How to Decide Whether Medical Tourism Is Safe or Not

Many people are going to foreign countries to get cosmetic and serious surgery done because it is cheaper there – how safe is it to do so?

People go abroad for cosmetic procedures which are usually not covered by insurance companies. People go abroad for surgeries which have long waiting lists and they do not want to spend the time in pain or discomfort. People go abroad for procedures which are not offered in the US. People go abroad for medical treatment because it is much cheaper than at home. And, people go abroad for surgeries or medical treatment because they do not have insurance or they have to co-pay and it is simply too expensive.

Is medical tourism safe – legal issues?

If you were to go by the very fact that millions travel abroad for medical treatments ranging from dental treatment to heart surgery to transplant surgery to infertility treatments and seem to be happy with their experience, you would rightly assume that it is safe to go somewhere for your surgery.

However, surgery has its own risks and complications – in any hospital you have to sign a waiver form which says that your have been explained all the details and possible risks and complications. If you are in the US or in a developed country, even if you have signed the form and something goes wrong, you may have recourse to legal action.

But when you go abroad for surgery, you are denied this privilege because you are not a resident of the place where the surgery is being done and US laws will not apply in that place. And laws in different countries are very different. Besides with a temporary visa, you have to return home – you cannot spend years in another country trying to fight a legal battle for paltry compensation, if applicable.

Safety protocols in medical tourism

That said, it is true that most countries do have systems in place which ensure that hospitals and clinics have to follow rules and regulations. All the same it does make more sense that you are going to a large hospital than a small private clinic, because accountability will be greater there.

For the same reason, doctors in large countries will have more experience with patients than doctors in smaller countries with less population. This does not mean that all places which are small are dangerous – it all depends on the doctors and the care that you expect to get.

Doctors all over the world have to be appropriately qualified at least in the country they are working in. All the same you may want to check the qualifications of the doctor you are going to and see if he has got any qualifications or certifications from your home country, to be on the safe side.

Traveling time

It is important to factor in the traveling time to reach and come back from your medical tourism destination for the surgery. Firstly, if it is a serious surgery, you may already be in pain and agony and if you have to be in an airplane for a long period you have to see how you can take it. Post surgery, too, you should be fit enough to take the traveling time, so if it means having to stay back for a longer period you should be prepared to do that.

If you want some minor procedure, you may prefer to go somewhere closer, so that you can cut down on traveling time. However, for serious surgeries you have to weigh the risks and the benefits of traveling long distances.

Pre and post care

Some organizations arrange for pre and post care in your home country including consultations, tests, investigations and the like. Others may expect you to get the tests done on your own and send them the reports. You may also have to arrange follow-up care on your own, whether it is going to a doctor for medical advice, changing dressings or medications and more.

Therefore it is important that all this is in place. If you have surgery abroad and then you have any problem on your return, you should know who to go to or where you can go, instead of having to land up in the emergency room or having to make frantic calls abroad.