Health tourism takes off in Ireland
The Sunday Business Post reports that health tourism is taking off in Ireland in spite of short wait periods, as Irish patients seek treatment unavailable at home at a low cost. A holiday serves as an added incentive.
According to a third-party facilitator in Ireland, cancer therapy, neurosurgery and paedriatic care tend to be the areas with most demand. India, Thailand and Singapore are attractive destinations but closer to home private hospitals in France and eastern Europe are also competing for a cut of the pie. Hungarian and Polish dentists advertise dental work at a third of Western prices. A heart bypass surgery in Belgium costs Euro 10,000 less than in Ireland. Cheaper air travel within Europe has also fueled the growth in medical tourism.
Although figures for the number of Irish going abroad for medical treatment are unavailable, an increase in the number of private agencies offering surgical, dental and cosmetic treatments indicates that medical tourism is a growing trend.