How to plan your medical tour
Are you planning to get plastic surgery in Argentina? Or maybe an affordable tummy tuck, cheap fertility treatments, low cost gastric bypass, dental implants or liposuction on one of the top rank medical destinations in the world? It is easy to book a flight on your surgical destination but before you pack your things here are some tips that can help you be on your way.
Investigate – For first timers, medical tourism is a decision that will need a lot of support. The whole thing will reflect its result on the patient and he will live with it his entire life. Proper investigation is one of the basic steps to ensure the success of the procedure. The patient should be confident with his medical tourism agency, surgeons, hospital as well as the country where he will be going. Be sure to check the following information below. This could help patients make the right decision.
Know the perfect medical procedure for you – Cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery, gastric bypass or weight loss surgery, fertility treatments or dental implants. Are you qualified to undergo these treatments? Is this the right procedure for you? What are the possible risk? How much time will it take the patient to recuperate? Know the follow up care and the physical therapy that the patient will need.
Destination Country – As of now there many countries that offers medical treatments. Argentina, Thailand, India and Costa Rica are some of the major candidates for top notch offshore surgery. Some of the factors to consider to pick the right destination country are as follows.
1. Quality – India has top-notch centers for open-heart surgery, pediatric heart surgery, hip and knee replacement, cosmetic surgery, dentistry, bone marrow transplants and cancer therapy, and virtually all of India’s clinics are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipment.
Unlike many of its competitors in medical tourism, India also has the technological sophistication and infrastructure to maintain its market niche, and Indian pharmaceuticals meet the stringent requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, India’s quality of care is up to American standards, and some Indian medical centers even provide services that are uncommon elsewhere. For example, hip surgery patients in India can opt for a hip-resurfacing procedure, in which damaged bone is scraped away and replaced with chrome alloy–an operation that costs less and causes less post-operative trauma than the traditional replacement procedure performed in the U.S.
For North American patients, Costa Rica is the chosen destination for inexpensive, high-quality medical care without a trans-Pacific flight, and it is the particular mecca for westerners seeking plastic surgery.
South Africa also draws many cosmetic surgery patients, especially from Europe, and many South African clinics offer packages that include personal assistants, visits with trained therapists, trips to top beauty salons, post-operative care in luxury hotels and safaris or other vacation incentives. Because the South African rand has such a long-standing low rate on the foreign-exchange market, medical tourism packages there tend to be perpetual bargains as well.
Additionally, Argentina ranks high for plastic surgery, and Hungary draws large numbers of patients from Western Europe and the U.S. for high-quality cosmetic and dental procedures that cost half of what they would in Germany and America.
Lastly, Dubai–a destination already known as a luxury vacation paradise–is scheduled to open the Dubai Healthcare City by 2010. Situated on the Red Sea, this clinic will be the largest international medical center between Europe and Southeast Asia. Slated to include a new branch of the Harvard Medical School, it also may be the most prestigious foreign clinic on the horizon. (source)
2. Distance – A quick and less expensive travel is a solid choice for patients that will take minor surgeries like dental implants, bridging or cleaning. A cross-border country will save a lot from the pocket. However, considering major surgeries like cosmetic surgery, tummy tuck, plastic surgery, gastric bypass or weight loss surgery is a different story. Far off countries with low cost high quality medical procedures is the safer choice.
3. Cost – Cost is one of the essential factors to determine the country of destination. It includes transportations, accommodation, cellphone rentals, leisure and other related expenses. Most medical agencies like GoSculptura, a leading medical tourism provide based in Montreal, Canada, offers low cost gastric bypass in Argentina, affordable tummy tuck, cheap fertility treatments, plastic surgery, dental implants and liposuction with included leisure trips and social activities in Buenos Aires. This way, the patient will be able to heal faster and enjoy his medical trip at the same time. Agencies nowadays, are finding more ways to hasten the recuperation period of their patients. A personal assistant also monitors and checks the condition of the patients several days after the surgery. The healing period will continue until the patient has fully recovered to take his flight home.
The Surgeon – Patients should read about the credentials, certifications, years of experience of surgeons employed by the hospital. Most especially the surgeon who will be conducting the treatment.
The Hospital – Things to consider when choosing the hospital you need:
1. Accreditation – JCI, JCAHO, ISO accredited hospitals should be on the top of your hospital list.
2. Facility and Equipments – should compete with the standards of American and European clinics.
3. Statistics – carefully examine the success rate, inpatient and outpatient volumes.
4. Language – the hospital must be able to speak the language that you can understand.
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