Medical Tourism in the US: Features, Benefits & Tips

Medical tourism has gained prominence with a reliance on globalisation and increased global mobility. The United States of America has evolved as a medical tourism destination with a practical and well-built healthcare system. Moreover, it has improved overall medical science with its clinical research.

Do you wish to find out more about medical tourism in the US? Then, read till the end of this article for detailed guidance.

The term medical tourism has become a multi-faceted concept recently. As you might guess, it refers to travelling from one part of the world to another in search of good healthcare services at the right price. Initially, people from developing countries mainly indulged in this process, as they had to move to developed countries for proper medical services.

However, with time, the idea has changed. Now, health tourism is used for both quality and price options. People from rich and well-developed countries also travel to lesser developed ones to receive affordable healthcare treatments and procedures. It helps patients to explore various healthcare options and choose the best instead of settling for what they get in their homeland.

The USA is known for its efforts in the field of science and technology. The medical science field is no exception. The popularity of American medical tourism has its reasons hidden in this country's high-end medical technologies and clinical research. It is currently rated among the top medical tourism destinations worldwide.

People often consider medical tourism options in the US to access top-notch medical procedures, like cardiovascular surgeries and transplants, cosmetic surgeries and cancer treatments. While it might be relatively more expensive than in Asian countries, the quality of healthcare services speaks for itself.

The significance of medical tourism is evident as the diversity of healthcare requirements has been on the rise. It is nearly impossible to find all kinds of medical treatments and procedures in the services of a single country. Here are some reasons to show its necessity.

• Healthcare services of better quality are available outside the native country. Medical tourism helps to explore such options.
• You can find healthcare procedures matching your budget in different countries without dropping the treatment quality.
• You can consider some controversial procedures, such as fertility treatment, which is not legal in some countries. Medical tourism can make this happen.
• There are some prominent names of specialists regarding complicated and rare medical treatments. You can conduct your treatment under these specialists by travelling to them.
• Medical tourism allows you to explore a new country and vacation while receiving health treatment. In addition, it will enhance your mental well-being.

There are three basic categories of medical tourism. These depend on the type of travel. For instance, it is called outbound medical tourism if you travel to a foreign country from your home country for medical treatment. It is the most commonly used category of medical tourism.

On the other hand, travelling to your home country for medical treatment from a foreign country is the inbound category of medical tourism. Finally, there is a category called domestic tourism. Here, patients move from a part of their home country to another part of the same country for medical treatment and do not cross borders.

If you are sceptical about choosing medical tourism in the United States, here are some factors that can make the decision easier. They will show the importance of American healthcare and how it can be the perfect medical tourism destination.

1. Cost of Healthcare

US healthcare services follow a premium pricing technique, which makes its healthcare facilities more expensive than in many countries. However, at the same time, the price range is comparatively lower than that of some European countries overseas. If you are looking for quality care, US healthcare guarantees the same. Here is a highlight of its price range.

2. Healthcare Services & Quality

As it charges a premium amount for healthcare services, the hospitals and medical teams in the US ensure high-quality medical treatment and services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has focused on improving the quality of healthcare services with the help of proper tools, equipment and research.

• Since the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (NHQDR) identified faults in healthcare facilities, the US government has focused on improving these.
• There are multiple levels regarding the education and training of doctors and nurses. This process ensures that the healthcare teams are highly qualified.
• Moreover, the number of hospitals and clinical setups is increasing in the US. This has contributed to reducing the waiting list.
• There are also innovative strategies like the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the Accountable Care Organisation (ACO) Model. Here, the ACOs are responsible for handling the care quality and costs while serving Medicare beneficiaries.

3. Medical Facilities & Infrastructure

The US will help you find the best and world-class medical features and facilities, along with the latest equipment and tools. Here are some common facilities you should be aware of while considering health tourism in the USA.

