Most Frequently Treated Conditions

While cost and affordability is the main driver for medical tourism; in America, gaps in or a complete lack of health insurance cause people to seek medical attention elsewhere. Procedures surrounding cosmetics, dentistry, fertility or even weight loss are commonly not viewed kindly upon by insurance companies. The following list of the top American foreign medical procedures will not surprise you as it is populated by these very procedures that have restricted access.

• Dentistry
• Cosmetic surgery
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Weight loss
• Cardiovascular health
• Dermatology
• Liver & kidney transplants
• Spinal surgery

Established and Emerging Medical Tourism Markets

• Americans prefer for dental services or cosmetic surgeries Mexico, Thailand, Costa Rica, Philippines, and Panama due to their proximity. Southeast Asia and India are the choice destinations for orthopedic and cardiovascular cases due to the high quality of healthcare, and a significant number of U.S accredited hospitals and physicians.
• As people around the world become more familiar and comfortable with one another, new travel routes open. The fall of the USSR has brought a wave of patients into Poland from the UK. Hungary receives most of its influx from Western Europe. The UK continues to have close ties with Spain, Malta and Cyprus for example. While distance to a destination is not the deciding factor in the majority of cases it does protect against volatilities in the market.
• In the Middle East the Dubai HealthCare Committee (DHCC) is attempting to keep medical tourism within the Middle East instead of losing them to cheaper Asian countries. As a result, much like Japan they are focusing on quality and performance rather than price.