(Reuters) – More western Europeans are going abroad for cheaper medical treatment, with France and Germany among the top destinations, and cheaper places, such as Poland and Bulgaria, well-placed to develop medical tourism industries, a report on Friday showed. 

A study by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) found that France tops the ranking of global destinations for medical treatment. Germany, Sweden and Belgium are also in the top 10. With ageing populations, the “baby-boomer” generation heading towards retirement, and healthcare budgets being squeezed around the world, the report said the flow of medical tourists — once mainly rich people from developing nations who came to prestigious hospitals in the West — would shift significantly. As cost pressures in the healthcare systems of rich countries start to bite, this should play into the hands of developing countries keen to develop a medical tourism industry to boost revenues and develop healthcare expertise. To continue reading click here.