Are you tired of waiting for treatment on the NHS? Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are on NHS waiting lists up and down the country, and the numbers are only increasing. Recent studies from the Royal College of Surgeons have revealed that waiting times for NHS surgery are the longest in over a decade. More than 500,000 patients are currently waiting over 18 weeks, the recommended waiting time for any planned hospital surgery. It’s no wonder, then, that medical tourism has become so popular.
Instead of suffering delays waiting for the NHS to find an available slot for treatment, more patients than ever before are starting to consider going overseas to facilities like Riga, Latvia’s Weight Loss Riga in order to get the surgery that they need. Between 2014 and 2016 alone the number of people taking trips overseas from the United Kingdom to get medical treatment rose by 198%.
Although private treatment is available in the UK, the prohibitively high costs deter many patients from seeking out this option. However, in many countries abroad, the same treatment is available privately at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re wondering whether medical tourism could be the answer to your health problem, read on and discover 9 reasons why it could be the right option for you.
What Is Medical Tourism?
The term medical tourism is used to refer to anyone who chooses to go to another country to get the medical treatment they want or need. At one time, this term was almost exclusively used to refer to people who came to major hospitals in developed countries from developing countries to obtain treatment that they couldn’t get at home. In recent times, however, it is equally used to refer to people from countries like the UK and the USA who go to other countries (including developing countries) to obtain treatment at a lower cost.
Usually, medical tourism is to get surgery, although some people travel for fertility or dental treatments. Sometimes, people who have a rare condition will travel to another country in which their essential treatment is understood better. There are several reasons behind the drive towards medical tourism. Sometimes, the motivation is to obtain medical treatments which are unlicensed or unavailable in their home country. Sometimes, it’s to get speedier treatment than would otherwise be available.
Where Is Medical Tourism On The Rise?
Many countries have seen a huge increase in the number of medical tourists over the past few years. Eastern and Central Europe have seen an especially noticeable rise with Hungary and Poland seeing large numbers of people travelling for dental treatment and the Czech Republic being especially popular with travellers looking for cataract surgery. Germany is a popular choice among UK patients wanting cost-effective, high-quality orthopaedic surgery which Turkey is rapidly becoming the top spot for cancer, orthopaedic and cardiac care. There are even government initiatives in place to attract more patients such as discounts on Turkish Airline flights.
One of the top places for people from the UK (and indeed, from around the world) looking for affordable, high-quality treatment is Latvia. The country’s capital, Riga, is known for its outstanding health facilities and highly trained, experienced surgeons and healthcare staff who offer an exemplary level of care for patients from overseas.
When medical tourists choose this Baltic state as their preferred destination for surgery, they can be confident that they’ll be treated in five-star comfort by surgeons who have an in-depth knowledge of the procedures which they are performing. Not only is the level of care impressive, but the prices are also incredibly affordable. When comparing the cost of the same procedure in a Latvian hospital with UK private hospital treatment, the price will be substantially lower, often by thousands of pounds.
Even better, Latvia boasts a host of fascinating attractions for tourists to explore, so patients can enjoy a relaxing break as well as getting their treatment. It’s no wonder, then, that so many patients from the UK who want their procedure carried out swiftly and at a time to suit them are looking to this Eastern European country as the ultimate solution.
If you’re wondering if medical tourism could be the answer to your health problem, read on to discover 9 reasons why it could be the right option for you.
1. You Don’t Want To Wait
The number one reason for going overseas to have medical treatment is simply because you don’t want to wait at home. The NHS offers excellent treatment free of charge, but unfortunately, there is often a very long delay for treatment. This is especially the case of any form of elective, non-essential surgery, where the waiting times could be in months or even years rather than weeks. If you’re keen to get the help you need as quickly as possible, going abroad is often the answer.
Overseas private hospitals give you the convenience of attending for surgery at a time to suit you and as quickly as you like. You won’t need to wait for months before being able to get an appointment with your surgeon, and you won’t have to risk your procedure being cancelled at the last moment which so often happens under NHS care.
When you book your treatment abroad, you can simply arrive, see your consultant, arrange your surgery then get your procedure with minimal fuss. You can be on your way to wellness in no time.
2. You Can’t Afford Treatment At Home
Of course, NHS treatment is free of charge for all UK citizens. However, if you aren’t eligible to receive treatment for your particular condition on the NHS, or if there’s a very long waiting time for the procedure you require, the only alternative is to seek out private healthcare. Unfortunately, in the UK, private hospitals charge extremely high fees and treatment by a private surgeon is very expensive. Even relatively simple procedures come with a high price tag that can be anywhere between £8000 and £12000.
In overseas hospitals, however, the same treatment is available often with a much lower price attached. Even within Europe, many hospitals have much lower fees for all types of surgery so patients can benefit from high-quality care at a price that they can afford. Here at Weight Loss Riga, you can expect to pay £4980 for weight loss surgery like a gastric bypass.
