| As medical costs skyrocket in the US, many | | | | logged. Read through any complaints and see if |
| people are turning to health care outside the | | | | they have been resolved. This is also a good way |
| country to save money. Unfortunately, if you | | | | to find additional information about the doctor or |
| have a problem or the job gets botched, you | | | | hospital because blogs or message boards that list |
| have no recourse. You can try suing the institution | | | | problems, will often have rebuttals or other |
| or the doctor, but this means you will have to | | | | recommendations. |
| return to the country for the court case. There is | | | | Tip #4 - Find medical tourism review sites - Do a |
| little to gain, as pain and suffering settlements are | | | | Google search for medical tourism reviews. This |
| largely unknown outside the US. Your best bet is | | | | will often lead to blogs or review sites that have a |
| to avoid problems by doing research in advance. | | | | wealth of information. You may find information |
| So how do you pick the right hospital? | | | | that leads you to a better deal or at the very |
| Tip #1 - Go to the hospitals website. Most | | | | least confirms your choice. If you see a review, |
| hospitals list any International Accreditation if they | | | | try using the Instant Message function found on |
| have any. This is a great indicator. The Joint | | | | most review boards to get in touch the with |
| Commission International makes sure hospitals | | | | reviewer. Most people are anxious to tell you if |
| have state-of-the-art health care and technology | | | | they found the best deal going or if they had a |
| along with advanced transportation and | | | | bad time. |
| communications systems. JCI accredited hospitals | | | | Tip #5 - Call the hospital and the doctor who will |
| health care standards, professionalism and quality | | | | be doing your procedure. Prepare a list of |
| of doctors are equivalent or superior to those | | | | questions that you want answered. If they don't |
| you would find in the United States. | | | | have the time to talk to you or don't speak your |
| Tip #2 - Review the Doctors listed at the hospital. | | | | language, you may want to find another doctor |
| Most hospital website list the doctors they have | | | | or hospital. If you don't feel comfortable speaking |
| on staff. They will present a short bio of the | | | | to them over the phone, you probably wont feel |
| doctors including their specialties and Alma maters. | | | | secure when you get to the hospital in person. |
| They should also list their specialties. If you are | | | | Medical tourism is the rage for elective surgeries |
| unfamiliar with the schools or universities they | | | | like plastic surgery. Many people have had |
| attended, do a Google search. This can tell you a | | | | procedures done for a fraction of what they |
| lot about the quality of their education. | | | | would have paid at home, but there are just as |
| Tip #3 - Do a Google Search on the Doctor. | | | | many horror stories. Doing your homework in |
| Often, you will get no further information. | | | | advance can save you a lifetime of suffering. |
| Sometimes you will find complaints have been | | | | |