Medical and health tourism, as the synonymus of the terms patient, clinic, tourism and health, describe the movement of patients in countries outside the place of their permanent residence for the use of medical and health services.
Very often question one might ask is what is the difference between health and medical tourism. We can say that health tourism is a broader concept than the medical tourism.
Health tourism as a broader concept describes the general care for human health and various methods of prevention of illness including wellness, in the destination outside then place of patient’s permanent residence. Health tourism includes the following categories:
Medical tourism – treatment of diseases, surgeries and medications.
There are two basic types of medical tourism. The first type is called the free circulation of patients in which patients independently, for different motives and for a considerable price difference choose other countries for a particular medical procedure. The other type operates under the name of the State Medical Tourism and it is linked to public or private health insurance treasury. State Medical Tourism refers its taxpayers, i.e. patients for the treatment or medical procedure in another country in order to save money or because it is the only possibility for the certain treatment.
Tourism for the health prevention - it starts from the conscience of every human and his lifestyle, so it understands the self responsibility and the health prevention combined with the vacation time , medical wellness, and acts against bad health habits.
Wellness tourism – includes the combination of the travel and wellness offer, beauty and cosmetic treatments , feeling good, relaxed, healthy and fit.
There are also the following terms which complete the health tourism, and have an important role in terms of creating a whole package arrangement and also contribute to optimal results of the health preservation and prevention:
Fitness, bio market and „Functional Food“ - prevention, healing and improving the overall condition of the organism.
Plastic surgery – on one side it finds a role in improving the functionality of human body parts, while on the other hand by certain aesthetic procedures, without significant or necessary meaning, it brings the psychological satisfaction to the patient, who suffered from a lack of confidence or even depression due to dissatisfaction with their appearance, before the surgical procedure.
Lifestyle medications – group of medications which are not prescribed for the treatment of serious illness and it does not belong in therapeutics. These includes primarily the means for increasing the potency and those for reducing the body weight.
The main reasons why people or patients decide for the treatment abroad are primarily financial. Multiple lower prices and ability to stay in the destination which is one of the world’s most beautiful places are just some of the motives.
But there is one more important reason and that is when the patient, due to the specific procedure that, for the technological or legal reasons, cannot be implemented in their country, must go for the treatment abroad.
Croatia is, with its natural resources, health factors and highly educated medical personnel, one of the countries which offers all kinds of services of medical and health tourism.