Medical Tourism FAQs 1
We encourage you to ask questions. We want you to be as well prepared as possible for something as important as your health. Below are some questions regarding medical tourism that we receive often. Since we provide very personalized services, we would be happy to answers these and any other questions that you may have in person as well.
What is the quality of care?
The institutions that we work with have been JCI certified or are in the process of achieving this certification. Many of our partners have a strategic partnership with a leading US institution such as Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical International. Many doctors in the hospitals we partner with have received international training; many are even US board or UK board certified. Additionally, since the international reputation of our partner hospitals is at stake, you can be assured that you will be working with the top doctors in that particular hospital. The facilities are state of the art, and often create the impression of a high-end hotel rather than merely a hospital.
What are the risks?
Honest and open communications are very important to us, so we would never claim that there are no risks when undergoing a medical procedure. What we do say is that by working with only very high quality institutions and doctors we strive to ensure the level of risk is no greater than if you were treated in the US. It still is important for you to do your own research based on the options that we present to you so that you can make an informed final decision.
What if there are complications?
The doctors that we work with cannot exclude complications in the same way that the U.S. doctors cannot. However, you will be provided with excellent care to prevent these complications in the first place. Should any complications occur while you are abroad, you will already are in a full tertiary care hospital, where all medical areas are represented. We don’t have partnerships with small private clinics for this reason: should something go wrong during surgery, these private clinics often times would have to transport you a ‘real’ hospital.
What about post surgery follow up?
You will have to recover enough so that your doctor abroad can clear you for travel back home. The time spent recovering in our partner hospitals abroad is typically much longer than what you have come to expect in the US. In addition, often times you are required to spend some time in a hotel after hospital discharge so that by the time you are cleared to return back home any risk of post surgery complications has been greatly reduced. Frequently post surgery follow up once you are back home is required. When and how frequent this follow-up occurs varies greatly depending on your specific case. We encourage you to keep your US primary care physician and/or specialist abreast of all of your medical tourism activities, including following up with them upon your return home. We will assist you in this by answering any questions that you or your US doctor may have. In some cases, we even have formal partnerships with US doctors. Please ask us for a specialist in your area.
Will I really save a lot of money?
In general, the answer to this is a resounding ‘Yes’ for many kinds of medical procedures, but the extent of your savings depends on a number of factors. That includes the cost of the surgery in the US and whether your insurance covers any portion of the procedure or not. We will help you assess this by presenting you with an estimate of your total costs: medical, travel, lodging, etc. At that point, you can compare that to the total costs of the same procedures in the US and make your decision.
Is any of my money refundable?
Yes, most of your money will be refundable prior to undergoing surgery. This separates us from our competitors. We believe that once you decide that you want us to arrange your treatment abroad you will be happy with our services and partners and will not ask for a refund. Therefore, we are able to offer a refund of most of your money prior to surgery without hesitation. Our good standing with the Better Business Bureau provides you with the guarantee that customer satisfaction is our highest priority.