Medical tourism can be broadly defined as provision of 'cost effective' private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry for patients needing surgical and other forms of specialized treatment. This process is being facilitated by the corporate sector involved in medical care as well as the tourism industry - both private and public.

Medical or Health tourism has become a common form of vacationing, and covers a broad spectrum of medical services. It mixes leisure, fun and relaxation together with wellness and healthcare.

The idea of the health holiday is to offer you an opportunity to get away from your daily routine and come into a different relaxing surrounding. Here you can enjoy being close to the beach and the mountains. At the same time you are able to receive an orientation that will help you improve your life in terms of your health and general well being. It is like rejuvenation and clean up process on all levels - physical, mental and emotional.

Many people from the developed world come to India for the rejuvenation promised by yoga and Ayurvedic massage, but few consider it a destination for hip replacement or brain surgery. However, a nice blend of top-class medical expertise at attractive prices is helping a growing number of Indian corporate hospitals lure foreign patients, including from developed nations such as the UK and the US.

As more and more patients from Europe, the US and other affluent nations with high medicare costs look for effective options, India is pitted against Thailand, Singapore and some other Asian countries, which have good hospitals, salubrious climate and tourist destinations. While Thailand and Singapore with their advanced medical facilities and built-in medical tourism options have been drawing foreign patients of the order of a couple of lakhs per annum, the rapidly expanding Indian corporate hospital sector has been able to get a few thousands for treatment.

But, things are going to change drastically in favour of India, especially in view of the high quality expertise of medical professionals, backed by the fast improving equipment and nursing facilities, and above all, the cost-effectiveness of the package.

Medical tourism is not a new concept by any means. People have been traveling to get treatment from healers and doctors for thousands of years. Yet this kind of travel has become increasingly popular in recent years, largely because for many it has become difficult to get quality treatment at affordable prices at home.

It is estimated that 500,000 Americans traveled out of the country to get medical treatment and dental work in 2005 and the numbers continue to rise. Medical tourism is a burgeoning industry, as destination countries offer quality treatment and accommodations at a fraction of the cost back home with the added benefit of a luxury vacation tacked on.

So why travel thousands of miles to get treatment you could just as easily get at your local hospital? While the reasons vary for each person, here are some of the major reasons medical tourism is so popular with patients all over the world.

The driving force behind the medical tourism market is the potential for savings. For those without insurance or those needing operations that insurance won't cover, medical tourism can be an affordable alternative to the skyrocketing costs of health care. Costs for major surgeries in the United States can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars while the same surgery in a country like India or Thailand can be as little as a tenth of that. The cost differential isn't caused by a lack of quality, but because a good portion of health care costs in the U.S. are tied up in administrative and insurance costs. While there is a risk involved with not having a firm legal recourse if something goes wrong, you can at least know that your money is going towards your actual care rather than to shuffle some papers around.

Even people who live in countries with public health care coverage often choose to take their treatment abroad because overburdened hospitals and doctors can have long wait periods for surgeries on conditions that are not life-threatening. While a bum knee might not be life threatening, it sure can make your life difficult and uncomfortable, and for some waiting months to get surgery simply isn't an option. In most countries where medical tourism is popular, wait times are almost non-existent. Patients can usually be scheduled for a surgery within a few days or weeks allowing patients convenience not available at home.

If most people are honest, they will admit that the first place that comes to mind when they think of world class health care isn't India or the Philippines. Yet this is a bit of an unfair stereotype. Many of the countries where medical tourism has become popular have made significant investments in the industry to ensure that patients are happy and healthy. Many doctors have been trained abroad, and some are leaders in their fields. With careful research, it's possible to get the same if not better treatment abroad than you could at home.

Traveling for medical treatment gives you the added benefit of helping yourself to a relaxing vacation while you're in recovery. Depending on the location you choose and the type of surgery you have, you could spend a relaxing week on the beach, a mountain resort, or just living it up in a luxury hotel. While it isn't advisable to party too hard after surgery, being away from home can give you a break from the stresses of everyday life and allow you to relax and concentrate on getting better.

while it isn't a guarantee, there are some insurance plans that will cover treatment that is performed outside of your home country provided that it isn't an elective procedure. More and more insurance providers are covering treatment abroad, as it saves them in costs as well.

Because of the reduced cost of treatment abroad, if can be completely feasible to bring others along and still spend less than you would have at home. This can help make foreign treatment less scary, and also provide a vacation for the whole family. Some hospitals can even provide accommodation for relatives at less than the cost of a hotel.

Because medical tourism is such a big industry, hospitals are making big investments in equipment and technology to help them draw more patients. Some hospitals have even made names for themselves as world class research centers. Essentially, there is little difference between these facilities and those at home. In fact, many top hospitals in medical tourism destination countries are associated with a well-respected hospital in the United States.

if you are unsure where to start when getting medical treatment abroad, package deals can be a great time saver. Many companies specialize in providing patients with not only their treatment, but vacations afterwards, travel to and from the airport and all of the accommodations needed. It can make travel much less stressful to let someone else do all the work. The best part about these kinds of deals is that even with all the extras, they can still be cheaper than treatment at home.

While the most popular options with medical tourists are cosmetic and dental surgeries, the reality is that there is a growing market for a wide variety of procedures including heart surgery and orthopedic hip and knee replacements. Chances are good that if you need a particular type of care that there will be a surgeon specialized in it to help you out.

Many hospitals that cater to medical tourists are corporately owned and therefore are in staunch competition with other hospitals to draw you in to their facilities. This can be a real boon to patients, who benefit from private rooms and luxury accommodations that are often much nicer than they would be able to afford at home.

Patients can usually expect a high level of personal care and attention from hospitals and clinics that are popular with medical tourists. Many have very low staff to patient ratios and many pride themselves on friendly patient relations.

while fuel costs have risen in the past few years, air travel is still an affordable and relatively convenient way to travel. With the wide variety of websites that cater to getting you the lowest rate on flights and hotels, the costs of traveling to a foreign country can be nominal when compared to the savings from not having surgery at home.

While medical tourism isn't the answer for everyone, it's easy to see why it's become such a popular option for people all over the world. Not only can it save you a bundle, but you'll also get the benefit of getting surgery quickly and being able to relax and take in the sights while you're recovering. While it's up to you to decide if it's the right option for your care, with rising health care costs it's definitely something to consider.

• AIIMS
• Apollo Hospital
• B.M.Birla Heart Research Centre
• Christian Medical College
• Tata Memorial Hospital
• Apollo Cancer Hospital
• Indraprastha Medical Corporation
• Institute Cardiovascular Diseases