Medical Tourism Thailand-A Matter of Ethics?

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Mike

Yesterday I shared some details of a competition being run by the Tourist Authority of Thailand called the Medical Tourism Blog Contest. The short post was really to inform fellow bloggers of the competition but I was quiet surprised by the amount of comments it drew,  of which,  quite a few expressed disappointment in TAT for promoting medical tourism in general with others questioning why folk engage in the procedures.

Personally I have no axe to grind one way or the other as far as medical tourism is concerned since I feel its up to individuals to decide what is right for them and how they spend their money.

So I wonder do my commenter’s who expressed an opinion see it as an ethical issue?

Personally I see medical tourism as a by-product of failing health care systems in countries like the UK and the USA where costs or long waiting times can really affect a persons quality of life. Now if you want an ethical issue well this failure is a big one for me.

The fact that countries like Thailand(there are others) take advantage of these failing systems to provide top quality health care at a much reduced cost seems to me to be sound business rather than ethics or perhaps that should read sound business ethics. A simple case of supply and demand more like.

The market in Thailand is probably split into three main areas, life saving,  such as heart surgery, improving the quality of life, things like hip replacements and cosmetic surgery.  For me it is difficult to see how anyone could object on ethical grounds to a person seeking treatment abroad given that their health insurance might not cover the cost of the procedure(USA) or that their doctor says they will have to wait a few months before anything can be done(UK).

I would however agree that you might consider it ethically questionable in some of the uses of cosmetic surgery although even here, given the reluctance of health care systems to cover many such necessary procedures, there is surely a need.

The only real downside that I can see in receiving medical treatment abroad is after care. What if complications arise after you return home? Is there adequate time allowed for recuperation after your procedure?  Maybe one could question the medical ethics of the care providers on this one since you do from time to time read about after care horror stories following procedures in some countries.

Surely though the answers to these two questions really lies with the hospital and doctors providing the service  and asking them would  be high on my list of priorities before I took part in any procedures.

I personally suffer from arthritis and have it in my right hip. Eventually when the pain get too bad I will have to have a hip replacement. A common enough procedure these days. Its seems I have two choices, the first to return to the UK and pay privately for the procedure or to do the same in Thailand.  Its not exactly rocket science figuring out which I will chose when the time comes.  I will go to one of the same top Thai private hospitals used by medical tourists and get my procedure there.

Setting ethics aside for a moment can I ask you a couple of questions.  Would you travel abroad to avail yourself of so called medical tourism? Or would you help a loved one who is in need of urgent help access healthcare in another country?

One final thought, perhaps its the phrase “medical tourism” than raises the angst,  maybe we should just call it accessing medical care in another country instead.

Footnote:

As a long term expatriate I am no longer entitled to free NHS treatment in the UK, hence my comment above about paying privately.

Related posts:

  1. Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest-The Experience
  2. How to Plan a Medical Tourism Trip to Thailand
  3. Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest.
  4. Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest-Finalist
  5. Thailand Medical Blog Contest Winners
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  • http://paulgarrigan.com/ Paul Garrigan

    Hi Mike, I get confused by the ethics of it all. Even though I’m Irish I trained as a nurse in the NHS. I think the NHS is one of the UK’s greatest achievements; although few people these days give it the respect it deserves. The NHS staff work hard and are underappreciated; many of them do it because they believe in a free health care system and see their role as more than just a job.

    Do you know that in the days after the hurricane that hit New Orleans there were private hospitals that were half empty with doctors and nurses twiddling their thumbs. This would never happen with the NHS. It the NHS nurses and doctors have a duty to care for everyone regardless of their ability to pay. When there has been any major incidents all nurses and doctors are expected to help out; even if it is there time off.

    In my ideal world health care provision would be a human right for everyone, but unfortunately the world isn’t like that. I can’t blame people for going private and for choosing medical tourism. If it was a member of my family I’d do whatever it took to get them the best possible care and worry about the ethics later.

    • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

      Paul I do have a lot of respect for the NHS since it has certainly helped some of my family through very difficult times. But in my opinion it is a failing system, trying to do to much with to little in the way of resources.

      I will say however that the primary healthcare, GP based, must be the best in the world, sadly though its after that were things go wrong and there is certainly a vacum that can to some extent be filled with private healthcare (home or abroad)

      Your comment about new Orleans doesn’t surprise me at all. Indeed I believe many people from the USA would choose Thailand as a medical tourism destination.

  • Lawrence

    Interesting post, Mike. I wouldn’t go abroad with the sole intention of getting medical treatment, but I certainly have no doubt that most things I would get fixed in Thailand if that was where I was. And I certainly don’t think there’s anything wrong with TAT promoting medical tourism.

    I agree with Paul about the NHS, too, and have a bit more faith in the post-GP part of it than you do, though I agree that as more and more procedures become possible it does stretch their ability to provide a full service.

    Didn’t know about your arthritis but know how painful it can be. I wn’t walk too fast to/from the Myanmr border!

    • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

      Lawrence, glad you have a good experience with NHS-my Mum has too. Although she has often had to wait a fair amount of time. The hip is fine most of the time since the climate here suits the condition, reckon I can still make it across Thailand in a day.

  • Lawrence

    Mike, by the way, I’m pretty sure you are still fully entitled to NHS treatment whenever you are in the UK. You still have a NI number and I suppose you didn’t de-register with your GP. They won’t turn you away.

  • Lawrence

    Mike, by the way, I’m pretty sure you are still fully entitled to NHS treatment whenever you are in the UK. You still have a NI number and I suppose you didn’t de-register with your GP. They won’t turn you away.

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