Facts and Figures
Medical tourism and medical travel, the practice of traveling to receive medical treatment, has become a booming industry over the past fifteen years. With the rising cost of healthcare in developed countries and the increasing availability of affordable healthcare options in developing countries, more and more people are choosing to travel for medical treatment. However, obtaining accurate data on medical tourism can be challenging due to the lack of centralized reporting, lack of national policy on the matter, and the fact that many patients choose not to disclose that they have received medical treatment abroad or elsewhere.
Despite these challenges, there is some data available on medical tourism that provides insight into the number of patients who travel for healthcare country by country. According to the latest available data (pre-pandemic levels), the below countries have statistics and data available for medical tourism. Some countries showcase inbound and other outbound data with the average number of patients and primary types of medical procedures sought as follows:
1. Mexico - 1.3 million patients (2019), Bariatric surgery, dental care, cosmetic surgery, stem cell therapy, and orthopedics
2. Costa Rica - 100,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and bariatric surgery
3. Malaysia - 1.2 million patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cosmetic surgery
4. Thailand - 2.5 million patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and orthopedics
5. Turkey - 700,000 patients (2019), Hair transplant, cosmetic surgery, and dentistry
6. India - 700,000 patients (2019), Cardiology, cancer treatment, and orthopedics
7. Taiwan - 400,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, and cosmetic surgery
8. South Korea - 248,000 patients (2022), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and stem cell therapy
9. Singapore - 450,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics
10. UAE - 350,000 patients (2018) and 630,000 patients in Dubai alone (2022), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
11. Brazil - 250,000 patients (2019), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and bariatric surgery
12. Hungary - 45,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
13. Poland - 100,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
14. Israel - 60,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and neurology
15. Germany - 200,000 patients (2018), Oncology, cardiology, and orthopedics
16. Spain - 120,000 patients (2019), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
17. France - 120,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, ophthalmology, and fertility treatment
18. Colombia - 55,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and bariatric surgery
19. Panama - 60,000 patients (2017), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and orthopedics
20. Czech Republic - 20,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery
21. Argentina - 30,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and fertility treatment
22. Jordan - 250,000 patients (2017), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and oncology
23. Greece - 25,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
24. Dominican Republic - 40,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and bariatric surgery
25. Egypt - 250,000 patients (2017), Cardiology, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
26. Portugal - 20,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
27. Croatia - 20,000 patients (2017), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
28. Lithuania - 4,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
29. Latvia - 3,500 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
30. Estonia - 2,500 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
31. Bulgaria - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cosmetic surgery
32. Romania - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
33. Russia - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
34. Slovakia - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
35. Serbia - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
36. Slovenia - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
37. Switzerland - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and orthopedics
38. Ukraine - 3,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
39. Armenia - 2,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
40. Belarus - 2,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
41. Bosnia and Herzegovina - 1,500 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
42. Georgia - 1,500 patients (2017), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cosmetic surgery
43. Kazakhstan - 1,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, and neurology
44. Kyrgyzstan - 1,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
45. Lebanon - 5,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and oncology
46. Moldova - 1,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
47. Mongolia - 1,000 patients (2019), Cancer treatment, orthopedics, and stem cell therapy
48. Nigeria - 15,000 patients (2017), Orthopedics, cardiology, and cancer treatment
49. Philippines - 200,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
50. Egypt - 250,000 patients (2017), Cardiology, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
51. Bulgaria - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cosmetic surgery
52. Romania - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
53. Russia - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
54. Slovakia - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
55. Serbia - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
56. Slovenia - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
57. Switzerland - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and orthopedics
58. Ukraine - 3,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
59. Armenia - 2,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
60. Belarus - 2,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
61. Bosnia and Herzegovina - 1,500 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
62. Georgia - 1,500 patients (2017), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cosmetic surgery
63. Kazakhstan - 1,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, and neurology
64. Kyrgyzstan - 1,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
65. Lebanon - 5,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and oncology
66. Moldova - 1,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
67. Mongolia - 1,000 patients (2019), Cancer treatment, orthopedics, and stem cell therapy
68. Nigeria - 15,000 patients (2017), Orthopedics, cardiology, and cancer treatment
69. Philippines - 200,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
70. Egypt - 250,000 patients (2017), Cardiology, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
71. Vietnam - 80,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and cardiology
72. Cambodia - 40,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
73. Indonesia - 60,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cosmetic surgery
74. Myanmar - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
75. Sri Lanka - 15,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
76. Bangladesh - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cardiology
77. Pakistan - 5,000 patients (2018), Orthopedics, dental care, and cardiology
78. Tunisia - 70,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
79. Morocco - 50,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cardiology
80. Mauritius - 5,000 patients (2018), Dental care, fertility treatment, and ophthalmology
81. Kenya - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cancer treatment
82. Ghana - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, orthopedics, and cardiology
83. South Africa - 500,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, and cardiology
84. Tanzania - 5,000 patients (2018), Dental care, orthopedics, and fertility treatment
85. Uganda - 2,500 patients (2018), Dental care, fertility treatment, and ophthalmology
86. Zimbabwe - 1,000 patients (2018), Dental care, orthopedics, and fertility treatment
87. Australia - 15,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, and ophthalmology
88. Canada - 60,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and cardiology
89. United States - 1 million patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and orthopedics
90. Austria - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and cardiology
91. Belgium - 30,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, ophthalmology, and fertility treatment
92. Denmark - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and cardiology
93. Finland - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery
94. Iceland - 500 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and ophthalmology
95. Norway - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and cardiology
Post-Pandemic Data
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on patient volume for medical tourism. One of the main reasons for the decline in patient volume is the travel restrictions and border closures imposed by many countries to curb the spread of the virus.
