Introduction to planning your medical vacation: step by step guide

There is a new type of tourism gradually gaining popularity around the globe: medical tourism. This is simply put, a two-in-one trip where you would take care of your medical conditions and have a vacation at the same time. This type of tourism is particularly popular with those living in developed countries where the cost of medical treatment is prohibitive in spite of health insurance. There are many conditions, which can be treated as good, if not better, abroad at a fraction of the cost. The bonus is that you can also use the trip as a vacation.

The must-dos for a medical vacation

The first thing that a medical vacation should offer you is value for money. The total cost of the trip should be less than the local cost of the treatment of the condition you are suffering. This is the first and foremost pre-requisite of such a trip. There are many more factors that would determine the quality of your trip. Here are some priceless tips to help you get the best out of your medical vacation:

1. Research well – word-of-mouth advertisement is great for an idea; when it comes to taking a decision however, you need to back it up with solid facts. Find out as many details as possible about:
   1. the best location where your condition can be treated;
   2. identify the hospitals in that location and get into contact with the respective doctor(s) regarding your conditions;
   3. zero in on the location that gives you the most satisfactory answer; find out about the quality of treatment, costs and time required for the procedure;
   4. look up the qualifications, experience and expertise of the doctors you are about to consult.

1. Avoid mediators – these are the people or organizations, which get rich using your ignorance. Use regular travel agents as soon as you decide on which country, city and hospital you want to visit. Mediators usually earn commission from local hospitals therefore, they might be inclined to sell you less-than-the-best hospitals in order to get their commission.

1. Pay attention to the vacation aspect – your first concern should be finding the best possible medical facility that provides you excellent treatment at a lower price. Once you identify this place, start researching on what are the best attractions in its vicinity. You also need to ascertain whether it would be a good idea to have the vacation followed by the medical treatment, before or concurrently.

1. Advance planning – this is one factor that could save you about 20-30 per cent of the total cost of your medical vacation. Booking air tickets, hotel accommodation, sightseeing tours, and so on would save you not only a great deal of money, but also headache and effort. Try connecting with international brand local travel agencies for such arrangements.

1. Consult your doctor at every step – whatever you decide about your treatment have your family doctor informed. You, as a layperson, might not be able to understand all the details about the treatment procedures. Before deciding upon the country and hospital, consult your doctor and have him or her endorse the process. Take into confidence the doctor whom you are planning to consult in the host country and establish the fact that you want your medical practitioner updated about the process as and when it is done, so follow up at home would be smooth.

The don’ts of medical vacation

Be careful about the following:

1. Health safety standards – though large hospitals maintain international standards of hygiene and health safety, it pays to ensure this fact. Do not stop at certification as such documentation can be obtained through corrupt organizations. Look for local recommendations, reviews, word-of-mouth feedback and other such foolproof methods.

1. Costs – be careful to compare the costs not only with other countries, but also with other cities and even hospitals. You will find wild variations, and higher costs do not always mean better service.

1. Contingency plans – things can go wrong even with the best planning. When it is a matter of health and you are in a foreign country, it pays to take some extra precautions. Inform your Embassy about your plans so in case something untoward happens to you, there would be some enquiry into the matter. Ideally, you should have a companion with you to manage the money matters and watch out for you.

1. Emergency contact: Know what to do if you are robbed off your money, if you loose your passport and other important documentation such as credit cards, identity proof and the like. A good idea is to have all you documents scanned and uploaded in our email or virtual drive. It is better to be extra cautious than sorry later.

1. Cultural differences - You also ensure that you know what is and what is not acceptable behavior in the society of the host country and respect these boundaries.

Online resources:

• http://medicaltourismguide.org/ - this website is an exceptional resource on medical travel. It offers advice, tips, and up-to-date information about many aspects of this type of tourism.
• http://www.indiamedicaltourism.biz/goa.htm - this is a website that presents to you India as one of the most beautiful and rewarding medical destinations you could choose. There are details about visa, hospitals, stay, sightseeing and many other details.
• https://www.healthbase.com/hb/pages/medical-tourism-tips.jsp - here is a very comprehensive checklist that any medical tourist should read.
• A site about the European Commission who is beginning to embrace medical tourism by supporting transnational regulation for healthcare in the EU.