Medical Tourism

By: Paramveer Nihal

Who, what, where, how

• Medical tourism affects everyone all around the world as it is a way for people to get health care in another country . People choose to get health care in another country for two major reasons: Quality and Price. One may want better service while another may want the cheapest price. This is possible through more efficient transportation and easier tourism laws.

Three types of medical tourism

• Outbound: Patients travelling to other countries to receive treatment

• Inbound: Patients travel to a host country to receive health care

• Intrabound: Patients travelling domestically for medical care

How is this procedure preformed

• Medical tourism is preformed when a patient leaves their place of residence to get a treatment elsewhere

• Doctors diagnose the patient and if they cannot be treated at home they go to where they can be treated

Benefits and Drawbacks Advantages• It maybe cheaper • You may get better service

elsewhere • It will make you healthier• increase regional economic

inequalities• Communication in you're

mother tongue

Disadvantages• The procedures maybe at a

lower quality• They may not be safe• They may not be approved• Miscommunication• May not meet standards

from home nation

Social, Political, Ethical issues• The local economy looses potential profits• It makes the country’s health care system look weak • If the patient gets the procedure done in a country with low quality

services they can return with infection• If the patient returns with infection they can in turn spread to others• The service that the patient is getting maybe illegal or controversial,

such as abortion or organ sale • Traveling long distance after surgery increases risk of health

complications• Tourists may not be used to laws• If there is a problem there is no insurance to help• Doctors in developing countries may become so busy with tourists

that they can’t help those residing there • Tourists maybe scammed (Fraud)

Possible solutions to Social, Ethical or Political Issues

• Patients must be required to go through test before boarding plane or crossing border to make sure they don’t have a contagious disease

• The government can update their health care technology

• The tourists can become familiar with the laws before going to another country

Positive impact on society

• It helps improve the global economy (expected to grow to 40 billion$)

• It helps doctors and nurses around the world get more practice

• Help people get cheaper or better quality of service depending on what they require

• Less dependent on insurance• Reduces wait time in clinics

+

Our Involvement• Provincial government send patients to another

country if they cant find a treatment soon enough• To reduce sending patients to other countries the

government is actively searching for ways to improve the health care system(this reduce cost)

• B.C government attempting to become a medical tourism attraction

• Patient must fit needs varying throughout province for medical tourism to be an option

• The senior population of Canada is very interested in medical tourism (for specialized treatment or access to better technology)

Bibliography• Medical Tourism - Benefits to patient and providers. (n.d.). World

Laparoscopy Hospital - Laparoscopic Treatment Training and Research. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.laparoscopyhospital.com/medical-tourism.html

• The Advantages and Disadvantages of Medical Tourism - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com. (n.d.). Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://voices.yahoo.com/the-advantages-disadvantages-medical-tourism-4123557.html

• Deloitte- deloitte.com. retrieved October, 17, 2013www.deloitte.com/assets/DcomCanad

a/Local%20Assets/Documents/Public%20sectors/ca_en_ps_evolving_medical_tourisim _052511.pdf

Ethical and legal implications of the risks of medical tourism for patients: a qualitative study of Canadian health and safety representatives’ perspectives -- Crooks et al. 3 (2) -- BMJ Open . (n.d.).BMJ Open - BMJ Journals . Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/2/e002302.fu

Bibliography• Lee, M. S. (n.d.). Medical Tourism Raises Ethical Concerns

| News | The Harvard Crimson. Harvard News | The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/10/26/medical-tourism-book/

• Medical Tourism Risks. (n.d.). THE MEDICAL NEWS | from News-Medical.Net - Latest Medical News and Research from Around the World. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from http://www.news-medical.net/health/Medical-Tourism-Risks.aspx

• Medical Tourism - Chapter 2 - 2014 Yellow Book | Travelers' Health | CDC. (n.d.). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/medical-tourism