The Role of Medical Tourism Facilitators

Medical tourism is on the rise, and it’s not going anywhere! With the rise in medical tourism, there has also been a rise in the number of medical tourism healthcare facilitators and agencies. In fact, the Medical Tourism Association reported that 74% of patients would prefer to use a medical tourism facilitator to organize their trip. These facilitators simplify the process for both patients and hospitals. In addition, they can help provide patients with a sense of trust and calm when beginning their medical tourism journey. If a facility is approved and used by a reputable facilitator, the patient will be more likely to trust it. When a person is traveling to a foreign country to receive medical care, trust is of the utmost importance! Just what is the role of a medical tourism facilitator, and how important are they in the industry?

Why Facilitators Exist

Medical tourism facilitators serve as a gateway into medical tourism for patients who may be cautious of the industry. In some circles, medical tourism still has a reputation for being dangerous, something where operations are completed in questionable facilities by practitioners with little experience. This is as far from the truth as you can get! The medical tourism that so many people across the globe are doing looks almost exactly like visiting a hospital at home would – only in a foreign country! The benefit of going through a medical tourism facilitator is that they have already vetted each hospital, surgery center, and practitioner that they partner with. They are truly on your side, as advocates for your care. 

Facilitators and agencies provide a sense of professionalism in an industry that is often believed to need more regulations. These companies perform services such as helping patients choose a facility, connecting them with their doctor before their trip, and booking their travel and accommodation. These are certainly tasks that a patient could do on their own, but most prefer to leave it to the professionals! 

In addition to serving as the patients’ advocate, facilitators are also the hospital’s recruiter in a sense. By partnering with reputable medical practitioners and facilities, medical tourism agencies and facilitators increase their business by sending patient after patient the hospital’s way. With greater inflow of international patients, medical facilities and hospitals can only increase their standing in the medical tourism industry. It is in their best interest to get involved with these facilitator businesses! 

Resources

It’s clear to see how important medical tourism facilitator businesses are within the industry! If you are a patient considering traveling abroad for medical care, consider checking a database such as the IMTJ’s (International Medical Travel Journal) list of facilitators and agencies all over the world.

Medical Tourism Facilitators Need Insurance Too 

We can help provide your medical tourism agency with group plans to benefit your customers. Please reach out to us today for more information!

You might also be interested in: Medical Tourism Complication Insurance