Thinking About Medical Travel: Part 1

Posted on: 10-27-2015

What to Look Out For as an Individual: 

If you are thinking about medical travel and tourism as an option for receiving a desired procedure then there are certain things you can take into consideration and certain things you can disregard. It is not simply a matter of looking at hospital buildings and at mattresses, although aesthetics can give a certain level insight to the establishments. Another big mistake would be to look solely at the price, price can be a very tricky issue. Some feel that paying too little is not always good, this can be attributed to the “you pay for what you get” mindset. You have to understand that a very low price can be attributed to the lack of costs incurred by a doctor or clinic, they do not have to deal with the extremely high costs of operation that their counterparts have to deal with in countries like the U.S or U.K., this is a big part of what makes medical travel so appealing. What is often more important may include such things as:

• the standards of governance in the hospital or clinic
• the ease and level of comfort with the overall booking process
• availability of pre-consultations
• transparency of information about doctors and clinics
• the overall medical ethical standards operating within the organization
• the clinical staff’s ethical standards and their personal and collective commitment to caring for patients and the wider community
• the quality of the clinical staff, including their background educational attainment and training, and evidence of continuing professional development by the staff
• the infection control track record of the hospital or clinic
• evidence of a robust, just, and fair system to deal with complaints made by patients if complications arise, as they inevitably will from time to time, and where appropriate to compensate the injured party in a fair and reasonable way

Although this list is not comprehensive, it is just a few things that should be factored into the decision. It is important to have a clear understanding of what you are getting yourself into and with whom.