Medical Tourism in Mexico What is it?

In “Medical Tourism in Mexico What is it?“We will talk about a different way to tour the Mexican Republic, let’s see why…

Enjoying beautiful places in Mexico can have different objectives according to the interest of those who visit each destination.

Thus, we have people who choose a place just to rest, others love the idea of ​​doing ecological tourism and look for places with incredible natural surroundings like Chiapas, others enjoy doing religious tourism and for them a destination like Puebla is magical.

In the same order of ideas, we also have travelers who choose to practice medical tourism in Mexico, of course they do so for a purpose other than a walk, since it is related to a specific activity that consists of obtaining a health-related service. .

We tell you all the details below…

What is Medical Tourism in Mexico?

There are many of us who have doubts about what Medical Tourism in Mexico is about, some relate it to visiting destinations where ancestral medicines are applied, and for example, they choose to visit the municipality of Axtla de Terrazas, 25 km from the Magical Town of Xilitla, where the Castillo de la salud del Beto Ramón (Nahuatl doctor) is located, or similar places found in various states of the country.

However, that idea is neither accurate nor correct to define medical tourism…

To clarify the issue, we will take the concept of the Sectur that, in 2018, conceptualizes Medical Tourism in Mexico as international flows of travelers in order to receive medical services, this involves one or more processes such as consultation, intervention , hospitalization (or clinical care) and provision of medicines.

In turn, the same Secretariat indicates that medical tourism is NOT the same as health tourism, since health tourism is a broader concept that encompasses physical, mental and social health and not just the absence of discomfort or disease.

Likewise, it clarifies that medical tourism is not the same as wellness tourism, which is understood as a practice of people to feel good and that is related to rest, relaxation, eating well, having a healthy lifestyle and that includes treatments such as thermalism, spa services, etc.

Who exercises Medical Tourism in Mexico?

Having a clear concept of medical tourism, it is important to know who can practice it, and in this regard, it is established that any doctor or medical establishment that wants to participate in the Medical Tourism value chain can do so.

An important detail here is that this professional or medical institution must have current certifications endorsed in Mexico by CONACEM and comply with international quality and service standards.

For people who practice this type of tourism, it is important to keep in mind that, for their safety, they can access a directory of certified doctors, which you will find HERE.

On the other hand, it is good to know that medical tourism in Mexico is controlled by the Medical Tourism Advisory Council (CCTM), which has decided to work with medical institutions that hold the current certificate granted by the General Health Council (CSG), organization whose level of demand is comparable to international standards.

The directory of entities certified by the CSG can be consulted at this link.

Likewise, COFEPRIS is the federal authority that supervises the services provided by those who practice medical tourism and as such recommends:

• Verify that the establishment has a health license to carry out surgical procedures.
• For those who want plastic surgery services, verify that the doctor has a specialty in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
• The surgeon must have a professional title visible in his office, in addition to the certificate issued by CONACEM.
• In the case of medicines, they must have a health registry, labeling in Spanish and a visible expiration date.

Destinations chosen by medical tourism in Mexico

In 2021, in a Sectur statement, it was reported that Medical Tourism was registering an increase in both demand and supply, which was observed mainly in northern border states such as Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, although Jalisco, Guanajuato and Mexico City were also among the chosen destinations.

Thanks to the geographic proximity to the United States, 80% of medical tourism in Mexico is practiced by international visitors who choose the country to carry out their treatments.

Benefits of doing medical tourism in Mexico

Knowing the interests of those who practice this type of tourism, talking about its benefits is directly related to the competitive advantages of the services provided by Mexican professionals and institutions.

In relation to this, Mexico has state-of-the-art hospitals and clinics, a first-class tourist infrastructure, quality and professionalism, all at very good prices.

And the most important thing is that Mexico has the possibility of offering better prices compared to other destinations. Proof of this, the Medical Tourism Association points out that surgical interventions and medical treatments in Mexico, in specialties such as cardiology, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, dentistry and oncology, among others, are between 40% and 80% cheaper than in the United States.

In addition, there are already destinations that offer very complete medical tourism services with packages that even include transportation to the airport.

Added to the above, visiting Mexico has additional benefits related to the possibility of knowing and enjoying its vast natural and cultural wealth, with many incredible places in all the destinations chosen for medical tourism; an example is the New Magical Towns 2023 located in many of them.

Get to know cities closely linked to medical tourism such as Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, Rosarito, Tecate, Ciudad Juárez, Navojoa, Hermosillo, Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, CDMX, Monterrey, Cancún, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí, Puebla, Querétaro, as well it is an excellent option.

Baja California Puebla

Finally, the offer of services in the sectors of health tourism and wellness tourism are equally important in Mexico and can serve as a complement to medical tourism proposals; In this way, the possibility of pampering yourself before a surgical intervention is an option that many could take advantage of…

Monterrey Cancun