Medical tourism in Israel

Medical tourism in Israel is a subset of the medical tourism industry in which patients travel to other countries to have procedures performed at a lower cost. Israel is emerging as a popular destination for medical tourists.^[1] In 2006, 15,000 foreigners travelled to the country for medical procedures, bringing in $40 million of revenue.^[1]

Overview

Medical tourists come to Israel because surgery and in-vitro fertilization treatments cost considerably less than in their home countries.^[2]Some seek relief for a variety of medical conditions at treatment centers and spas at the Dead Sea, a world-famous therapeutic resort.^[1] Israel’s facilities are recognized throughout the world, with regular contacts maintained on a reciprocal basis with major medical and scientific research centers abroad. Another factor in choosing Israel is the comfortable climate and scenic locations which have a calming effect on patients. ^[3]Israel is frequently the host venue for international medical conferences.

Treatment options

Patients come to Israel for procedures such as bone marrow transplants, heart surgery and catheterization, oncological and neurological treatments, car accident rehabilitation and more. Israel has become a major destination for residents of Cyprus in need of bone marrow transplants because the procedure is unavailable in their home country. Psoriasis patients come to Israel for treatments at the Dead Sea.

Lower costs

A patient with no health insurance who needs bypass surgery in the United States would spend approximately $120,000, while the same procedure performed in Israel would cost approximately $30,000. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is known for its high success rates and considerably lower costs. IVF costs $3,000-$3,500 in Israel, compared to $16,000-$20,000 in the U.S.

Dead Sea medical tourism

Mud bath at the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea area has become a major center for health research and treatment for several reasons. The mineral content of the water, the very low content of pollens and other allergens in the atmosphere, the reduced ultraviolet component of solar radiation, and the higher atmospheric pressure at this great depth each have specific health effects. For example, persons suffering reduced respiratory function from diseases such as cystic fibrosis seem to benefit from the increased atmospheric pressure.^[4]

Sufferers of the skin disorder psoriasis also benefit from the ability to sunbathe for long periods in the area due to its position below sea level and subsequent result that many of the sun's harmful UV rays are reduced.^[5]

The region's climate and low elevation have made it a popular center for several types of therapies:

• Climatotherapy: Treatment which exploits local climatic features such as temperature, humidity, sunshine, barometric pressure and special atmospheric constituents.
• Heliotherapy: Treatment that exploits the biological effects of the sun's radiation.
• Thalassotherapy: Treatment that exploits bathing in Dead Sea water.

Mud from the Dead Sea is believed to have therapeutic benefits for skin disorders and other physical ailments.^[6]

See also

• Tourism in Israel
• List of hospitals in Israel
• Health care in Israel

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Welcoming the world's ills, Haaretz, Feb 8, 2008
2. ^ Medicine in Israel
3. ^ Health tourism in Israel: A developing industry Niv, Amiad (Adi) Tourism Review. Vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 30-32. 1989 [1]
4. ^ "Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease". Dead Sea Research Center. http://www.deadsea-health.org/new_html/diseases_respiratory.html. Retrieved 2007-05-22. 
5. ^ S. Halevy et al. Dead sea bath salt for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris: a double-blind controlled study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Volume 9, Issue 3: 237-242.
6. ^ Types of Spa Mud Baths