Medical tourism is one of the fastest-growing areas in travel. Companies offering surgery and dentistry have sprung up by the dozen in the past year – and it's now easy to book a heart operation in India, a dental appointment in Poland, a knee replacement in Malaysia, or simply pop over to France for a new hip.
It is estimated that at least 50,000 people from Britain alone travel overseas each year to avoid the high cost of private treatments and long waiting lists in public hospitals at home. Keith Pollard, managing director of treatmentabroad.net, the biggest medical tourism site in the UK, describes the recent growth in the industry as "phenomenal".
Pollard founded his website a year ago after being inundated with requests for overseas treatment on another website he runs which lists private health options in the UK. From getting 5,000 hits a month at the beginning, he is now receiving 55,000. About half of enquiries are for cosmetic surgery, while a quarter are for dentistry and the rest for "elective surgery" – operations such as hip replacements or heart bypasses.
But how does he ensure the quality of treatments that are offered by overseas clinics? "We can't vet every operation," he says. "But we do require that any clinic we list is accredited by that country's health authority. We obviously can't check the quality of every doctor, but the same could be said of private clinics in the UK and doctors on the NHS."
Long waiting lists and fears over bugs such as MRSA at NHS hospitals have been among the key drivers in medical tourism. The British Medical Association recognises the trend, although a spokeswoman urged caution. She said: "If anyone is going abroad we strongly recommend speaking to their GP beforehand. We also believe people should make absolutely sure that they are going to a bona fide practitioner and be aware of how much after-care is required. They should also take into consideration long flights, which could cause discomfort after operations. Making sure that doctors speak English is also important."
Tourist boards are clambering to meet the new demand. Mark Kincses, trade relations manager at the Hungarian National Tourist Office, says thousands of foreigners are now visiting Budapest each year for operations. "We check the clinics are good quality, and then we list them on our website, gotohungary.co.uk. You can really save on a holiday. People coming for dental treatment might be able to stay for a week at a four-star hotel in Budapest and still save over £1,000 compared with being treated in the UK."
Here Business Traveller offers a guide to well-recognised and regulated clinics in ten countries that have embraced medical tourism. (This is only a guide, and we do strongly recommend full checks on the accreditation of each clinic.)
DUBAI: TUMMY TUCKS
WHY? Tax-free prices and top-quality surgeons who have been attracted to the emirate by its tax-haven status. Cosmetic surgery (tummy tucks, breast enlargements, face lifts, rhinoplasty, liposuction and vein removal) is available, with clinics stressing the recuperative qualities of the many hotels and sandy beaches. There are tough health regulations and the emirate is known to attract many of the richest patients in the Middle East – the latest technology is employed. Non-cosmetic options include vasectomies, hernia repairs, colonoscopy, back surgery and joint replacement.
START WITH: dubaisurgery.com
AND ALSO: dubaihealthnews.com, dhcc.ae
FRANCE: HIP REPLACEMENTS
WHY? It's close to the UK, cheaper than going private back home and there are no waiting lists. A hip replacement will typically cost around £6,350, with private door-to-door transfers and accommodation in France included, whereas the treatment alone might come to £8,000 at a private clinic in Britain. Many companies take patients by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel to avoid risks of deep vein thrombosis. Most doctors at private clinics employ "minimally invasive surgery", which requires small incisions. Patients are recommended to spend a fortnight in France recuperating.
START WITH: people-logistics.com
AND ALSO: continentalmedical.co.uk
HUNGARY: HEALTH SCANS
WHY? Private hospitals in Hungary are almost all brand new and have the latest medical equipment. Lots of budget flight options are available from the UK. Full health scans cost less than half of those in the UK – about £235 for men and £260 for women. Screenings include blood tests, X-rays, abdominal ultrasounds, vascular checks and dermatology analysis. Hip replacements, knee and back surgery, eye laser operations, and work on asthma conditions are also available at similar price reductions. Many hospitals have air conditioning, private bathrooms, satellite TV and internet access.
START WITH: perfectprofiles.eu.com
AND ALSO: beautyhungary.com, gotohungary.co.uk
INDIA: HEART SURGERY
WHY? It's half the price, or less, of going private in the UK, plus there's good after-care treatment. Long waiting lists for some cardiac procedures on the NHS have spurred interest in treatment in India, which has a growing reputation for heart surgery and other operations. A heart bypass at home could cost £15,000-£18,000, but might be just £7,000 in India. Normally, patients have a week's after-care at the hospital. Knee and hip replacements are also widely available at considerable savings. Consultants speak English.
