The health race

An operation in the UAE is likely to be half the price of the same operation in the US, but it is not just the savings which will attract patients. Accessibility and quality of care are also two critical factors when choosing surgery abroad.

And one of the region's biggest draws is the short amount of time a patient has to wait to receive medical care, compared to that in their home countries.

"Those traveling from the likes of the UK or Canada are not just traveling for the savings. [In their own countries the] waiting time is very high; elective surgical procedures in the UK could take 6-12 months so they have to suffer for a surgical procedure which they can have over here immediately, and save money," explains Dr Jagyasi.

Recession fears may force patients with life threatening ailments abroad for surgery, but it is not supporting the region's thriving cosmetic surgery industry.

Gail Clough, the director of Dubai Surgery, a medical tourism service with offices in the UK and Dubai, says her UK business, which makes up around 70 percent of her clientele, has "frozen" since recession fears first loomed over the British economy.

"I was getting a couple of people a week over [from the UK] and I also used to have a lot of Americans living in Iraq, but now am not doing anything, except the cheaper treatments," she says.

Woodman agrees that unless a procedure is absolutely necessary, it is unlikely people will opt to travel abroad for expensive treatment no matter what the saving.

"In a downturn as serious as this you will see fewer and fewer people traveling for elective surgeries, and more and more people electing to stay in chronic pain."

Despite the obvious attractions of receiving medical treatment in the region and the inevitability that people will continue to get sick irrespective of what is happening with the economy, many agree that the UAE has a long way to go before it will attract the numbers it is aiming for.

Rising hotel costs for recuperation, uncompetitive prices and most importantly a lack of developed infrastructure and a shortage of expertise has not only resulted in many foreign patients opting for surgery in more established markets, but is tellingly driving locals to seek medical attention elsewhere.

According to UAE government figures around $2bn is spent annually sending nationals abroad for care, and it has also reported that women with fertility problems are missing out on the chance to have a baby because of lack of treatment facilities, forcing them to go abroad for medical help.

Promoting the country as a ‘one stop shop' with no particular specialties is threatening its appeal, say experts.

"In order to have many truly successful healthcare destination you need to have an infrastructure around it. You need the educational and research components and it's not clear that it's been thought out," says Woodman.

Steven Tucker, president of the International Medical Travel Association, says despite the money being poured into the sector it doesn't yet have "a comprehensive global healthcare service".

"It has very successful dental and cosmetic industries but on the other hand oncology and cardiology are still not anywhere near the level of other healthcare destinations," he says.

And while the region is inexpensive compared to the likes of the US and the UK, cheaper and more established markets such as Singapore will continue to attract the majority of patients looking to save money as a result of the downturn.

As an example, a coronary artery bypass graft will cost between $37-40,000 in the UAE, while patients in Singapore will typically pay $12-20,000 and in India the same operation is around $8000 - suggesting that Woodman is right to be concerned for the sector's future.

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