Medical tourism is the practice of traveling to another country to receive medical treatment. Depending on the nature of treatment and destination of travel, costs savings can be substantial, even after factoring in airfare, hotel accommodation, insurance, dining, and shopping. For instance, a heart valve operation which would cost over $200,000 in the United States could cost under $10,000 in a country like India. It is for this reason that an ever-increasing number of patients in the West, where medical costs have skyrocketed, are traveling to Asia to seek medical treatment.
Singapore has become one of the major destinations for international medical tourists. Three agencies, the Economic Development Board, the Singapore Tourism Board, and the International Enterprise Singapore, have come together to develop Singapore as one of Asia’s leading healthcare destinations. Through their cooperative efforts, they successfully attract an average of 200,000 medical tourists to the island state each year, bringing with them revenues of about US $3 billion annually.
Singapore prides itself on having world-class medical facilities, with 11 JCI accredited hospitals. It has a chiefly English-speaking population and is well-known for its clean and green structured environment. Many of the doctors and staff have also been trained in major medical centers in the United States and Europe.
While medical costs in Singapore are considerably lower than in the West, they are more expensive compared to some of the surrounding Asian countries, such as Thailand and India. However, Singapore has managed to successfully brand itself above the competition, offering a wide spectrum of healthcare services in every major field of medicine. Singapore has developed a reputation for its expertise in Neurosurgery, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Oncology, and Dental Services.
The Singapore Tourism Board works with various travel agencies and healthcare providers to provide foreign patients with attractive and affordable health packages. These include airport transfers, booking of specialist appointments, hospital stays, sightseeing arrangements, etc.
The Parkway Group of Hospitals (Gleneagles, Mount Elizabeth, and East Shore Hospitals) is a major service provider in the field of medical travel. Together with Raffles Hospital, Mount Alvernia, and the Government-linked Restructured Hospitals (Alexandra Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, National University Hospital, Changi General Hospital, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital), they provide a comprehensive and competitive range of services to foreign patients. Most hospitals now have dedicated International Call Centers to cater to this growing demand.
Medical tourism is set to continue growing in the years to come. As the Baby Boomers get older and more medical issues present themselves, they represent a vast market for high-quality, affordable healthcare. Another factor that favors the growth of the industry is the fact that as many as 43 million Americans are without health insurance and 120 million without dental coverage, who are likely to seek out more affordable healthcare elsewhere.
In the Denti e Sorrisi blog, you will find all the information on dental tourism in Albania, dental clinics in Albania, dental clinics in Tirana, and dentists in Tirana. You will also find important information on dental implants, All-on-Four, All-on-Six, All-on-Eight, metal-ceramic crowns, zirconium crowns, all-ceramic crowns, dental veneers, Invisalign transparent aligners, fixed braces, teeth whitening, dental aesthetics, and dental care. These articles concern dental care in Albania, specifically in Tirana.