Medical Tourism in Philippines

Medical Tourism is referred to the journeys with a medical purpose. These medically arranged journeys prove to be a boon for the patients from other countries. When patients seeking medical treatments travel from their home or origin country to other countries with the intent to receive valuable medical treatments, it is known as medical tourism. People travel to other countries in search of medical treatments due to the availability of modern equipment, qualified doctors and affordability of the medical treatments. Medical tourism is sometimes also referred to as medical travel or health tourism. (Source:Wellness and Medical Tourism) The most common treatments that patients undergo medical tourism journeys include dentistry, fertility procedures, heart surgeries and cosmetic procedures. (Source: Medical Tourism) Medical tourism is thus broadly defined in context to medical tourists and their destinations. A rapid growth in Filipino medical tourism can be seen pretty evidently with each passing day. The medical authorities of Philippines are rigorously working to introduce several medical projects with the purpose of promoting medical tourism. The concept of medical tourism in a particular country attracts patients from distinguished countries and also helps in improving the healthcare setting in the respective country.

Philippines as a Top Destination for Medical Tourism:

The medical tourism industry in the Philippines is witnessing a phenomenal growth percentage every year. Philippines is ranked eighth across the world for being one of the top medical hubs. The country witnesses over 250,000 foreign patient visits annually which is a commendable number in terms of the number of medical tourists. Philippines has been rewarded with this recognition by the International Healthcare Research Center and Medical Tourism Association. Factors on which the frequent visits of foreign patients in Philippines depend include the quality of the chosen medical treatments, clinic location accessibility, and the qualifications and accreditations of the medical staff practicing at the chosen clinic in the country. The country of Philippines is known to be in the top of the list of some of the finest and best destination for medical tourists. (Source: Medical Tourism in the Philippines) The country comprises the highly-skilled medical practitioners and well-trained doctors practicing at the best medical centres in the country. The country is best known for its entire medical and non-medical staff s proficiency. The centres and hospitals in Philippines have achieved universal healthcare standards focusing on the comfort and welfare of the patients. Patients from Philippines as well as other countries rely on the country in the sphere of health care facilities. The healthcare service providers in the private sector here are highly recognized for their expertise, success rates and qualifications in the medical field. The country is popular for its world-class medical treatments as well as the availability of various pharmacies. These pharmacies comprise certified pharmacists who endeavor to offer prescribed medicines at discounted prices by maintaining the country s stringent laws and guidelines. In case of the unavailability of certain medicines, the experienced pharmacists prescribe the other effective alternatives for the same. The quality of emergency services in Philippines is commendable. The emergency ambulances in Philippines are equipped with highly experienced staff and advanced medical technologies with immediate response provisions. The general national emergency number in the Philippines is 911. This number is useful at times of emergencies even by medical tourists visiting the country.

Rise of Medical Tourism in Philippines:

Owing to the doctors inherent skills and quality health services in the Philippines, there is a significant rise in the utilization of medical tourism in the Southeast Asian country. The hospitals or medical centres in the country offer exemplary services in the sphere of treatments for cancer, cardiovascular diseases, regenerative medicine and neuroscience. Philippines is highly appreciated for its tropical climate. The climate helps patients in recuperating from their illnesses at a significantly faster rate. This Southeast Asian country is also known for its hospitality and consideration with a unique blend of cutting-edge technologies. Philippines has been sequentially establishing technological advancements to achieve the highest success rates for the betterment of the patients. The country has been offering a wide range of medical treatments in the array of fertility treatments, cardiovascular treatments, orthopedics treatments, aesthetic procedures, weight loss surgeries, dermatology-related treatments and other general treatments for a long time. The factors behind the growing need for medical tourism in the Philippines are:

