10 Things A Medical Tourism Patient Should Avoid

             10 Things A Medical Tourism Patient        Should Avoid :



  The medical tourism industry is booming in India due to its advancement in healthcare services, better qualified and skilled doctors, and skilled paramedical staff. Many patients outside as well as inside the country are traveling to certain hospitals for invasive and complicated surgeries and treatments to get better physically and mentally. To execute a medical trip successfully, Planning is one the prime thing that needs to be done before a trip. There are several factors which you must keep in your mind to ensure that your medical trip is smooth, hassle-free, and enjoyable. Right from researching the hospitals to booking hotels near by, everything has to be properly planned a couple of months before. Hence, here are some of the things that you should do before you plan a medical trip.

Choosing Non-Accredited Hospitals

It is very essential to ensure that the chosen hospital is accredited, i.e. “approved by an official review board after the hospital has met all the standards set for medical tourism”. An accredited hospital has to abide by internationally accepted rules and regulations regarding medical code and professional ethics.

By choosing an accredited hospital, the patient safeguards his right to quality health care and globally recognized medical procedures. A non-accredited hospital has little reason to show its patients any transparency. Some insurance companies can also refuse to cover the cost of treatment accorded by non-accredited hospitals

 

Making Decisions Purely Based On Costs

      Attributing cost the highest priority, when deciding on a destination for treatment, is a grave error. More often than not, in the effort to save money, the patient can end up compromising on the quality of healthcare to a critical extent An MTA Medical Tourism Patient Survey, conducted in 2013, found that nearly 80% of the demand for medical travel is driven by cost savings. This is acceptable, provided that the patient still has satisfaction and health as prime concerns.

Not Taking A Second Opinion

It is always advisable to take a second opinion before proceeding with any kind of medical treatment or surgery. In the case of medical tourism, a second consultation is doubly weighted as this makes the patient aware of all his/her options. A second opinion is also required by many insurance companies to provide monetary coverage.

Not taking a second opinion may lead to the patient having incomplete knowledge of his/her need for treatment, which will indirectly lead to poor decisions

Getting totally educated about the contract with medical tourism company/ Hospital: 

 

Patients should understand and be well informed about the terms and conditions provided by medical tourism companies and hospitals. It includes conveyance, food preferences, hotel accommodation for the attendant, total days in the hospital, post-treatment check and extra cost involved, medicines availability in the native country, and complete sharing of medical history by the hospitals/ medical tourism company.

Be informed about the whole procedure : 

This is one of the most common reasons why patients are left unsatisfied with the end result of their medical treatment. Being ill-informed about the details of the procedure, recovery time and its side-effects may leave the patient with unsettled expectationsThe patient should gather maximum information about the treatment, to be mentally and physically prepared for every situation.

 

Not Getting Tourism Insurance Tourism insurance shields a patient financially from any extremity that happens on a medical tourism visit, such as scheduled appointments, complications, and travel emergencies. Medical tourism without insurance can prove costly if things ever go awry.

Going Without A Travel Companion Medical tourism trips can be strenuous enough without having to deal with appointments, buying medicine, and making payments all by yourself. It is always better to have a spouse, friend, or parent, travel, and stay with the patient throughout your treatment. They will not only help with the nuisances of the procedure but will also provide the emotional support s/he requires.

Keep your physician in the loop:  Before you finally decide on a medical tour, make sure to arrange for a talk between the surgery doctor and your physician. Your physician is the best person who knows about your health condition through and through. He/she can give the best information to another doctor regarding any relevant health details like allergies or health issues.

        Language Barrier: If you are having surgery in a country where English is not the primary language, you will need to make preparations in order to be able to communicate with the staff. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that the staff speaks your primary language beautifully. If not, then you will need to consider how you will make your wishes and needs known to the surgeon, the staff, and others you will meet.

Flying Home After Surgery : There is a risk of blood clots after surgery, and flying home, especially on a long haul flight, increases the risk of clots. If the flight home is a long one, plan on getting up and walking up and down the aisles each hour. Try to avoid flying home in the days immediately after surgery; waiting a week will decrease the chances of developing a blood clot or another serious complication during the flight.

   These 10 should be kept in mind when any patient thinking of going on medical tourism. these things will help him to find about the rules and  regulation in which country you are applying for medical tourism but for almost every country these things will remain the same