Thanks to efforts by the government, especially the Department of Tourism, the Philippines is on its way to becoming a medical and wellness destination in Asia. According to the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) and the International Healthcare Research Center, the Philippines ranked eighth among the top medical destinations in the world. With patients coming from North America, Australia, and Europe, it’s clear that we are able to offer quality services and modern technology to those who want to avail of medical services and at a much more affordable price (click here to see a comparison of prices around the world).
For balikbayans, there’s also the added bonus of being able to communicate with doctors easily and being comforted by the warmth of Filipino hospitality when having to undergo specific tests and understanding diagnoses. So if you’re thinking about saving some money and getting a checkup while you’re in the country, here are a few procedures for you to consider:
1. Dental Procedures
Dental checkups and regular cleaning are supposed to be scheduled every six months at best, but when you’re busy with work or are on a tight budget, it’s easy to keep forgetting about booking your appointment. That, and health insurance in a lot of countries do not cover dental procedures, which tend to be expensive. If you have time, schedule a checkup while you’re in the Philippines and ask if you should get a dental X-ray to identify if you have any cavities or fillings that may need to be treated. Doing so can definitely help prevent painful and costly future expenses while you’re living abroad.
Where To Go: Basic teeth cleaning isn’t as tricky to have done, but if your dentist finds cavities that need to be filled or fillings that need to be replaced, this can take more time depending on the severity. If you want to have some appliances made (like a customized night guard for those who grind their teeth), this may take an extra week or two to make and have adjusted as well. Before your trip, we recommend that you consult with your chosen dentist (ask your family and friends for referrals) to ensure that you’ll have enough time to have everything done.
View this post on Instagram
Otherwise, you can also call Center for Advanced Dentistry (CAD). With its fully equipped and highly modernized clinic located in BGC, CAD is renowned as the trusted clinic of your favorite Filipino celebrities—including Marian Rivera, Kathryn Bernardo, Georgina Wilson, Barbie Imperial, Small Laude, Gabbi Garcia, and Heart Evangelista—to take care of their teeth. CAD offers comprehensive dental care and a range of services, including dental implants, invisalign, and more. CAD is located at the Ground Floor of The Infinity Building, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines. For more information, visit their website or contact +632-79201980.
2. Ophthalmology Exams
If you’re prone to headaches or notice that you are having difficulty reading, scheduling an eye exam is crucial to help manage your eye health and overall safety—especially if you drive or operate heavy machinery for work. These tests can detect vision problems, such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, ensuring you receive the correct prescription for glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. As you get older, eye exams can also help identify early signs of serious eye conditions, like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration, which can be treated more effectively when caught early.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: If you want to get a prescription for your glasses or find cute frames, you can easily do it at optical shops that are located nationwide in local malls (try Owndays, Vision Express, and EO Executive Optical). But if you want to do something a bit more thorough, like a glaucoma test, cataract screening, or an optical coherence tomography (OCT) to check your retina, you can head to an ophthalmologist at the Asian Eye Institute. They do all kinds of procedures, including Lasik, and you can even book a teleconsultation before your trip via their website.
3. Full Physical Exam
Doctors generally recommend that you get a full physical exam annually since it can help detect potential health issues earlier, identify risk factors, and protect you against preventable diseases. These exams can also give you an opportunity to discuss any physical concerns or lifestyle changes that you may need to discuss with your MD where you’re based to help support a healthier lifestyle.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: The Basic Core Package at The Medical City (TMC) includes blood works, organ ultrasounds, treadmill stress test, 2D Echo with Doppler Study, an eye and skin consultation, weight management, chest X-ray, urine and fecal test, and a customized personalized health check. You can upgrade your package based on your needs (women in their mid-40s may opt for mammograms, and men can opt for a prostate exam). What’s great is TMC is accessible via satellite clinics all over the country, and they have hospitals in Ortigas in Metro Manila, Clark in Pampanga, Iloilo City, Pangasinan, and South Luzon. Call +632-89881000 or email [email protected] to find out more about their Adult Preventative Health & Wellness Checkup.
4. Sleep Exams
Did you know that undiagnosed sleep disorders can lead to chronic fatigue, decreased cognitive function, mood disturbances, and increased risk for serious health issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension? By identifying and addressing sleep problems through a sleep test, you can receive the appropriate treatment, improve sleep quality, lessen brain fog and irritability, enhance daily functioning, and reduce the risk of associated health complications.
Where To Go: The Lung Center of the Philippines Sleep Laboratory and Sleep Disorders Clinic has four hotel-grade rooms to provide patients the utmost comfort for overnight sleep studies. Their sleep specialists are fellows of the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine and are certified by the World Association of Sleep Medicine and World Sleep Federation. They have different types of programs and accept consultations for obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, wakefulness test, excessive daytime sleepiness, analysis of restless legs syndrome, and other sleep disturbances. You can visit their website and Facebook for more info, or contact +63915-5236775.
5. MRI & CT Scans
CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can be used to detect many things such as cancer, internal bleeding, tumors, fractures, and any conditions in your bones or joints. It’s important to note that not all machines are the same, and your doctor may prefer to have a certain radiologist perform the test, so to avoid unnecessary costs, make sure to ask your doctor where you’re based if it’s worth going through with the procedure in the Philippines.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City ensures that you’ll receive top-notch medical care in a state-of-the-art facility. According to their website, their Institute of Radiology is an internationally-recognized center and boasts of having “the most advanced medical radiology equipment, including the 3-Tesla MRI [and] 256-slice CT scanner.” You can visit their website to find out more or call +632-87897700 ext. 1047 for inquiries.