Reasonable travel cost

Long waiting periods

Unavailability of adequate health care facilities in certain countries

Lack of medical insurance coverage or inadequate insurance coverage

The country of Philippines is fast becoming the highly-visited destination for patients seeking medical treatments due to the country s wealth of internationally-accredited and English-speaking doctors and state-of-the-art infrastructure in the medical sector. The country also boasts about its hospitality, which is provided at a fraction of the price as compared to other developed countries. The prevalent treatments performed in the Philippines include weight loss surgery, cardiology, cosmetic, and dental surgery, in addition to infertility treatments. The country offers health care packages at costs over 50 to 80 percent lower as compared to other countries such as Europe, America, and Asia. It also offers 5-star hotel-type medical amenities with covering the travel and accommodation facilities for the comfort of the patients. The graph of medical tourism in Philippines is expected to rise owing to the growing internationally accreditations of the hospitals in the Southeast Asian country. The year 2006 witnessed a remarkable record of the number of over 2,50,000 patient visits for their medical treatments. This generated an impressive US$350 million in revenue for the country in the domain of health care sector of the country. (Source: Medical Tourism Statistics and Analysis) Challenges Faced by Patients concerning to the medical treatments: One of the latest researches has shown that doctors are opting to work overseas due to the shortcomings of healthcare facilities in their native country. This has occurred due to reduction of the public health care system in terms of treatment availability, quality and affordability of the treatments. This shortfall of medical practitioners in certain countries has affected the patients seeking medical treatments. People looking for a specialist for their particular treatment find it troublesome in case of medical emergencies in such cases. This is the reason why people from all over the world are traveling to this southeast asian country to get their treatment done at an affordable cost. Philippines is known to be the best emerging medical spot as it delivers the best medical treatment at an affordable cost in accordance with maintenance of world-class health care standards and best quality medical treatments. Patients belonging from under-developed nations consider Philippines to be the best country as it offers treatments at a relatively lower cost. The expatriates and tourists are being offered relatively less costly medical prices owing to the low cost of living in this Southeast Asian country. Expensive treatments and longer waiting times for medical procedures are the two major contributing factors in driving medical tourism in Philippines. The medical tourism in Philippines is also supported by convenient and affordable international travel facilities for patients in different countries. People prefer to utilize the facilities covered under the concept of medical tourism in Philippines to bypass the long waits and heavy treatment costs. Other reasons behind the fueling medical tourism in Philippines are the availability of medical excellence along with international certification. This eventually boosts the growth of international medical tourism.

Statistics of Medical Tourism in Philippines:

Philippines is named among the top key players in the domain of medical treatments of different specialties of medicine. According to latest statistics published in one of the latest reports, medical tourism sector is projected to gain a remarkable value of $100 billion. A notable number of approximate 14 million people across the world are traveling to different countries for their medical treatments. (Source:Medical Tourism Statistics and Analysis) In a recent journal published in The Japan Herald, Philippines was named among the countries having the best provision of world-class treatments at lower prices. In the industry of medical tourism, it has been recorded that the Philippines produced over $66 million in the year 2013. The industry then witnessed a significant increase of $145 million by the year 2014. These commendable numbers were provided by the extensive medical study presented for 2014 by medical author, Ian Youngman. Studies also reveal a commendable number of over 80,000 to a whooping 2,50,000 medical tourists visiting the country. (Source:The Emerging Medical Tourism Industry In The Philippines) Medical tourism in Philippines is a combination of both public and private healthcare sectors which contribute at their individualistic level. The private sector plays a dominant role in this combination due to its rise in the field of the medical treatments especially the infertility treatments and cosmetic procedures. These sectors share a ratio of 67 percent to 33 percent in the field of health care expenditures. All the medical treatments and procedures in the country are accredited and certified by the Department of Health for the appropriate regulation of standards and quality. (Source:Medical Tourism Index) Philippines boasts about its well-trained and skilled medical professionals practicing at the top infertility centres and providing affordable treatments at optimum high international standards. In addition to that, the Philippines offer top-notch hospital infrastructure at reasonable charges as compared to other countries. The healthcare facilitators in Philippines are playing a vital role by dynamically targeting certain improvements in the infrastructure with the purpose of making it at par with global standards. In addition to this, healthcare providers endeavor to work specifically on the strengthening of their clinical skills in the associated field of medical expertise to offer cost-effective treatments. Within the scope of medical tourism, it has been found that the country of Philippines is in the state of a steady growth when treatment quality, cost-effectiveness, waiting-time factors and other tourism services are talked about while deciding the clinic or hospital for infertility treatments. There are presently more than 90,000 doctors rendering their practices at a reasonable cost. This number is all set to rise at a steady rate which will prove to be useful for the patients in the long term for their recommended medical treatments.

