In recent years, 1.4 million international patients have received medical treatment in Thailand, and the number is increasing annually. Among those coming to Thailand, almost 200,000 people per year come from the USA, and nearly 100,000 patients arrive from the UAE.
No matter where you go in Thailand, medical tourism offers a wide array of procedures. The country has earned a reputation for dependable and affordable treatments and services, including massage centers, spas and wellness clinics and retreats, as well as surgical procedures such as laser, cosmetic, and cardiovascular.. Thailand's high standards and healthcare expertise make it a world leader in medical tourism, while the options for a post-medical treatment holiday are the best in the world.
If you ask those patients who have received healthcare in Thailand, they will give you the same reasons why, summarized in these "Six Reasons to Make Thailand Your
Medical Tourism Destination".
1.Thailand features internationally accredited medical facilities
Hospitals and other medical facilities in Thailand pride themselves on their high standards, and many have subjected their premises and systems to the most rigorous inspections by applying for accreditation and certification, whereby a qualified standards organization - distinct from the healthcare organization under review - assesses the hospital or facility to determine if it meets a set of standards and requirements designed to improve the quality of patient care. This voluntary process provides a tangible and visible commitment by the hospital to continually ensure a safe environment for its patients and staff.
Thailand was the first country in Asia to achieve JCI accreditation in 2002, and 13 hospitals are now accredited:
Bangkok Heart Hospital
Bangkok Hospital Medical Center
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
Bangkok Hospital Phuket
BNH Hospital
Bumrungrad International
Chiangmai Ram Hospital
Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital
Samitivej Sriracha Hospital
Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital
Synphaet Hospital
Wattanosoth Cancer Hospital
Vejthani Hospital
JCI sets Clinical Care Program Certification standards (CCPC), which are awarded to institutions demonstrating excellence in fostering better outcomes in specific clinical care services or treatment of specific diseases and conditions. Four Thai hospitals have received CCPC certificates:
Bangkok Hospital Medical Center (acute coronary syndrome, breast cancer conserving therapy, heart failure, primary stroke)
Bumrungrad International (primary stroke, acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation)
Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital (low back pain, primary stroke)
Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital (lung cancer, acute myocardial infarction, knee osteoarthritis)
Additionally, many Thai hospitals use Hospital Accreditation (HA), a four-stage process that combines self-assessment and peer assessment to judge performance levels against established standards and identify methods of improvement.
2.Thailand's medical professionals are highly qualified
In addition to Thailand's leading medical facilities achieving the highest international standards, so do the individuals who work in them. The physicians, surgeons and nurses have been trained to the highest levels, while many specialists have been conducting research and gaining experience at the world's best medical institutes with some even leading the field in which they specialise.
Many Thai doctors and surgeons practicing today have won awards for their work, and more than 500 doctors practicing in Thai hospitals are American Board Certified. These medical professionals are skilled at providing the highest quality medical treatment.
3. Cost saving
The cost of
medical treatments in Thailand is significantly lower compared to identical treatments in the West and other developed parts of the world.
Some comparisons include: the US $130,000 cost of a heart bypass in the United States, which can be performed by skilled and qualified doctors at a Thai hospital for only US $11,000.
A hip or knee replacement in the US cost $43,000 and $40,000 respectively, but only $12,000 and $10,000 in Thailand.
A spinal fusion procedure in the US averages $62,000 and in Thailand only $7,000.
Even most cosmetic treatments are around 50% less expensive in Thailand than in the US, where breast enlargements costs around $3,500-4,000 as opposed to $2,600-$3,200 in Thailand.
A facelift in the United States costs about $4,500-5,000 compared to $2,400 in Thailand.
Liposuction is $2,500-3,000 in the US and $1,200 in Thailand; and a Hair Transplant, which is more than $4,000 in the US, is between $1,000 and $2,000 in Thailand.
Even greater savings are available for those opting for dental treatments in Thailand rather than the USA. Tooth whitening in America costs around $1,000, ten times more expensive than the $100 charged in Thailand, while a root canal that costs between $500 and $2,000 in the USA, costs only approximately $150 in Thailand.
