One of the hottest, most profitable
world-wide trends that we have seen
in the past few years is the explosion
in medical tourism. According to
the 2016 Global Tourism Industry
Report, over 50 countries identify
themselves as being destinations
for medical tourism, and classify
Thailand, Singapore, India and
Malaysia as the world’s top medical
tourism destinations.
What is inbound medical tourism
you may ask? It is informally defined
as people who travel to the United
States to seek the latest and best in
medical treatment for themselves
or for those they love. This medical
care includes such treatments
as: cosmetic surgery, dentistry,
cardiovascular, orthopedics, cancer,
reproductive health, weight loss,
health screenings and even second
opinions.
From a domestic perspective,
South Florida is a perfect example
of a region that has experienced an
incredible surge in inbound medical
tourism. According to the Medical
Tourism Association, more than
375,000 residents from other U.S.
states travel to Florida each year,
spending $5.2 billion on medical
services and approximately 38,000
international travelers visit Florida
annually spending about $580
million, pointing to a revenue source
for those not only in medical sector
but in the hotel, restaurant and other
local businesses that will play host to
these international medical travelers
and their companions during stays
that normally last an average of 7-10
days depending on the treatment.
At my private practice, Badia Hand
to Shoulder Center in Miami, our
team treats patients that travel from
around the world seeking expert
medical care and treatments for
upper limb and extremities including
anything related to the hand, wrist,
shoulder, elbow, arm and fingers.
ILHA 63