Treatment Abroad, the leading online medical tourism portal has launched a ratings and reviews system for medical tourists to share and rate their experiences of travelling overseas for medical treatment.

The website which already carries testimonials from patients who have undergone cosmetic, elective surgery and dental treatment abroad will now encourage patients to add ratings and reviews of individual hospitals, clinics and medical tourism agencies.

www.treatmentabroad.com is the most visited health tourism site in Europe. With over 70,000 visitors a month the website provides up-to-date information and advice about surgery and treatment in over thirty countries. The Ratings and Reviews service has been introduced to enable prospective patients to benefit from the experiences of previous patients.

A recent UK study found that 97% of consumers are willing to trust online reviews. Keith Pollard, Managing Director of Treatment Abroad says: “The Ratings and Reviews service is intended to inform patient choice. Patients need to be clued up on overseas medical treatment, and some may be apprehensive about the risks of travelling for treatment. Patients who have become ‘medical tourists’ generally tend to be extremely positive about their experience, so the addition of ratings and reviews on the site will further build patient confidence.”

The technology behind the Ratings and Reviews service is supplied by Bazaarvoice, whose clients include leading national and international brands like Dell, Early Learning Centre and Hewlett Packard.

The recently published Treatment Abroad 2008 Patient Survey found that 96 per cent of patients travelling overseas for treatment would return to the same treatment provider; the new patient rating service will enable patients to share with others their experiences of medical tourism agencies, hospitals, clinics, and dental practices. “The more opinions a patient can gather, the more secure they feel with their ultimate choice”, comments Pollard.

Medical tourism is growing rapidly throughout the world and Treatment Abroad is always striving to provide as much information as possible to help patients make the right decision when choosing where to go for treatment. In addition to the introduction of consumer reviews the site has also launched a new “Code of Medical Practice”. The new code sets a standard for “best practice” among healthcare providers, giving patients further reassurance and the accountability that they need when making healthcare choices.