6. Food Intolerance Test
If you’ve been dealing with chronic issues such as lethargy, bloating, digestive issues, or skin problems, you might want to check if these symptoms are caused by food intolerance. When you analyze IgG (Immunoglobulin G) antibodies in intolerance tests, this detects whether your body is producing antibodies that cause inflammation or a leaky gut when you eat specific things—from goat’s milk and asparagus to turkey—and can occur hours or days after consumption. Getting this test done might help you figure out how to explain issues that previous tests have not been able to catch.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: The Biobalance Medical Wellness Center at Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila offers clients a Food Intolerance & Allergy test, which is ideal for individuals with recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms, headaches, joint aches, rashes, or other vague symptoms. They also have a range of specialty tests where they can check for hormone imbalances, genomic predispositions, and environmental toxins.
If you’re pressed for time, we recommend that you book a one-hour session before your trip, which includes a consult with a wellness doctor via Zoom and complimentary consultation with their clinical nutritionist to find the best test for you. Visit their website, contact them via +63917-5214860, or email [email protected].
7. Hearing & Dizziness Tests
If you have trouble hearing, tinnitus (ringing of the ears), vertigo, or balance issues, you may want to consider having your ears checked. First, you’ll need to schedule a consultation with an ENT (ears, nose, throat) specialist to find out what type of test you should get based on your symptoms. After that, you can schedule the exams needed, and hopefully, this can help you find an official diagnosis and solution that can help improve your quality of life.
Where To Go: The ENT Center at Makati Medical Center is equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment to examine patients with hearing and balance disorders. They can perform diagnostic tests such as Pure Tone Audiometry and Speech Audiometry, Play Audiometry, and can also offer high-quality hearing aids according to your budget.
If you have balance disorders or dizziness, they also have specialists who can determine whether the cause is due to an inner ear disease by using a complete diagnostic system for recording involuntary eye movements. For inquiries, you can email [email protected], call +632-88888999, or visit their website.
8. Basic Blood Work
Checking your overall health via a blood test is recommended at least once a year. This way, you can monitor things such as your blood sugar, creatinine, and cholesterol—basic markers that can let you and your doctor know if there’s anything that you need to be worried about. It’s also good to have this yearly, so you can compare how your body is doing as you age and make the necessary diet or lifestyle changes needed to improve your results.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: Hi-Precision Diagnostics has a range of packages, from basic bloodwork packages to more specific tests like cardiac health care, diabetic health care, and food intolerance tests (click here to see the extensive list). What we like about this center is that they offer home service and have branches in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, so you can easily schedule an appointment wherever you’re staying in the Philippines. Click here to find the one nearest you!
9. Colonoscopy Package
Once you reach the age of 45, doctors recommend that you get a colonoscopy if you have an average risk for colon cancer. Why? This procedure not only detects the disease, but it can help prevent cancer because the precancerous polyps can also be removed during the procedure. Additionally, a colonoscopy can also diagnose other gastrointestinal issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease or diverticulosis, providing insights for the appropriate treatment you may need.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: The Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang has a basic colonoscopy package that starts at PHP12,500, excluding doctor’s fees. It’s usually 30 to 60 minutes long and can also be scheduled as an out-patient procedure if you don’t want to stay in the hospital overnight. For more information, call +632-87719000, loc. 5913 or email [email protected].
10. Mental Health Consultations
There are many reasons that someone may need counseling or psychological support. And whether you’re ready for it or not, coming home to the Philippines can trigger a lot of issues—especially if you’re dealing with difficult family members or managing business or financial matters during your trip. So if you need a little extra support, know that there is absolutely no shame in asking for help or reaching out to a professional who can guide you as you manage a difficult situation.
View this post on Instagram
Where To Go: PsychConsult, Inc. is a group of Filipino psychologists (all who have been in an active clinical practice for a minimum of six years) who aim to empower and bring out the best in the people they work with. They’ve worked with adults who are facing depression, anxiety, relationship or marital problems, family conflicts, and emotional issues. Depending on your needs, the therapy session can be done individually, as a group, or as a couple. Visit their website to make an appointment or call +63917-8080193 to inquire.
A Few Things To Remember Before Booking Your Medical
While planning for your checkups, consider doing these things before you fly out:
1. Get a consult with your current practitioner where you’re based.
Whether it’s your GP or your dentist, always ask your current doctor’s opinion if they think it’ll be helpful to have certain tests and procedures done in another country. This way, you can have more info, and maybe they can even recommend other procedures or tests that you can have done while in the Philippines.
2. Bring past results and other important documents you may need.
If you have past X-rays or lab work, try to bring a duplicate copy if you can. This way, you can compare the results, and the doctor diagnosing your latest results can also have a better picture of your health concern.
3. Call and schedule ahead.
If the hospital or center you’re trying to book a procedure with in the Philippines might not be accessible via email, Viber, or FB Messenger, try asking a relative if they can call and make inquiries for you. Make sure you ask about prices, the possibility of reserving a slot ahead of time, and how long it’ll take to get the results (some can even send the results via email). This way, you can make sure you’ll have enough time to get everything done.
4. Consider getting everything done in one place.
If you’re having several tests done, check if you can have it all done in one hospital or center. This way, you can save time and perhaps avail packages or discounts when you have multiple tests that you’d like to do.
5. Do your research.
Google and search for reviews about the clinics, practitioners, and hospitals you plan on visiting. If you can, ask friends and family if they have trusted doctors that they can recommend for the tests or procedures that you want done.
If it’s been a while since you last visited the Philippines, it’s important to know that you’re entrusting your health to an establishment and individual you can trust. It also helps to compare costs to determine whether it’s really better and more cost-efficient to get certain medical procedures done in the Philippines or you’re still better off using your insurance where you’re based.
