac care and spinal fusions.

The shift within the medical tourism industry from exclusive to cost-effective has been largely bought around by the increased costs of private and elective healthcare in industrialised nations such as the USA, UK, Canada and Australia, extended waiting times for public healthcare systems, increased cost of health insurance and also the increased competition between international medical tourism providers. These rising domestic costs and plummeting international prices have lead to a new type of economically minded medical traveller.

Impact on world health standards

Not only is medical tourism providing options for the masses, but it also enables smaller or perhaps developing nations to invest in their own health infrastructure, and in turn, increase the general standard of health worldwide.

How can this happen you ask? The simple explanation is that private practitioners in countless countries are competing on an international scale for the almighty foreign dollar; this competition leads to an increase in skills, education and speciality, as well as investment in facilities.

Of course, if and when the medical tourists do start to arrive, the profit generated is usually reinvested to increase competitive advantage. The flow off from this is that the local population now also has access to international standard healthcare, and as the tourist drive increases, Governments and private companies alike begin to develop both the understanding and funds to invest in such things as the national healthcare system and the medical education system.

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