What is medical tourism?

Medical tourism is when a person travels to another country to get medical care, often because the treatment is cheaper, faster, or not available at home.

Quick Scoop

People usually choose medical tourism for a few main reasons:

  • Lower treatment costs.
  • Shorter waiting times.
  • Access to specific procedures or specialists.
  • Combining treatment with travel, in some cases.

Common treatments

Medical tourism often includes:

  • Dental care.
  • Cosmetic surgery.
  • Fertility treatment.
  • Elective surgery.
  • Bariatric surgery.

Important risks

It can be helpful, but it also comes with risks such as:

  • Differences in safety and quality standards.
  • Language barriers.
  • Problems with follow-up care after returning home.
  • Possible travel-related health complications.

Simple example

If someone in one country cannot afford a procedure there, but can get the same procedure at a lower price in another country, that trip for treatment is medical tourism.

Bottom line

Medical tourism is international travel for healthcare, and it is usually driven by cost, access, or speed.

Information gathered from public internet sources and presented in a concise, general form.