Going abroad to receive medical or cosmetic treatment used to be something that gave people pause for thought, largely on the basis that healthcare standards in the UK and Europe differed from other countries – especially those outside the continent. It was seen as risky and not worth it, but times have changed. Nowadays, it’s common for people to travel for medical procedures, be it cosmetic surgery or otherwise. 

There are lots of advantages to medical tourism, both for the patient and the healthcare providers. If you’re thinking about travelling abroad for medical treatment but aren’t sure whether the benefits of doing so are worth it, here are five of the top benefits that you might want to consider.

1. More affordable

One of the main benefits of medical tourism, especially for those travelling from the UK, is that the cost of medical treatment is reduced drastically, especially where cosmetic procedures are concerned. For example, the average cost of a rhinoplasty in the UK starts at the £4,000 mark, whereas in Turkey the average cost is around £2,600. This is a considerable saving, and even with the cost of flights and hotels, it’s still often more affordable to go abroad for medical procedures than to stay in the UK. 

It’s important to note that the price isn’t a reflection of the quality of care. A lot of people think that the cheaper prices of medical tourism mean that the work is somewhat botched and not of the same standards, but this isn’t the case (as we’ll explain later). Do be wary of extremely low treatment costs (a £400 rhinoplasty is likely to be questionable), but on the whole, medical tourism is a more affordable alternative and makes treatment far more accessible to those on a budget. This is, arguably, what pushes a lot of people to consider medical treatments abroad.

2. Faster access to medical procedures

The second benefit to medical tourism is that you often get faster access to treatments. Non-cosmetic medical procedures in the UK are, more often than not, carried out on the NHS, but this involves long waiting lists. Some people simply don’t have the luxury of time and need immediate assistance, and medical tourism can provide this. 

Obtaining medical treatment overseas often means avoiding lengthy waiting lists and getting access to care in a matter of months – sometimes even weeks. Depending on the procedure being carried out, this can make all the difference to a person’s quality of life and overall health. This is one of the main medical tourism benefits to those seeking treatment that isn’t just cosmetic. At Medical Travel Co., we specialise in facilitating cosmetic surgery and dental treatments, and like with non-cosmetic surgeries, waiting times are vastly reduced.

3. Internationally renowned quality healthcare services

As touched upon in point one, going abroad for medical care, particularly outside of Europe or the USA, has been seen as risky due to differences in medical standards. Whilst it’s true that different countries have different standards of healthcare, a lot of the surgeons and healthcare professionals abroad carry out their training and get their qualifications in Western countries, meaning the standard of care is no different.

For example, lots of surgeons in Turkey have accreditations from the Royal College of Surgeons in the UK. Furthermore, a number of surgeons who train in the UK or the USA move abroad to practice, offering more accessible healthcare of the same standard, just in a different country.

4. More efficient booking and consultation service

You might be under the impression that booking a medical procedure abroad is more troublesome, especially where consultations and initial meetings are concerned, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, due to the almost immediate access to treatment, consultations for medical tourists tend to be far faster than elsewhere.

You’ll likely find that you’ll have a number of phone calls or video chats about the procedure and booking yourself in, with the physical consultation taking place a few days or a week before the scheduled treatment date. This means you don’t need to worry about going back and forth to different medical facilities and seeing numerous healthcare professionals; everything is handled in a far more efficient way. You’ll receive the same level of care, but it will be compacted into fewer appointments, yet another of the leading medical tourism advantages.

5. Opportunity to travel

The fifth and final benefit we’re going to cover in this article is that medical tourism gives you the opportunity to travel elsewhere. If you arrive at your destination a few days before your scheduled treatment date and find yourself with some free time between your consultations and procedure time, you can easily go out and explore the local area. Whether it’s going to the beach, relaxing by a pool, experiencing local cuisine, or going to a tourist attraction, there’s lots you can experience between your arrival time and treatment date.

Just because you’re going away for healthcare reasons, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take it as an opportunity to expand your worldly experiences – health permitting.