Plastic Surgery Abroad Is an Operation, Not a Vacation

interesting..

Alan of MN 7:35PM July 22, 2008

Looks like everyone posting here has some interest in Medical Tourism as an agent themselves, etc so I will add my perceptions that actually come from BEING a patient myself in a foreign land!

I am very proud to have been one of the only Medical Concierge companies mentioned in Jeff Schult's book, Beauty from Afar! We spoke of the importance of patient aftercare and continuum of care more than 3 years ago when he was researching the book and came to our Conference and Reunion in Florida.

Those looking at "savings" must absolutely look at the whole system that the hospital and or doctor AND especially Medical Tourism company (if you are using one) has set up to SERVICE THE PATIENT!

Quick example: I had a peer (ultimately, she was NOT my client/patient but had inquired about our services months back while researching her trip to Brazil for reconstructive plastics) call me, out of the blue, desperate because she was about 2 weeks post op from her plastic surgery with a surgeon she picked herself in Sao Paulo... that had ALL the bells and whistles behind her name (ISAPS, SBCP, Etc!) and she thought she was going to die. She was needing very specific post op care that was NOT being given or facilitated by the surgeon OR the hospital. There was no system of aftercare or nursing to her hotel as she was recovering. She had developed a seroma, an infection and necrosis... and THEN, the surgeon didn't know how to medically manage this particular patient with these particular symptoms (she was post op bariatrics with healing issues as it was) and refused certain treatments just because they weren't "standard protocol" post op plastics! This patient ended up spending 2 months longer in Brazil than she had planned and close to US$100K (more than double her original budget estimate) due to this simple lack of post op care structure AND association with a surgeon who did NOT have the experience with THIS kind of patient (post op WLS) and a track record to prove it!

I just presented at the Consumer Health World Conference in Las Vegas, NV regarding the "Patient Experience" and tried to illustrate exactly this, succinctly, to not only consumers but the insurance companies and others looking at sending patients abroad looking for "savings." How quickly savings and satisfaction are lost if the entire system is not adequately prepared, experienced and dedicated to patient satisfaction and care.

Christina deMoraes of CA 1:54AM May 14, 2008

... can be extremely valuable to a patient when it is about a doctor, surgeon or facility in which he or she is contemplating for personal care.

It can be a little misleading when simply used to "balance a story." Though I'd never advocate doing so -- people get successful plastic surgery all the time without doing much more research than did the poor woman who went to Bolivia. They do it in the United States and they do it abroad.

Patients should bear in mind that they aren't choosing a medical system. They're choosing an individual doctor or surgeon. Surgeons who have established, international practices are generally forthcoming about their experience and facilities.

Jeff Schult

Author, Beauty from Afar: A Medical Tourist's Guide to Affordable and Quality Cosmetic Care Outside the U.S.

http://www.beautyfromafar.com

Jeff Schult of MA 4:48PM May 03, 2008

I totally agree that there are well qualified plastic surgeons worldwide. So why the hesitation?

Let's assume that you have done careful research and found a highly qualified physician with excellent medical facilities and equipment standards.

You know you can save money going abroad, but there are still other factors to consider.

You will need post-operative care. Sometimes this is short term, but at other times a complication might arise. How long are you willing to stay in this foreign country waiting for complete recovery?

Even routine post-op care (such as changing dressings and monitoring healing) can be necessary for several weeks—long after your “vacation” is over.

Now here is a second thought to ponder. What if, after several months have passed, you begin to notice that your eyes have healed just a bit unevenly or your tummy could do with a little less fat. Even if your surgeon has assured you that any needed revision surgery would be covered under his initial fee, are you willing to take another flight to return abroad for just a touch up? Or would you decide to "make do" rather than repeat your surgical vacation safari experience?

Finally, although traveling to a foreign country for vacation surgery sounds exotic and fun, vacations are rarely compatible with surgery. You need to heal. You need to rest. Trust me, you won't want to be going off sight seeing in the weeks following surgery, nor would it be in your best interest to do so. Will you be happy being holed up in a hotel room far from home, distant from family and friends? Maybe you will be fine with that kind of isolation - content to rest, read a good book or two, and be pampered by strangers. But most surgeons encourage their patients to get out and mingle with friends and family as soon as possible. They know isolation dampens the spirits while being surrounded by loved ones helps lift one out of the doldrums.

So think it through carefully

· Is the physician qualified?

· Are his medical facility and equipment safe?

· How will my post-operative care, including complications, be handled?

· What are the potential risks and side effects for the particular

procedure(s) I am considering?

· How long am I willing (or able) to stay abroad?

· Are vacation and travel activities compatible with my health and the type

surgery I will undergo?

By Lois W. Stern

Author of SEX, LIES AND COSMETIC SURGERY

The above comments are excerpted from my Sept. 2007 newsletter posted at:

http://www.sexliesandcosmeticsurgery.com/Newsletter.html.

Lois W. Stern of NY 1:40PM May 02, 2008