The Questions to Ask When Traveling Internationally for Surgery

Posted on March 11, 2010 by cris@hospitalstay

American Society of Anesthesiologists at HealthNewsDigest says that hundreds of thousands of Americans travel abroad for surgical procedures each year. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is urging those considering traveling internationally for medical care to educate themselves, and take the necessary precautions to avoid unexpected complications.

“Patients should know and research the potential risks of traveling abroad for medical treatment,” Joseph Antognini, M.D., professor at the University of California Davis Health System said. “These risks include exposure to infectious diseases prevalent in the host country, possible substandard quality of care at certain facilities and travel-related health complications.”

The ASA offers the following checklist of questions patients should ask when deciding whether or not to seek medical care abroad:

  • Have I involved my local doctor in my decision-making?
  • Are the physicians who will be performing the procedure licensed specifically for the procedure, and is the facility accredited by a reputable organization such as the Joint Commission International (JCI)?
  • What is the “pain culture” of the host country?
  • Is the facility performing my procedure at the same facility that would care for me if I needed extended care as a result of complications? If not, where would I stay, and what is my comfort level with that facility?
  • What access will I have to preoperative and postoperative medications with the physician performing the procedure? Are the medications safe?
  • Have I made contact with my insurance provider to determine the coverage and reimbursement policies for my procedure?
  • Have I considered working with a medical tourism company?
  • Have I spoken with patients who have had similar surgeries conducted at the hospital chosen for my procedure?
  • Who will be traveling with me for this procedure?

For answers to these questions and more: healthnewsdigest.com

photo credit: Jessie Reeder, Oxfam International, bfraz, broken glass

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One Response to The Questions to Ask When Traveling Internationally for Surgery

  1. cris says:
    March 29, 2010 at 4:55 pm

    Here’s a great checklist for health while traveling abroad: http://www.freechecklists.co.uk/travel_health_abroad.html