Outpatients: The Astonishing New World of Medical Tourism

By Sasha Issenberg

Book Overview

Need surgery? You better travel.

Globalization produces a lot of odd results around the world. One of them is that Hungary has become the dentistry capital of Europe: thanks to aggressive marketing campaigns and heavy government support, more people go there for dental care than to any other country in Europe. The towns of Mosonmagyar v r and Sopron boast the highest concentrations of dental clinics in the world.

The story of how Hungary became Europe's dental chair is a case study in the booming practice of medical tourism. It is a rapidly growing business, as patients go in search of lower prices, and some countries have found economic opportunity in turning health care into a global trade. An American with insurance can expect to pay $90,000 for a heart bypass in the U.S., but only $12,000 if he or she travels to Thailand.

The question is whether medical tourism represents the future of health care, which traditionally has been a core responsibility of national governments. Sasha Issenberg's acclaimed books, The Sushi Economy and The Victory Lab, were early in identifying changes in the way the world works. A brilliant journalist with a keen eye for significant trends, he now turns his talents to medical tourism, and gives us a funny, vivid, wise narrative that will change the way you think about health care.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0990976386
• ISBN13: 9780990976387
• Release Date: February 2016
• Publisher: Columbia Global Reports
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.9" x 7.4"