Key consideration factors for medical tourism in Thailand 2022
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Thailand has always been a popular destination for leisure travel and world-class medical treatments. And after years of closing its borders to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Land of Smiles is now reopening. With its fantastic cuisine, picture-perfect scenery, first-rate medical services, unmatched reliability, and astoundingly low prices, it’s easy to see why medical tourism in Thailand draws so many people from all around the globe. If you want to get treated by top-notch medical facilities and recover amidst affordable 5-star tropical delights, read on.
Like with all types of international travel, it’s crucial to do as much research as possible when choosing your preferred medical institution. There are a ton of options to choose from in Thailand, so deciding which one is the absolute best for you can be complicated. With the help of our friends at Ever Healthcare, we’ve compiled a list of the most important things you should investigate to make sure you get the best medical tourism experience possible in Thailand.
1. Accreditation
The first thing you need to investigate when choosing a hospital for medical tourism in Thailand is international accreditations and certifications. Keep in mind that only the best hospitals and clinics will be accredited, certified, or otherwise given the international recognition and assurance they deserve. There are multiple forms of accreditation or certification to look for. Some are specific to certain medical procedures and fields, while others are for general standards in practice, hygiene, and service.
The Joint Commission International committee (JCI) is the most reliable and notable type of accreditation. Recognised worldwide, the JCI is a non-profit organisation that verifies whether a medical institution holds the highest standards in healthcare quality and patient safety. A hospital must undergo rigorous audits to earn JCI certification, and sustaining it requires reaudits every three years.
2. Specialisation
As a premium medical tourism destination and with such a wide variety of medical tourists from all corners of the globe, medical institutions in Thailand cater to a plethora of needs. From plastic surgery to veneers and knee replacements to in vitro fertilisation (IVF), you won’t have a hard time finding doctors or even entire clinics specialising in your intended procedure.
It’s not always clear, however, if a medical institution has specialists. It’s strongly advisable that you ask as many questions as possible. As a potential patient and customer, you have every right to inquire before even you begin consultation. By asking questions, you’ll find out whether a hospital or clinic is a good fit for you. You’ll also get the needed information on what level of expertise the doctors there possess.
3. Board certification
So, we’ve covered accreditation and specialisation; the last of our “-ations” to be aware of for your medical tourism journey in Thailand is board certification. Similar to accreditation, board certification requires review by an external party, frequently a board of specialists in a particular field. Since it’s field-specific, a doctor with board certification is undoubtedly operating at a very high quality and will provide high-quality care.
Furthermore, it’s often easy to determine who has board certification and for what field. Hospitals and clinics often include doctor profiles with their board certifications for proven reliability on their websites.
4. Equipment and technologies
Sometimes a medical institution seems perfect, only for you to realise late that it’s a tiny clinic. Even with the best physicians on standby, you should consider their equipment. A genuinely reliable medical institution will always stay up to date on the latest advancements.
5. Services and Facilities
Just like with tools and technologies, facilities are a huge factor when choosing a hospital for your medical tourism destination in Thailand. The hospital or clinic will be your resting place for most of your procedure and stay. Therefore, they won’t only define how comfortable you are but can also be reflective of service quality. For example, some clinics may need you to stay in an open post-operative room with shared bathrooms and nurses.
Services like transportation to or from the airport or your hotel may also be crucial to you since you’ll be coming from another country. So be sure to ask!
6. Family and personal doctors
Medical tourism in Thailand is famous because it’s home to some of the best doctors in the world. However, if you have a personal or family doctor who you’ve been seeing for years on end, their advice may be just as valuable, if not more so, than even doctors at the top of their fields overseas. Everyone’s body and overall health are unique. Thus, closer insight could mean the difference between a good outcome and an extraordinary one. If you’re unsure, don’t be afraid to consult a doctor at home for a second opinion or even to have them work collaboratively.
7. Medical tourism services
If you’re still worried, we have good news for you: medical tourism agencies. Many medical tourism agencies can help you filter which destinations in Thailand might fit your personal needs and even provide plenty of other conveniences.
Ever Healthcare, for instance, is an end-to-end medical tourism platform that helps people find the best destinations for their given needs. On their website, you can easily set filters like price range, destinations, and types of procedures. Then, you can select from a curated list of hospitals and clinics with guaranteed excellence. Their skilled care team also offers a genuinely personal touch. They set up consultations, questions, and even transportation or language translation with just a phone call. Additionally, they also work directly with the medical institutions on their site at no additional cost. They put priority on providing the most comfortable medical tourism experience possible.
So, what are you waiting for? Begin your medical tourism journey in Thailand today with confidence, and hey, plan a vacation while you’re at it!
