Dental Implants Northern Ireland

The American Medical Association (AMA) defines "medical tourism" Travel organized outside of its jurisdiction of health care, usually in his country, to strengthen or restore health through medical intervention. " A less technical definition comes from the Harvard Business School, which defines medical tourism as an act of "travel far for health care is often better and certainly cheaper than at home." The practice is also known as health tourism, medtrotting, or health tourism border.

Medical tourism is booming and has become an industry of 40 billion dollars. About 10,000 Americans engage in medical tourism every year, including cosmetic surgery and dental care. Other estimates range from 50,000 to 500,000, including all procedures. In 2005, approximately 150,000 people worldwide were medical tourists. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India are the leading countries in the medical tourism industry.

Although it has become very popular only in recent years, medical tourism is not a new phenomenon. In fact, hundreds, even thousands of years, people have been known to visit the areas known for their healing properties. In England, the World Heritage city of Bath is named after the numerous mineral springs pool and Roman bath that has become very popular with the rich and famous in Europe for the 17th and 18th centuries. The word "spa" comes from a small Belgian town of that name, famous for its thermal springs. The French Riviera also has a history as a getaway for well-being English and Russian nobility escape the cold winters of northern Europe,

In more recent history, medical tourism has followed the progress of medicine as rich people in developing countries traveled to more developed countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Other countries (Switzerland) specializes in health services shop, such as cosmetic surgery and rehabilitation clinics.

Globalization and widespread air travel have triggered the rise of medical tourism, which brings about two major trends in health tourism.

(1) Medical tourism has been ordinary. Whereas previously only the rich and famous could afford to be medical tourists, medical tourism is now accessible to all. Hundreds of travel agencies specialized in this niche quite lucrative. In Europe, where the crossing of national borders have become less restricted with the inclusion of countries in Eastern Europe to the European Union, medical tourism has become widespread. This is aided by the short distances and the fact that health care destinations are accessible by car, train or short flight. For Americans, medical tourism can displace long distances, but with cheaper flights, the Central American countries have become favorite destinations.

(2) Medical tourism has changed direction. Medical tourism 50 years mainly consisted of trips a less developed country to a more developed and advanced medically. Today, medical tourism goes in both directions, but mainly towards developing countries, where good quality but affordable health care can be found.

Current trends in medical tourism may be due to the following factors:

(1) The rising cost of health care. The rising cost of health care in developed countries especially the U.S. require their citizens to seek affordable health care elsewhere. The cost of common procedures as bypass surgery may be $ 11,000 in Thailand compared to $ 130,000 U.S.. Knee replacement can cost $ 40,000 versus $ 13,000 in Singapore. This is even encouraged by health insurers and employers offering coverage of costs of medical tourism. One case is that of the insurer WellPoint Inc. and a self-funded, specialty graphics professionals called Wisconsin Silkscreen. According to reports, "Silk waives co-pays and coinsurance for one of Thei.