Passport to Beauty?

Passport to Beauty?

Abstract

The truth about the growing market of international medical tourism and the associated risks to tourists travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery

Key Words

Medical Tourism, Globalisation, Healthcare and Cosmetic Surgery

Introduction

Medical tourism also known as; medical travel or health tourism, was initially created by Travel Agents and the mass-media due to the rapid growth of tourists travelling across borders to obtain healthcare. Now over 50 countries have identified medical tourism as a national industry, however there are many risks and ethical issues that make this process of accessing medical care controversial. The rise of medical tourism emphasises the privatisation of healthcare and the accelerated globalisation of both healthcare and tourism (Connell, 2006).

Risks Associates with Medical Tourism

For many medical travellers there are often 'hidden' health risks, obscured by positive images presented through colourful advertising and marketing of exotic holiday destinations and luxury travel facilities. (Page & Clift, 1996). Why are patients putting their health in the hands of a total stranger in a country they have never visited and pay extra for airfares and accommodation? Understandably tourists are taking the view that medical tourism in fun; recuperating on a beach, sipping island cocktails and exotic foods, when in reality these are only snap shots of the positive aspects of the medical trip.

Individuals travel to distant countries to receive medical treatment are usually not covered by insurance policies or because insurance coverage is too expensive in their home country. Patients do not realise that even though travelling abroad for surgery seems convenient, affordable and there is a chance to experience new cultures, patients occasionally sacrifice familiarity and certain legal guarantees.

India is not exactly known for health and hygiene, but nonetheless people from the EU are still travelling abroad to undergo cosmetic surgery in this major market and attached to this is the parallel perception that 'you get what you pay for'. There is no doubt that potential health threats to tourists affect businesses of travel and tourism itself, especially when health problems in destinations such as Costa Rica and India assume 'epidemic' proportions (Page & Clift, 1996).

Ethical and Legal issues

Due to medical tourists travelling outside their own country, many encounter unfamiliar legal issues, with the limited nature of litigation in non-us countries is one reason for the lower cost of care overseas. However if a problem was to arise, patients may not be covered by adequate personal insurance or seek compensation. A study revealed up to 60% of travellers may not receive a health warning when purchasing a ticket to travel to a malaria endemic region (Page & Clift, 1996). Also the purchase of illegal organs and tissues for transplants has been alleged in countries such as India and China and in Thailand in 2008 it was stated that 'doctors in Thailand have become so busy with foreigners that Thai patients are having trouble getting care' (Lagace, 2007).

Tourists Willingness to Travel for Surgery

Most people travelling for medical treatment abroad tend to combine travel & tourism along with their medical procedure, therefore countries such as India and Cuba are building new hotels to accommodate the growing numbers of patients come tourists this leaves no option but deforestation to enhance revenue and foreign exchange. In the middle-east particularly Lebanon and Bahrain they have developed their own medical tourism industry and 'in 2005 relatively low cost Jordan remained the main medical tourism destination in the middle-east' (Connell, 2006).

Thailand is now attracting such a large volume of patients, with its reputation as a tourist haven, existing tourist attractions, with a relatively low cost of living and friendly locals. It has gained a respectable quality of care, especially in niche areas such as cosmetic surgery. (Teh & Chu, 2005). If patients flew to Dubai and Hong Kong patients could feasibly have cosmetic surgery the day after their arrival, which contributes to the increasing popularity of medical travel such as; long waiting lists, high costs of healthcare and the easy access and cost of international travel.

Conclusion

Tourist destinations mentioned throughout have recognised that they must provide high quality care to develop a sustainable, competitive advantage in the international market place. The evidence provided shows that patients are choosing to accept the inconvenience and uncertainties of offshore healthcare to obtain services at prices they can more comfortably afford (Horowitz, 2007).

Would you ever consider cosmetic surgery, now you are aware of the dangers of this risky business?

Bibliography

Connell, J. (2006). Medical Tourism: Sea, sun, sand and ... surgery. Tourism Management , 27 (1) 1093-1100.

Page, S. J., & Clift, S. (1996 ). Health and the International Tourist. London pg. 3-216: Routledge.