START WITH: lotusmedicaltourism.co.uk
AND ALSO: tajmedicalgroup.co.uk
MALAYSIA: KNEE REPLACEMENTS
WHY? Malaysia's tourism minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, says prices there are as much as 70 per cent cheaper than in the west. "Medical costs are skyrocketing in the US and Europe," he adds. "Our healthcare comes as a relief to patients all over the world." Doctors speak English and hospitals are modern. Patients are encouraged to take beach breaks afterwards to recuperate. Knee replacements cost about £4,300, while other treatments include those related to cardiology, fertility, orthopaedics, gastroenterology and plastic surgery.
START WITH: malaysiahealthcare.com
AND ALSO: hospitals-malaysia.org
POLAND: DENTISTRY
WHY? It's cheap, with excellent facilities, well-trained dentists and lots of budget flights. Most prices are half those in the UK. Fillings in Poland come to about £30; they are about £80 in Britain. Dentures are £150 (rather than £600), crowns £215, bridges £650, and implants £750. Treatments such as heart surgery and spinal operations are also cheaper. Ewa Binkin, spokeswoman for Visit Poland, says she hopes NHS operations which are currently being conducted in France and Belgium could soon go to Poland where "it is much better value".
START WITH: visitpoland.org
AND ALSO: polmedical.co.uk, healthandrelax.pl
RUSSIA: FERTILITY
WHY? Russian surrogacy laws are among "the most favourable in the world", according to websites offering surrogacy packages. In most instances, biological parents will receive a birth certificate one to three days after birth, without a court hearing. The surrogate mother will not be mentioned on the certificate. The cost of a surrogacy programme comes to between £13,000 and £18,000, with the average length of time from contacting clinics about 15 months. Clinics also offer IVF treatment.
START WITH: russiansurrogacy.com
AND ALSO: rusmedtour.com
SINGAPORE: GASTRIC SURGERY
WHY? Extremely high standard hospitals and the chance to recover in the sun are the main selling points for Singapore.
Lots of treatments are on offer, but one with a big price saving is gastric surgery. This involves bypassing stomachs to treat obesity problems. "Lap bands" and "stomach staples" are used, which are not available from all healthcare trusts in the UK. Such surgery costs about £3,500 in Singapore but could come to £15,000 in the west.
START WITH: globehealthtours.com
AND ALSO: visitsingapore.com
SPAIN: COSMETIC SURGERY
WHY? The south of Spain has a growing reputation for cosmetic surgery. Doctors speak English, prices are about a third to a fifth of those in the UK, and flights are quick and cheap. Some companies offer consultations in the UK, then customers buy packages which include treatments, flights and accommodation. "We guarantee that if someone is not happy with a treatment we will provide a free return flight, place to stay and further surgery to put things right," said a spokeswoman for Mills and Mills Medical Group in Malaga.
START WITH: millsmedical.com
AND ALSO: cosmeticsurgeryabroad.org
THAILAND: ORTHOPEDIC SPINAL SURGERY
WHY? Thailand is the world's leading medical tourism destination, attracting around 600,000 patients each year. Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok attracts the vast majority of patients, estimated at about 400,000. All sorts of treatments are on offer although particular savings are available on back surgery. An operation that might cost £30,000 in the UK could be £6,500 in Thailand and the country's many five-star hotels are perfect for recovering.
START WITH: globehealthtours.com
AND ALSO: medithai.net
Taking your medicine
1) Always consult your GP before going and after coming back from trips abroad.
2) Word-of-mouth recommendations are always best. When you can talk to someone who has been through an operation at a particular clinic then you'll have the best insight possible.
3) Take a few days off to have a break after the operation – a quick holiday in the sun can help recovery.
4) Check with tourist board websites, which often have medical tourism sections. Companies and clinics mentioned will have been endorsed by the tourist authorities, which can provide peace of mind.
Medical tourism websites
- treatmentabroad.net – this is a useful directory-style site for getting your bearings if you are thinking of an overseas treatment. Under the "Costs" section there are useful charts that list the costs of various different types of surgery and dentistry. There are links to a host of overseas clinics, with detailed information on what each offers.
- planethospital.com – a US-based website which also gives a good idea of treatments in different countries.
- medicalnomad.com – another American site that lists clinics in 18 countries.
- themedicaltouristcompany.com – a company based in Harrow which offers clinics in India, Cyprus, Poland, Singapore and Spain.
- medicaltourism.ca – lists clinics in 13 countries.
To read the latest consumer guide for the medical tourism industry, visit the International Medical Travel Journal's website at imtjonline.com.
