Best Medical Tourism Destinations

Medical tourism or health tourism industry is growing steadily every year thanks to its increasing service quality, satisfying procedure results and reassuring communication between health care providers and those who need health care. Without a shade of exaggeration, there are literally millions of people who search for treatment abroad. For example, it is estimated that 1.9 million Americans will travel outside the US for medical trip in 2019. 

People choose it either to basically save money or to get a medical treatment which is risky or unavailable in their countries but is affordable and high-quality in the chain of medical tourism destinations all around the globe. Whatever the reason, health tourism is growing steadily, as more and more patients learn about the possibility and advantages of medical travel.

READ: Best Destinations for Dental Treatment Abroad

Medical Tourism Destinations - Which one is the best?

Still, the main issue with deciding on a medical treatment abroad is the matter of choosing among a growing number of medical tourism destinations. After all, surgery abroad is not an adventure, it is a matter of health and (in the case of plastic surgery procedures) aesthetics, which will often assist us throughout the rest of our lives (or till the next treatment abroad, obviously).

Which are the best countries in the world for medical tourism – we may ask. Obviously, we cannot speak about a single best country for plastic surgery or other types of treatment. Thankfully, there is a certain list of medical tourism top destinations reappearing here and there. While many tend to simply copy it without giving it much thought, some really do their homework first.
In this article, we will try to present a list of the best countries for medical tourism as we see it. Take your time and read it, even if you do not plan for such a travel in the short term.

After all, we may all one day be in need of a concise list of the best medical tourism destinations.

1- Thailand

Thailand is known by many as a tropical paradise with tropical forests, elephant rides (not advised!), and clear beaches and lagoons. However, its touristic character has many faces and, besides the wonders of nature, it sports also advanced medical facilities which are the best in Asia if not in the world. Especially many Westerners looking to save money on plastic surgery overseas are positively surprised by the quality of procedures and medical facilities as well as generally English-speaking staff. Thinking about medical tourism, Thailand should be on our radar.

2- India

India has made a long way in the recent decades from undeveloped, rural country to the global center of SSCs and, as it appears, one of the medical tourism top destinations. Many medical tourism companies provide options for surgery abroad in India’s many high-end clinics. When it comes to India, rather than for plastic surgery overseas, it is famous for non-elective procedures such as heart transplant and other types of transplants. The result of a 2017 study shows that, there is a positive opinion of foreign patients about the medical and non-medical facilities provided by Indian Hospitals. One of the common factors shaped their decision to choose India is modern medical technology has been adopted by Indian hospitals.

Medical tourism in India is only expected to grow in the following years and we can’t wait to see it happen.

3- Singapore

The presence of Singapore on the list of medical tourism best countries is a little tricky. It is not one of the classical medical tourism destinations, chosen primarily to save money. Many treatments in Singapore’s top-of-the-notch hospitals are as expensive as in many Western European locations. Why then healthcare tourism flourishes in Singapore? The answer is simple – quality. According to a study results shared in 2017, Singapore's success as a leading medical tourism destination can be attributed to its long-term and integrated strategic planning headed by its central government.

Citizens of many surrounding countries search for plastic surgery overseas for the sake of quality rather than money. However, if you choose carefully and you happen to be a citizen of the USA or the UK, you still may save some.

4- Malaysia

Malaysia is the more affordable medical tourism option just next to Singapore and it fills the niche for patients seeking medical treatment abroad which combines a great quality and reasonable pricing. In the world of medical tourism, Malaysia is still one of the newest of medical tourism destinations but it quickly gains the ground among titans, starting to compete even with Singapore itself and Thailand.

5- Turkey

Turkey is unquestionably one of the top 5 medical tourism destinations, with patients who choose medical travel to Istanbul, Bursa, or Ankara hailing from both Europe and MENA region. Turkey health tourism benefits are not limited just to surprisingly low prices but extend also to the quality, which is an object of admiration for millions of patients every year. Data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute showed that a total of 1.8 million people visited the country for health purposes during the 2013-2017 period.

Moreover, it is thought by many to be the best country for plastic surgery, especially hair transplant procedures and breast augmentation. However, patients looking for plastic surgery overseas are not the sole visitors of Turkish clinics. Turkey has gained a reputation among medical tourism destinations for eye surgeries, known to be both affordable and high-quality.

6- Germany

Germany is similar to Singapore when it comes to its position among medical tourism best countries. In other words, in the world of medical tourism, Germany is known for a superb quality rather than suitable pricing. Therefore, maybe you won’t save money but you can be sure that your treatment abroad will be conducted in a state-of-the-art clinic by highly qualified staff. For this reason, patients choosing Germany from other medical tourism destinations usually need to undergo serious operations such as organ transplantations.

7- Mexico

Mexico among medical tourism top countries? For somebody from outside of the USA, it would seem a little strange. After all, we all associate Mexico with great holidays rather than healthcare tourism. However, the truth is Mexico has an advantage because of both the proximity to the USA and a great quality of medical services. It is especially famous for dental tourism – many people can enjoy white, straight teeth and dental implants thanks to clinics in major Mexican cities, as well as facilities located just next to border crossings in order to facilitate the needs of Americans.

8- Brazil

According to the World Health Organization, Brazil has the best healthcare system in Latin America and also be counted as one of the top medical tourism countries in the world.

If there is a single best country for plastic surgery (as we have shown though, it is not that easy), it should be Brazil. It is also one of the hottest addresses for plastic surgery abroad – you can have here whatever cosmetic surgery you want, although breast augmentation and Brazilian Butt Lift (no coincidence!) are on the top of the list. Looking for plastic surgery abroad, you shall definitely check Brazil – it has more to offer than beautiful nature and fascinating culture.