Why India Is A Better Option For Surgeries And Medical Treatments
Medical tourism in India has gained more popularity in recent times. A lot of people world over prefer to get treated in India due to many reasons. The Medical Tourism Market Report: 2015 found that India was “one of the lowest cost and highest quality of all medical tourism destinations”. India offers wide variety of procedures, at about one-tenth the cost of similar procedures in the United States.
The United States and the United Kingdom had been the largest source countries for a long time, sending the maximum number of patients for treatment in India. But now Bangladeshis and Afghans form 34% of the foreign patients, coming to the fore with the largest share. This is mainly because they are closer to India and India has better medical facilities. Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) came next, with 30% share of foreign medical tourists. Africa and the Middle East form the other major share. Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and the National Capital Region (Delhi NCR) receive a continuous influx of medical tourists all year round.
Benefits of getting treated in India
Cost effective
For the western world, the first attractive feature for getting treatment in India is the cost. Growing medical costs in the United States and the United Kingdom had made many patients gravitate towards India as an option for medical treatment. Surgeries that could cost hundred thousand dollars cost mere tens of thousands of dollars in India. So these people willingly obtain medical visas and come here for treatment. The combined airfare, medicine costs and doctor fees are still comparatively lesser than simple treatment charges in those countries.
World Class Treatment
The quality of medical care is not affected by the lower costs. The platoon of doctors in India is highly qualified and is able to provide world class treatment not minding the greatly reduced cost. The facilities provided in India are up to the standards of the best nations and therefore are of the topmost order. The equipment and workforce have enviable qualities and are extremely efficient. India has, repeatedly, managed certain difficult cases that are considered hopeless otherwise and has emerged successful. Many patients who have been cured of impossible illnesses stand testimony to this fact. Europe, The United States and Canada and Russia have sent their largest number of patients to India in the last year, just because they could get the world class treatment at an affordable rate.
No unnecessary surgeries
Since the problem has already been diagnosed, only the absolutely necessary tests are performed and India is often praised for not suggesting unnecessary or precautionary tests for the problem or any potential side effects that might occur. Mostly, the correct problem is identified, rechecked and is treated with the available extraordinary facilities. No tests or invasive surgeries otherwise are suggested or performed.
Multi speciality hospitals’ availability
India boasts of many different chains of multi speciality hospitals that are world renowned and can offer cures for many ailments. Especially for the most expensive cardiac, cposmetic surgeries, plastic surgeries and orthopaedic surgeries, India’s multi speciality hospitals have all kinds of cure, at a much lesser cost. The success rates are high and the stories have reached far and wide, making India a potential superpower in medical tourism.
Ease of Travel
Heeding to the viability of medical tourism as a means of revenue generation, the Government of India has made travel easier with less rigorous Visa practices and also accommodated many foreign tourists in shorter spans of time for medical purposes. Visa on Arrival is a system in practice here, where the patients and their attendants can apply for Visas on their homeland’s embassy and come here, only to register within 14 days on arrival for the Visa. This has been allowed keeping in mind the emergency medical requirements where time is of critical importance. Thus, travelling to India has been made incredibly easier and comfortable for patients already stressed out by their medical conditions.
Diverse Treatment Options
Indian doctors are not fixated about the procedures for surgery treatment. Once the patient arrives in India, they can choose any course of treatment (with excellent suggestions from the consulting doctors) that suits their needs, requirements and capacities. Often, treatment procedures come in a variety of packages, each highlighting on a particular treatment option making it easier for the patient to pick and choose.
No Language Barriers
Though India is a nation of many different languages, English is the most widely spoken across the whole country. In the major cities, even signboards and name boards are in English, making it easier for visiting foreign tourists to understand their bearings. Even the doctors are well versed in English (since it is also the most popular medium of education in India and also because most doctors are educated in other countries with English as their base language). People will have a common language to communicate, eliminating chances of misinformation or misunderstanding by a large margin. If the patient and / or attendants are not familiar with English, the major hospital chains still offer interpreter services to provide for them at a nominal charge.
Thus, for many reasons, India is a better option for medical treatments and surgeries compared to other parts of the world.
Dr. Debraj Shome is amongst the best plastic surgeons in the world and provides top class aesthetic, cosmetic and facial plastic surgery in India, at The Esthetic Clinics, which he co- founded, in Mumbai, India.
