Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Top 10 Questions about Medical Tourism (Part 1)


We get many questions when it comes to medical tourism. I have taken the liberty to answer the Top 10 questions that I personally get, so that you have an easy reference. Since some of the answers can be lengthy (even when highly condensed), I've made it into a 3 part series. 

The the 3 question in this post are:
1. Is it safe?
2. What surgeries are offered?
3. How will you assist in post-operative care and follow up visits upon my return home?



1. Is it safe?
When it comes to medical tourism, safety should be a top priority for everyone involved.

Disclaimer: Since this is a sensitive subject let me be clear; I am speaking on behalf of WISE and its associated only. Each Facilitation Company, hospital, country/destination, and surgeon handles the topic of safety differently. 

To be honest, this topic deserves its own chapter in a book. I’ll keep it as short as I can.

As stated above, your safety and satisfaction should be and are the top priority of WISE and its associates. Below is a list of preventative measures we take before any procedure takes place:

-Patient selection process- Qualifying each potential patient, to ensure they are healthy enough to travel before and after their procedure.
-Surgeon Inclusion Criteria- Please refer to  Part 2
-Provider Inclusion Criteria- Please refer to Part 2
-Selection of destination-  Costa Rica is consistently ranked higher than the US in their health care and life expectancy  (WHO Rankings)
-Compliance with American Medical Association’s guidelines for medical tourism facilitators (AMA)
-Compliance with International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua)

Before I lose myself in this post, and write the whole chapter for you, let me say this. With total confidence, I can tell you that any procedure done by our surgeons in our affiliate hospitals and ambulatory clinics will be as good as or better than any done by your local provider.

If you have specific questions about this topic, please comment below and I can answer them more directly.

2. What surgeries are offered?
WISE offers over 45 surgeries and procedures; Everything from Dental procedures to Orthopedics and Cosmetics to Gynecology. Instead of me listing each and every procedure that we offer you can view them all, by category with this link

3. How will you assist in post-operative care and follow up visits upon my return home?
            WISE would like you to have the best experience possible and that includes correspondence with your local physician and specialists. We contact your current physician to obtain all of your current and up-to-date medical information, to ensure your safety. While you are in Costa Rica you will meet with your doctor to go through any and all preoperative exams. Once your procedure is complete, you will meet with your doctor at least two more times; One to be released from the hospital and another to receive the clearance to travel. Once you return home you will not be left to figure everything out for yourself, you will have the WISE family with you ever step of the way. Follow-up visits with your local physician upon your return home will be coordinated by a WISE representative.  There will also be coordinated follow-up with WISE's surgeons and its affiliates.  

*It should go without saying, but we follow HIPPA regulations when it comes to your personal medical records. All of your information is kept confidential


No comments:

Post a Comment