This has made it difficult for patients to travel to their preferred destinations for medical treatment.Moreover, many patients are also hesitant to travel due to the risk of contracting the virus during their trip. The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic has led to a decrease in confidence in international travel and the safety of receiving medical treatment abroad.
Patients are also concerned about the potential quarantine requirements they may face upon their return to their home country.The pandemic has also led to a reduction in elective procedures as hospitals and clinics have shifted their focus to treating COVID-19 patients. This has resulted in longer waiting times for medical procedures, leading to patients seeking treatment closer to home.
Furthermore, the financial impact of the pandemic has affected the medical tourism industry, with many patients struggling to afford the cost of travel and medical treatment. The economic downturn has led to many people losing their jobs or experiencing reduced income, making it difficult for them to prioritize medical tourism.The pandemic has caused a sharp decline in patient volume, and the industry is now faced with several challenges in jumpstarting itself. It will take time for the industry to recover, and stakeholders in the medical tourism industry will need to find innovative ways to rebuild patient trust and confidence in traveling abroad for medical treatment.
Ranking Medical Tourism Destinations
The Medical Tourism Index (MTI) is a tool that is used to rank countries based on their attractiveness as a medical tourism (medical travel) destination. The MTI is a comprehensive ranking system that evaluates various factors that contribute to a country's attractiveness as a medical tourism destination. The index is developed by the International Healthcare Research Center (IHRC), which is an independent research organization that specializes in healthcare and tourism research.
The MTI evaluates 41 indicators across five main categories, including:
1. Medical tourism industry: This category evaluates the size and competitiveness of a country's medical tourism industry, including the number of medical facilities, the availability of medical equipment, and the quality of medical services.
2. Country environment: This category evaluates the overall attractiveness of a country as a tourism destination, including the safety and security of the country, the quality of infrastructure, and the political stability of the country.
3. Medical tourism costs: This category evaluates the cost of medical procedures in the country, including the cost of medical treatments, accommodation, and transportation.
4. Medical tourism facilities: This category evaluates the quality of medical facilities in the country, including the availability of medical technology and the expertise of medical professionals.
5. Medical tourism potential: This category evaluates the potential for growth in the country's medical tourism industry, including the country's economic and demographic factors.
The MTI scores each country on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater attractiveness as a medical tourism destination.
Findings after 2019
The most recent MTI report was published in 2020, which evaluated 46 countries around the world. Here are some of the key findings from the report:
1. Thailand ranked first in the MTI, with a score of 79.53. Thailand has a well-developed medical tourism industry, with high-quality medical facilities and relatively low medical costs.
2. India ranked second in the MTI, with a score of 72.47. India has a large and growing medical tourism industry, with a wide range of medical treatments available at relatively low costs.
3. Mexico ranked third in the MTI, with a score of 70.05. Mexico has a growing medical tourism industry, with high-quality medical facilities and affordable medical costs.
4. The United States ranked 9th in the MTI, with a score of 62.08. The US has a high-quality medical industry, but its high medical costs and complicated visa processes for medical tourists have impacted its ranking.
5. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the medical tourism industry, with many countries experiencing a decline in medical tourism due to travel restrictions and concerns about the safety of travel.
Overall, the MTI provides a useful tool for understanding the factors that contribute to a country's attractiveness as a medical tourism destination. However, it is important to note that the rankings can change over time, as countries continue to develop their medical tourism industry and the global healthcare landscape evolves.
