Top 7 reasons why people are travelling abroad for medical treatment

Of all the necessities in life, medical care remains to be one of the most important ones. A person may have everything in life – a luxurious house to live, food to eat and a family to support – however, it may mean nothing if he or she is not healthy or do not have a proper and an easy access to proper medical care and facilities.

Some countries are advanced enough to provide complete medical care and facilities to their citizens. However, people from some countries required to travel abroad for treatment and holistic medical care. The decision to travel abroad for medical treatment may depend on several reasons, and not having proper facilities in one's own country is one of them.

This article examines some of the reasons that give rise to medical refugees, a practice termed as medical tourism.

Reason #1: Delay in obtaining access to medical facilities

Explanation: There are a number of patients in different countries who face trouble getting quick access to medical treatment and services. This is the primary reason that prompts such patients to travel abroad to countries where quick and immediate treatment is guaranteed. It is estimated that thousands of people from the UK and Canada travel to countries like India, where quick access to several complicated procedures is available, including knee and hip replacement surgeries.

Reason #2: High health care costs, lack of insurance

Explanation: There are millions of people around the world who cannot afford the expenses of  getting state-of-the-art health care facilities within their own countries because of huge costs. In fact, some people are not even able to get “affordable” care at state-run hospitals and clinics because they are either under-insured or not insured at all. This is yet another major reason that prompts people to go to countries such as India, Thailand and Mexico, where affordable medical care is easily accessible.

Reason #3: Because of “unethical” procedures and practices

Explanation: Each country has a set of rules and regulations, according to which healthcare facilities are offered to its nationals and people who come from abroad to receive treatment. While one procedure may be considered as an ethical medical treatment in one country, it may be deemed as unethical in the other. For example, buying and selling organs for transplant is considered illegal in some countries. However, a patient suffering from kidney failure may decide to travel abroad to pay for a kidney and get an organ transplant done.

Reason #4: More confidence in native country's health care system

Explanation: Some immigrants prefer to go back to their country of origin to receive medical treatment. They may be more familiar with the healthcare system of their own country or they may find it more affordable than the country that they currently reside in. In addition, people may decide to go back to the countries that they have once lived in because of economic, quality-related or any other reasons.

Reason #5: Unapproved medical practices

Explanation: There are certain medical procedures and practices that are not approved by all the countries. For example, use of stem cell therapy and hip resurfacing is not as popular with all countries as it may seem. This is the reason why some patients risk to go to other countries to avail such interventions of uncertain therapeutic value, especially in clinics across China and Ukraine.

Reason #6: Not so advanced quality of medical care

Explanation: Reduced quality of care offered by a healthcare facility, in addition to presence of unqualified and inexperienced physicians is yet another reason why people travel abroad for medical treatment. Countries famous for medical tourism offer well-designed packages for the patients from abroad, which not only provides great quality care and treatment facilities, but also makes sure that only very experiences and dedicated physicians handle the patient.

Reason # 7: For the love of excluded treatments

Explanation: Not all treatments and procedures – especially those related to vision, dental care and cosmetic surgeries – are covered by the insurance provider. As a result, the patients have to pay the expenses out of his own pocket. In countries where a hugs cost is associated with such procedures, patients decide to go abroad to receive the treatment as they find this option more affordable. Orthopaedic surgeries, prosthetics and weight loss programs are some of the most popular choices excluded from a majority of insurance plan for which patients plan to go abroad.

Medical Travel – Your journey to good health

Medical travel is the latest buzzword among people looking for high-quality medical treatments in a cost-effective manner. Many countries in Asia are fast becoming the perfect hub for these smarter medical alternatives that not only suit your unique medical requirements, but are also economical.

Lyfboat.com has made such kind of medical travel more feasible for individuals in dire need of clinical help. Based in New Delhi, India, Lyfboat is a unique initiative for helping people find authentic information about the ‘right’ treatment for their loved ones, from hospitals across the globe.

