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Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

Medical Tourism – Know the Risks and Protect Yourself Before You Go

People regularly go overseas for healthcare to save themselves money and cut waiting times. However, there are some dangers inherent in having surgery carried out overseas and it’s worth investigating them before taking the plunge.

Things like organ operations can be secured for as much as 50% of the cost of the same procedure back in the west, and minus the long and annoying waiting lists intrinsic to the majority of western countries.

Research shows that many American citizens go overseas every year for kidney transplants. However, surveys show that people who go overseas for this kind of operation can risk greater chances of complications like infection or acute rejection, and the level of these complications is accentuated by being a medical tourist.

A piece of research from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that kidney rejection happens in up to 30% of medical tourists who undergo transplant operations abroad while just 12% of people who had operations at UCLA had kidney rejection.

The Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology reports that the most common destinations for kidney transplants via medical tourism are China (18%), Iran (12%), the Philippines (9%), India, Pakistan, Peru, Egypt, Turkey, Mexico and Thailand (3%).

However, with that in mind, the motives for becoming a medical tourist or a transplant tourist are pretty convincing. The USA has just 10,000 kidney transplant operations carried out per year, but the country has around 70,000 patients who need a new kidney. The average waiting list is around five years. Remaining on dialysis for this period is something most patients would do anything to avoid.

Some people consider it simpler and undoubtedly cheaper to seek out a transplant overseas, risking the possibility that the donor was a prisoner, deceased or otherwise.

Things to think about when considering overseas surgery:

Pick a reputable hospital or clinic
Investigate the surgeon’s qualifications and experience
Investigate the credentials of the medical board which certified the surgeon
Find out if the surgeon can speak English
Request an in-person consultation with the surgeon ahead of the operation
See what post-op care is offered
Be informed of what to in the event of complications on return home
Don’t judge on just price

Seek Advice First

Before you go ahead and book an operation overseas it’s worth speaking to a surgeon in your own country. A domestic doctor might well advise you against a procedure. If you find you require a procedure then you must talk about any likely risks and dangers inherent in the process.

If you do plump for overseas operations, it’s worth meeting your surgeon in person before you go ahead with the procedure. Check that you accept his post-op plan, and ask him about his training, experience and credentials to give yourself peace of mind.

Results

You might end up not getting what you really wanted. If you find that the operation you have abroad leaves you dissatisfied, then the surgeon won’t be there to talk to when you get back home.

People who have cosmetic surgery overseas can find that the results are not up to the level they hoped for. This means that they could then have to fork out additional money to have the work put right.

Safety

This should be one additional main worry for potential medical tourism patients – picking a facility which is regulated and subject to scrutiny is a definite. Being a medical tourist, you’ll most likely not see the hospital ahead of your surgery, and by then it might be too late to turn back.

Price

In thinking about how much the procedure will cost it’s worth considering what you get for your money. Surgery overseas might be cheap but people can risk missing out on vital aftercare, making the trip not cost-effective. Don’t forget your health is invaluable.

Post-Op Care

A major worry for people who want surgery overseas is post-op care. For example, anyone having a gastric band fitted in the UK will get years of post-op care which medical tourism cannot offer.

People who have operations privately around the world don’t get much by way of aftercare or post-op looking after, even though this is an important part of the procedure. There are lots of examples of people heading home only to find that they then experience complications that require further care.

Having no aftercare or post-op support can mean long-term problems so it’s worth checking out what kind of post-op care you actually need to make the best possible recovery.

Discover Medical Tourism is a free information site for patients to research and learn about medical tourism and dental tourism. Covering most of the major countries specializing in medical, health and dental tourism.