Bumrungrad International hospital in Bangkok is becoming a popular destination for international travelers in search of low-cost medical procedures, particularly among Americans who lack comprehensive health insurance and Europeans who are unhappy with long waiting times at home. Bumrungrad treated 450,000 foreign patients last year - more than any other hospital in the world. Ruben Toral, Bumrungrad's marketing director, says that medical tourism will eventually lead to medical outsourcing. "Your corporation, your insurer, your government could send you [to Bumrungrad] for surgery and make significant savings." However, the trend is creating a backlash among physicians in the West, many of who voice serious concerns about the cleanliness of Thai hospital facilities and the level competency among Thai health care professionals.Reuters
The Economist