Archive : Winter 2008
Infographic //
The Outsourced Patient
By Jeff Greenwald // Infographic by Flying Chilli |
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A growing number of Americans are saving untold thousands of dollars on major surgeries by traveling thousands
of miles, even halfway around the world. State-of-the-art hospitals on nearly every continent—many of them
accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), a branch of the U.S. hospital accreditation
organization—have sprung up to offer care for fees as much as 85% lower than their U.S.
counterparts’. Though there are no official numbers (patients travel as tourists, not under medical
visas), as many as half a million Americans might be travelling abroad for treatment each year. Some do so at
the urging of employers and benefits providers, who are also beginning to recognize the potential savings of
medical tourism. Here’s where Americans are going, what they’re having done, and for how much
(the numbers cited are estimates and can vary widely).
Click on a country's name on the map below
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Mexico // Each year, tens of thousands of U.S. citizens make the trip across the border to clinics that offer relatively simple procedures— dental, cosmetic and ophthalmological.
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 Implants
$1,500 (U.S.: $2,400)
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 Rhinoplasty
$3,800 (U.S.: $4,500) |
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Costa Rica // Though most visitors to this lush Central American nation are attracted by the prospect of ecotourism, almost 14% go for medical care. “Recovery retreats,” hotels staffed with nurses and interns, ease the post-op period.
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Liposuction
$1,200 (U.S.: $3,500) |
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Argentina // Superb plastic surgeons make this style-conscious country a popular destination for medical tourists. One in 30 Argentines undergoes plastic surgery, making it the world’s third-most-operated-on population, after the United States and Mexico.
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Implants
$1,000 (U.S.: $2,400)
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Facelift
$3,960 (U.S.: $8,500) |
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South Africa // Home of the world’s first heart transplant, this nation has a sterling reputation for care. At least one travel agency offers packages that include wildlife safaris (to be taken before a procedure, as sun exposure is contraindicated after some cosmetic surgeries).
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Facelift
$6,000 (U.S.: $8,500) |
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India // Some 500,000 foreigners travel here each year for medical care, often for orthopedic and cardiac surgery. The Confederation of Indian Industry puts the size of the country’s medical tourism at more than $300 million and estimates that it will grow to $2 billion by 2012.
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 Heart bypass
$10,000 (U.S.: $130,000)
 Hip replacement
$9,000 (U.S.: $43,000)
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Malaysia // Facilities here are on par with those in India and Thailand, but the country is a well-kept secret as far as medical tourism goes. A pioneer in preventive-care screening, Malaysia offers packages for bone scans and heart, stroke and cancer testing.
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Heart bypass
$9,000 (U.S.: $130,000)
Hip replacement
$10,000 (U.S.: $43,000) |
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Thailand // Bangkok’s posh Bumrungrad Hospital serves more than 1 million patients annually from more than 190 countries, about 64,000 of them Americans. It’s one of three medical facilities in Bangkok that boast hospital accreditation from JCI. Both Bangkok and Phuket are popular destinations for sex-change operations, one of the top 10 procedures for which patients visit Thailand.
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Angioplasty
$13,000 (U.S.: $57,000)
Hip replacement
$12,000 (U.S.: $43,000)
 Gender-reassignment surgery
$8,000 (U.S.: $20,000)
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Singapore // More than 250,000 patients per year visit Singapore, a large percentage of them from the Middle East. The tiny, English-speaking nation has 11 JCI-accredited hospitals.
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Heart bypass
$18,500 (U.S.: $130,000)
Hip replacement
$12,000 (U.S.: $43,000) |
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Caveat Emptor // Medical tourists face special risks: Though they are often treated by physicians trained in the United States and Europe, the expertise of nurses and other staff is not as assured. Sanitary conditions inside hospitals and environmental conditions beyond their doors may invite infection, digestive problems or other conditions that slow or even prevent recovery. And once home, follow-up care is a challenge (though some foreign surgeons are willing to consult with local doctors by phone). Then there’s the fact that, should something go wrong, legal recourse is much more difficult abroad—so patients should proceed with extreme care.
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