Learn more about medical tourism and explore the latest M3 Pulse survey results on medical tourism complications, featuring opinions from over 1,800 physicians worldwide.
While medical tourism provides benefits, it also carries risks and raises questions about professional responsibility. Post procedure complications in patients can present serious medical challenges, especially when care was provided abroad and follow-up treatment is needed in the patient’s home country.
To better understand how physicians feel about medical tourism, we asked over 1,800 physicians worldwide about their view on managing complications resulting from medical procedures performed abroad.
What are your thoughts on managing medical tourism complications as a physician? Share your insights in the comments section below.
Medical tourism refers to people travelling to other countries to obtain medical care. It offers patients access to timely, cost-effective treatments that may be limited or unavailable in their home countries. Valued at USD 31.23 billion in 2024*, and with around 14 million people travelling abroad for care each year, the industry is growing.
Some of the most common medical tourism treatments include bariatric surgery, dental care, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, and orthopaedic surgery. Studies show rising complication rates, including infections, surgical leaks, thrombosis, and implant failures, which often require follow-up care after the patient returns home. These medical tourism challenges place additional strain on already overstretched healthcare systems, where physicians usually lack sufficient time with patients.
In the UK, at least 28 deaths have occurred from bariatric surgery abroad.* Dental tourists, for instance, frequently return with drug-resistant infections, and over half of cosmetic surgery patients treated after returning home require corrective procedures. These examples raise the question of who should be responsible for addressing medical tourism complications.
Understanding Medical Tourism and Potential Complications
Medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry where a combination of economic and accessibility factors drives millions of patients worldwide: lower prices, shorter wait times, and the availability of procedures or technologies not offered at home, alongside the convenience of combining treatment with travel. Cost savings, for instance, are substantial in procedures made in Asia or Eastern Europe, often 40–70% cheaper than in Western countries.
When it comes to the type of procedures, cosmetic surgery, such as hair transplant, leads globally with around 25% of all medical tourism cases, followed by dental procedures (15%), fertility treatments (12%), and ophthalmic care (10%).* Orthopedic, cardiac, and bariatric surgeries also make up significant portions of the market.
However, medical tourism is still limited by a lack of detailed, reliable information on the quality of hospitals and clinics, as well as the qualifications of their doctors and surgeons.* The non-profit Joint Commission accredits many international hospitals; however, beyond this, patients often rely on reputation or medical travel facilitators. This lack of transparency means patients may have little recourse to help if something goes wrong.
Doctors have long complained about people who return from treatment abroad with complications. According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps), the number of people needing hospital treatment in the UK after getting cosmetic surgery abroad, including intensive care and emergency operations, increased by 94% in three years.*
A recent study published in January 2025 also provided an in-depth analysis of medical tourism complications arising at a tertiary hospital over a period of 12 years. While considering the positive impacts of medical tourism, researchers proved that the combination of multiple procedures in a short time, relatively short follow-up periods, exposure to different microbial environments, and other factors contributed to health complications and negative effects on many patients.*
Another research report states that there has been an increase in infectious complications in patients who have received surgery abroad. One example is the outbreak of fungal meningitis, which occurred among US residents who underwent epidural anaesthesia for cosmetic surgery in two clinics in Mexico. By July 2023, there were 31 cases with severe cerebrovascular complications and eight deaths.*
Global Survey Results: How Physicians Manage Medical Tourism Complications
To understand how physicians feel about managing medical tourism complications when patients return home, we surveyed 1,883 physicians worldwide in our latest M3 Pulse.
The survey question was: “How do you feel about managing complications resulting from medical procedures performed abroad?”
Globally, 47% of respondents considered it part of their duty to provide care, regardless of where the initial procedure was performed.
About 40% of physicians say they provide care for medical tourism complications but face some additional challenges and frustrations.
Only 9% of physicians reported they do intervene in emergencies but avoid involvement in elective follow-up care related to medical tourism treatments, and 3% are uncertain about how best to approach these cases.
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M3 Pulse is a one-question online survey we conduct every month with our M3 panel members. It´s a fun and easy way to share your opinions about trending healthcare topics, like the shortage of physicians, with healthcare professionals worldwide. If you want to participate in this month´s M3 Pulse, register and join the M3 panel today.
A Future Outlook in Medical Tourism: Regulations and Accreditation
As concerns around patient safety intensify, regulation is increasingly shaping the medical tourism industry. Rising reports of complications, including medical tourism infections, misdiagnoses, and fragmented continuity of care, highlight the limitations of relying solely on institutional reputation or informal trust in a global healthcare market. For healthcare providers, this underscores the need for robust clinical governance and adherence to internationally recognised standards.
Cross-border accountability has also become a critical consideration for physicians and hospital administrators. Legal frameworks are evolving to address jurisdictional gaps, and providers must prepare themselves to operate within these regulatory expectations.
Beyond regulatory compliance, the reputational impact of medical tourism complications in international patients cannot be underestimated. Accreditation by recognised institutions serves as a key marker of quality and safety, guiding institutional policy, risk management, and the perception of reliability among both international patients and professional medical partners.
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