Medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of residence for the purpose of receiving medical care. Growth in the popularity of medical tourism has captured the attention of policy-makers, researchers and the media.

Today we are experiencing both qualitative and quantitative shifts in patient mobility and this, together with the top-level Healthcare system of Spain, has experienced a high amount of visitors – specially Barcelona-.

What really puts the word “tourism” in medical tourism concept is that people often stay in the foreign country after the medical procedure. Travelers can thus take advantage of their visit by sightseeing, taking day trips or participating in any other traditional tourism activities.

Treatment types

Categories of different treatments and their availability also represent an important factor in decision to engage in Medical Tourism. The most common types of procedures that patients pursue during medical tourism trips in Barcelona are, amongst others:

• Organ transplantation & Surgery
• Ophtalmology
• Fertility & other Assisted Reproductive Technology Methods
• Hair implantation & Cosmetic Surgery

However, a wide variety of services can be obtained through medical tourism, ranging from various essential treatments to different kinds of traditional and alternative treatments. Reproductive tourism and reproductive outsourcing are growing in popularity, which is the practice of traveling abroad to engage in surrogate pregnancy,in vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive technology methods.

Some of Barcelona’s Clinics

In Barcelona we have international vocationed clinics, among those with the highest prestige worldwide.

Monographic centres:

• IMO – Ocular Micro-surgery Institute
• Barraquer Ophtalmology Centre
• IVI Clinic Barcelona
• IMOR Onco-Radiotherapy Medical Institute
• ServiDigest Medical Centre
• García-Ibáñez Otology Institute
• Plénido Dental Hospital

General Cliniques & Hospitals:

• Sant Joan De Deu Maternal & Child Hospital
• Vall d’Hebron Hospital
• Quirón Hospital
• Quirón Teknon Hospital
• Quirón Dexeus Hospital
• Barnaclinic Hospital
• Guttmann Institute
• Sagrada Familia Clinic
• Tres Torres Clinic
• Diagonal Clinic