Medical Tourism has been around, in different forms, since ancient times (You can read about the History of Medical Tourism). Medical tourism as practiced today has originated in the 1980's, when patients started to travel abroad for expensive medical treatments, such as Dental care, Cardiac surgery and Cosmetic surgery. Today, three decades later, medical tourism is a booming industry. As medical traveler numbers are growing annually, the industry is projected to generate 100 Billion dollars in revenues world wide by 2012. Rising healthcare standards around the globe combined with the growing demand for more affordable medical treatment promises to keep medical tourism in demand.

The term of your hospital admission will be determined by the attending doctors and medical care takers. Once you are fully recovered from your procedure, you can head back for your homeland, or if you choose to, stay and enjoy a vacation in your destination. Many travelers take advantage of the situation and take the time to tour the country they came to visit for medicinal purposes.

When traveling abroad to undergo medical treatment, you can have family members or friends accompany you on your medical journey. There is no limitation to the number of travel companions, as they will have their own accommodations at your medical destination.

Receiving medical care abroad is perfectly legal, as it is your right to travel anywhere in the world in order to undergo a medical procedure. Generally, countries do not have laws limiting medical care receivers, as anyone can enter a country to receive regulated medical care. Today, governments are actually encouraging the development of the medical tourism industry inside their countries, in order to attract more medical tourists.

Depending upon your country of origin and your health tourism destination, documents might be required. A valid passport is necessary and sometimes a visa is also necessary. Your medical tourism agent should be able to assist with the administration.

 It is always recommended to inform and consult with your local physician prior to upcoming procedures. In many cases your physician will be able to assist and perform the necessary follow up. A medical tourism agent should also provide the possibility to consult with the surgeon when necessary. When advisable, it is important to stay in the country where the procedure was performed for at least a few days post treatment. Your proximity will allow the performing surgeon to provide prescriptions, and to insure you are recovering according to schedule. This will also lower the risk of complications arising after you return home. You should insure the surgeon is available for consultation in the event complications are developed.

As of 2010, there is no organized institution in charge of the Medical tourism industry around the world. However, there is the Medical Tourism Association, also known as Global Healthcare Association, a non-profit association created in the medical tourism industry which is based in the USA. It is an Un-Biased, Non-Profit Organization which has three tenets: Transparency, Communication and Education in the field of medical tourism. In addition, different medical associations around the world are constantly addressing the issue, publishing recommended guidelines to medical providers, insurance companies and patients.

There is no limit to how many medical procedures one can undergo per medical trip. The answer depends as to what medical treatments you are seeking, in addition to the doctors' and medical advisors' recommendations regarding the desired treatments and recovery periods of each.

This is one of the first questions the patient should ask while consulting with the health care provider. All medical procedures involve a risk (at home or in any other destination). The risk is lower when a procedure is performed by a skilled surgeon but it always exists. A reputable medical tourism agent should provide a policy to include all aspects of risk management including legal liability and financial responsibility. Make sure you read and understand the contract before signing.

International hospitals and medical care centers can provide a viable and timely alternative medical treatment to individuals. They provide high quality medical care at affordable prices. Medical tourism is a good option for elective surgery (not covered by insurance) or fertility treatments preformed in privacy and accompanied by a vacation and a cultural experience, they are also suitable for serious medical conditions (as long as the doctor approves the travel), dental care, or when a patient wants to avoid the long wait for procedures and surgeries that are classified as non emergency. Medical tourists come from all places (including the United States, the UK, Middle East, Europe and more).

Choosing your medical tourism location is individual. Some procedures are only performed in specific hospitals or countries. Specific treatments are better provided in certain climates or facilities (such as the Dead Sea for psoriasis patients). In other cases the patient can choose the most appealing alternative in terms of quality of care, distance from his own country, prices, local languages, preferable climate and more.

A variety of medical tourism companies can be found online. Some provides "end to end" services including all consultations and screenings prior to the requested procedure, nursing and post operative follow up. Other companies will only schedule your medical procedure and if requested, book accommodations and transportation. Once you have decided what you expect from your medical tourism vacation it is easier to choose an agent. When communicating with a possible medical tourism agent ask the following questions regarding services granted and the providers' reputation.

Generally speaking, both options are available, but you should definitely consider the advantages and disadvantages of the different alternatives. When using a reputable medical tourism provider you enjoy the convenience of having all the arrangements made for you. You also have an expert advisor insuring you receive the best quality of health care. The medical tourism travel agent can also offer payment plans. The obvious disadvantage might be an extra cost. The service provider will charge a fee for services granted. If you decide to do it on your own, you need to make sure everything is covered and synchronized- flights, accommodations, surgeon, travel arrangement and more. You need to carefully plan all aspects of your travelling and prepare for unexpected complications. Sometimes the cost disadvantage may turn into an advantage as an expert provider (who is more experienced in local negotiations) may be able to save money and time and provide a worthwhile package deal.

Fees are driven by labor costs, administrative expenses, taxes, insurance costs etc. Some of the more attractive medical travel destinations can offer cheap health care due to low local costs and expenses. Low insurance rates, less expensive accommodation or low cost labor allow local health care travel agencies to provide high quality medical care at a low rate.

 The typical medical services include elective procedures (such as cosmetic surgeries), complex surgeries (knee replacement, hip replacement, cardiac surgery) dental surgeries, IVF treatments, bone marrow transplants, climatotherapy treatments and more. The list of medical services offered includes every type of care from the simplest to life- saving procedures.

Medical tourism describes the phenomenon of people travelling outside their home country to seek health care.