Over the past several years, a new trend in healthcare industry  known as medical tourism has become popular in the United States. American patients travel to countries like India, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Costa Rica and others to get affordable yet first-class medical treatment rather than getting their medical treatment at home in the US. The global recession in 2007-2009 triggered a rapid increase in the number of medical tourists around the globe.

While having surgery on vacation may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, medical services abroad can offer high-quality treatment for a fraction of the cost in the US. If you are considering  healthcare options abroad, there are 7 important steps to consider:

1. Give yourself several months’ time to plan your medical tour, especially if you are taking the do-it-all yourself approach

There are many medical tourism companies online that can help you plan and arrange your health tour for a certain fee. Some companies even provide free consultation, so it can be useful if you check out the websites of some such medical tourism service providers. World Med Assist, Healthbase, Medical Tourism Corporation, and Med Retreat are some medical tourism companies that can help you arrange your medical holiday. Even if you get a medical tourism company to organize your health tour for you, the first thing you must do is your own research on health tourism destinations, hospitals, and doctors.

2. Make sure you have all the paperwork for your medical travel

While you are doing the research work, you need to apply for a passport if you don’t already have one. And once you have chosen your destination, the next step is to apply for a visa if your health care destination requires you to have one. Both the passport and the visa take several weeks to process so it is crucial that you give yourself ample amount of time and start working on your travel documents at least two months ahead of your expected travel date. For detailed information on obtaining a passport and travel visa, check out the US Department of State website.

3. Consider factors such as travel distance, and climate when you are deciding your health tourism destination

The distance of your travel destination from your home can be the deciding factor if you are someone who dislikes long-distance travel. You may prefer to get your kneecap surgery done in Mexico or Costa Rica rather than having to fly all the way to India or Malaysia for the same treatment. Additionally, most of the countries that attract medical tourists have tropical climate as they are mostly South Asian, Central and South American countries. Thus, keep that in mind while deciding on your travel dates. Also, remember to ensure that the hospitals and hotels you choose have air conditioning to keep you comfortable while you recuperate.

4. Use the Internet and Social Media

The internet is your key resource for research. Get familiar with what medical tourism is and where the hot spots are. Get information about hospitals from their websites or contact them through email or phone to make inquiries. Also, find out what people are saying about the hospitals you are interested in by searching their pages on social media sites. Feedback from former patients can give you indispensable insight into the quality of health-care provided by the hospitals. There are even social networking sites specifically for global medical tourism where you can find the latest news and information about health tourism. You can check out some of these websites at: Globally Integrated Healthcare and Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism City, TourNCare.com, and Kosansh – Healthcare for everyone.

5. Find out whether or not English is spoken widely in the destination you have chosen for your medical tour

You should pick your health tour destination based on whether or not you will be able to communicate with your doctors and other health providers effectively.  For the sake of your own comfort and convenience as a medical tourist abroad, do your research to avoid places where you might face a language barrier.

6. Research different hospitals, make inquiries about the medical treatment you want, and ask for doctors’ CVs.

The startling difference between the cost of medical treatment in the US and the cost of medical treatment along with travel costs in the medical tourism destination countries can cause one to doubt the quality of health-care one can obtain as a medical tourist. However, hospitals serving international patients can and should be accredited by international health-care organizations. Medical tourists are also able to view the Curriculum Vitae  (equivalent to the Resume in the US) of doctors, so you can choose the surgeon you want based on the academic and professional excellence of different doctors from different hospitals.

Countries like Japan, Colombia, Costa Rica and Singapore are ranked ahead of the US in healthcare quality and efficiency according to a report by the World Health Organization. Other countries such as Thailand and Mexico are not far behind in the list. While many of these developing countries do not have high quality health care systems for their domestic populations, they boast some of the best private hospitals in the world with cutting-edge medical technology. These world-class private hospitals are the ones that operate special health-care packages including travel and accommodation arrangements for medical tourists.

7. Book your flight ticket ahead of time and avoid flying during peak tourist seasons

Once you decide where to receive medical treatment and make arrangements with the hospital of your choice, the next step is to book your flight. Avoid traveling during peak tourist seasons and major foreign holidays to the get the best deals on airfares and accommodation. Try to book your flight ticket a month or two prior to your travel date to minimize travel costs. Finally, make sure you have all your travel documents ready and have a copy of all your medical records in a folder. You are now ready for your medical tour overseas!

Are you a medical provider looking to attract medical tourists? Download our free guide to attracting medical tourists.

Julia Paljor is an intern for 9 Clouds and has seen a noticeable growth in medical tourism to her home country of India. As avid travelers we’re excited to share her tips on being a medical tourist.