Teh, I., & Chu, C. (2005). Supplementing Growth with Medical Tourism. Special Report: Medical Tourism , 9 (8) 306-311.

The author of this discussion paper had me intrigued from the start, with a simple, yet thought-provoking question heading 'Passport to Beauty?' This paper sets out to evoke awareness of health risks for tourists, associated with medical tourism; an area of 'risk assessment' that seems to go unnoticed in today's uncertain world. The author immediately instigated my thoughts of how quick we are to presume risks to ourselves, as travellers, are primarily instigated by the actions of others, i.e. terrorism and crime. However, as is the case of medical tourism, we can in fact be (partially) responsible and accountable for our own encounters with risk and threat, through the choices we make.

The author clearly identifies a bias on part of the tourism industry, exclaiming how the industry pulls tourists in through cleverly promoting medical tourism as a 'holiday', whereby one can recuperate and enjoy a positive experience. However, the author then does a good job of contradicting this bias through specific evidence linking medical tourism to risks such as legal issues, health issues, and even the impact posed for the local community. An interesting angle to have seen included in his paper would be 'cosmetic surgery gone wrong' as an associated risk i.e. disfigurement, since this paper tends to focus on the disease-side of health.

Tourists' willingness to travel in spite of all the risks is primarily down to the promotion surrounding medical tourism, as mentioned. The author has linked in the tourism industry well, stating that the industry is continuously taking steps of encouragement; building new hotels for patients, and setting up surgeries in friendly and low-cost living environments. It would be interesting to know what type of tourist activities the 'patients' do partake in, since I find it an idealistic thought that recuperation on a beach would be feasible.

This paper takes an evident focus on the ethical and legal risks associated with medical tourism, and also an interest in risks of visiting the country itself i.e. contracting malaria. I feel that a little more insight into the risks of the surgery itself due to its illegalities at times could be an interesting scope. Cosmetic surgery often leads to all sorts of travesties, even death; therefore I feel the procedure itself is a pertinent risk to account for. To round up, this discussion paper was a personal interest of mine, as the reader, and was abundant with information and insights.

The author in this discussion paper has selected three intriguing words for the title of this piece that instantly grabbed my attention to know more. With being of a young age, beauty and looking nice if definitely something that I would say is important and many friends have discussed going abroad for cosmetic surgery, but within discussion they never addressed any potential dangers just that it was a 'cheaper option'.
With reference to the various dangers all over the world, people's main priorities are price, what they will look like when it is completed and also the added luxury of being in a relaxing beautiful country is also an added bonus. The author has made various relations to choice, and addressed issues that they may come across if choosing to travel abroad for treatments.

With reference to the point "A study revealed up to 60% of travellers may not receive a health warning when purchasing a ticket to travel to a malaria endemic region (Page & Clift, 1996)", this also shows other types of risks when travelling abroad which isn't relation to the cosmetic surgery itself. This is a very good point to consider as tourists are less likely to think about risks that are not linked to the surgery they are having done.

Another good point in this piece was that of the citizens being 'forgotten', in the countries participating with cheap cosmetic surgery. With the majority of the focus being on tourists as they are the ones generating income into the country, the citizens themselves are having trouble getting the essential care they need and in serious circumstances may not be able to get the organs they need.

I also like the way the author has covered how it links to the social and political impacts for example, with the increase in cosmetic tourists, they have to build to accommodate for the increase of tourists due to the demand for surgery.

The author clearly discusses what tourists see as positives from a medical trip without considering the negatives which progresses on to a well researched discussion. The term 'you get what you pay for' was a great phrase used in this discussion to give a clear understanding of the outcome of choosing this type of surgery in a different country. When people pay cheap they get cheap, as the time put in to it and the quality would not be as likely as something that takes more time and effort. Also to be able to travel abroad and get surgery the next day also gives evidence that research and time hadn't been put into the individuals needs before performing the surgery.

The summary in the conclusion covered directly what the author was stating throughout and the overall hold that cosmetic surgery has on tourists regardless of the risk. It covered points that you would never think about and the research conducted was very in-depth.

To conclude it was an enjoyable and interesting read.