Medical tourism, which describes the practice of travelling to another country to receive medical treatment, is becoming increasingly popular. Every year, thousands of people pick Europe as their destination for affordable and quality medical care, with one of the advantages being that there is no excessive waiting time.
Thanks to their professional service, European countries attract travellers seeking different types of treatments and medical procedures. Services offered can vary from cosmetic surgeries to dental procedures and fertility treatments.
On top of providing access to high-quality healthcare, this type of tourism is also beneficial for economies. A research company has estimated that the medical tourism market size was valued at $79.4 billion in 2023, with advanced technology and low-cost services being the main factors why this type of tourism is in demand.
In this article, Schengen Visa Info explores some of Europe’s most popular medical tourism destinations, explaining the benefits and the factors that attract patients to seek treatment there.
Germany
Germany stands out for its medical tourism, with 250,000 international patients annually visiting this destination. The country offers many services but is most known for orthopaedic surgery, cardiology, oncology, and neurosurgery treatments.
There are approximately 1,874 hospitals in the country, which proves that travellers have easy access to such facilities. In addition, Germany has a proportion of 4.5 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants, showing a high availability of professional help at all times.
Our research into medical tourism shows that Germany is a fantastic destination for high-quality healthcare and professional services. The healthcare infrastructure, innovation, and prioritising patient safety make Germany a reliable medical tourism option.
With a Healthcare Access and Quality Index score of 92 out of 100, the country is recognised for providing some of the best healthcare services internationally and has a health expenditure per inhabitant that reaches €5,599. This indicates serious medical and infrastructure investments, with German healthcare providers perfecting their services to some of the highest levels.
Although Germany is the most expensive country on this list for healthcare, prices are considerably more reasonable than in some other countries, such as the United States.
In Germany, the average cost for a total knee replacement or knee arthroplasty, which is a frequently required surgery internationally, stands between €10,000 and €28,000 ($10,530 to $29,480). In the United States, the price for the same treatment varies between $15,000 and $75,000 (€14,237 and €71,185).
Greece
Thanks to its rapidly growing market, Greece has earned a spot on this list as the next destination for medical tourism. The country has collected 90.4 out of 100 score points in the Healthcare Access and Quality Index, receiving recognition for its professionalism and affordability.
In addition, Greece has the highest proportion of doctors per inhabitant found in this list, with 6.3 doctors per 1,000 people and nearly 270 hospitals where patients can seek medical help.
Greece is a fairly new destination, and to reach peak advancement, more years of experience in medical tourism are required. However, the country has started strong, attracting up to 25,000 medical tourists annually.
The most common procedures and services offered by clinics in Greece are cosmetic reconstructions and dental procedures, but the country is becoming more popular for its affordable fertility treatments.
People who want to become parents are increasingly picking Greece as a destination to make their dreams come true, partially because of the low-cost services. For example, an IVF cycle in Greece costs between €3,000 and €5,000 ($3,190 to $5,315). The same procedure costs between $14,000 and $20,000 (€13,230 and €18,860) in the United States.
Hungary
Medical units in Hungary offer many services, but they excel in dental procedures, which is the reason why many of the 100,000 medical tourists the country receives pick this destination.
Healthcare spending per inhabitant in Hungary is €1,171, proving that medical services in this country can be quite affordable. In fact, Hungary’s strongest suit as a destination for medical services is affordability.
For example, the price for a dental implant, which is a very common procedure, can cost between €800 and €1,200 in Hungary. In the United States, the price for such a procedure can reach up to to €2,500 ($2,695). This means that an American can receive the same service in Hungary for half of the price of what it would be in the United States.
In addition, Hungary offers good quality medical services, as the 82.1 out of 100 score for the Healthcare Access and Quality Index indicates. Approximately 3.3 doctors can be found per 1,000 people in Hungary, while there are 163 medical facilities available for patients across the country.
Spain
Spain has the second-highest score on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index (91.9 out of 100), showing that it is a destination that offers nearly as good healthcare services as Germany.
The two countries also have the same proportion of doctors per 1,000 inhabitants – a total of 4.5 doctors, proving the easier access to healthcare, while there are approximately 845 hospitals across Spain.
Average spending per healthcare is set at €2,734, indicating that services offered by medical staff in this country are not the cheapest but stand out as highly professional. Every year, nearly 140,000 people visit Spain to receive medical services, with some of the most popular services being fertility treatments, cosmetic procedures, and orthopaedic surgeries.
One common procedure for which Spanish medicals are recommended is rhinoplasty or reshaping of the nose for aesthetic purposes or health issues. The price of rhinoplasty in Spain ranges from €3,000 to €10,000 euros, equivalent to $3,150 to $10,540, while the same procedure in the United States has a starting price of €5,000 ($5,265).
Türkiye
With half of the most preferred services being hair transplantation, Türkiye has become a hub for cosmetic procedures and medical tourism in Europe. What draws almost 700,000 medical tourists to Türkiye every year are the easily accessible services and the particularly low costs for such procedures.
The exceptional healthcare services and competitive pricing have made Türkiye stand out from other countries offering medical tourism. Modern facilities, skilled medical professionals, and outstanding patient care are the reason why Türkiye is attracting an increasing number of international patients.
Compared to other European countries in this list, Türkiye has the highest number of medical tourists every year and undisputed popularity when it comes to certain cosmetic procedures.
A hair transplant in the United States can cost up to $12,500 (€11,615), but a patient in Türkiye can receive this treatment for almost one-sixth of the price, with starting prices being €2000 ($2,120).
There are 1,518 hospitals across Türkiye’s territory and nearly 2.3 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. As per health spending per inhabitant, Türkiye has the lowest record on this list – an average of €791.
Türkiye has shown commitment to improving the healthcare system, which is reflected in its Healthcare Access and Quality Index score of 74.4 out of 100. This score proves the country’s dedication to improving its healthcare services and ranks high for medical tourism.
Methodology
To put this list together, the following factors have been analysed:
- Healthcare spending per capita: This factor displays the quality of care offered.
- Number of hospitals available: Indicates how accessible medical facilities are.
- Ratio of medical professionals per 1,000 inhabitants: Shows the availability of qualified healthcare providers.
- Number of international patients treated annually: Reflects how popular and trustworthy a country is as a medical tourism destination.
- The Healthcare Access and Quality Index is estimated based on 32 causes from which death should not occur in the presence of effective healthcare.
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