A new report shows that Britain may be able to save money by improving the way that the NHS deals with tourists and migrants who use its health care services.

Medical care in the United States is expensive. The International Federation of Health Plans reports that in 2010, the United States' health spending as percent of GDP was a whopping 17.6 percent - this compared to 11.4 percent in Canada, 10.1 percent in New Zealand and 9.6 percent in the United Kingdom. And health expenditures are only expected to grow; this thanks to expensive technology…

The rise of the middle class in East Asia is proving to be a boon for private healthcare providers. Kuala Lumpur based IHH illustrates this nicely. In their recent IPO, which was 132 times oversubscribed, IHH raised more than USD 2 billion and the shares climbed by more than 10% in the first few days of trading. The value of the company stands at around USD 8 billion. IHH is now the second largest…

Foreign patients who are being treated at South Korean healthcare facilities will soon be able to receive guaranteed compensation from the government in the event of medical malpractice. Korean hospitals will also be allowed to sell pharmaceuticals directly to foreign patients, circumventing the previous referral process, and outside medical staff visiting South Korea for training purposes will become…

The number of Australian citizens choosing to venture abroad for medical care is increasing steadily. Some health experts warn however that patients receiving more complex surgeries overseas are putting both themselves and the Australian health system at risk of spreading hazardous foreign viruses upon their return. The relatively high cost of healthcare and insurance…

US President Barack Obama has expressed an interest in curbing the amount of Americans looking to go abroad and receive medical treatment.

Patients seeking private medical treatment in India will no longer be faced with an upcoming 5 percent service charge. India's federal government last week announced the rollback of the planned tax on health-care services after encountering substantial pressure from opposition political parties, the healthcare industry as well as the general public. Giving his general budget speech before Parliament,…

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was not only the Diamond Sponsor of the 3^rd Annual World Medical Tourism and Global Health Congress, which ran from September 22-24, 2010 in Los Angeles, but also walked away from the convention with a Mission of Understanding with the Medical Tourism Association. The Mission of Understanding (MoU) will see the Dubai Health Authority and the Medical Tourism…

Medical tourism is set to increase by 2015 according to the opinion of nearly half of the global health leaders, with the current health systems competing for consumers lured by personalised care, access to the latest medical innovations and value for money.

Having endured waves of violence for being the command centre of a well-known cocaine empire in Colombia, the city of Medellín is experiencing a surge in medical tourism.