Medical tourism has now burgeoned into quite an industry in Asia, with several countries becoming well known for offering particular kinds of treatments. We round up six destinations where medical tourism is on the rise, and outline what you can expect to find there.
Sektor wisata medis terus berkembang jadi industri besar di Asia di mana beberapa negara berhasil meraih popularitas untuk sejumlah perawatan. Berikut enam destinasi wisata medis yang tengah naik daun dan apa saja yang dapat Anda dapatkan di sana.
6 top Medical Tourism destination in Asia Text by Arvada Haradiran & Andra Wisnu Illustration by Iroel
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india en/ India is, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most technologically advanced developing nations in the field of medicine. Indeed, India is one of the countries that helped develop medical tourism into the burgeoning industry that it has become today. The price of medical treatment is still staggeringly cheap here and has become one of the country’s primary tourist draws. Cheap prices do not translate to poor quality though, as many Indian hospitals are now internationally accredited. Another plus point is the fact that many Indians, especially in major cities, speak English, making travel and recuperation a much easier process. in/ Fakta ini mungkin agak mengejutkan: India merupakan salah satu negara dengan teknologi paling maju di bidang kedokteran dibandingkan negara-negara berkembang lainnya. Bahkan, India merupakan salah satu dari segelintir negara yang serius menggarap wisata medis dan menjadikannya industri besar. Daya tarik utamanya adalah biaya perawatan yang terbilang murah. Tapi biaya murah tidak berarti kualitasnya rendah, sebab banyak rumah sakit di sini telah terakreditasi secara internasional. Kelebihan lain India adalah bahasa Inggris digunakan secara luas, jadi tak akan ada hambatan dalam hal komunikasi bagi turis internasional.
Hospitals Fortis Healthcare A Block, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, T. 91 11 478 847 88, www.fortishealthcare.com Apollo Hospitals 21 Greams Lane off Greams Road, Chennai, T. 91 44 282 902 00, www.apollohospitals.com Dharamshila Hospital Dharamshila Marg, Vasundhara Enclave, Delhi, T. 91 81 300 001 20, www.dhrc.in
Facelift en/ Also technically known as rhytidectomy, this type of cosmetic procedure offers patients a more youthful appearance and commonly involves the removal of excess facial skin and the re-draping of the skin around the patient’s face and neck. in/ Secara teknis dikenal sebagai rhytidectomy, facelift adalah prosedur bedah kosmetik untuk memberikan tampilan fisik yang lebih muda. Biasanya meliputi pemotongan kulit wajah yang berlebih dan penutupan kembali kulit di wajah dan leher pasien.
Gastric Bypass en/ This surgical procedure is undertaken to reduce the functional volume of the stomach, resulting in a reduction of food intake and a subsequent reduction in a patient’s weight. The procedure usually involves the division of the stomach, followed by a rearranging of the intestines. in/ Prosedur bedah yang dilakukan untuk mengurangi volume fungsional lambung, sehingga bisa mereduksi asupan makanan dan menyunat berat badan. Proses ini lazimnya melibatkan pemecahan lambung menjadi dua bagian serta pengaturan usus.
Hip Resurfacing en/ This procedure is a relatively recent surgical alternative to total hip replacement. Instead of replacing the neck of the femur with a synthetic device, this hip procedure only involves only the replacement of the articulating surfaces or joints. in/ Prosedur ini merupakan alternatif bedah yang relatif baru bagi prosedur penggantian pangkal paha. Operasi ini tidak menukar leher femur dengan alat sintetis, melainkan hanya mengganti permukaan artikulasi atau sendi.
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South Korea
Malaysia Blepharoplasty en/ Also known as double eyelid surgery, blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure in which excess tissues around the eyelid are removed or repositioned, and surrounding muscles and tendons are rearranged according to the patient’s needs or desires. in/ Juga dikenal sebagai operasi kelopak mata ganda, blepharoplasty adalah prosedur pembedahan di mana kelebihan jaringan di kelopak mata seperti kulit dan lemak akan diambil atau direposisi, lalu otot dan tendon di sekitarnya diatur sesuai selera.