• Ambulatory Surgical Centres: Also known as outpatient surgical facilities, these centres allow you to have a surgical procedure even outside an actual hospital. With these, you can access healthcare services at a comparatively lower price compared to hospitals and nursing homes. Moreover, these reduce your exposure to risks of infection coming in contact with other patients.
• Blood Banks: There are multiple blood banks in the US. These are effective for emergencies when patients need blood for immediate treatment. In addition, this is a great facility for most people visiting the US for medical tourism since they hardly have relatives or friends who can donate blood for their treatment.
• Imaging and Radiology Centres: There are various centres and facilities in the US that only focus on radiology and imaging services. You will receive diagnostic imaging services with ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays. Even though hospitals and clinics offer these facilities, you can get the same options at a lower price in these centres.
• Urgent Care Facilities: These facilities are for such patients whose conditions are not too severe for an emergency room but require immediate medical attention. In the US, the teams working in such facilities are experts in acute care. You can utilise these facilities for dealing with fractures and broken bones, viral illnesses, blood tests, urine labs, strep tests, etc.
• Medical Devices & Equipment: The industry of medical devices is huge in the US, with a large market size of $110 billion. Most hospitals use electro-medical devices like pacemakers, MRI machines, patient-monitoring systems, diagnostic imaging equipment, etc. Other popular apparatuses include X-Ray machines, blood transfusion devices, catheters, and others.

4. Impressive Options for Healthcare Organisations

The AHA Annual Survey revealed that there are about 6,093 hospitals in the US. This can benefit most patients visiting the US as medical tourists since they can have healthcare facilities in different parts of the country. Moreover, these include nongovernment not-for-profit community hospitals, investor-owned (for-profit) community hospitals, State and Local Government Community Hospitals, Federal Government Hospitals and Non-Federal Psychiatric Hospitals.

If you are considering health tourism in the USA, it will be beneficial to know about the popular services you can utilise during your visit. Some of the popular procedures here are as follows.

• Cancer Treatment: The US healthcare settings excel in different kinds and levels of cancer treatment. For example, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre is currently the best name for cancer research and treatment in the US. Additionally, the hospitals offer biomarker testing, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hyperthermia, hormone therapy, photodynamic therapy, radiation therapy, etc.
• Cardiology: Some of the US-based hospitals specialise in effective cardiology treatment and services. A few of them are the Cleveland Clinic, Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, NYU Langone Hospitals, Massachusetts General Hospital, etc. You can visit these places for high-end heart transplants and the implantation of devices like defibrillators and pacemakers. Furthermore, they can also handle heart failure, chest procedures, endocarditis, and circulatory issues.
• Ophthalmology: This is another competitive area in US healthcare, and you can expect high-quality care in this field. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Wills Eye Hospital, Mass Eye and Ear, and Duke University Hospital are some of the most prominent names in this field. The ophthalmologists in the US are highly skilled. They perform high-end surgeries like cataract surgery, refractive surgery, glaucoma surgery, removal of neoplasm, corneal transplants, etc.
• Spine Surgery: The US-based hospitals again specialise in spine and back surgeries. Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Centre is one of the best facilities offering such services. The doctors use high-end imaging tools for guidance during the examination and commencement of surgeries. You can opt for surgeries like laminectomy, laminotomy, foraminotomy, spinal fusion and disc replacement in these hospitals.
• Gynaecology: You can consider medical tourism in the US if you are looking for world-class gynaecology services. Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Cleveland Clinic are famous in this field. Here, you can receive treatments against all kinds of complicated conditions, such as anterior vaginal prolapse (cystocele), atypical isoimmunisation, cancer during pregnancy, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation, diaphragmatic hernia, fallopian tube cancer, etc.
• Cosmetic Surgery: As of 2020, the US registers the highest number of cosmetic procedures globally. Nearly 4 million cosmetic surgeries are conducted here annually. The hospitals here perform high-quality breast augmentation, breast implants and lifts, cheek implants, chin augment, lip augment, nose reshaping, tummy tuck, and many other such procedures. Some popular centres are Westlake Dermatology, Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, and Nazarian Plastic Surgery.

If you are planning to visit the US on a medical tour, you should be aware of the ideal citizens for medical care. Here are some of those to shorten your research time.

