Having surgery close to home isn't such an obvious option anymore, not in this small global village we live in today. The medical tourism phenomena is gaining momentum as more and more patients are traveling across national borders, hundreds and even thousands of miles away from their home country, to undergo different kinds of surgery.

This hasn't started in one day. People have been traveling for medical care for centuries, however the modern practice has begun in the 1980's and picked up at the beginning of the new century. More and more patients realized that with the new means of communication, one can save a lot of money they do not have and schedule inexpensive medical treatments in another country for a much lower price, without compromising on medical standards. Today this booming industry is showing steady increases in traveling medical tourists every year.

So how does one get started and where does one begin. Well, it usually starts at your doctor, with the diagnosis or when a patient decides they want to go through elective surgery (cosmetic surgery, weight loss surgery, dental implants, laser eye surgery etc.). When a patient receives the news he needs surgery, or decided he want to undergo a certain procedure, the process will begin – as they must decide if they want to explore the option of having it done abroad.

Once they have decided, usually an online search will begin. There are basically three ways to do this: on your own, with the help of a medical tourism facilitator or the third and final option, the combination of both. If you decide to do it on your own or with help, there are a few things you must remember to check.

The first thing you will want to check will be the destination Country you are considering undergoing treatment in. You probably have a region you prefer traveling too (Americans may prefer Mexico while Europeans will prefer traveling to Eastern Europe) and will want to examine political climates of the countries you are considering, making sure that you receive medical treatment in a safe and pleasant environment.

At the same time you will want to begin checking out hospitals in the preferred region. Patient should check potential hospital's specialty and focus, their results in the designated field and accreditations. It is important to know as much as possible on the medical center you will be operated in.

Potential doctors and surgeons is another aspect patients must enquire about. Patients should not travel for miles across national borders just to settle for a mediocre surgeon. Patients should seek for doctors with rich experience in the field of the designated procedure and check the doctor's record in the specific surgery. It should be known that another good measure for doctors is the recognition they have medical world and from their peers.

Another good criterion to look into is the Clinical Trial aspect. The numbers of clinical trials doctors take part of or hospitals manage and conduct are a good sign of medical standards, as the higher the number the better.

All this information can be hard to take in and manage at once, that is why there are professional medical tourism facilitators that lead patients through this process. It is often recommended to turn to a known company, if not for the actually scheduling of a procedure than for help and guidance as all the information can overwhelm patients.