The selection of a Medical Tourism provider is the central element in choosing to travel for a medical procedure. With the right preparation the decision can be an informed and reassuring one. Doctors, dentists, and nurses all train in highly regulated medical programmes and standards allow verification of training across borders and regional boundaries. Hospitals, dental clinics and the laboratories that support them are often subject to rigorous examination. Top class, reliable facilities are proud of their reputations and advertise their qualifications and awards. When choosing a medical provider you should have a checklist of questions in your mind.

The correct skills

Make sure the medical provider you choose has a good track record in the procedure you require. Medicine and dentistry can be very specialized. Experience in one area does not mean that skills will be transferable to a different type of procedure. Look for testimonials from patients and figures showing the number of your treatments the facility carry out. Some specialties have their own professional associations: check to see if the practitioner you are interested in is a member of these organisations. Plastic surgeons should usually belong to a country’s society for plastic surgeons; cardiologists will have their own society etc. Such societies are not just members clubs; they are a strong force for spreading good practice, information on new and safer techniques and often carry out checks on members to ensure standards are being maintained.

Reputation

Press reports and patient stories are a useful source of information on any medical practice. Check the Internet for news articles on the provider of your choice. Internet chat boards often detail experiences of individual providers. Discussion is usually quite balanced with patients defending the reputation of facilities where they have received good care, or condemning bad practice. Medical providers are very aware of the strengths of a good reputation and will seek to correct any detrimental or outdated information. It can be hard to judge a facility on the basis of a few scattered reports but a string of reports, good or bad, can help you form an accurate picture.

Accreditation

For hospitals and laboratories accreditation can be a valuable indicator of a dedication to quality. Accreditation generally means more than compliance with a basic licensing requirement. The concept has developed to encompass a methodology where constant organizational monitoring is performed in a continuous bid to improve practice. The approach is holistic with both the managerial aspects of hospitals as well as medical care being taken into or international account.
Government accreditation, such as that given by the Joint Commission International (JCI), is a benefit to any organization. But the absence of accreditation need not signify a lack of standards or an unwillingness to promote quality. Some health providers are sufficiently confident of their own processes of improvement to feel accreditation unnecessary. The Vienna Hospital Association is no newcomer to maintaining and improving standards and the city has for centuries been a watchword for progressive healthcare. Its internal processes monitor and encourage excellence: Lack of JCI accreditation is no indicator of poor standards here.

Training and qualifications

Medical providers should be able to provide you with detailed backgrounds on all the medical staff at their facilities, the training they have received, and the areas they specialise in. Graduates of dental and medical schools around the world, often travel for part of their training. Philippine doctors and professional nurses are a common site in American hospitals; Indian doctors may practice in the Middle East or Europe. This movement of professionals leads to a cross-pollination of good practice from region to region. It also helps to reassure a Medical Tourist if a doctor or dentist has spent time practicing in their home country.

Emergency procedures

Exclusive private clinics in beautiful surroundings may sound enticing but what happens if something goes wrong? Except in the most basic cases, there is always a risk attached to any medical procedure. Facilities should have emergency procedures in place to deal with any such eventuality. A large hospital will have a broad range of specialists who should be able to deal with any eventuality. Smaller facilities should have the ability to transfer patients to hospitals in case of emergency and should be able to accurately inform staff in the hospital of what complications occurred and why.

• » How To Choose
• » Tips And Advice
• » Links And Resources

This information is intended as a guide only. Always consult with a trusted qualified medical practitioner before considering any potential treatment.