Is Medical Tourism for You?

If you were thinking about crossing borders trying your luck on medical tourism, have you ever considered whether it is a good choice? What should you look into when traveling across countries to seek for medical treatment?

Medical Tourism may not be for you.

When can medical tourism become a good choice?

• If the healthcare quality of the procedure you’re getting isn’t available in your own country
• If it is cheaper to get the same procedure from another country
• If you could save money and lessen the burden carried by either you or your family or anyone spending for your treatment
• If you’ve researched and agreed with your local physician that it would be safer for you to get medical treatment abroad

When you’ve looked into these situations and think that yes, it’s better to get treatment overseas, when do you begin?

Research. Research. Research.

Get to your computer and research about medical tourism. Based from the type of care you need, other countries may be more promising than others. For that reason, you might want to check the country specializing on that particular medical treatment. For instance, I believe that if you’re searching for plastic surgeons, Costa Rica may be a good choice. I’m not saying, though, that there aren’t good heart surgeons in the Philippines or good cosmetic surgeons in Brazil. What I’d like to tell you is that you can narrow down your choices based from the type of medical tourism treatment you need.

Of course, you shouldn’t forget about quality. I tell you. I got some friends who were so disappointed only to find out that their medical treatment abroad was a total mess. They thought spending less was the best option. But, just like for anything for health, I think it’s not best to compromise quality and safety. Medical tourism isn’t only about spending less, but also about getting the best healthcare possible. Search for agencies that inspect cleanliness and safety. I think the best way is to see a hospital’s certification or accreditation by JCI and ISO.

Then there comes cost-effectiveness, which is highly-considered. Of course, it always a priority to save much, but compromising on quality isn’t part of the picture. When you consider about the cost, you also have to include your food, accommodation, and costs including vaccinations and flights.

This doesn't cover all, but you have a good way to start deciding on medical tourism. 'Til next time!

Your Guide to Medical Tourism, Sarah  :)