In recent months, both the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons have issued new position statements regarding destination healthcare (or its less serious cousin, medical tourism). What’s interesting about this occurrence is not that it happened, but rather the recognition by both bodies of the important role destination healthcare can play when properly structured and delivered. The American College of Surgeons described it this way:
“Residents of the US may choose to pursue medical care abroad for a variety of reasons, including a real or perceived lack of services available at home; limits imposed by payors or regulatory agencies on access to certain specialists, treatment protocols, equipment or services; prolonged waiting periods, lower costs of care; and personal reasons.”
ACS goes on to recommend that patients “seek care of the highest quality” and encourages its member physicians to “assist all patients in reaching informed decisions concerning medical care, whether at home or abroad.”
This is a dynamic position from the American College of Surgeons as it recognizes some critical elements of premier quality medical care:
- Certain medical procedures which have only been recently approved for use in the US, like hip resurfacing, or are still in research trials, like some stem cell treatments, have been available for patients outside the US for several years.
- There are certain medical specialties, procedures and equipment that are better delivered in hospitals that lie outside the US.
- Wait times to see medical specialists in the US have risen by more than a week in recent years (American Medical Journal report).
- Personal medical expenses have risen to unsupportable levels. A health insurance policy that cost $1000 per month in 2001 now costs $1975, and employers are being forced to shift much of that cost to their employees whose wages have not risen fast enough to keep up. Sixty percent of personal bankruptices include medical expenses as a major factor, and 75% of those people have health insurance.
Both groups comment on the need to plan in advance for follow-up care when a patient returns to the US. This is often cited as a drawback to medical tourism.Many describe it as an unwillingness by physicians to treat a patient that has been treated elsewhere. However, those commentators miss the point.
A gastric bypass surgeon recently shared the concern with us succinctly this way: “I have no problem treating a patient from another quality doctor. I do worry when someone who has a poorly done gastric bypass surgery wants me to do all the subsequent procedures, which starts with correcting the mistakes of the original doctor.” A primary care doctor added his perspective by saying that almost all his patients are treated somewhere else (a different form of destination healthcare) and return for follow up. For him, having access to medical records and the treating physician, if needed, are important. At China Connection Global Healthcare, we agree and have integrated procedures to make sure you have access to elite physicians and that your records and doctors are available for your home doctor on your return.
Both groups also encourage patients to evaluate and understand that legal systems around the world vary, so the nature of legal recourse will be different from those in the US. This is a positive step from earlier positions taken by the AMA, in particular, and from the uninformed comments of too many writers who suggest that there is no recourse available. Certainly, distance will be a factor in bringing a legal action in a foreign country; however, it is hardly an insurmountable obstacle. Among other concerns that arise are the relatively small size of damage awards, based on a combination of differing concept of awards or currency conversion (e.g., a 2,000,000 Rupee award in India is about $41,600); a legal requirement that the lose of a lawsuit pays all costs; and differing laws defining medical malpractice.
The AMA and ACS agree as well on the importance of understanding the risks of post-surgical travel. We share that position at China Connection. The physicians at our Destination HealthCare Network™ do too. As I’ve noted before, once a scalpel is involved, I’m not on vacation, and I suspect the same is true for you. Before starting return travel an appropriate period of rest and recovery is crucial, and the doctors with which we work understand the implications of air and ground travel for you as a patient. This is an important difference from many providers and one we hope you consider carefully.
It’s clear that American medicine recognizes the value Destination HealthCare™ offers. For more information on how you can benefit, we encourage you to contact China Connection Global Healthcare at www.chinaconnection.cc.
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Without question, medical services from abroad will be part of the mix to solve the health care crisis.
Are there possible risks like post surgery travel? Certainly. I am far less worried about legal recourse. The litigious nature of the industry in the US is part of the problem.
There are no Silver Bullets. However, this is a significant tool at our disposal that can not be ignored.
It is sad that wages are not meeting the demands of rising health care costs. This wouldn’t even be a concern if costs in the U.S. were more manageable.