Skin Lightening en/ The practice of injecting chemical substances in an attempt to lighten skin tone by lessening the concentration of melanin, this is a common treatment among Asian women.
en/ Malaysia is a decent, all-round destination for medical tourists looking for healthcare options outside their own countries. While Malaysian hospitals are best known for offering some of the finest cardiovascular healthcare to be found anywhere in the world, the country excels in nearly all fields of medicine. Medical tourists often fly here to simply undergo general checkups, or to undergo familiar medical procedures such as nasal irrigation or common healthcare surgeries such as appendectomies. A visit to a doctor in Malaysia however also offers visitors the chance to go shopping in Kuala Lumpur, or to relax in Penang. in/ Malaysia adalah destinasi “serbaada” untuk wisatawan medis yang menginginkan pilihan perawatan kesehatan di luar negara mereka. Rumah sakit di sini terkenal akan perawatan kesehatan kardiovaskularnya yang mumpuni, walau sebenarnya mereka juga unggul di bidang-bidang lainnya. Wisatawan umumnya datang untuk general checkup atau menjalani prosedur sederhana seperti pencucian hidung dan operasi usus buntu. Sembari mengunjungi dokter, mereka bisa berbelanja di Kuala Lumpur atau berpelesiran di Penang.
Hospitals Gleneagles Medical Centre Penang 1 Jl. Pangkor, Penang, T. 604 227 6111, www.gleneagles-penang.com Penang Adventist Hospital 465 Jl. Burmah, Penang, T. 604 222 7200, www.pah.com.my Prince Court Medical Centre 39 Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur, T. 603 216 000 00, www.princecourt.com
in/ Penyuntikan zat kimia ke tubuh supaya kulit menjadi putih dengan mengurangi konsentrasi melanin. Prosedur ini marak dilakukan wanita Asia yang percaya kecantikan bersinonim dengan kulit putih.
Spinal Fusion en/ This is a surgical technique used to join two or more vertebrae. Spinal fusion is commonly used to alleviate the pain caused by degenerative conditions or as a common treatment for most spinal deformities. in/ Tujuannya adalah menggabungkan dua atau lebih tulang belakang. Fusi tulang ini dilakukan untuk mereduksi rasa sakit akibat kondisi degeneratif, serta mengobati kelainan bentuk tulang.
en/ South Korea has one of the world’s most established medical tourism markets, a large part of which is now dedicated to its unbelievably popular cosmetic surgery industry, which has been inspired by the new “Korean Wave.” In Seoul, in the city’s self-styled “Beauty Belt” district, over 200 cosmetic-surgery clinics boasting cutting edge technologies woo aspiring Korean actors and actresses with the promises of making them look like their favourite stars. Having a procedure undertaken in Seoul reportedly costs only one third of what it does over in Australia or the US.
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in/ Korea Selatan merupakan salah satu pasar wisata medis yang paling mapan saat ini. Salah satu penyebabnya adalah besarnya peminat bedah kosmetik berkat gelombang “demam Korea”. Di Seoul bahkan terdapat distrik khusus berisi lebih dari 200 klinik kecantikan yang menawarkan teknologi bedah kosmetik canggih dengan janji muluk menjadikan pasien mirip aktris dan aktor Korea idola mereka. Kabarnya, operasi plastik di Seoul hanya memakan biaya sepertiga dari biaya di Australia atau Amerika. Itu pun masih ditambah bonus berbelanja, makan, dan berlibur di kota yang dihuni para artis populer.
Hospitals Seoul National University Hospital 28 Yeongeon-Dong, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, T. 82 2 207 228 90, www.snuh.org Samsung Medical Center Samsung Medical Center 130-710, 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, T. 82 2 341 002 00, english. samsunghospital.com Asan Medical Center (AMC) 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, T. 82 2 301 050 01, eng.amc.seoul.kr
Micro-Vascular Surgery
Heart or Coronary Bypass
en/ This high-tech surgery requires that surgeons operate on very small blood vessels using an operating-room microscope and other highly specialised tools. This type of surgery is often carried out in order to reconnect severed limbs.
en/ These procedures are performed in order to relieve the symptoms of angina, a condition that results in chest pains due to obstruction in the heart’s blood vessels owing to an accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol. in/ Prosedur ini bertujuan melegakan gejala angina, yakni kondisi di mana tubuh menderita rasa nyeri di dada akibat hambatan dalam pembuluh darah jantung yang disebabkan penumpukan materi, contohnya kolesterol.
