Medical tourism is a growing trend for patients around the world who are looking to take advantage of lower costs for various treatments and procedures in different parts of the planet. However, there are many cases being mentioned across the planet where those choosing to look outside their country for plastic surgery options which have not gone to plan and resulted in more surgical options being required by individual patients; the associated costs with many plastic surgery procedures taking place outside the U.S. before a patient returns can be high as researchers discovered 78 cases of patients needing care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the U.S. according to Science Daily. Dr. Usha Rajagopal of the San Francisco Plastic Surgery and Laser Center is eager to explain the financial burden medical tourism can cause for the individual when they make their way back to the U.S.
A growing number of issues
The researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital discovered a number of problems were associated with the use of foreign surgeons including antibiotic-resistant bugs and foreign objects in the wound site being common problems. Commonly used procedures were among those with the largest number of problems including abdominoplasty and breast augmentation; obviously, upon returning to the U.S., patients make their way to Dr. Rajagopal to have these common complications treated and put right.
Differing regulations
One of the most common issues for surgeons such as Dr. Rajagopal is the fact the medical training and qualifications required in each country differ and can be confusing for a U.S. citizen looking outside their home nation for lower cost plastic surgery procedures. In the U.K., the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons explains the standards and qualifications required to obtain and maintain a license to practice various procedures may not be as stringent in a different country as they are in the U.S. and U.K.
Before agreeing to a surgery or signing any contract the surgeon should be able and willing to give details of their qualifications and training to reassure the patient they are fully experienced and capable of performing the procedure to the highest possible standard. In fact, BAPRAS states for both medical and financial reasons every surgeon should be pleased a patient is taking care of their own research when choosing the right surgeon for their needs.
Medical tourism is not what it seems
Dr. Usha Rajagopal is also concerned about the growing trend for plastic surgery procedures to be packaged as part of a vacation detailed as a way for the individual to enjoy a break from everyday life and complete the surgery they hope for. The cost of a vacation and plastic surgery will be large and the vacation aspects of the trip will largely be ignored as recovery times will not allow any individual to enjoy themselves as they would on a normal trip to a foreign land.
Delayed flights cost extra money
Just how safe is it to fly after a major surgery such as a breast augmentation or other cosmetic procedure? This is a question Dr. Rajagopal is often faced with and her response is now a standard discussion on the dangers of deep vein thrombosis; a DVT can be a major issue which threatens the life of a patient and is made worse by air travel and surgery to mean the dangers are immense pf combining the two. Delaying any journey obviously adds extra monetary burden to a patient as does a DVT issue where medical assistance is sought.
Insurance problems
When heading to another country for a plastic surgery procedure many patients simply extend their already in place travel insurance to the country they are traveling to for the procedure. However, it is important to check the policy carefully as many insurers now include clauses removing coverage from those attending a foreign clinic for a cosmetic surgical procedure without a policy being negotiated with the insurer specifically with this in mind.
Aftercare varies by country
In the U.S. and U.K., a contract with a plastic surgeon usually includes a certain amount of aftercare agreed upon being undertaken by the team working at a clinic such as Dr. Rajagopal’s San Francisco Plastic Surgery and Laser Center. However, in other areas of the world a contract to complete a surgical procedure solely refers to the procedure taking place and experienced surgeons such as Dr. Rajagopal take over the care of a patient when they return to the U.S. Obviously the low-cost procedure will then rise in price as Usha Rajagopal takes over the care of a patient and makes sure every aspect of the procedure undertaken outside the U.S. meets the high standards of a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
In the long term, Dr. Usha Rajagopal believes the best choice is to contact her office and discuss the different options available to a patient contemplating traveling abroad to complete a plastic surgery procedure.