According to the University of Delaware, medical tourism as a health care product will continue to grow in the new decade. While some believe that medical care abroad is inferior, the reality is that hospitals and clinics that specifically cater to medical tourists are among the best in the world, with accreditation, certification, and staff, physicians and surgeons trained in major medical centers and universities throughout the United States and Europe.

A mere decade ago, medical tourism was a hardly recognized term while today, nearly 250,000 individuals from the Middle East visit Singapore while 1/2 million international travelers and patients will visit India for medical care, up from 150,000 in 2002.

Baby boomers, those individuals born between 1946 and 1964, will be in the forefront of change in healthcare delivery. According to studies and research performed by the University of Delaware, 220 million boomers in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Canada will be seeking affordable, high quality, effective and efficient medical care abroad by 2015.

Southeast Asia continues to be a leader in providing excellent and affordable medical care, but the Middle East, Central Europe, and Latin American countries are close behind. India medical facilities are known for orthopedic care such as knee or hip replacement, cardiac care such as open heart surgery and pediatric heart surgery, as well as cancer therapies including bone marrow transplant. Indian clinics and hospital facilities are outfitted with high-tech and state of the art medical diagnostic and electronic equipment, and its pharmaceutical companies meet requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Medical tourism has grown into a respected, viable and logical solution to patients abroad seeking affordable procedures while maintaining high standards of quality and care.