The Real Issues Behind Medical Tourism
There are patients who travel abroad for certain medical treatments which are not legal in the United States, or which the patient believes is better than what is offered in the states. However, this travel can, and often does, lead to infections or complications which only cost more in the long run.
One of the biggest reasons patients travel for medical treatment is for cosmetic procedures. Sadly, these procedures result in costly repairs after the patient comes back home, according to The Medical News. Botched work done overseas costs millions a year to fix, and usually, the repairs are necessary due to infection or disease brought back by the patient from the foreign land.
Medical tourism is largely associated with globalization. Cheaper air travel and the Internet have boosted this type of travel. Medical providers can advertise to other countries, which leads to this type of travel. Unfortunately, the providers are not always professionals, and the patient comes home with life-threatening mistakes, such as infections or illnesses.
Additionally, the patient may bring diseases back from the country visited. They may not even realize they have an illness until they return home. While most people aren’t sneaking off to another country to have medical work done, they are risking additional health issues through travel abroad.
Our health is not the only thing at risk, either. If a mistake is made medically in our home country, we are covered financially in certain ways. If a provider makes a mistake abroad, our insurance rules and financial coverage will not cross country lines. In a world where a plane will take us anywhere and the Internet will show us everything, we must think twice before we participate in medical procedures. Please follow the link to a handbook on medical tourism and how to consider all the options before buying a plane ticket. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Care and Compassion is our business.