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ESPMEDICAL TOURISM
Medical tourism is the process where individuals travel from their home country to another country to receive medical care. Medical tourism has been around for many years, and ranges from services such as yearly physicals and dental check-ups, all the way to complex procedures such as open-heart surgery. Individuals from the U.S. and Canada turn to Medical Tourism to avoid high costs and/or long wait times for medical treatment in their home country. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 1,450,000 Americans and Canadians travel abroad each year for healthcare.
At Health & Wellness Bazaar, we are re-inventing the medical tourism experience to be more of a whole-body and holistic vacation instead of just a medical transaction. We make the Medical Tourism so easy that many of our patients turn their whole experience into a health and wellness vacation.
Advantages of Medical Tourism:
- Affordable health care: Costs through medical tourism is significantly cheaper than in more developed economies like the United States, Canada, Europe, etc. These savings can be as much as 80% depending on the procedure required. There are a multitude of reasons why healthcare is cheaper here, but quality is certainly not one of them. A good portion of health care costs in the U.S. are tied up with administrative costs and insurance costs. Additionally, the high costs of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment add to the overall picture.
Here are some other reasons why the costs are lower with our international medical providers:
- Lower administrative costs
- Lower insurance costs
- Lower cost of pharmaceuticals
- Lower costs of medical supplies and equipment
- Lower costs of labor
- Lower real estate values
- Lower construction costs
- Fewer malpractice lawsuits
- Less bureaucracy
- Care when you need it: Short, if any, wait times. No need to wait if you are in pain and need a procedure done. Wait times are nonexistent through our medical tourism network, the only time you will need to wait will be the time it takes you to come to one of our destinations.
- Patient focused personalized medicine: We practice patient centered medicine and firmly believe that you and your family should be 100% involved in the care and treatment process. At Health & Wellness Bazaar, you will experience medicine like you probably haven't before. Our experienced medical and administrative team will be with you the entire way, and you'll receive as much or as little attention as you desire. By the time you return home, you will have gained a new family with our Health & Wellness Bazaar staff.
- Less red-tape: There are no needs for prior authorizations or any loopholes that need to be jumped through in order to receive care. Paperwork, insurance claims and other administrative hassles can be a full-time job when you're awaiting a procedure. If you're very sick or simply lead a busy life, this red tape can take its toll.
- Vacation: Let us not forget about that fact that you will be traveling to a different country for your care. At Health & Wellness Bazaar we are working to reinvent the concept of Medical Tourism and remind you that healing is a body and mind experience. While you may be coming for a surgical procedure, we also want you to enjoy yourself and our team will be happy to assist you in the planning of tours and activities in the destination of your choosing.
Risks of Medical Tourism:
- Quality and safety: Rightfully so, the number one concern about medical tourism patients is the quality and safety of the locations where they are going. Third world countries often times have standards of living that may be lower than the United States and Canada. Nonetheless, many clinics and hospitals around the world adhere to international quality and safety standards and Health & Wellness Bazaar carefully selects only the best in this pool. Our patient safety processes are modeled off those recommended by the World Health Organization and we are continually assessing and improving our international providers' processes to match those set by international accreditation bodies.
- Travel after surgery: Another major concern with medical tourism is the fact that you will need to travel shortly after surgery. Each situation is unique and when planning your visit, we will work with you to make sure that you are aware of any travel risks associated with your procedure.
- Follow-up: At Health & Wellness Bazaar we are firm believers in the maintenance and management of the continuum of care. Care coordination across all your providers is paramount to your health. While we would be delighted to have you visit your HWBazaar doctor for your follow-up appointment, we can work with your home physician to make sure they get a full report of your procedure and any next steps that we recommend.