• Rochester: It is the home of the Mayo Clinic and has gained popularity for its location near healthcare settings. You can consider this city to stay close to some prominent hospitals and health settings.
• Burlington: This city is known for having an impressive umbrella of community healthcare centres. Moreover, you will find numerous family health clinics at affordable prices in this area.
• Charleston: It is another US-based city known for some prominent healthcare names such as MUSC Health, East Cooper Medical Centre, Roper Hospital, Trident Medical Centre, etc. Medical tourists, therefore, prefer staying here.
• Cincinnati: You will again find a range of hospitals here, including Christ Hospital, Bethesda North Hospital, Beckett Springs Hospital, University of Cincinnati Medical Centre, etc. The living costs are also affordable here.
• Baltimore: This city has good connections with most healthcare settings in this country. It is the home of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Moreover, this city is an ideal place to stay with a family while undergoing medical treatment.
• Philadelphia: This city has over 61 hospitals and can be the perfect residential area for a medical tourist. In particular, you will find prominent children's hospitals in this area.
• Phoenix: There are multiple healthcare settings here, such as Mayo Clinic, Banner-University Medical Centre, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Centre, etc. It can be an excellent place to stay, as it has great transport facilities.

Do you still doubt visiting the US for medical tourism? Here are some advantages of the US health facilities to clear your head and make a choice.

• High Care Quality: As much as the premium pricing can be a problem, the healthcare quality in the US is something the government vouches for. If you are looking for treatments against rare conditions, you can consider the US. Its treatment procedure is of high quality, evident from the highest cancer survival rates here. Moreover, the medical teams are capable enough to handle various health conditions.
• Short Waiting Time: As the USA is a large country with various healthcare options, it offers shorter waiting times for patients compared to most Asian and European countries. This is helpful for patients suffering from critical illnesses requiring immediate treatment.
• Impressive Resources and Facilities: The resources and facilities available in the US-based hospitals are of supreme quality. In addition, the US government has spent a lump sum on developing the industry of medical devices. The doctors and nurses use all these advanced technological tools and equipment to make an accurate diagnosis and then continue treatment.

Medical tourism might seem like a flawless concept, mainly helping people to improve their health conditions. However, it is not completely free of faults. For instance, it requires you to move from your home country to a foreign country and adjust to a new culture. There can also be a language barrier when communicating with a healthcare provider. This can be strenuous while dealing with an illness.

Moreover, moving to an expensive country like the US and finding accommodation here can be highly expensive. Therefore, it can only be possible with good savings. There is also the risk of travelling immediately after the treatment, which can threaten your physical health. Furthermore, there are risks of unregulated protocols and legal systems of a new country and its hospitals.

Travelling after a critical surgical procedure is often considered unfavourable. Usually, this question can have different answers based on the kind of treatment and current health conditions of the patient. For instance, older people are not recommended to travel after surgery. Therefore, it is advisable to consult the doctor and ask detailed questions about travelling after the treatment.

Are you planning medical tourism in the US soon? Here are some tips to make the process easier.

• Do a Research: You must conduct deep and detailed research regarding US hospitals and healthcare settings. It is better not to rely on the recommendations and suggestions of others when it comes to healthcare and travel. You can consider both online and offline methods here.
• Pick the Right Hospitals: Before starting your quest for a hospital, keep a note of your requirements and an overall budget plan. This will help you shortlist the hospitals based on your specific requirements. Moreover, it will reduce the dilemma of choosing and shortlisting your options.
• Consider the Reviews & Pricing: Even if you are sure of your choice, always go through the reviews of the hospital. You can also ask your peers or relatives about its reviews if they have had any experiences in the hospital. Furthermore, consider the exact pricing options, and take notes of the minute details. This will help you avoid additional charges later.
• Enquire Directly: Making direct enquiries from the hospitals will be a better option here. You might have to spend significant roaming charges while calling the hospitals. However, this will ensure the right source of information. You will find the contact details of every hospital on their official websites.
• Consult a Medical Travel Planner: After planning your healthcare provider, you must book your hotel and accommodation in the US. For this, you can choose a medical travel planner. These people can guide you through the right quotes from different hotels and other forms of accommodation in the city of your choice and help you make the bookings.
• Buy a Health Insurance Policy Early: Some health insurance plans provide worldwide coverage for certain treatments. Hence, if you are going for a planned treatment, buy a health insurance policy in advance to cover your financial expenses abroad. 

Thus, medical tourism in the US is a viable option for high-quality treatment. If you are ready to spend a good amount on medical treatment, you can expect world-class services in the hospitals here. Follow the tips mentioned in this article to start your journey to the US as a medical tourist.