According to Israel’s Ministry
of Health, state-owned clinics and hospitals alone made about $62 million serving
international patients in 2011, that is 44% more, compared to last year’s numbers.
The overall income of Israeli clinics has increased by 7 times in the period from
2005 to 2011. The average foreign patient spent $4777 during his stay in 2009, whereas
a regular tourist spent only $1083.
The recent review from
the Knesset analytic center shows the lack of official ministry statistics about
foreign patients. The Israeli mass media uses the number 30 thousand patients every
year. Yet it’s estimated that from 45% to 50% of all foreign patients are from Russia, Ukraine and other CIS/Eastern Europe
countries. The visa-free regime that was issued in 2008 for Russia and in 2011 for Ukraine really helps
increasing the inbound flow.
Surveys of Russian-speaking
patients showed that the main alternative to Israel
is Germany.
Yet Israeli healthcare is considered to be at the same level as in America and Western Europe,
plus a little less expensive. 80% of patients come to Israel to treat
cancer. Neurosurgery, cardiology, plastic surgery and reproductive medicine are
also on a very high level, informs Medical Tourism News portal.