Medical Travel at a glance

Over the past ten years or so, the Asian medical travel scenario has been witnessing an upward graph in terms of the number of tourists. Many hospitals in India, Thailand, UAE and Malaysia offer world-class treatment options, thanks to ceaseless medical advancements and highly-experienced professionals. People travelling from other nations to Asian countries primarily seek specialized surgeries such as knee-replacement, renal transplant surgery, spinal fusion, hysterectomy, cancer treatment, and coronary angioplasty, among others. We, at Lyfboat, fill the gap between the patients and the tailor-made treatment available for them across the globe, so that they can quickly step towards better health. 

Why opt for Medical Travel?

The world has transformed into a compact place, thanks to digitization. Today, people can take advantage of choices available in other geographic locations than where they live.

• Many surgeries cost comparatively lesser in Asia. When comparing prices in the West for any major treatment, one can find the same quality treatment in Asia for 60-80% less in cost.

• Health insurance is another reason that has promoted medical travel immensely, since many insurance plans cover the full cost of procedure at alternate (often international) hospitals and locations.

• Communication between nations has improved significantly, there by paving way for easy transfer of the sick people.

• Medical standards of numerous designated hospitals in Asia and care tendered to patients there are at par with the best clinical options available across the world.

• Many Medical Centers in Asia have accreditations from renowned international organizations, owing to their persistent efforts towards achieving medical excellence.

• These are the medical centers people want to put their trust and faith in, when it comes to saving the lives of people they love.

• International travellers are increasingly feeling satisfied after securing positive treatment results, with reasonably lower rates of complication.

Lyfboat acts as a catalyst between the patients and the hospitals. Oncology, nephrology, cardiology, amongst others are specialties which are being provided to the patients at different places around the globe. With efficient quality management, such medical centers pave a secure and economical way towards achieving better health. And, Lyfboat serves as your reliable companion for planning a comfortable and hassle-free medical travel.

For more information about us, visit https://www.lyfboat.com

International Accreditations – Facts you need to know

The healthcare sector is still bustling through the developing stage and people have openly adopted the custom of medical travel for the sake of the health of the sick. India is considered as one of the most prioritized nations globally for medical travel owing to its A-1 facilities, world class treatment and of course with the most prodigious doctors in the world. People from the entire span of globe come to India for health purposes with the presumption of a peaceful treatment.

With better ease and convenience to cross national boundaries and receive outstanding health-care facilities, hospitals and clinics need to keep up to their high standards of medical care and the best way to ensure a strict evaluation of these qualities is through international accreditation.

What is Medical accreditation and why is it important?

The procedure following which institutions meet up to the standards which are established by an external accrediting body is accreditation. Accreditation is a legal quality optimization and risk reduction strategy adopted by institutions that meet up to the international regulations. An accrediting body accredits healthcare facilities, which in turn needs to be recognized by the International Society for Quality (ISQua) in health care accredited organizations. Different certificate providing organizations such as Accreditation Canada, Joint Commission International,and Malaysian Society for Quality in Health amongst others have been accredited by ISQua. The prime motto of ISQua is to provide high quality healthcare services following the standard processes.

International Accreditation of Medical facilities

With a growing network of health care providers and simultaneous increasing medical travel, it has become highly importunate to consider those hospitals and clinics which have undergone accreditation by the recognized organizations confirming a legit treatment. In other words, through international accreditation a patient is ensured of standard practices irrespective of the location wherein the medical facility is put up. It establishes a fundamental protocol for the care continuity even after the surgery and other procedures along with appropriate follow up, discharge and transfer of patients. Thus, international accreditation not only warrants standardized hospital management but also a globally recognized post treatment processes highly beneficial for the patient’s reparation.

Listed below are the various recognized medical accreditation and certificate providers:

• The American Association for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities International (AAAASFI), USA
• American Accreditation Commission International (AACI), Slovenia
• Accreditation Canada, Canada
• Australian Council for Healthcare Standards International (ACHSI), Australia
• DNV Healthcare, USA
• Health & Wellness Tourism Commission, Agexport, Guatemala
• HealthOnNet International Limited, India
• Joint Commission International, USA
• Medical Travel Quality Alliance Mtqua, USA
• National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), India
• Temos - Aegean, Cyprus
• Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC), USA