For most patients, the decision to seek medical care abroad isn’t made on a whim. The stakes are high, and the costs of travel, accommodation and treatment are major considerations. So, from the moment they initiate their research or referral process, they’re taking a significant leap of faith, often motivated by the need for life-changing or life-saving care that isn’t available at home.
While the price and quality of treatment are important to these patients, trust in medical travel matters most. That’s the main takeaway from the latest IMPACT™ report by Global Health Accreditation (GHA). Published annually, IMPACT stands for “International Medical Practice Assessment of Care and Trust.” And this year’s report, which surveyed patients, healthcare leaders and organizations that coordinate medical travel on behalf of patients, highlights the imperative to make sure patients feel seen, heard and supported when receiving cross-border care.
Here’s a more in-depth look at some of the most compelling findings for today’s healthcare decision makers, along with strategies to ensure a holistic approach to earning trust in medical travel.
Why trust matters even more in medical travel
The IMPACT™ report explains that trust has now become the defining currency of global medical travel. It’s a good assessment: in GHA’s research, survey respondents shared numerous common concerns related to unforeseen costs, communication barriers, safety and quality, and continuity of care. If healthcare organizations establish a strong baseline of trust, many of these worries can be addressed and allayed.
Of course, the worries are understandable. Patients obtaining overseas treatment face unfamiliar healthcare systems with different processes, practices, pricing, and institutional safeguards than they’re used to. Beyond that, they’re also far from home, separated from their usual support networks, and navigating a new linguistic and cultural context.
Due to these unique challenges, healthcare leaders have an opportunity to set themselves apart by delivering the clarity, consistency, and comfort international patients are looking for. As GHA notes, trust cannot be assumed; instead, it needs to be intentionally cultivated and maintained.
Trust has to be built before treatment begins
One notable insight from the IMPACT™ report is that trust is multidimensional. There’s no single category or metric that can secure the confidence of international patients and buyers. Instead, many factors collectively determine whether or not a provider is perceived as compassionate and reliable.
When existing and prospective patients were surveyed about their top decision drivers, 70.1% cited physician reputation, 66.2% prioritized cost, and 60.9% focused on safety and quality. Another 48.3% wanted their healthcare provider to be vetted and certified by a reputable third-party accrediting organization.
It’s likely that such determinants would be researched proactively by prospective patients and buyers before they commit to a consultation, let alone an operation. That’s why it comes as no surprise that patients also place a high value on accessible information, financial transparency, speed and quality of communication, and digital touchpoints, according to GHA’s research.
The patient experience doesn’t end at treatment
The patient’s perception of the healthcare provider is shaped long before treatment begins, and it’s also affected by how well they’re supported after. The 2026 IMPACT™ report discusses how aftercare and follow-up, formerly regarded as peripheral, have become central considerations for patients and buyers when weighing quality and risk. When surveyed by GHA, 61% of prospective patients said that their single greatest concern was care coordination between foreign and local providers.
A staggering 36% of medical travelers report that none of their follow-up expectations were met once they returned home, and 45% lacked access to emergency virtual care services after they were discharged. That’s why the IMPACT™ report lists care continuity and aftercare as among the most consequential yet least delivered components of the patient experience. It’s an area that providers need to invest in if they want to position themselves as trusted leaders in this market.
Small moments make a meaningful difference
Another area with potential for improvement is cultural competence. A surprising finding in the IMPACT™ report is that only 21% of medical travelers – about one in five – felt that their cultural practices and beliefs were respected by staff, and just 29% were afforded digital access to news and media in their preferred language. That contrasts markedly with self-reporting by healthcare providers: 59% stated that their teams receive cultural sensitivity and unconscious bias training, and 55% claimed that they maintain multilingual staff members or professional interpreters.
Major improvement doesn’t need to be a major investment. International patients value access to information, digital platforms and services, and high-quality content in their native languages, so a tool like PressReader delivers the sort of actionable solution that can help care providers create a sense of trust. With a catalog of over 8,400 of the world’s most popular publications in more than 60 languages, PressReader helps traveling patients feel welcome, stay connected to home and remain informed.
It can also ease what can otherwise be an extremely stressful period. The patient experience isn’t limited to treatment. It includes diagnoses, tests, and hours of anxious waiting before, during, and after. This stress is intensified for medical travelers, who also have to deal with new environments and customs that can leave them feeling overwhelmed and isolated. With access to PressReader, they can fill this time with a calming activity delivered in their preferred language(s).
According to GHA, 49% of healthcare leaders view digital access to native-language content as “very beneficial” for international patients. And once such programs are implemented, it’s not just international patients who benefit. They deliver value for locals and increase the organization’s overall quality of care.
Healthcare excellence starts with patient trust
The IMPACT™ report says it best:
“The future of global medical travel will reward organizations that invest early and deliberately in trust infrastructure.”
It emphasizes the fact that trust can’t be gained through promises and promotions, but must be garnered through action, accountability and patient-centric systems designed to anticipate the needs of medical travelers.
Those that don’t stay ahead will be left behind. The research demonstrates that international patients and buyers are increasingly risk-averse, limiting themselves to a smaller number of providers who earn loyalty and confidence through easy-to-access information, positive and predictable experiences, and consistent, coordinated aftercare.
Winning the trust of medical travelers requires a holistic strategy and a sustained effort; but those who embrace it have a tremendous opportunity to differentiate themselves and achieve global success.
