Each passing year, the market for medical tourism increases, but along with it, myths and rumors about medical travel also take center stage. When the myths about the reality of medical tourism begin to circulate, people become wary of selecting the option to travel to another country for a specific treatment.
Therefore, the myth that needs to be debunked straight away is that foreign doctors are under qualified. Foreign doctors working in reputable medical facilities abroad are anything, but under qualified. They have received their training and education from well-known medical institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, amongst other countries.
Still, there are even more serious myths that need to be addressed than this. Here are five medical tourism myths that deserve to be shattered:
Myth #1: Don’t Visit a Medical Facility that is not accredited by the JCI
Joint Commission International accreditation shouldn’t define the quality of care provided at medical facilities abroad. Some hospitals have began to use the JCI accreditation as a marketing tool to attract medical travelers, thinking that they will not raise questions about the quality of care provided there if they see a mention or logo of JCI.
Although JCI accreditation is vital to consider, medical travelers shouldn’t reject a hospital outright just because they are not accredited by JCI. Instead, they should conduct further research and not depend on the type of accreditation the medical facility has acquired.
Myth 2: The Bigger the Building, the Superior the Care
Don’t judge the building by its size. Most medical travelers are quick to judge the expertise of doctors in the medical facility by looking at the enormous size of the building. People traveling abroad for surgery or treatment should not go on the size of the medical facility, but delve deeper, judging it by the medical professionals it employs.
Myth 3: The Cost to Travel will Deplete Your Bank Account
To an extent, this is true, but what is also true is that the medical services in foreign countries will subsidize your travel. For instance, it will cost you about $300 to get your teeth polished in Canada, but in Mexico, it will cost you $30 so a trip that cost you around $700 will also end up saving you about $270 on dental treatment. According to Patient Beyond Borders, you can get this much discount on medical treatment in the following countries:
· Turkey: 50-65%
· Brazil: 20-30%
· Taiwan: 40-55%
· India: 65-90%
· Mexico: 40-65%
· Costa Rica: 45-65%
· Malaysia: 65-80%
· South Korea: 30-45%
· Singapore: 25-40%
· Thailand: 50-75%
Myth #4: Medical Supplies are Inferior in Quality
Since medical treatments in foreign countries are cheap, you shouldn’t automatically assume that the reason for this is because they are cheap. In foreign countries, popular for medical tourism, treatments are cheaper because most of their savings come from their labor, and not the medical supplies they use.
Myth #5: Foreign Dental Assistant are not Trained
Although this might be true in some countries, it shouldn’t be a reason to discount the medical facility. In most of those countries, the dental assistants are solely there to assist, and not handle any kind of equipment.
These myths have officially been busted!
