Medical tourism is next big thing in travel industry around the world. This sector is growing at a very healthy rate in India. India has a sound medical-care system and is focusing its full attention in promoting medical tourism. But what is medical tourism? Why go to India for it? How reliable is India’s health care system? Is it wise to go to India for clinical care? Will it be cheap? These are some of the few questions that may or will arise in mind while deciding about such tours. Here are some answers for these questions.

Traveling to a foreign country for the specific purpose of going through a medical procedure like a transplant or a surgery is called medical tourism. India has tremendous potential, and its tourism industry is promoting medical tourism with full conviction. Many American and European patients prefer to travel to India for advance medical treatments because they get the same world-class services at very affordable prices. Many travel agencies in India provide complete medical tours. India has a large number of medical centers and hospitals, which are highly acclaimed world over.

Medical tourism is flourishing in India because it has many distinct advantages over other countries. One of the main factors is time. In most western countries, patients have to wait for several months for medical treatment because of the long list of patients. When it comes to health, any unnecessary delays should be avoided. No such wait is there in India as immediate attention is given to the patient. The procedure and technology used in many Indian hospitals are of the same high standards as that of the hospitals in the developed countries. Many specialist doctors are available in India. Doctors for almost all kinds of surgeries are available like heart surgery, cosmetic surgery, dental surgery, etc.

The next most important factor is the cost of treatment. United States of America has dominated the sector of medical tourism during the past. A heart surgery will cost around 30,000 USD in America while the same will cost just around 8,700 USD in India. One has to pay around 3, 00,000 USD for a liver transplant operation in USA and the same operation cost just around 69,350 USD. In both cases, the cost of treatment in India is almost one-fourth of the cost of treatment in U.S.A. In many cases, the total cost of treatment in India is about one-tenth of the total cost in U.S.A and Britain. This is a reason enough to consider India as an alternative to these countries. It is always wise to go for the lower price option if one is getting the same kind of service.

The Indian government is also helping in the promotion of medical tourism. Visa processing has been made quicker for the medical tourists. Hospitals are working together with tour operators to provide best medical tour packages to international patients. Medical tour of India also gives foreign patients and their relatives a chance to enjoy the wonders of India after their recovery.