Why would someone from a developed country like the U.S. or Canada go to a developing country like Costa Rica for medical care?
Quality!
The third reason and the biggest driver in the growth of Medical Tourism as an industry is Quality! As discussed previously, Affordability & Accessibility are the reasons why demand for Medical Travel has grown rapidly, but the boom in High-Quality Healthcare Providers internationally, primarily in less-developed countries, has answered the supply-side of the equation.
With cost savings on Healthcare of 40%-80% of U.S. list prices, one can easily see why many have been looking into Medical Tourism as a potential option. But what does a large cost-savings matter if it is without Quality? Well, an explosion in Quality institutions and providers internationally is why the growth trend in Medical Tourism is expected to continue. Clearly the demand is supported by the trends discussed above, but the growth in High-Quality Healthcare Providers internationally, primarily in less-developed countries, has been the driver. Throughout the world today, from India to Latin America, increasingly one is able to find modern, high-quality healthcare and this is evidenced by the boom in JCI-accredited Hospitals.
Joint Commission International (JCI) is a division of the Joint Commission™, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies more than 15000 health care organizations and programs in the U.S. For JCI to accredit international providers, the providers must meet standards similar to those in the U.S., though they may be slightly adjusted for legal and cultural reasons particular to each country.
In Summary
Affordability & Accessibility are the principle reasons why more and more people are considering Medical Tourism as an option for their healthcare, but it is the boom in Quality providers that is driving people to make the choice and go international. What they have been finding is high-quality healthcare with savings of 40%-80%.
Should you have any questions that you would like to ask about medical tourism here in Costa Rica or in general, please don’t hesitate to use the contact form found here.
Keep Reading
- Part I:, Heaven on Earth
- Part II, Why would someone from a developed country like the U.S. or Canada go to a developing country like Costa Rica for medical care?
- Part III, Why would someone from a developed country like the U.S. or Canada go to a developing country like Costa Rica for medical care? (continued)
- Part IV, All About Costa Rica’s Healthcare System