Appendectomy en/ This procedure involves the removal of the appendix and is a common surgery in many parts of the world, although fatal complications may still occur. in/ Tindakan pembedahan untuk menghilangkan usus buntu. Walaupun operasi ini terbilang umum di banyak negara, komplikasi fatal masih mungkin terjadi.
in/ Pembedahan dengan teknologi tinggi di mana dokter mengoperasi pembuluh darah yang sangat kecil menggunakan mikroskop dan peralatan spesifik lainnya. Tindakan ini kerap dilakukan untuk menyambung anggota badan yang terpotong
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Thailand en/ Thailand is an established leader in the medical tourism game, propelled to the forefront by its highly popular cosmetic-surgery industry. This amazing country successfully turned the crash of its national currency in the late 1990s into a miracle of economic recovery spearheaded by its efforts in the medical domain, which saw Thailand investing heavily in top-class medical infrastructure and human resources. Today, medical tourists from Vietnam, China, Indonesia, the USA and Europe all flock to Thailand’s hospitals for cosmetic, dental, cardiac and orthopedic treatments, and even organ transplants are now commonplace.
Singapore
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans
Hospitals Bumrungrad International Hospital 33 Sukhumvit 3 (Soi Nana Nua), Wattana, Bangkok, T. 66 2 667 1000, www.bumrungrad.com
(WHOLE BODY TREATMENT) en/ An immensely sophisticated digitised imaging system that can show how body tissues function together as a whole, PET scans represent an advance on the older CT scan (computerised tomography) technique.
Bangkok Hospital 2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi Road, Bangkapi , Huay Khwang, Bangkok, T. 66 2 310 3000, www.bangkokhospital.com Phyathai Hospital 15 Phayathai Road, Thanon Phayathai Ratchathewi, Bangkok, T. 66 2 617 2444, www.phyathai.com
in/ Sistem digital imaging canggih yang dapat menunjukkan bagaimana jaringan tubuh secara utuh berfungsi. Teknologi baru ini merupakan pengembangan dari CT scan (tomografi terkomputerisasi).
in/ Thailand adalah pemimpin pasar di bidang wisata medis, terutama berkat bisnis operasi kosmetik. Negara ini berhasil membalik krisis ekonomi di 1990an jadi berkah ekonomi, salah satunya lewat pembangunan infrastruktur medis. Kini, banyak wisatawan Vietnam, Cina, Indonesia, Amerika, dan Eropa menyambangi Negeri Gajah Putih untuk menikmati aneka perawatan, mulai dari kosmetik, gigi, hingga transplantasi organ.
Cryotherapy (WHOLE BODY TREATMENT) en/ A minimally invasive medical procedure designed to treat cancerous tumours. Small needles are inserted into the tumour, which is then frozen to -100C using argon gas, killing the tumour cells.
Plastic Surgery
in/ Prosedur medis dengan invasi minimum guna membunuh kanker tumor. Tumor akan dimasuki jarum kecil lalu dibekukan hingga suhu minus 100 derajat celsius menggunakan gas argon guna membunuh sel-selnya.
en/ A medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function, plastic surgery is commonly mistaken for cosmetic surgery, despite the fact that most plastic surgery is not cosmetic in nature at all. in/ Spesialisasi medis yang berkaitan dengan koreksi atau restorasi bentuk dan fungsi. Bedah plastik kerap disamakan dengan bedah kosmetik, padahal kebanyakan operasi plastik tidak melulu melibatkan dimensi kosmetik.
HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound)
Non-Invasive Surgery en/ A medical procedure that does not penetrate the skin, mucus membrane or internal body cavity, resulting in a safer procedure with less time being needed to recover. in/ Prosedur medis yang tidak menembus kulit, mukosa, atau rongga tubuh internal, sehingga lebih aman dan menuntut waktu penyembuhan yang lebih singkat.
Advanced Imaging en/ This new and developing medical field is concerned with advanced medical imaging for patient diagnostics, and includes MRI, CT Scans, X-rays, USG and mammograms. in/ Bidang medis baru ini bertujuan menangkap kondisi kesehatan seorang pasien secara visual memakai teknologi semacam MRI, CT scan, X-ray, USG, dan mammogram.
