Maryam Ferdowsi
Medical Tourism in Brazil is without Competition in South America and a potential rival for the USA
These days we are witness to Brazil’s rise as one of the forerunner countries in economical and developmental fields. Brazil is among the world’s top ten largest economies and is progressively advancing in myriad of technological and medical fields.
On the other hand, it is famed for its touristic sights and attractions and this coupled with its premier and dominant position in South American politics has led to the country becoming one of the largest tourism destinations in the world. It is only when we couple Brazil’s massive tourism potential with its ever growing economical and scientific capacities that we get a clearer picture of medical tourism in Brazil.
Brazil is the world’s fifth largest as well as the fifth most populous country, and considering the positive and considerable of medical tourism indexes in the country, it is not far from imagination that the country might be able to one day successfully challenge the United states in medical tourism.
Credibility and Reputation of Medical Tourism in Brazil
The reliability of the Brazilian medical sector is widespread across South America, and according to the World Health Organization, it is indeed the continent’s top healthcare system in efficiency. Brazil serves as a referral point in the science of medicine for other countries of South America, and in many cases citizens of lesser developed countries of the region, opt to undertake medical tourism in Brazil.
Brazil however does not rely on these neighboring states for its medical tourism intake, and is considered a universal medical tourism destination.
Brazil: World’s Cosmetic Surgery Capital
Sao Paulo is One of the two main destinations for medical tourism in Brazil
Much like other newly risen medical tourism destinations, the country’s flagship medical specialty, is usually monopolized and run by several elite big names. In this case, Brazil has some of the biggest names in the field of cosmetic surgery in the world. And these names do great service to enlarge medical tourism in Brazil through attracting more medical tourists.
The popularity of cosmetic services in medical tourism destinations is not a new thing, and in fact most destinations take active part in promoting this particular field of medical services.
However while countries like Ukraine and Bulgaria (Both Major Cosmetic Destinations) cater to the needs of their neighboring countries, Brazil has utilized its massive surplus of cosmetic surgery potential and actively advertises its potentials globally, and therefore has become the world’s capital of cosmetic surgeries.
Other Major Medical Attractions of Brazil
Brazil performs the most number of cosmetic surgery per capita in the world and in the number of total surgeries it also falls just behind the United States.
The huge swaths of medical tourists that come to Brazil do so to receive cosmetic services, however, cosmetic surgeries are elective treatments, and many of the medical tourists coming to the country for this purpose also choose to undergo some of their pending and non-elective medical needs. These treatments include orthopedics, ophthalmology, cardiovascular, infertility, dental, and neurological treatments.
It is worth noting that majority of the people who receive these treatments are from the countries surrounding Brazil, and that the country’s main medical tourism attraction in the global market is still cosmetic medicine.
Brazilian Medical Centers
Brazil is one of the forerunner countries of its region in establishing medical tourism. Brazil was the first country outside of United States to receive a JCI accreditation for its medical centers. Today there are over 50 medical centers that have successfully attained this valued standard, which is one of the most for any country in the world.
Hospital Sao Rafael, one of the most elite hospital ins all of South America
This makes Brazil, an increasingly diverse and potent country when it comes to the provision of different medical services in different locations. Although all of Brazil provides these services, the two cities of Sao Paulo and Florianopolis are especially enabled by the Brazilian government to be the country’s premier medical tourism hubs. Brazil aims to make these two cities the two largest medical tourism destinations in all of South America and the backbone of medical tourism in Brazil.
Of Brazil’s top medical centers and world renowned hospitals we can name the National Cancer Institute, Hospital Sao Paulo and Hospital Sao Rafael as well as the elite Jimmy Dafonte hospital.
Costs of Medical Treatment in Brazil
Costs of medical tourism in Brazil are more or less on par with most of its rivals other than the United States. Nearly all medical procedures in Brazil are 60 to 70 percent cheaper than those in the US. Cosmetic surgeries are the one exception to this, as the country’s elite cosmetic surgeons charge as much as American surgeons and in some cases even more.
Related Articles: Medical Tourism in Developing Countries
This however only applies to the very tip of the Brazilian cosmetic surgery pyramid, and in general, cosmetic surgeries are also 40 percent cheaper compared to the US.
For example, a face lift operation in the US costs approximately 10 to 16 thousand dollars, while the same surgery can cost as much as 40 thousand in Brazil. In non-cosmetic treatments, Brazil is much cheaper, with a lumpectomy operation costing 4 thousand dollars compared to the American price of 13 thousand dollars.
