An Honest Look at Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is popular mainly because of the lower cost of treatments abroad. Knee replacement can be up to $20,000 dollars cheaper in India than in the U.S.
Most people think of medical tourism as only for cosmetic surgery, but this is changing fast. People are traveling for cardiac, orthopedic, kidney transplants, stem cell therapy, cosmetic dentistry, and much more.
More Popular Than You’d Think
The escalating health care costs in the U.S. are driving people to look for alternatives for procedures they need to maintain their health and lifestyle.
Medical tourism is a possible alternative, especially for people who have large deductibles on their health insurance policies or for people who are uninsured.
The top places for medical tourism are Thailand, India, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia. China offers liver and kidney transplants as well as stem cell therapy, which is not available in the U.S.
The cost of surgery in Thailand can be a tenth of the cost for the same procedure in the U.S. or Europe. There are several things to consider before committing to treatment abroad. Just because the procedure is cheap, doesn’t mean it’s the best option.
Do Your Homework
People looking for cheaper surgery should do some research. They need to consider safety and liability as well as the regulations followed for organ donor procurement.
The first things to look for are medical centers and surgeons that have international accreditation. There are accrediting agencies that determine international standards for hospitals all over the world.
The Joint Commission International (JCI) accredits hospitals. The Medical Tourism Association raises awareness of health care services available internationally. They give unbiased information to individuals, insurance companies, and employers.
Many surgeons in Thailand, India and Singapore have extensive training in Europe, Australia or the U.S.
Things To Keep In Mind
How long will be needed for follow-up consultations? Those planning to travel for surgery should allow enough time for follow-up visits from the surgeon who performed the surgery.
Traveling home with an unhealed incision could cause the complications of swelling and infection. Also, if something goes wrong during surgery, it may cost more to remedy at home than having the original surgery at home would have cost.
Be sure to meet the surgeon in person and discuss the procedure thoroughly. The patient should know exactly what will happen and see the facility first hand.
This is especially important for cosmetic surgery. Since the patient’s appearance will change, possibly significantly, they should know in advance what the expected outcome is and not simply leave it to the surgeon.
All the medical records should be written in English, or the patient’s first language. This is important for any follow-up treatment at home. Documents that are written in the doctor’s local language will not help.
Recovering from surgery includes days or weeks of a strict regime to ensure the procedure heals properly. It may include bed rest and a liquid diet.
Sunbathing, swimming, water sports, drinking alcohol, and strenuous activities are not allowed during recovery. This is why it is not a good idea to choose to combine a medical procedure and a vacation.
Surgery and other medical procedures done abroad can be just as hygienic and trouble-free as at home and can have excellent results. Surgeons may be very skilled, with world-class qualifications.
The most important thing to remember is to research the doctor and facility as well as you would at home and meet the doctor face-to-face to discuss the procedure. With a little care, medical tourism can be an inexpensive way to a better lifestyle.