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Hospitals Mount Elizabeth 3 Mount Elizabeth, T. 65 673 726 66, www.mountelizabeth. com.sg National University Hospital 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, T. 65 677 955 55, www.nuh.com.sg Singapore General Hospital Outram Road, T. 65 622 233 22, www.sgh.com.sg
en/ As an industrialised country, Singapore’s medical costs are considerably more expensive than India’s or Thailand’s, but are still half that of the US and Europe. However, while the quality of the city-state’s medical facilities can be said to only match that of the medical centres in Thailand and India and not significantly exceed them, Singapore’s main draws are its clean and orderly streets, which contrast sharply with some of India’s overcrowded cities. Recently, the Singaporean government has invested significantly in the biotechnology sector, which has yielded several cutting-edge therapies, including cancer treatments that are not available anywhere else. in/ Sebagai negara maju, Singapura memberlakukan biaya medis yang jauh lebih mahal dari India atau Thailand,
en/ A form of highly precise therapeutic ultrasound similar to cyrotherapy, this approach uses heat to destroy tumours. in/ Terapi USG yang sangat presisi. Mirip cyrotherapy, tapi menggunakan panas untuk menghancurkan tumor.
tapi masih kira-kira separuh dari yang dibebankan di Amerika dan Eropa. Kualitas dan sarana medis Singapura bisa dibilang cukup berimbang dengan pesaingnya di Thailand dan India, tapi daya tarik utama negeri ini adalah kerapiannya: jalan-jalannya bersih dan teratur, kontras dengan India yang sebagian kotanya semrawut dan belum berkembang. Barubaru ini, pemerintahnya telah berinvestasi secara signifikan di sektor bioteknologi dan menghasilkan beberapa terapi canggih di bidang perawatan kanker yang belum tersedia di tempat lain.
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Bali Tooth Whitening en/ This is not a medical procedure per se, as anyone can do it by themselves. However the tooth whitening or dental bleaching referred to here is the in-house bleaching performed by professional dentists, during which a highconcentration gel is used for much better results. in/ Pemutihan gigi adalah prosedur medis yang bisa dilakukan semua orang. Namun pemutihan gigi (dental bleaching) yang dimaksud di sini dilakukan oleh dokter profesional memakai gel berkonsentrasi tinggi guna mendapatkan hasil yang memuaskan.
Dialysis en/ This is the process of removing waste and excess water from the blood and is needed by patients whose kidney functions have failed. During a typical treatment, a patient is connected to a dialysis machine and remains stationary for between three and five hours. in/ Ditujukan untuk membuang kotoran dan kelebihan air dari darah, yang umumnya diaplikasikan pada penderita gagal ginjal. Pasien dihubungkan dengan mesin dialisis selama tiga hingga lima jam.
Liposuction en/ This is the process of removing body fat via the use of suction. Areas targeted are usually the abdomen, thighs and buttocks; however other areas of the body can also undergo this procedure. in/ Proses menyingkirkan lemak tubuh dengan cara disedot. Bagianbagian tubuh yang disasar beragam, mulai dari perut, paha, pantat, serta bagian-bagian “berlebih� lainnya.
Hospitals BIMC Hospital BTDC Blok D, Nusa Dua, T. 62 361 3000 911, www.bimcbali.com ARC Clinics Jl. Sunset Road No. 819, Kuta, T. 62 361 754 645, www.arcclinics.com Prima Medika Hospital Jl. Pulau Serangan No. 9x, Denpasar, T. 62 361 236 225, www.primamedika.com
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en/ Being both cheap and discreet, there is no mistaking Bali’s sterling reputation as a popular draw for medical tourists looking for a little cosmetic surgery. Whether it is something relatively straightforward, such as a tooth-whitening procedure, or something that will take a little longer to heal, such as liposuction, Bali offers options aplenty. The island also boasts both the services and the facilities to turn a medical trip into a supremely relaxing retreat, and it is worth noting that BIMC hospital recently opened its first facility specifically targeting medical tourists in the Nusa Dua area. The new hospital has even teamed up with the nearby Courtyard by Marriott Bali to offer aftercare services. in/ Bali memiliki reputasi sebagai destinasi operasi kosmetik, mulai dari yang sederhana seperti pemutihan gigi hingga yang kompleks dan membutuhkan waktu pemulihan lama semacam sedot lemak. Pulau Dewata juga menawarkan pelayanan maupun fasilitas yang sanggup menjadikan perjalanan medis layaknya liburan yang minim stres. Perlu juga dicatat BIMC baru-baru ini membuka fasilitas yang secara khusus ditujukan bagi wisatawan medis di wilayah Nusa Dua. Rumah sakit ini juga memiliki kerjasama dengan Courtyard by Marriot Bali yang lokasinya berdekatan, guna memberikan pelayanan mewah pasca-perawatan.
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