Taiwan’s High-end Medical Tourism

By Author: Mark Semple
Total Articles: 10
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As interest in global medical tourism grows, many countries are actively courting international patients. Joining Asian countries like Thailand, Singapore and India, Taiwan is now emerging as a high-quality destination for North American medical tourists. Taiwan is a thoroughly modern, industrialized country offering state-of-the art hospital equipment available for medical screening and treatment.

According to a report issued by “The Economist Intelligence Unit” (EIU) in 2000, which evaluated the overall health system performance of industrialized nations based on thirteen indices of health, Taiwan’s healthcare system ranked second in the world, behind only Sweden.
To date, there are twelve hospitals in Taiwan accredited by The Joint Commission International, the increasing gold standard in international healthcare, and the medical field there attracts the very best students who often studied at top international schools.

Benefits

As the number one driver of overseas medical care, cost savings are usually a significant determinant in choosing a destination for medical care and Taiwan offers ...
... some of the most competitive pricing anywhere. With cost savings anywhere from 50 percent to 90 percent over costs in the United States, there is a large impetus for Americans and Canadians to travel when needing affordable healthcare. A knee replacement surgery in a JCI-accredited hospital, for example, that uses the same American-made implant can cost as much as 89 percent less than in the United States. On average, 20,000 cases of joint replacement are performed per year using American-made implants and state-of-the-art techniques in Taiwan, and they boast high success rates and low infection rates in addition to the already attractive cost savings.

Convenience

Another clear advantage Taiwan has over other traditional medical destinations in Asia is its proximity to North America. Unlike most Asian destinations, Taiwan can be reached by a direct flight. As one of the closest destinations in Asia, it offers a clear choice for medical tourists. English is also taught in schools and printed on signage, making time spent there more manageable than in other countries.

Top-of-the-line Service

One of the competitive advantages of Taiwan is the efficiency of its people and processes. Time is taken very seriously in Taiwan, and this concept is expressed in its healthcare system as well. Taiwan is seen as a model for other countries as its administrative costs for healthcare are some of the lowest in the world.

As the country has chosen to pursue international patients, some health facilities have emerged as much more. Many facilities in Taiwan offer high level medical care coupled with comforts and amenities far beyond what one would experience at home. One example is the JCI-accredited Chang Bing Show Chwan Health Park, which comes off not only as a top level hospital, but also as five-star resort.

Conclusion

Taiwan has emerged as an economic powerhouse in the last several decades, and it is only a matter of time before Taiwan is one of the leading medical tourism destinations on the planet.

For more information on Taiwan’s facilities specializing in orthopedics, as well as other affordable medical procedures available abroad, visit the Hip and Knee Replacement Center at www.hipandkneereplacementcenter.com.