The term “medical tourism” has been around for centuries. Generally, the motive behind traveling abroad for healthcare focused around the notion of obtaining the greatest quality of medical care or a service that was unavailable in the individual’s home country at the time. However, present times have shown this is no longer the only cause for traveling abroad. For example, more than a million Americans travel out of the country each year for outside medical care. But why would someone travel out of the United States when our nation probably has the greatest quality of care available anywhere else on earth? For one, the cost of various medical procedures such as bone marrow transplants and open heart surgery are quite expensive here in the U.S. Statistics show that traveling abroad can save up to 80% of the cost of that same procedure here in the states. Obviously there are risks associated with drastically cheaper medical procedures, but if all goes well your bank account is sitting pretty after returning home.
Second, controversial medical practices such as stem cell therapy and late-stage child abortions are not available in the United States and must be travelled for in order to be obtained. Finally, those without health insurance coverage must travel abroad to avoid paying the full cost of an uninsured medical service, or perhaps to afford the service at all. But how did medical tourism develop throughout the world and how did it begin? Let’s discuss the history of medical tourism briefly, and understand its relation to medical tourism today.
The first recorded happening of medical tourism dates back to ancient times when Mediterranean people traveled to Epidaurus, where they visited the sacred place of Asclepios, the Greek god of medicine. Instances of ancient civilizations journeying to healing fountains, which were essentially hot mineral baths, were not all that uncommon during that time. We would call this aromatherapy today, but the health benefits of this activity have not changed over thousands of years. Treating skin conditions, easing muscle soreness, alleviating joint stiffness, and generally relieving stress within the heated pool were all positive rationales for traveling abroad. These “healing fountains” have evolved into what we call “hot tubs” today.
Ancient Egyptians also practiced medical tourism. In 1248, Mansuri hospital opened in Cairo, founded by the king of Egypt Mansur Qalawun. At the time, it was the largest and most technologically advanced hospital of its kind. Travelers from all over the world visited the hospital to reap the health benefits it offered and no patient was discriminated against. Neither race nor religion was applied to restrict admittance.
Although the Middle East was one of the most popular destinations for medical tourism, this is not to say Asia or Europe was without their own internationally respected medical institutions. Mineral baths in England, India, Italy, and Southeast Asian countries were used to cure all sorts of disease, from foot infections to respiratory issues. Not only did the travelling individuals benefit from medical tourism, but the local and national economies of the host country benefitted greatly as well. This was due to the fact that the wealthy were oftentimes the only social groups who could afford to travel abroad and seek external health remedies, often paying top dollar for these special healing services. Mineral springs were such an effective economic device that 18th century England rapidly constructed spas and various clinics in order to attract rich foreigners seeking aid.
Although the services in which medical tourists pursue have changed, the motives behind travelling abroad for medical services have transcended throughout time. Today Americans travel to India, Costa Rica, and Thailand to receive operations and transplants that may or may not be available in the United States, but at a much cheaper price than they would find here. Centuries ago, patrons would travel abroad to spas and mineral bath establishments because that opportunity would have been otherwise unavailable to them domestically. You may have only recently been familiarized with the concept of medical tourism via news stories or by reading personal accounts of medical tourists on the internet, but the activity has been practiced long before today and will continue to be true for ages to come.
Vance Hobbes is a freelance writer and former medical researcher. Hobbes writes about many facets of the medical field, and works with CompHealth. When he’s not writing the day away, he spends his free time tending to his prizewinning garden and attending any basketball game he can find.
