Assessing Risks of Medical Tourism for Cosmetic Surgery
Note: Follow-up to 9/9 post on medical tourism.
Despite growing evidence of its considerable risks, medical tourism is becoming increasingly popular among budget-conscious Americans. Lured by enticingly low prices, some Americans are traveling overseas for popular cosmetic surgery procedures. Unfortunately, few medical tourism patients realize the serious risks they face. Recent studies (see our previous post) have found that after returning to the U.S. more than half of medical tourism patients require post-operative care for complications directly related to their foreign surgery and/or were forced to undergo multiple corrective surgeries to repair botched results.
Cleveland cosmetic surgeons and their colleagues nationwide are deeply concerned about the lack of follow-up care provided when patients travel overseas for complicated cosmetic surgery procedures and the serious, potentially life-threatening nature of the complications medical tourists face when they return home. Rampant infection, the most common complication, calls into question the cleanliness of overseas surgery facilities.
The frequent need for corrective surgery has also led Cleveland cosmetic surgeons to question the medical credentials and expertise of medical tourism providers. When the cost of post-operative U.S. care is added into the equation, “cheap” medical tourism can wind up costing far more than cosmetic surgery here in the US.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has published the following guidelines on medical tourism:
- Medical tourism must be voluntary.
- Financial incentives should not limit the patient’s diagnostic, treatment or referral options.
- Medical care should be performed in an internationally accredited facility.
- The physician should be properly credentialed and licensed.
- Local U.S. follow-up care and its cost should be arranged before leaving the country.
- Patients should be aware of their legal rights and recourse.
- Transfer of medical records to the U.S. should follow HIPAA guidelines.
- Patients should be aware of the risks.