Medical Tourism Star Set to Shine Brightly in Israel
With its admirable healthcare system, Israel is in a prime position to build on its fledgling medical tourism industry and attract patients looking for a solution to the ever rising costs of healthcare in their respective countries. Currently Israel caters to patients coming from Switzerland and other parts of Europe in addition to its standard influx of US medical tourists.
Compared to other medical tourism destinations, Israel’s medical tourists account for a very small slice of the country’s total tourism pie. Every year, an average of 10,000 patients visit Israel, generating revenues of $30 million for the country. This is chicken feed when you consider the total worth of the medical tourism industry in Asia is expected to touch $4 billion by 2012. With competition existing even in its immediate neighborhood, the country is making efforts to boost its potential in the medical tourism market.
So, how does Israel compete with other Asian destinations for medical tourists who want to beat the rising costs of healthcare in their own countries? Low costs for procedures ranging from cosmetic surgery to hysterectomy alone won’t cut it. India offers some of the lowest prices for procedures around. If you’re looking for five-star luxury in a paradise-like setting, Thailand would be your first choice. And almost all the major medical tourism destinations offer procedures by highly trained and reputable medical personnel.
The one thing that makes Israel's medical tourism stand out from the rest is the fact that its own citizens enjoy medical tourism level care. Israel’s domestic healthcare system is highly evolved and inclusive unlike in countries such as India where only the middle and upper classes can afford quality medical care. In fact, Israelis now prefer to have their procedures in the country as opposed to traveling to Europe and the US like they often did a few decades ago.
With reputed medical colleges in the country offering specialized post-graduate training, Israel has no shortage of skilled staff to meet a new medical tourism demand. So whatever the nature of your preferred treatment - tummy tucks, dental treatment, hysterectomies, etc. - Israel could be worth checking out.
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