Dr. Sabrina Segal

Need an operation? Looking to save some money on high quality services? Maybe Asia is your answer. Thailand has been a popular destination for medical tourists since the 1980s. In the last five years, the growth of foreign patients, particularly those from the Middle East has increased significantly.

Why is Southeast Asia a popular destination for Arabs? “People find medical tourism in Thailand very professional. Senior medical practitioners are usually trained abroad, mostly in the US. The cost of medical care is more than half the price compared to that of hospitals in Western countries. Halal foods are provided in hospitals and most of the hospital staff is highly trained to speak in English and Arabic.” said Rahmatullah of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Other nations are fighting for the Arab medical tourist dollar with extensive marketing campaigns.

Singapore’s medical offerings burst onto the international scene in 2001, when medical teams successfully separated conjoined Nepalese twins in a marathon 90 hour surgery.

Taiwan is set to enter the arena. The government approved a US$34 million project to establish medical services as a tourist attraction for foreigners. In May 2008, it held a “World Wide Health” event to “explore growth opportunities and developing the path of excellence for medical travel in Taiwan.”

The trend is growing in the US as well. About 500,000 Americans traveled abroad in 2006 for health care and that number is expected to rise into the millions as early in 2009. Medical Tourism, a new monthly magazine published in West Palm Beach, Florida “explores this phenomenon and points out precautions prospective patients should take when traveling out of the country for health care.”

No health insurance? How about a short trip to South America for medical care? Does that work for you?

Photo Credit: Dr. Sabrina Segal