Medical Tourism: Global Healthcare and Marketplace Analysis

This essay delves into the multifaceted world of medical tourism, analyzing its rise as a significant trend in global healthcare. It examines the economic benefits driving its growth, such as cost savings for patients and the availability of procedures not covered by national health programs. The essay provides a balanced review of its advantages and disadvantages from both the perspectives of Western customers and developing world suppliers, highlighting the potential risks like medical negligence and ethical concerns, and the need for strong regulatory policies. The essay also presents case studies, such as the experiences of patients seeking affordable treatments and the controversies surrounding medical tourism, to illustrate the complex realities of this practice. Finally, it concludes with a call for a more rational approach by patients, doctors, and governments to improve the overall health index of the world.

Running head: MEDICAL TOURISM
Medical Tourism
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Since late 19th century the impacts of Global market has been quite strong over the
medicine and healthcare industry. Developed nations have resorted to take the medical aid of
the developing nations to reap financial benefit alongside of strong medical facilities (Han &
Hyun, 2015). In a nutshell the world witnessed tremendous growth in the concept of medical
tourism. Therefore the following discussion will specifically throw light on some of the very
crucial aspect of medical tourism, the advantage it has brought in coupled with few case
study analysis to comprehend its deadly impact. Finally the short piece will also throw light
upon the recent development in this field and its emerging trend of action.
The primary reason that can be attributed for the tremendous growth of medical
tourism is none other than the economic benefits it brings along. Moreover for patients who
are residents of a government controlled healthcare system generally opts for an offshore
medical service to save their time and expense. Moreover basic national health programmes
do not cater for cosmetic surgeries or similar kind of services, hence patients residing in
Canada or UK automatically resort to medical tourism in China, India Singapore and many
other countries ("Medical Tourism Benefits - Advantages of Medical Tourism | Health-
Tourism.com Guide", 2020). There is multiple numbers of cases which show why medical
tourism has become so popular. For instance the case of Kevin Stewart a resident of America
who did not have any medical insurance and finally received his liver transplant in India
("Medical Tourism-Heart Surgery India, Liver Transplant", 2020) at a very affordable rate is
in itself an example why people look for medical tourism in developing countries.
However as one cannot help but stress on its benefits, the larger picture also shows
some of the huge potential risk and dangerous which cannot be overlooked. Increasing
number of medical tourism cases have also brought in barbaric amount of crimes which must
act as an eye opener for the people who resort to such services. Be it Pakistan’s kidney Mafia
controversy or Tameka Foster’s unsuccessful lipo surgery which severely affected her heath

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and required eight additional surgeries to correct her health ("The Cruellest Cut - Pakistan's
Kidney Mafia", 2020), doctors from all over the world have repeatedly emphasized upon the
potential threats that medical tourism brings along. According to facial plastic surgeon expert
Dr. Sam Rizk and various other medical experts, medical tourism brings in large amount of
problems and negligence for the residents of the destination countries (Michael D. Horowitz,
2020). Local residents get devoid of basic medical amenities in order to serve the
international clients.
Concentrating on the bigger picture, medical tourism requires a sound regulatory
policies and system to interfere in the flesh trade and make it more ethical, just and
satisfactory. Steps like publication of peer- reviewed medical tourism journals along with
appointing highly professional medical tourism agent in the whole process can definitely aid
the global market fight better with the crisis situation alongside allowing the patients reap the
actual benefits of this medical practice ("The dark side of medical tourism: How quick and
cheap treatment abroad can prove costly to health — and B.C.’s health-care system", 2020).
The patients need to invest proper time and care in analysing the medical facilities they opt
for, its qualities and not merely choosing any of it based on its cost. A more rational and
prudent approach on the part of the patients, the doctors the medical staffs as well as the
government can definitely help in improving the overall health index of the world.

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References:
Han, H., & Hyun, S. S. (2015). Customer retention in the medical tourism industry:
Impact of quality, satisfaction, trust, and price reasonableness. Tourism Management, 46, 20-
29.
Medical Tourism Benefits - Advantages of Medical Tourism | Health-Tourism.com
Guide. (2020). Retrieved 24 March 2020, from https://www.health-tourism.com/medical-
tourism/benefits/
Medical Tourism-Heart Surgery India, Liver Transplant. (2020). Retrieved 24 March
2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1_LBxYjavM
Michael D. Horowitz, C. (2020). Medical Tourism: Globalization of the Healthcare
Marketplace. Retrieved 24 March 2020, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2234298/
The Cruellest Cut - Pakistan's Kidney Mafia. (2020). Retrieved 24 March 2020, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi7A_jK64qc
The dark side of medical tourism: How quick and cheap treatment abroad can prove
costly to health — and B.C.’s health-care system. (2020). Retrieved 24 March 2020, from
https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/the-dark-side-of-medical-tourism-how-quick-and-
cheap-treatment-abroad-can-prove-costly-to-health-and-b-c-s-health-care-system