Medical tourism, international travel for the purpose of receiving medical care. Many patients engage in medical tourism because the procedures they seek can be performed in other countries at relatively low cost and without the delay and inconvenience of being placed on a waiting list. In addition, some patients travel to specific destinations to undergo procedures that are not available in their home country.

Cost : To get a treatment or procedure that may be cheaper in another country

Culture : To receive care from a clinician who shares the traveler's culture and language

Unavailable or unapproved procedures : To get a procedure or therapy that is not available or approved in the United States. The most common procedures that people undergo on medical tourism trips include dental care, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, organ and tissue transplantation, and cancer treatment.