Traveling outside the United States for medical care is often referred to as “medical tourism.” However, Americans aren’t the only ones who travel outside their home country in search of less expensive medical care. By some estimates, medical tourism is a $100 billion industry that’s powered mainly by middle class individuals and retirees on fixed incomes who want to reduce their health care costs. It’s also an option that’s popular with expatriates who return home for state-sponsored medical care and for people who seek procedures that are not yet approved in the United States.
According to an article published in the Texas International Law Revue, countries with growing medical tourism sectors include Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Peru, Singapore, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand, and the Philippines.
While high-quality care and facilities are available in many countries, medical tourists should be aware that lower costs can also mean lower quality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers recommendation for people who are planning to travel for medical tourism:
- Check the qualifications of the health care providers who will be doing the procedure and the credentials of the facility where the procedure will be done. Find out the where the providers received their medical training, including any fellowships or advanced study, and the disciplines in which they are licensed.
- Ask if patient outcome and readmission data is available, and request access to it.
- Look for hospitals that are accredited by the Joint Commission International, the most well-known international hospital accreditation organization. Other accrediting groups include DNV GL international accreditation for hospitals and the International Society for Quality in Healthcare. Each organization has a list of standards that facilities must meet to receive accreditation.
- Ask about the risks associated with the surgery, the rates of infectious disease in the country being visited, and any complications associated with long flights or vacation activities such as sightseeing after the procedure.
- Before traveling, arrange for post-procedure care in the country where the procedure is being performed.
- Ask if a translator will be available before or after the procedure if English is not the primary language of the medical providers.
- Carefully investigate any medical tourism companies that offer to coordinate care and make arrangements for travelers.
- Bring copies of all medical records, including lab results, relevant to the procedure.
- Request and obtain a complete set of medical records to share with medical professionals who will be responsible for follow-up care.
Arranging Transportation after Medical Tourism
Anyone who is considering traveling for medical tourism must consider how their body may handle the process of recovery after a procedure. If all goes well, a traveler may be able to return home on a prescheduled flight. However, if a patient is traveling post-procedure, or if complications occur, a medical transport company can work with the medical center to arrange transportation, provide in-flight care, and escort the patient to a receiving facility or family member.
SentinelMED provides medical transportation, medical repatriation, and medical escort services to help medical tourists and others navigate the complexities of long-distance travel. SentinelMED works to ensure that people who are elderly, ill or injured can travel long distances in comfort and safety. In many cases, patients travel on commercial airlines with a SentinelMED escort who is an ICU- or emergency-medicine professional. This service is a cost-effective alternative to an air ambulance.
The SentinelMED team understands the complexity of delivering exceptional care to patients who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
