An orthopedic surgery clinic in Kaunas, Lithuania, that is clearly targeting medical tourists has opened up its services to Bitcoin users.
In early December, Nordorthopaedics, which advertises procedures such as knee and hip replacement surgeries at half the price a patient would pay in Western Europe, began accepting Bitcoins. The clinic features five surgeons and a total medical staff of 50 people.
Clinic representatives admitted no one has taken them up on the offer to pay in the digital currency yet.
According to a CoinDesk piece, clients from Sweden, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US are among the clinic’s target customers.
In the UK, for example, a knee replacement can cost 4,000 GBP and have a waiting time of up to nine months. And in the US, the same surgery could cost $35,000.
Lithuania itself has begun to promote medical tourism through a government-backed lobbying group. It bills Lithuania as a destination for low-cost heart surgery, cosmetic surgery and dentistry.
Thus, fast international payment processing via Bitcoin sounds like a convenient option for many.
For an American customer, definitely, a knee replacement in Lithuania could be a cheaper option plus a reason to take a long vacation. This reporter can vouch for Lithuania’s Baltic coast, which includes the Curonian Spit, as a great spot to recuperate amid the refreshing sea air.
For EU customers on a tight budget, RyanAir makes regular flights into Kaunas Airport from London Stansted, Milan Bergamo, Paris Beauvais and Barcelona El Prat, among others.