Should You Travel Abroad For Medical Care?

According to our research, at the top of the list for medical travelers is dental work, followed by surgeries like coronary bypass and bariatric procedures. Third on the list are travelers seeking cosmetic surgery, with a smaller percentage seeking orthopedic procedures like hip and knee replacements. Orthopedic procedures such as hip and knee replacements comprise about 9% of the medical travel market.

Many people travel from the U.S. and Canada to destinations abroad due to high medical costs, long waits for procedures, high deductibles, or to receive elective surgeries or procedures which are not covered by their insurance plans.

But what’s the best way to choose a doctor, facility, or destination?  A good third-party medical tourism facilitator can provide your answers.  Look for a company with a long history of medical tourism, experience with many destinations and hospitals, and good reviews and testimonials.  Be sure to check their fee structure and ask what will be provided before, during and after your procedure.

For instance, your contact with the medical tourism company should know the best place in the world for health checks, a knee replacement or dental work.  Your consultant should help you get your medical records to your chosen destination, arrange a consultation with your surgeon or physician, get personal feedback (which includes risk factors, how long you will need to stay in the hospital, how long before you can fly, etc.), pricing, arrange accommodations and transfers to and from the hospital, and connect you with the client services manager who will care for you while you are in that country. In short, a good medical tourism consultant will help you prepare for every step of our medical journey abroad.