In: Nursing
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH MEDICAL TOURISM
Medical tourism is sometimes portrayed as a win-win for all parties involved: the tourist saves money on medical care, the host country receives tourism dollars. What's not to like? In practice, however, medical tourism might have some morally troubling outcomes. The medical tourism association advertises medical procedures as part of a fun and exciting travel packages. The following potential problems with medical tourism. Provide specific problems for that category. Add citations or links to support your discussion.
1. Troubling incentives
2. Resource drain
3. Access
4. Accountability issues
Medical Tourism: Potential problems
Travelling across international borders to obtain Medical care or to deliver healthcare is called Medical Tourism. Many medical and surgical management for the diseases, cosmetic procedures are available at lower cost than in the United States. In medical tourism patient has to bear the full amount. It has its own benefits both for the Healthcare Provider and for the reciever of the care. The patient can save the money as the cost for the treatment is low and the host country and the Healthcare Provider can earn money. However there are dangers in medical tourism like increased risk of infection due to new climate and travelling, communication problems, hidden costs, legal issues, difficulty in follow up care etc.
Medical Tourism also have some morally troubling outcomes . Some of the potential problems are:
* Resource drain:
One of the major potential problem of Medical Tourism is the draining of resources of host Country, that means to attract the foreign travellers, the private medical industry is growing day by day with most modern technologies while tho Government sector that provides care to the general population is getting deteriorated . All the resources including finance for medical supplies are going to private sector. Also for the organ transplantation, many poor and middle income people are waiting for the organ transplantation, but Medical Tourism business is offering the organs, that are available in very minimum in number are getting drained or finished.
* Troubling incentives
Another moral issue related with Medical Tourism is Alterations in incentives. Some medical students are offered more incentives to take certain specialities to serve for Medical Tourism . Specialities that needed for the public health and general physicians are getting decreased day by day. In the host countries the doctor - patient ratio is much below the standard ratio . Troubling incentives are making the medical students to select the specialty, such as where more scope for medical tourism is there.
* Access:
Medical Tourism possess a benefit as well as a threat to the local population. As to receive the foreign patients, hospital authorities may increase their facilities, upgrade their technologies, more staff appointment and more professional skills. This may be beneficial for the public. But most of the hospitals and healthcare settings may increase the cost of care along with the facility upgradation. So gradually only foreign people or rich people can access or afford the medical services from such hospitals.
* Accountability issues:
Accountability issues are another major concern on Medical Tourism . Patients are coming from foreign countries and receiving the particular medical care and going back. There is not much legal protection if something misshapens . Most of the country is not having legislation to protect the tourists, those who are coming for medical care. Many reports on news paper came on the accidental deaths or complications of patients who undergone surgeries in another countries. But there is not much enquiry or follow up on that. No Government or hospital is taking the accountability of the medical tourists. With the informed consent hospital authorities also will escape from the case.