Medical Tourism Advice for the Newbie Traveler

Not-so-Pleasant Health Vacation Experiences

Medical tourism offers patients a way out of the high costs of health care in the US.  From face lifts to hip replacement surgery, patients are finding that they can save heavily on the expenses incurred on these treatments simply by taking a plane and heading overseas.  In a country like India, for instance, the cost of a hip replacement surgery at renowned Wockhardt Hospital costs only 20% of what you would have to pay in many western hospitals. 

For many of the millions of Americans who are seeking medical treatment outside their country, it’s a fulfilling experience.  For others, however, their experiences have led to hospitalization after their return because of complications from surgery.  So what explains the broad range of experiences and levels of satisfaction that surrounds health vacations?  Some believe that the answer lies in the kind of research medical tourists do before they travel.

Your Health Vacation Could Quickly Turn into a Nightmare

Most western tourists who visit foreign countries return happy with their treatments.  Many are so satisfied they return again for other procedures, usually elective cosmetic surgery procedures.  But a minority returns home with medical complications that arise mainly because they haven’t taken the trouble to locate a reputed JCI-accredited facility for their health vacation.  As this TV news report about an American woman who visited Mexico for her procedure shows, treatment at the hands of an inexperienced doctor at an ill-equipped facility can quickly turn into a nightmare.  This is as true for domestic facilities as it is for foreign ones, but if you shop locally, you often have the benefit of consumer/patient protection laws.

Words of Medical Tourism Advice

Research the institution thoroughly before you leave on your health vacation. Whether your doctors are based in faraway Thailand or next door Mexico, look up his or her credentials on the hospital's website.  Look for the number of procedures he or she has performed.  And make sure you have a few conversations with him or her about the procedure…especially about the kind of results he or she has obtained for patients.  And don't stop there either.  Be sure that you have answers to all of your questions before committing to anything.  Do ample research, get any info in writing, and go over the details with your attorney, family, and domestic physician.  Medical tourism can be a successful experience if you approach it with the caution and care that it deserves.  It can be a terrible experience if you approach it for the cost savings alone.

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