Monday, January 14, 2019

Why Patients Resort To Custom Made Medical Travel Plans

By Jeffrey Barnes


Despite the great advances that have been made in the field of medicine, thousands of people still die from illnesses that could be treated successfully every year. This may be because the treatment they need is not available in their home countries or there may be very long waiting periods. Sometimes patients cannot afford the treatment, even if it is available in their own countries. Many of these patients look for solutions elsewhere and with custom made medical travel plans they seek treatment abroad.

Traveling to foreign countries in order to seek treatment is not a new concept. Even in ancient times, people traveled very long distances and endured great hardship simply to see a renowned healer. Of course, in those days medical science was not as advanced as it is today and there were very few reputable healers. But people do not just strive to see healers. They also flock to holy places that have a reputation of having healing powers.

In modern times, traveling abroad for treatment has become a huge industry and some tourism operators specialize in designing special packages for this type of tourist. Desperately ill people will go to any length to get help if it is not readily available in their own countries. People facing death have only one priority and that is to do whatever is necessary to stay alive.

It is not just patients facing death that seek treatment abroad as a last resort. The world is a small place and experts and specialists that enjoy a high rate of success and the respect of their international colleagues are often in high demand. Those that can afford it will pay to get the very best treatment, regardless of where they need to go to get it. In other cases, ill patients will go abroad to seek experimental treatment.

It is not only the wealthy that travel abroad to seek treatment. Citizens of rich countries with strong currencies often find that a favorable exchange rate can help them to afford treatment in a foreign country with a weak currency. Countries such as South Africa, for example, boast many renowned specialists and facilities, but they have a very weak currency. Fundraising for treatment abroad has also become popular.

Some concerns have been voiced, however. Some critics say that foreign patients with deep pockets are willing to offer large fees to get preferential treatment. This is often to the detriment of other patients. These practices are unethical and unfair, feeding the greed of unscrupulous specialists, hospitals and clinics. Critics want the system to be regulated more rigorously.

Seeking medical treatment abroad should be approached very carefully and it is highly advisable to use an agent that has ample experience in this field. Care should be taken that the facilities and doctors involved are reputable and experienced. The itinerary will need to be flexible because it is not possible to say just how long the patient will have to remain at the treatment facility or how long recuperation will take.

It is easy to understand why people will sacrifice a lot and travel long distances in the hope of finding effective treatment for life threatening conditions. When facing the possibility of death, nothing else really matters. However, it would be wrong if this type of tourism prohibit local citizens from getting proper treatment themselves.




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