4. No waiting lists
One of the great advantages of receiving medical treatment in Thailand is the ease with which appointments for treatment can be arranged. Thai hospitals have numerous operating theaters and enough qualified surgeons that there is little, if any, waiting for scheduling even the most complex and invasive procedures.
5. Thailand's medical technology is state-of-the-art
All of Thailand's leading hospitals feature state-of-the-art technology that helps them provide the highest degree of medical treatment and service. Equipment includes:
Siemens Biograph 64 PET/CT, which is superior to other CT and MRI machines in early cancer detection and diagnosis.
Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), which is the most accurate method for targeting radiation to cancerous tumors, and R2 CAD ImageChecker that has 6-20% higher breast cancer detection rates than standard CAD digital mammography, allowing more accurate early detection and reducing the incidences of false positives.
Blood Marrow Stem Cell Transplant, a complex medical treatment program that can offer a cure for many otherwise incurable blood or bone marrow diseases and certain cancers in adults and children.
Gamma Knife Surgery, which allows for non-invasive brain surgery using highly targeted gamma radiation.
The da Vinci Surgical System, which uses robotics to translate a surgeon's natural hand movements to apply less invasive incisions with unprecedented precision during heart surgery.
256-slice Multi-detector CT Scan, which is faster and yields far higher resolution images than other CT Scanners.
CARTO SOUND Module for identifying and treating arrhythmias with unprecedented precision and confidence.
Endovascular and Interventional Radiology for treatment of veins and arteries using DSA (Digital Subtraction Angiography).
Uterine Fibroid Embolization, which is a minimal-invasive procedure used to remove fibroid tumors in the uterus without general anesthesia.
Digital Mammogram, which allows more accurate diagnosis and earlier discovery, particularly in women under 50.
Greenlight PVP Laser to precisely target prostate tissue with a high-powered laser beam, a procedure often performed in an out-patient setting.
Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery System for non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy to destroy diseased tissue or cauterize a problem area without affecting healthy adjacent tissue.
4D Ultrasound operating at a speed of 25 volumes per second.
MRI - Intera Achieva 3.0T MRI, which yields the information necessary to discover blood circulation abnormalities and is particularly useful in the early detection of brain cancer.
IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy), which is an innovative cancer treatment that utilizes ionizing radiation in the treatment of malignant tumors.
Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) that enables images such as x-rays and scans to be stored electronically, so that doctors and radiologists can access an image and compare it with previous images from anywhere in the hospital.
Many hospitals also make use of fully automated drug management systems, picture archiving, and communication systems to ensure that administration and communication are as seamless as the treatments themselves.
6.Thailand offers excellent service
Thais are proud that their national character has won them a well-deserved reputation for their compassion and warm hospitality, and that's why the country is nicknamed "The Land of Smiles". Patients become so at ease that they feel almost like a guest on holiday from the moment they arrive at the hospital.
The level of service excellence is virtually unprecedented in the world and many patients and visitors are pleasantly surprised to find hospitals in Thailand with excellent restaurants, coffee shops, and personalized room service not seen or experienced anywhere else in the world. The hospitals themselves offer facilities found usually only in 5-star hotels, and patients from anywhere in the world can enjoy immaculate private rooms, translation services, room service, including Halal prepared cuisine, and access to prayer facilities of their chosen faith.
All patients can enjoy healthcare and nursing of the highest standards - standards actually set by some Thai hospitals over the years - and Thai nurses, physicians, surgeons, and therapists never forget the most fundamental element in a complete treatment and swift recovery: namely, a warm and caring human touch. Staff are truly friendly and considerate to the needs of all their patients, and they will do everything to make you feel relaxed and confident in the treatments you have selected.
Thai hospitals feature 24-hour nursing care, and staff are experienced in assisting foreign patients, with more than 30 hospitals employing specialized English speaking staff and many providing translators in a wide variety of foreign languages, including Arabic, Bengali, French, German, Korean, Mandarin, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese.
Only in Thailand can patients also opt for recovery from their treatment outside of the hospital combining treatment with a holiday. A hospital will provide a medical escort service wherever the patient chooses to vacation, ensuring expert, qualified and comprehensive medical care and attention while recovering by the beach or in the mountains of Thailand.
In all aspects of
medical tourism, Thailand's professionalism and accumulated experience guarantee you are in good hands.
Sample of Medical Service Providers
