Safety consideration & Certifications

•The first issue to reflect on should always be safety. Before agreeing to any service it is very important that you do your homework and make sure that the medical provider is devoted to strong patient safety regulations.

•The medical provider should also comply with international standards and practices. One way of assuring this is by looking for international accreditations. These certifications will assure you of receiving quality treatment and care. To find out more about accreditations, click here.

•Ask for a clinical track record and credentials of the hospital, clinic, doctor or healthcare provider.

•Investigate what the doctor's experience in performing your type of surgery/treatment is and how many operations/treatments of this type he has performed before.

Cost

•All though the beneficial cost of the actual procedure might seem very little and attractive, make sure to take all costs included under consideration. Make a calculation of the total expenditure including all transportation, food/drink, accommodation, aftercare, VISA fees etc.

•How is the payment transaction of the treatment handled?

•Will the provider refund any advance money paid by you, if you do not take their services?

Insurance & Liability

•Do you have a personal insurance that will cover potential occurrences?

•What kinds of guarantees does the medical provider give you? Legal procedures might be limited in various countries and you might be unable to seek compensation via offence lawsuits.

•What is included in the provider’s Terms and Conditions?

•Make sure that the health facility has an adequate complaints policy to deal properly and fairly with complaints made by dissatisfied patients.

•Does the destination country or the healthcare provider offer compensation to victims of medical negligence for noneconomic damages? If so, up to what extent are misconduct awards provided?

•Look into if the destination country of your choice requires a VISA for entering and staying in the country, how you can obtain this and the charge for this.

Facilities and Non-medical related considerations

•How are the accommodations and facilities? Does the provider have its own accommodations or is it affiliated with an adjacent resort or vacation facility?

•Does the provider have the specialized medical equipment necessary for the type of surgery or medical procedure that you require?

•Try to find information regarding other non-medical related considerations, such as location of the facilities, transportation to and from the facilities and what kind of food that is served.

•If you’re uncomfortable with English or the language spoken at the destination where you are going,make sure that the provider offer translation services.

Care Considerations

•Medical tourism facilities have different standards of care in different countries. Some countries have very different infectious disease-related epidemiology to for instance Europe and North America. This can weaken your immune system and prolong the recovery time. Therefore; make sure your medical provider has high patient safety standards, which is generally the case at international hospitals.

•Look into the quality of post-operative care. For medical procedures that require longer recovery periods, you might need to make postoperative arrangements on your own. This might mean consulting a local doctor in your hometown. Also remember to set aside an appropriate amount of time for recovery and rest before you enter the flight back home.

•Investigate what kinds of activities you are allowed to engage in after your procedure and which ones you should avoid.

•Make sure to receive a remote evaluation from your physician abroad before you decide to accept the terms and conditions.

•Make sure that you if needed easily can contact the medical staff of your healthcare provider abroad when you have returned home.

•Make sure that your own local doctor is aware of any treatment or surgery that you will undergo and seek the doctor’s advice on possible aftercare needs.

•Ask if a companion is needed during aftercare.

•Are there any return visit requirements involved?

•References and testimonials

•Usually, the most reliable source for information is former patients. Ask the provider for references and contact information for previous patients with similar medical cases as yours (all though keep in mind that the cases referred to you will presumably only show happy and satisfied customers). Seek recommendations from people you trust.

•Get involved and participate in online communities, such as Novasans.com, and get first-hand recommendations, tips and advice. Visit our forum and blog to interact with others sharing your interest.

•Look at ratings/reviews of the providers to find more useful information.

Last but not least; remember that the decision to use an overseas healthcare provider is solely yours. You should not undergo any medical treatment abroad without fully understanding the quality and safety of the healthcare provider and the risks involved in the procedure.