By Natacha Ford
nford@royalcenter.net

Health Tourism is a term that is rapidly expanding in many countries. It can be defined as a type of tourism in which people travel to other countries to improve their health by getting medical, dental, and surgical care while at the same time they can experience a vacation and totally come into contact with the attractions of the country they are visiting. This new type of tourism has been increasing in demand as people living in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Europe are already well traveled. The new technology of Internet has also contributed to the acquisition of more reliable information of other parts of the world. A person from any part of the world can easily find superbly well trained doctors that perform the same procedures as doctors in, let’s say, the United States, at a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, the fascination with fitness, beauty, and alternative therapies for health maintenance is another important factor for which these tourists are traveling. In addition, the health care system in these nations is getting everyday more expensive with exorbitant prices and long lists for patients to receive treatment. There is also the issue that a large percentage of the population in countries such as the US and Canada has no health insurance or receives minimal coverage.

Another important benefit health tourists receive is that of cost. Cost savings are enormous because international travel is more affordable and most important because medical and surgical procedures cost a fraction of the prices.

In Panama, health and medical tourism is growing rapidly. Many factors are bringing health tourists to Panama. The combination of climate, scenic beauty, cultural diversity, strategic geographical position, one of the world’s key offshore trading centers, the hub of the Americas for international travel, the dollar as the official currency….but most important of all, our medical professionals are well trained around the world, use the latest technologies and medications, and have earned a reputation of quality professionals. Most of Panama’s doctors are bilingual, board certified, and accustomed to working with the same state of the art medical equipment and technology used in the United States and Europe. Medical tourists are coming to Panama to stay at a 5-star hotel during convalescence for prices far below those in the United States and Europe. For example, dental implants costs an average of $2,500 per implant if placed in the US or Canada. In Panama, the same procedure with board & lodging, personal tour guide, and transportation is available at a much lower cost. In addition, if having more than one implant placed you would even go back home saving money. In most procedures (for example: as face/neck lift, in vitro fertilization, hip replacement, and crowns-bridges-dental veneers) Panama offers savings of more than 50% compared to the US and Europe. In addition to lower cost treatment in Panama, your medical and dental expenses (including travel expenses) could be tax deductible under US tax law. These are all appealing factors for the many tourists that visit Panama.

Panama is rapidly becoming the destination of choice for Americans and Europeans to do tourism. Panama is Central America’s most cosmopolitan, international, technologically advanced country, with highly trained physicians. It uses the US dollar as its currency. In recent years, Panama has become the region’s aero hub, with daily direct flights to/from Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, New York and others. Getting to Panama is easy - just 2 ½ hours from Miami and four from Houston - that is why Panama’s tourism has grown by almost 20% every year for the last five years.

The growing affluent class of Baby Boomers in US, Canada, and other countries has already picked Panama as one of the top countries of the world to retire as many articles have appeared in : Los Angeles Times (Feb, 2005), New York Times (Feb. 2005), Newsweek (March 2005), Where to Retire Magazine (Sept. 2005), Conde Nast Traveler (Oct. 2004), The Wall Street Journal (June 2004), International Living Newsletter (Sept. 2004), Modern Maturity Magazine of the American Association of Retired Persons (June 2001), Oregonian Register Guard (June 2004). A large portion of these Baby Boomers have moved to our country into retirement communities in places such as Boquete and Altos del Maria. Many of these residential communities have amenities such as golf course, tennis and racquet ball courts, swimming pools and other facilities accessible to these active residents. Many Baby Boomers have picked Panama because they have a desire to settle in a country close to their homes and family. In addition, because the United States used to administer The Panama Canal, much of the country’s infrastructure was built by the US and this offers a cultural familiarity to Americans, as they feel as if they were at home. Furthermore, this country is not in a hurricane zone, unlike many other neighboring countries. Finally, in Panama, retirees can find favorable tax and immigration laws, discounts on many different things (including medical care and medicines.) Therefore, besides finding Panama a paradise and a land of dreams, these persons also highly considered to move to our country because of top quality medical and health services.

Getting world-class medical service and vacation time in a luxury setting is affordable in Panama. You can find in this country a wide range of health services and experienced specialist physicians in all areas such as in dental implants, plastic surgery, assisted reproduction, cardiology, cosmetic dentistry, orthopedics, etc. You can even have an “extreme makeover” done and go back to your country not just feeling great but looking like a new person. After the surgery or procedure, these medical/health tourists can recuperate in beautiful hotel-spas on the beach, in the rainforest, or in the mountains. People are traveling from around the world looking for high-quality health care at accessible prices as well as discovering Panama’s crystalline Caribbean waters, fascinating indigenous cultures, and deluxe resorts on the beach, in the rainforest, and in the mountains.

Many of these patients that have already come to Panama as health tourists, feel at ease immediately because both staff and doctors speak perfect English. They also report that they have been treated with utmost respect and feel doctors are genuinely interested in the person as an individual instead of feeling like a number. All leave Panama very surprised of our country’s professional doctors, hospitals, and advanced technology. These patients feel very pleased with the treatment or procedure received, especially because of the affordable prices and the wonderful vacation they spent in Panama.