Stephanie Watson - Medical Tourism: A Reference Handbook

Kathy Stolley

KATHY STOLLEY is Batten Associate Professor of Sociology at Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk, Virginia. Her emphasis is applied sociologyusing sociological tools and perspectives to bring about positive social change. She has worked in various sociological practice positions outside of academics, including policing, organizational consulting, freelance writing, and social science research. Stolley holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Her previously published books are The Basics of Sociology (Greenwood, 2005), The Praeger Handbook of Adoption co-edited with Vern L. Bullough (Praeger, 2006), and HIV/AIDS, co-authored with John E. Glass (Greenwood, 2009).

Stephanie Watson

STEPHANIE WATSON has been a freelance writer and editor specializing in health and science for more than 12 years. Her clients have included WebMD, A.D.A.M. (MedlinePlus), Sharecare, Rosen Publishing, and Thomson Gale. Prior to launching her freelance writing career, she was a producer for The Travel Channel, and a writer/producer for Weather.com. Watson holds a B.S. in Mass Communications from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, with a minor in English. Her previously published works include Understanding Obesity: The Genetics of Obesity (Rosen Publishing, 2008), Genetic Diseases and Disorders: Spina Bifida (Rosen Publishing, 2008), and (as a contributor) Biotechnology: Changing Life Through Science (UXL, 2007).

Kathy Stolley and Stephanie Watson

Copyright 2012 by ABC-CLIO, LLC

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stolley, Kathy S.

Medical tourism : a reference handbook / Kathy Stolley and Stephanie Watson.

p. cm. (Contemporary world issues)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-59884-540-2 (hardback) ISBN 978-1-59884-541-9 (ebook) 1. Medical tourismHandbooks, manuals, etc. I. Watson, Stephanie. II. Title.

RA793.5.S76 2012

362.1dc23 2012004133

ISBN: 978-1-59884-540-2

EISBN: 978-1-59884-541-9

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Throughout recorded history, people have traveled for health-related reasons. In the past decade, however, medical tourismthe new moniker for this type of travelhas become big business, involving millions of travelers annually. Once considered an industry niche, medical tourism has gone mainstream, and it has done so in a major way (HNN Team 2009). Medical tourism is a rapidly growing global multi-billion dollar industry, now the fastest growing segment of the tourist market in several countries (Bookman and Bookman 2007).

Todays medical travelers visit some of the same destinations, and for some of the same reasons, that have drawn travelers for centuries. They still travel to spas on the Mediterranean for relaxation and recuperation, seek traditional Ayurveda treatments in India, and pilgrimage to Lourdes in France in search of miracle healings. However, modern technologies and tourism have also brought new destinations, options, and concerns. Mediterranean tourists now trek to Turkish hospitals that are equipped with the latest medical technologies. Travelers get high-tech heart surgery in India. In France, they now find a health system ranked number one in the world by the World Health Organization (WHO 2000). They venture around the globe in search of specialized care, shorter waiting times, costs savings, or adventure. And, sometimes, they hope for miracles from unproven treatments or even from illegal procedures.

More and more countries are joining the list of destinations for medical tourists. China, for example, has become one of many destinations for travelers seeking experimental, and sometimes controversial, stem cell therapies. World-renowned fertility clinics draw travelers to Israel and Barbados, among other countries. The adventurous can have both cosmetic surgery and a safari sightseeing trip in South Africa. Even the cruise industry is on board in adding medical tourism to its offerings (Lambier 2010).

A variety of forces are driving this growth in medical tourism. Part of the impetus is age demographics. Aging populations in many of the richer countries around the world have increased the demand for health care in those countries. Older medical tourists can find some relief from lengthy waiting lists as well as cheaper care for chronic ailments by crossing borders. A growing emphasis on youth culture and in staving off the effects of time on both aging bodies and what the mirror reflects influence those seeking cosmetic procedures and other rejuvenation therapies.

Cost is also a major driving force in medical tourism. Even after factoring in travel expenses, and depending on the procedure and destination, cost savings can be significant for those willing to travel for health care. This makes medical tourism an especially attractive option for those who are under-insured, uninsured, or have large deductibles. Similarly, those who seek treatments or procedures that must come out-of-pocket because they are unapproved or not covered by insurance (e.g., experimental therapies, cosmetic surgery) increasingly find traveling abroad an option to meet their needs (Jenner 2008). For less money, patients may also get more attentive service than they would at home, including well-appointed accommodations for both them and their travel companions, making the option of undergoing a medical procedure away from home a more attractive option.