A number of factors are driving the trend toward globalization. The first is the high cost of medical care in the United States, which accounts for the largest number of patients. Many people find it much cheaper to travel abroad for treatment, compared to the high cost of medical care in the United States, and the quality of care is often comparable to what they would receive in America. Then there is the fact that millions of Americans are uninsured and many more are underinsured and face high co-payments for expensive procedures, with the exception of Obamacare, which now allows them to afford insurance. Many of these people find it much cheaper to travel abroad for treatment, as sometimes better access to modern technology can mean the difference between life and death. The cost of medical services in other countries can be between 20 and 35 percent of the cost of the same procedure in the United States. Third, there is the emergence of high-quality private hospital chains in Southeast Asia. Fourth, rising costs of insuring their staff are beginning to persuade some large U.S. companies to look overseas. Finally, some insurance companies are beginning to experiment with paying for treatment abroad in internationally accredited hospitals. massive availability of increased communication now immediate. Big pharmaceutical companies have also transformed into global corporations. Their research no longer takes place exclusively in developed countries and this globalization of research activities results in the necessary strengthening...... middle of paper ......legal standards governing the privacy and confidentiality of patient information.6. Do you think the globalization of healthcare is a good thing or not? I'm halfway there on this: healthcare globalization can create jobs, infrastructure, expand markets, and create new ones in underdeveloped countries. It can also give local populations in these countries access to medical care and technology that they might not otherwise have had access to. So in that regard it's a good thing, but it can come at a cost to people who travel abroad for medical care and who governments don't protect with laws and citizen rights. I believe in the United States and I believe our money should stay in our country, but in the event that my children or I face a medical necessity that the United States cannot afford, I would strongly consider to use the health care that globalization now offers..