medical tourism

American  

noun

1. tourist travel for the purpose of receiving medical treatment or improving health or fitness.

   The spiraling cost of healthcare has contributed to the growth of medical tourism.

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Other Word Forms

• medical tourist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of medical tourism

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

medical tourism

In Malaysia, revenue is forecast to grow 12.3%, supported by higher day care volumes, medical tourism and bed expansion, while margins are set to improve on cost discipline, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

Leigh Turner, a professor and executive director of the bioethics program at the University of California, Irvine, tracks direct-to-consumer therapies and medical tourism offerings.

From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026

Greater case complexity, rising medical tourism and steady occupancy rates should support the sector’s earnings visibility even as pressure from insurers and government reimbursement limits persists, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026

Macau, which attracts almost 40 million visitors a year, offers an "unparalleled opportunity" to become a leading destination for medical tourism, said iRad's honorary chairman, Dennis Tam.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2025

The move is part of a wider government campaign to curb so-called medical tourism, as well as tighten regulations for cosmetic practitioners in England.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2025