3. You Want High Quality Of Care
Some people worry that they will be treated by underqualified doctors and in dangerous hospitals if they go overseas to get treatment. This is certainly not the case. In fact, many medical facilities abroad are equally clean and safe as in the UK (if not more so), and the surgeons and healthcare teams are equally well qualified. As long as you choose your hospital and surgeon wisely, and do your research well, you can be sure that you’ll receive exemplary treatment by a highly skilled surgeon.
4. You’re Looking For The Most Highly Experienced Surgeons
The above point brings us to the fourth reason why you might want to consider medical tourism. Whatever procedure you’re looking for, you need to be confident that you’re choosing a surgeon who is extremely experienced and who has carried out the procedure many times before successfully. If you’re looking for a highly specialised procedure, this is even more important. There are some procedures which aren’t carried out frequently in the UK. This means that, while the NHS surgeons may be well trained and fully qualified, they may not have had a lot of experience in performing the specific procedure you require.
Overseas, there are some procedures which are carried out more frequently than in the UK. One prime example of this is bariatric surgery. In the UK there are relatively few weight loss procedures carried out every year. This means that surgeons have not had the opportunity to get in-depth and ongoing practical experience. In countries like Latvia, however, thousands of bariatric procedures are performed each year, and so the surgeons have naturally had considerably more hands-on experience in the operating theatre and can put that experience to good use.
5. You Want To Have A Procedure At A Time That Suits You
Having any type of surgery can impact considerably on your life. Arranging someone to come and help you out for a few days afterwards while you recuperate, taking time off work, and clearing your schedule can be time-consuming and inconvenient. If you’re having treatment on the NHS, you may only be given a short period of notice before being required to attend for your surgery. This doesn’t give you long to put all the arrangements in place before you have to go to the hospital. Medical tourism allows you to have your procedure at a time to suit you. You can arrange for your surgery at a convenient moment in your life, and give yourself sufficient time to put all the essential arrangements in place, so you won’t have anything to worry about or think about when you arrive to have your operation.
6. You Want To Take A Holiday While You Recuperate
Although taking a holiday may not be uppermost on your mind, it’s one of the nicest bonuses about medical tourism. You don’t need to make your whole trip about your procedure. Usually, this will only take a couple of days, and the rest of your stay can be spent either exploring the local area or simply relaxing and recuperating at your accommodation. Afterwards, you’ll be well rested and ready to return home feeling upbeat and positive about your recovery.
7. You Want To Have Your Procedure In A Five Star Hospital
Nobody particularly enjoys being in the hospital, but if you’re going to have a treatment you may as well make sure that you’re being treated in a five-star facility with all modern conveniences and outstanding facilities. Medical tourism allows you to benefit from treatment in cutting edge private facilities overseas where you’ll receive celebrity-quality care.
Although NHS hospitals are safe and clean, they may not offer you the privacy and luxury that you desire. In many cases, you’ll be assigned a bed in an understaffed public ward with several other patients (sometimes of both sexes), and often you’ll be expected to share a bathroom. When you’re a medical tourist, you’ll benefit from your own private room with modern facilities such as Wi-Fi and a TV, and, of course, private bathroom facilities.
8. You Want A Procedure Which Isn’t Available At Home
While the NHS offers many excellent treatments, there are some procedures which aren’t available to patients. Sometimes, these treatments can be obtained in a private UK hospital, but sometimes they aren’t available in the UK at all. If this is the case for you, medical tourism is the answer. There are countries all over the world which offer a wide range of procedures, and you can choose to attend any of these to get the treatment that you’re looking for.
9. You Want To Keep Your Procedure Secret
If you have treatment in the UK, it’s almost impossible to keep your procedure a secret from your family or friends. They’ll know that you’re going to the hospital and they’ll see you recovering afterwards. If you go overseas to have your treatment, they will simply believe that you’re going abroad on holiday or for business reasons. You can then have your procedure while you’re away and by the time you return home, you’ll have had a chance to recuperate and recover. Those around you will be none the wiser that you had any kind of treatment at all.
Medical Tourism – The Answer For Many UK Patients
As you can see, there are many reasons why many patients in the UK are considering medical tourism as an answer to their health problems. Whether you want to get treatment more quickly, at a price that you can afford, or at a time to suit you, travelling abroad to get the procedure you require is often the answer. It’s certainly an option that’s worth considering, and it’s a choice that countless UK patients are now making.
Thankfully, here at Weight Loss Riga we are prepared and eager to help you have the best possible experience with surgery and medical tourism. If you’re from the UK and considering getting weight loss surgery, please consider Weight Loss Riga for your medical tourism needs.
Here at Weight Loss Riga, we promise to be there every step of the way on the path to getting your life back! Visit our homepage today for a look at our services and for a chance to schedule a consultation with our patient coordinator, Mim Dickens.
