The Many Benefits Of Using Medical Tourism Agents And Facilitators

By Eric Sanders


Fast, reliable and relatively cheap transport has been a major contributor towards making people everywhere more mobile. Travelling abroad is no longer a luxury only affordable by the rich. The majority of people travel in order to see different parts of the world. Yet some people travel for more serious purposes. Desperately ill people often travel to foreign countries to obtain the treatment that can save their lives. Medical tourism agents and facilitators help them to do so.

Ill and desperate people have always travelled long distances and faced great hardship in order to seek help from a well known or famous healer. In days gone by there were not all that many individuals reputed to be able to treat very ill people, and their reputations often spread across the world. In many other cases, even to this day, people flock to holy places that have a reputation for their healing properties.

Today, people that travel for medicinal purposes do so for many different reasons. In some countries the waiting lists for certain procedures are very long and some patients then decide to seek treatment elsewhere. In other cases, patients are desperate to see a specific specialist. Many countries simply do not have advanced medical facilities and those that can afford it will go to almost any length to get treatment.

The cost of treatment in a foreign country can be extremely high. Patients often have to stay for extended periods of time because they need to undergo tests, then the treatment and there is often a rehabilitation or recuperation period with follow up consultations. Very ill people may need special travel arrangements and they are often accompanied by loved ones. All of these factors can contribute to a very high final bill.

Ironically, lots of people travel for treatment because they cannot afford it in their own countries. Typically, these patients reside in countries with very strong currencies. In countries such as South Africa, for example, there are many excellent treatment facilities but their currency is weak. In this way foreign patients can get much more for the money that they do have.

Critics have slammed the practice of travelling for medical treatment, calling it a serious exploitation of the citizens of poorer countries. Countries like South Africa, for example, have seriously overloaded public health systems and critics say that it is both unfair and unethical for foreigners to receive priority treatment at the cost of local citizens. They say that this practice lead to corruption and greed.

When seeking treatment abroad there are many laws involved and numerous arrangements to be made. It is vital to use an agent or facilitator with an excellent reputation in this specific field. Unscrupulous operators raise the hopes of the desperately ill clients and soon prove to be hopelessly incompetent in securing top specialists and facilities. Any reputable agent will be able to submit valid references and it is important to insist upon them.

When people are desperately ill, their priorities change, and this is only natural. Money becomes unimportant and patients are often willing to sacrifice all their savings and assets if only they can regain their health. They will often travel very far and spend a lot of money if there is even the slightest chance of healing.




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