If you asked people what was the most important thing in life, many of them would say it was health. And indeed, if we are healthy, everything else is easier in life. It’s no surprise that many people all around the world travel overseas for health reasons. One of the main reasons to do so is if the procedure or treatment is not available in their own country or if the costs are much higher and the waiting lines very long which is often the case. People then often decide to go abroad and of course, someone who considers putting their health in hands of another, carefully considers everything from the quality of health services, standards and its price to security and safety of the destination itself. There are different treatments people look for, ranging from cardiovascular, reproductive and cancer treatments to dental, cosmetic and weight-loss ones. Whichever treatment the person needs, they will be sure to pick the right destination based on all the important factors listed above. And while the most popular countries for health and medical tourism are still the Asian ones, Europe is now becoming increasingly popular, especially the Central and Eastern European countries that traditionally have good healthcare systems and highly educated staff as well as well-equipped medical facilities. Some of the most popular are listed below.
1. Poland
As a traditionally a country with good health care and medical facilities of high standard, the Polish government saw an opportunity for economic growth in promoting Poland as a premium healthcare destination. The tourists come mostly for dentistry, weight-loss surgery and cosmetic surgery and can also explore the beautiful cities of Warsaw and Krakow while there.
2. Spain
Spain has been a favourite tourist destination to many for decades – sunny and lively, with a lot of history and heritage to explore, it is the perfect mix of nature and culture. In addition to this, the many healthcare clinics have started to attract the overseas tourists – located mostly in beautiful cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga, people coming for treatments can enjoy all the advantages of the vibrant Spanish culture. The destination is preferred for ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopaedics, weight loss and cosmetic surgery.
3. Croatia
With people discovering in the last couple of years the beautiful nature with the clear blue Adriatic sea, excellent food, rich culture and warm people, Croatia has been a top tourist destination for several years now. Recently it is also becoming more and more popular as a medical tourism destination – with highly skilled professionals and high-end facilities, tourists from all over the world come for different treatments, one of the most popular one being dentistry and different types of surgery. One of the most popular destinations within Croatia is definitely Istria, the Croatian peninsula with excellent climate to enjoy while there.
4. Hungary
Another top European destination for dentistry is Hungary for sure. Interesting enough, it is the country to have the most dentists per capita in the world. In addition to the quantity, quality is also very high – dentists are very skilled, facilities super-equipped with the latest technology and the care standards are high while the prices are still lower than in most Western European countries.The tourists come for all the work – from basic dental treatments to reconstructive surgery. Budapest is of course a must-visit.
5. Turkey
Though not in the European Union, we can’t skip Turkey which is at the forefront of medical and heath tourism. With over 1200 public and private hospitals and a lot of investments by the Turkish governments to develop medicine and medical care, investing both in staff and facilities, Turkey is very competitive and offers medical treatments to high standards. With the destination itself being interesting and exotic, and the high-quality services having affordable prices, it is understandable why people from all over the world choose Turkey more and more for their health procedures and treatments, the specialties including ophthalmology, cardiology, transplants and neurosurgery as well as cosmetic surgery.
