Medical Tourism - A Guide To Thailand
By Caelen King
Mention Medical Tourism and one country, Thailand, keeps coming up. Thailand is the home of Medical Tourism with over 300,000 visiting in 2003 rising to an estimated 1.4 million in 2006. While most associate Bangkok with shining, golden temples it is the glittering medical facilities that attract the Medical Tourist.
The scale of Thailand's medical sector is staggering: Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok treated nearly 1 million patients last year; 400,000 foreign patients of which 120,000 came from Europe and America.
Excellence in healthcare is a family tradition in Thailand. The current king's father Prince Mahidol, a U.S. board certified doctor, began the transformation of the country's healthcare system in the 1920s. A close relationship with America's medical profession remains to this day, with large numbers of Thai doctors receiving training and board certification in America before returning home to practice.
Medical excellence reaches out into all aspects of Thailand's governance creating a truly integrated approach to improving standards. From a national programme of hospital accreditation to the highest standards of laboratory inspection, quality is a vital component of Thailand's medical sector.
Thailand's medical expertise covers every conceivable situation. Heart and liver transplants first began to be performed during the 1980s. This tradition of world leadership in medicine continues to this day.
Bangkok's BHN Hospital recently became one of the few world facilities offering Total Artificial Disc Replacement. It is not just foreign expertise that is driving Thailand's medical profession; a growing pool of home-grown talent is pushing the boundaries of medical knowledge.
One of Thailand's most prestigious public hospitals, Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, recently presented a major study on the use of stem cell therapy in the treatment of severe heart disease to the American Heart Association, cementing the countries reputation as a world leader in medical research.
Leading edge technology and unparalleled levels of patient care mean that Thailand is impossible to ignore when it comes to Medical Tourism.
To find out more visit RevaHealth.
Copyright 2007 RevaHealth.com
Caelen King is founder and CEO of RevaHealth.com
http://www.revahealth.com/ is a medical tourism search engine allowing customers to search and compare treatments and prices around the world and to arrange a no commitment direct consultation with their chosen clinic.
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Health Tourism in Thailand
By Brian Bees
Private healthcare in the West is notoriously expensive, for some, prohibitively so. Commonplace medical items like dentistry or health check ups are high-priced, while surgery and major operations can completely bankrupt many individuals. Thus, the rapidly-growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain healthcare.
Many have found their solutions in Thailand, spurring a trend in "health tourism" within the country. Why Thailand? Because the Thai medical profession is one of the most advanced in the region. Thailand's hospitals and clinics are world class. Investments in equipment and management standards are so high that major hospitals are "internationally accredited".
The following are some "ball park" cost comparisons. The cost of surgery can be one-tenth of what it is in the United States or Western Europe, and sometimes even less. A heart-valve replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the US, for example, goes for $10,000 and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief vacation package. Similarly, a metal-free dental bridge worth $5,500 in the US costs around $500. A knee replacement in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one-fifth of what it would in the US. Lasik eye surgery worth $3,700 in the US is available for around $730. In the US cataract surgery for one eye runs around $8,000, but at a prestigious International hospital in Thailand cataract surgery can be performed on both eyes for around $2,500. Cosmetic surgery savings are even greater: A full facelift that would cost $20,000 in the US runs about $1,200. A thorough dental cleaning and checkup runs around $10.00.
Tourists are drawn to Thailand for many reasons - tropical beauty, splendid beaches, and a fascinating culture. Now however, health is yet another reason that lures visitors to the kingdom. Thailand has become the spa capital of Asia. The country abounds in health clubs and spas, and offers an incredible amount of sporting activities, everything from golfing to scuba diving, and from biking to cave exploring.
Thai Airlines features what is known as Royal Orchid Holidays. Medical checkups, has become so important, Royal Orchid Holidays has added medical checkups to its package tours. It's an unusual theme for a package tour, perhaps, but a very practical one, giving travelers the opportunity to have a comprehensive medical checkup while they are in Thailand for business or pleasure. Quality healthcare combined with a tourism holiday at a low price attracts patients from all over the world.
On the medical side, an Internet search of the International hospitals in Bangkok will provide all the information necessary regarding medical procedures available and the related costs. While the list is long, to start, your search should include the popular Bumrungrad Hospital, Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej Hospital, and Bangkok Nursing Home Hospital. They are all internationally accredited hospitals.
On the tourism side, Thailand is known as The Land of Smiles. It is often referred to as the most exotic country in Southeast Asia. In Bangkok a visit to the Grand Palace is a must see. Trips to a floating market or to the Bridge on the River Kwai, or other popular destinations, are easily arranged and inexpensive, even with a personal driver. A short flight or overnight train trip and you can be enjoying the pristine beaches in the Southern Islands or the Northern mountains with its waterfalls, elephants bathing in mountain streams, and Hill Tribe villages.
Consider Health Tourism in Thailand. You will readily see that you can have a medical procedure, and a wonderful holiday, all at less cost that you would have paid for the medical procedure alone in the West.
Brian Bees has lived and worked in Asia for 28 years.
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