Regulations for Medical Tourism in Philippines:

Most of the patients have a major concern and fear whether they will face any legal issues after visiting the country promoting medical tourism with healthcare services in the required field of medicine. There are no chances of any malpractices to take place especially in the healthcare sector. Patients considering medical tourism in Philippines can travel to this country as the country has regulations ensuring security and safety of the patients and visitors undergoing medical treatments in Philippines. There are also sufficient provisions in the Penal Code for medical misconduct. These laws and provisions make sure patients and medical clients are protected against carelessness and ineffectiveness from medical practitioners. Patients must be well aware of these regulations and laws before finalizing with a clinic or hospital in the respective country promoting medical tourism.

Know all about Health Tourism:

Health tourism is a blend of resources associated with tourism and healthcare. It is also referred to as Medical Tourism in the modern times. Health tourism is majorly encouraged by elite corporate hospitals in developing countries by offering world-class medical treatments at affordable prices for the benefit of the patients. Health tourism is projected as a new fragment in travel and healthcare sector which is rapidly growing and set to progress at an appreciating rate. It has been recorded that health tourism is considered to be a US $40 billion industry worldwide. The foremost attractions of health tourism are the availability of quality medical treatments, board-certified medical personnel and cost-effectiveness. During the recuperative period of patients, these medical facilities render an opportunity for patients to get their treatments done in a positive and placid atmosphere. Health tourism is a progressively renowned medical treatment source for patients seeking medical procedures as per their case type. Health tourism is in reality, one of the fastest emergent practices in the field of medicine which reaches across the globe.

Fertility Tourism in Philippines:

Fertility tourism, which is also referred to as reproductive medicine means the practice of traveling to other jurisdictions for infertility treatments. Different factors contributing to the fertility tourism are the unavailability of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures in the native country, and legal prohibitions or regulation of the sought medical treatments in the home country. The non-availability of a procedure in the home country, as well as cost-effectiveness in the destination country also contribute in the increase of the utilization of fertility tourism. While getting indulged into the scenic beauty of Philippines, patients can get the highly specialized fertility treatments here with the full support of government authorities. Patients planning for medical tourism in Philippines do not have to face any language hassles as over 90 percent population in the country is fluent in speaking English. Doctors and medical staff are well-trained in different languages which provides convenience to patients as well. (Source:Why Medical Tourism in Philippines) The communication between patients and medical practitioners proves to be a contributing factor in the growth of fertility tourism. The main procedures sought in the fertility tourism are Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) procedures. Fertility tourism is chosen by couples facing infertility problems and require affordable assistance for treatments. Infertility can be defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy despite trying for a period of twelve months or more without usage of any kind of contraception. It is a well-accepted and known fact that infertility treatments are expensive as ART procedures are a multistep process which include medications, injections and require medical expert assistance. IVF treatments are one of the most successful options which have attained highest success rates to provide patients with the required results. Various couples opt for medical tourism in Philippines for their infertility problems as the IVF treatments in Philippines are more reasonable, regardless of the success rates. Fertility tourism or reproductive tourism also fall in the category of cross-border reproductive care. When couples travel from one country to another in the pursuit of their fertility treatment, this is known as fertility tourism. Fertility tourism is gaining popularity worldwide especially in the jurisdictions having stringent regulations and laws regarding IVF or IVF Treatments. The reason behind this speedily increasing popularity is the inequality of laws and regulations in different countries. Medical tourism in the Philippines is flourishing because of the flexible laws and regulations which are present in the country. For this reason, many intended parents prefer traveling to other countries for infertility treatments such as surrogacy which is legal and available for patients who do not hold citizenship of the country. IVF Treatments are a certain type of ART procedures which are not accepted in all jurisdictions and are often banned in some countries. Fertility tourism can be defined as a category of medical tourism whereby infertile couples can have a baby by undergoing fertility treatments in a foreign jurisdiction. Patients undergoing IVF treatments in Philippines are offered the option of recovering at any of the islands in this Southeast Asian country. Proper aftercare is provided to the patients in a stress-free ambiance in the hospitals with the facility of follow-up treatments. Patients can also enjoy quick recovery at the spa resorts available in the country. The health packages offered by different natural health spas and relaxation centres are inclusive of services such as meditation, detoxification processes, organic diet consultations, and massages.

