An Inside Look at Medical Tourism in Malaysia - American Reporter to be Given Unprecedented Access

Penang, Malaysia (PRWEB) March 7, 2005

The United States has the dubious distinction of having the highest healthcare costs in the world, by some accounts twice as high as those in other comparable nations. In fact, over the last five years healthcare costs in America have risen an average of $ 2,500 per family.

Following in the footsteps of their European cousins, a growing number of Americans are turning to medical tourism for their surgical procedures. Every year more and more people travel to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and India, where they can save up to 70% off their surgical procedures. Simple cosmetic surgery costing over $ 8,000 in the United States can be as low as $ 3,000 in other countries, for exactly the same procedures and often with better service and care.

This March, writer and journalist Eric Paul Erickson will depart on an unparalleled journey with two American women who are traveling to Malaysia for surgical procedures. Erickson has been granted unprecedented access to not only document the experiences of these two women, but the inner workings of the country’s medical tourism industry.

Erickson will also be keeping a blog at http://www.medicaltourmalaysia.com which will go live March 11. Updated several times a day, the blog will give readers an even clearer picture of medical tourism in Malaysia, as well as insight into travel, customs and culture in the region including full color pictures. Blog readers will also be able to ask questions which Erickson will answer as part of his entries.

Once thought to only be the choice for those seeking lower cost cosmetic surgery, medical tourism has become the only option for a growing number of those in desperate need of life saving procedures. Recently a 73-year-old British man was told he would have to wait six months for heart bypass surgery covered by the National Health Service or pay $ 36,000 for immediate surgery. He chose neither, instead traveling to India for the procedure at a savings of $ 27,000.

Erickson will uncover the facts about medical tourism and health care in other countries, addressing the issues of safety, proper procedures, travel, accreditation, accommodations and culture. Through his eyes, Americans will be able to make their own decisions as to whether traveling abroad for medical procedures is for them. He will also delve into the growing business of the travel agencies arranging these trips which bring billions of tourism dollars to host countries such as Malaysia.

During his career, Erickson has worked for the Chicago Tribune’s City News Service, the Roswell Daily Record and CNS News. Currently he works as a freelance writer in Chicago where his work appears regularly in the Chicago Tribune, Hollinger newspapers and other area newspapers and magazines, as well as national publications. His articles and photos have continually received national recognition and distribution.

During his adventures Erickson has been given unusual access to many areas, including participation in the Chicago Police Department’s Street Survival course, being given clearance to observe anti-terrorism and explosives training in New Mexico, interviewing secluded Poor Clare nuns and spending Spring Training on the field with the Chicago Cubs in Arizona.

Following Erickson’s return March 24, full-length feature articles and briefs, both with accompanying photos, will be available for publication and all involved parties will be on hand for media interviews. For more information please contact Ian Bryan of The Sensible City; 312-528-9111 or ianbryan@sensiblecity.com.

Contact:

Ian Bryan

312/ 528-9111

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An Inside Look at Medical Tourism in Malaysia - American Reporter to be Given Unprecedented Access