If you are thinking about travelling abroad to improve your health, your first questions may be how safe Medical Tourism is
Medical Tourism or Health Tourism are terms used to describe when a person travels to another country or even region within their own country to look for medical, dental, cosmetic or wellness treatments, where they will receive better or at least the same level of healthcare that they would expect in their own country or region.
The main reasons for people deciding to travel for treatment tend to be: cheaper prices, a second opinion, seeking more qualified professionals or centres, easier access to healthcare …
The increasing growth in popularity of Medical Tourism is a result of a combination of factors: the high cost of healthcare in industrialised nations, how accessible it is nowadays to travel to any part of the world, the technical advances and rising standards of healthcare in many countries.
How can you be sure that your choice is a safe one?
In order to ascertain how safe Medical Tourism is, several aspects should be taken into consideration: the destination, the level of healthcare available in the country you are travelling to, that the specialists and other staff that will be treating or caring for you, the insurance policies you may choose for your trip …
Destination
Obviously, a destination that is not free from internal conflict is not the ideal place to choose from a safety point of view. Do seek information on the current situation of the country to which you are thinking of travelling to.
Environmental health
Another very important aspect to take into account before embarking on your Medical Tourism trip, is the overall level of hygiene and cleanliness of the country in question. The hospitals may be very modern and the staff well qualified but you are probably not planning to be shut up in the hospital or your hotel the whole time. You should be aware of the fact that there are regions of the planet where certain infectious diseases are endemic and weigh up the facts before travelling.
The condition of your health
In addition, you should also speak to your doctor before travelling abroad, especially if you are travelling to another continent, in case you need to take previous preventative measures or that your doctor might consider that this type of trip is not advisable in your particular case.
Quality of the health centres and professionals
Check the accreditation and certification of the centres and evaluate the curriculum vitae and experience of each specialist. If you are thinking of undergoing surgery, bear in mind that there is a possibility of complications arising. Don’t just focus on the specialist surgeon, look for the guarantee of a successful outcome in the case of any complication as well You must take the entire medical team into account: anaesthetists, surgeons, the intensive care unit, internal medicine department, laboratories, …
Good, effective coordination between the various medical units in a hospital is vital in order to avoid risks and ensure the best possible outcome for patients.
Insurance
If you are going to receive medical treatment abroad, don’t forget to take out an insurance policy that covers possible medical complications that could arise. Many people travel with just a normal travel policy but, if you are travelling for health reasons, it is advisable to make sure you have a more suitable policy. There are insurance companies that specialise in policies for medical tourism.
