Since this morning, my Viigo alert on my blackberry started waves of bad news about a medical tourism, and its just not coming to end.
Early morning, I read article in Australian online magazine, about a patient went to Thailand from Australia and suffered because of lack of proper communication and good services at Thai hospital.
The wave continued throughout the day and got intense with the news of superbug spreading across 13 countries, getting a new name ‘super superbug’. Already affected 77 patients. Medical tourism was to blame. For super superbug, we must identify the pattern, the way it spreads. We must rule out any commercial invovement and give it due attention it deserve.
Towards the evening, just few hour earlier read an article about a botch surgery on Swedish patient by a polish hospital, as patient is in comma from last three month. Hope that patient will recover soon.
I suppose this is most terrible day for Medical tourism industry.
From last one year, I am putting efforts to research on how to provide most updated information to patient on medical tourism pros and cons, as I am finishing guidebook.
My answers are getting bigger. Now, there is so much to tell. Initially, I thought medical tourist know basics, like you should not go to a doctor or hospital who doesn’t speak your language. You should not go to a place which doesn’t provide quality healthcare services. But it seems medical tourist are lured by flashy websites and are not aware of complications.
This is just not dangerous for patient, it is equally dangerous for medical tourism growth as media will love to highlight any such news.
Is medical tourism all bad?
The fact is medical tourism does offer great benefits like cost saving, easy accessibility, availibility and additional care. But one must decide for medical tourism based on careful preparation, one shouldn’t compromise on quality of care. It shouldn’t be driven with cost saving alone. There needs a meticulous planning for medical tourism.
I hope, we will be able to put words together to educate patient/consumer so he/she demand nothing but excellence. Its only patient’s demand which can raise and encourage ethical, legal and quality practice in medical tourism. Only then we can see true growth of industry focused on patient care.
Dr Prem www.DrPrem.com