It has become very simple to undergo medical treatment abroad: a couple of hours on an airplane, and now you are in the best hospital, where world renowned doctors take care of your health. Even if you live in a country with poorly developed medicine, abroad you can undergo accurate diagnostics and get rid of dangerous diseases with innovative and minimally invasive methods. The issue of the organization of treatment abroad is not a problem: Booking Health will take care of everything, and you will be able to fully focus on restoring your health.

What diseases are treated abroad

Patients mostly go abroad to treat severe diseases that require surgery or the use of high-tech procedures.

Oncology. It is the most common reason for traveling. A lot of conditions are needed to treat cancer successfully.

It is better to undergo surgery in a specialized center where doctors are highly experienced and use innovations. In this case, you will not only get better results, but you can often be cured of cancer with less invasive methods. For example, doctors will perform robot-assisted surgery instead of a conventional one, or remove only part of an organ instead of its total removal.

Radiation therapy is also best performed abroad. Developed countries use new types of irradiation: more accurate and sparing. Doctors use IMRT, stereotactic radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, radionuclide techniques, radioembolization and other methods.

The latest drugs for targeted therapy, immunotherapy, adoptive cell therapy, chemoembolization, stem cell transplantation and many others are used to achieve success even in the most severe cases.

Cardiology and cardiac surgery. It is another popular direction for medical tourism. Abroad, you can undergo high-precision diagnosis of diseases of the cardiovascular system using not only traditional ECG and EchoCG, but also MRI, CT angiography, electrophysiological studies, PET. Most often, the Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery repair or replace heart valves, treat arrhythmias and coronary artery disease. Many parents come abroad for the treatment of children with congenital heart defects. In developed countries, cardiovascular diseases are treated not only more efficiently, but also safer. Many diseases, in which open heart surgery is usually performed, are cured from inside the blood vessels, with a short recovery period.

Neurology and neurosurgery. Doctors abroad successfully perform brain surgeries. Many of the surgical procedures are minimally invasive: they are performed through tiny holes in the skull, through the nose, from inside the blood vessels. Whenever possible, spinal surgery is endoscopic; it is performed through 0.5 cm incisions.

Orthopedics. Many patients travel abroad for joint replacement. In developed countries, sports injuries are often treated: tears of ligaments, menisci, shoulder dislocations, etc.

When people choose treatment abroad

Beyond all doubt, it is simpler to start therapy in a healthcare facility near your house. People choose treatment abroad for various reasons, main of which are:

1. Availability of novel medications. New medicines require local approval in order to be included in the national therapeutic protocols. Receiving this approval may take months or even years. For people who need urgent therapy it is more reasonable to travel abroad, to the country that has already completed this procedure.
2. Availability of high-technology equipment. The same refers to the medical equipment. In addition, usage of some devices is limited due to their high cost (e.g. devices for proton therapy, stereotactic radiotherapy).
3. Skilled healthcare professionals. Even if medicines and medical devices are already approved for clinical use in one’s country, local doctors must have sufficient relevant experience. For instance, those surgeons who operate the da Vinci robotic system must carry out over 200 interventions annually in order to demonstrate the desired success rates.
4. Wish to use one of the local medical developments. University and Academic hospitals, as well as smaller specialized healthcare facilities, often have their own developments in the treatment of particular pathologies. People from all over the world visit such hospitals to take advantage of such unique developments.
5. Wish to undergo treatment anonymously. Sometimes people do not want anyone to know about their disease (e.g. cancer) or desire to change appearance (e.g. hair transplantation, plastic surgery). Traveling abroad is a suitable option in such a case, as you will not meet any of your acquaintances in a hospital.

Higher level of comfort and better attitude of healthcare professionals can be an additional pro of undergoing examination or treatment beyond your native country.

Is treatment abroad expensive?

Not all insurance companies cover treatment abroad, so the financial aspect is often crucial. Particular medical procedures and interventions may be more expensive, when comparing them directly. However, the total cost of treatment is often comparable or only slightly more expensive due to shorter hospital stay, higher efficacy of medications and better results of interventions.

Common factors that contribute to the final bill are:

●Level of the healthcare facility (academic, municipal, university)

●Position of an attending physician (Head of the department, ordinator, etc.)

●Age of the patient (treatment of children is typically more expensive)

●Duration of hospital stay, if it is required

●Type of treatment (medicines, minimally invasive surgery, open surgery, etc.)

How to travel abroad

Previously, a person who was going to travel had to solve dozens of organizational issues. Now everything is simple: Booking Health will take care of all the arrangements for treatment abroad.

With the help of our service, you can book any medical care program. We present the prices of surgical interventions and procedures in different hospitals. Compare the cost of treatment and choose the price that suits you most. Leave a request on the website, and a Booking Health specialist will contact you to discuss the details of the upcoming trip.

We will help you choose a clinic and a doctor, so that you can count on the best treatment results. Our specialists will contact the hospital abroad and make an appointment on the most suitable date. You will be able to start treatment without long waiting. We will help you prepare documents for traveling abroad, book airline tickets, a hotel, meet you at the airport and take you to the hospital by car. In another country, you will receive ongoing support for any questions.