Factors to consider before traveling for medical tourism in Philippines:

It can be enticing to choose the best doctor and clinic based on its location accessibility and the availability of the best medical treatments. Patients must consider performing extensive research prior to booking and seeking out the best destination for their treatment. Before considering medical tourism in Philippines, one should make sure that the hospitals or centres are providing emergency operative services. (Source:6 Major Factors Which Make India An Ideal Medical Tourism Spot) One should also consult their regular physician about their plans for the medical treatments to receive proper guidance for the same. Patients need to make sure that all their prescriptions, medical reports and other required documents before flying to a different country. While opting for the medical treatments, patients need financial support for certain health conditions such as infertility treatments or any other medical treatment. In such cases, medical loan facilities provided by the healthcare facilitators like Elawoman can help them in planning and managing their medical expenses. The provision of a medical loan through Elawoman helps patients in dealing with the expensive treatments which are inclusive of pre-hospitalization charges, surgical procedures, and other expenses related to hospitalization fees and medicines. It can be at a certain point troublesome to plan medical treatments in another country for patients who are coming to the country for the first time. Other than the best medical treatments, travel, and accommodation also comes into the mind of patients while planning for medical tourism in Philippines. In such scenarios, the expert team at Elawoman can help patients in planning for the visa for traveling to their respective country. Planning their medical treatments through Ela can help patients in making their travel and accommodation comfortable and easy. Patients can enjoy Ela s time-saving airport pick up and drop services after they finally decide for the hospital for infertility treatments. Ela team has also availed international patients with the language interpreter services, along with facilitating patients with focused diet and nutrition counseling. International patients prefer consulting Elawoman for their infertility related problems and disorders, owing to the services and treatments provided by Ela at affordable prices and at the patient s ultimate ease. Patients can register themselves under the various diversified membership plans of Elawoman to avail the benefits such as:

Medical treatments with the highest success rates

Diet consultations

Concierge services which include Accommodation, Visa assistance, Flight booking, and travel assistance

Best doctor recommendation for treatments such as IVFand IUI procedures Above all these facilities, taking the assistance of Ela experts for the medical tourism in Philippines would prove to be beneficial in terms of transparency in the pricing system. Elawoman endeavors to provide its patients with a transparent pricing structure which aids in the smooth treatment experience for patients. Ela also prides itself as the healthcare facilitator with no hidden costs. The pricing module offered by Ela consists of the low-cost and most effective healthcare availability for the patients. Transparency in the information and cost offered is useful for several patients and boost experience of health care professionals.

IVF cost in Philippines:

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments in the Philippines emerged in the year 1995 and have been flourishing since then. The IVF cost in Philippines is inclusive of medications, surgical procedures, hospital charges, and doctor s consultation fees. The success rates of IVF in Philippines are the highest, especially in older women. However, there are multiple factors on which IVF success rates in THE Philippines are dependent. Some of the factors affecting success rates in Philippines are patients unique medical history, competence of medical staff at the best IVF centres in Philippines, and treatment quality. (Source:What You Need to Know About IVF Today in the Philippines) Healthcare treatments shouldn t only be referred to when there is a dire need of the treatments. Timely health checkups should be done in order to prevent the occurrence of any kind of illnesses. Prevention is always better than cure, after all. The burden of these treatments should not only be for the patients. This is the reason why Elawoman hopes will change with the provision of their medical loan and other exclusive medical facilities. If you want to have a smooth and hassle-free medical tourism in Philippines, feel free to visit elawoman.com .