How COVID-19 is affecting our healthcare perspectives?
COVID and the disabling affect  Photo by cottonbro from Pexels  With no signs of stopping anytime soon, the coronavirus has affected millions of people from around the globe in the past 1 year. These unprecedented times have created uncertainty and instability in every other sector. Travel, which is one of the most important parts of our lives, is the worst-hit sector, be it for any purpose education, tourism, treatment, etc. The new normal  Photo by Edward Jenner from Pexels  But it is human nature to adapt to changes to survive after all it is the survival of the fittest. Thanks to digitalization and technological advancements the world is now entering the virtual era to overcome the COVID-created hurdles. People are now getting more comfortable with the idea of online meetings, classes, discussion forums, etc. which was previously opposed. Similar to other fields, healthcare is also seeing a shift in its usual course. The concept of telemedicine or online consultation is now taken more positively by both healthcare professionals and patients. Despite this paradigm shift, there are certain aspects of this sector that in no way can take this unconventional and now the new normal route. Hurdles for patients  Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels  Medical treatment is not just about having a consultation call with your doctor to discuss your issues. Most of the time your health needs more than just a call. Patients often take their health-related issues lightly either at the thought of how much money theyll have to spend or by simply considering themselves as a better expert when it comes to understanding the actual problem. Then there is another group of people suffering from serious health issues who have had to pay a heavy price because of the pandemic which is the cost of their lives. Due to the travel restrictions, worldwide many people are worried about their treatment. Even the back and forth ease in restrictions with the surge of COVID cases. Many patients are still on the waiting lists of airlines in hope of getting the green signal. Medical Tourism- The savior  In these tough times, Medical Tourism Agencies are at the forefront to facilitate the patients as much as possible. These agencies cater to the requests of those who are seeking high-quality treatment facilities abroad. A ray of hope for those who are in dire need of proper treatment. These agencies entertain the requests of their patients offering them the best available treatment options abroad, arranging their trip, and staying in touch till the patient comes back. The increasing popularity of medical tourism even in the pandemic shows that medical tourists are still eager to go abroad. A study by a consulting firm has predicted that the number of medical tourists will increase by 11% in the forthcoming years despite the pandemic. This boom in the medical tourism industry is due to the promising options for patients which their own country lacks. A constant rise in the cost of medical care in the west, increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases like cancer, high demand for cosmetic procedures which are not approved in their own country, etc. Summing up  Medical tourism is the light for countries and patients where COVID has taken a toll on the healthcare sector. A proper collaborative network with many leading countries, follow-up with patients, easy travel arrangements, and assurance of the positive COVID situation in countries medical tourism agencies are a reliable option for patients seeking treatment abroad.