Jun 18 2012
Phuket and its plastic surgery
If you have ever desired to receive any type of plastic surgery for a fraction of the costs, Phuket is the place to go. Located in Thailand, Phuket has become the world leader in the field of plastic surgery. The cost of a breast augmentation in the United States is roughly $6,000. While the same surgery in Phuket including a round trip plane ticket and hotel accommodation comes to approximately $3,000. With half of the financial expenses depleted plus the extra bonus of a vacation to the world renowned Phuket, many people are diving head first into the world of Medical Tourism to obtain expensive healthcare procedures.
The Medical Tourism sector has skyrocketed since the last decade. Due to increasing healthcare costs, patients are looking to other countries to receive healthcare at lower costs. Patients are intrigued and pleased with the idea of receiving a cosmetic dental procedure while spending their recovery time on the beaches of Antigua. Many countries have developed strong reputations for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgeries, cardiac surgery, in-vitro fertilization and gender reassignment procedures. When patients are not able to afford these procedures in their home countries, low-cost medical tourism destinations provide the opportunity to obtain the procedures for a fraction of the costs. Medical tourism destinations also provide patients with the opportunity to immediately receive procedures that may have long waiting lists in their home country. Because the medical tourism sector is a steadily growing market, many healthcare professionals, facilities, and insurance providers are starting to provide services to accommodate the medical tourism patients. In the United States, Blue Cross Blue Shield now provides insurance policies that enable patients to have expensive procedures at a low cost medical tourism facility.
Unfortunately with any medical procedure there is always the risk of medical malpractice involved. When complications occur from a medical procedure performed in a destination facility, legal recourse in the international arena is nearly impossible. Courts in the United States are less likely to “long arm” any physician or facility and require them to appear in a U.S. court without the establishment of sufficient minimum contacts. This only leaves the patient with the option to file their medical malpractice lawsuit in the country where they traveled to receive treatment. For the medical tourism patient the cost of suing in another country may create a serious financial burden and depending on the laws of the country, the patient may not recover even a third of the incurred costs. The legal issues surrounding the medical tourism sector are profound. It is imperative that the healthcare professionals, medical tourism patients, and insurance companies are aware of the possible liabilities and difficulties that may emerge in case things go wrong.
An answer to resolve legal issues that surround the medical tourism sector is to use and apply contract law. Applying contract law, the parties may enter into an agreement that provides the choice of venue, jurisdiction, and which countries’ law will apply in case of a dispute. The parties may also opt to include an Alternative Dispute Resolution clause that will provide them with a legal course of action in case of dispute. Because many things can go wrong in the healthcare setting, a contract may help limit liabilities and provide answers before the travel and procedure even begins.
Medical Tourism Training, LLC is a company located in Boston, Massachusetts that prides itself on providing the best online and on site training programs for the Medical Tourism rookie. The programs are based on international standards and use the best business practices. They provide credible information for anyone looking to break into the medical tourism sector. The company designs its courses to build the awareness of the importance of medical tourists. Providing courses on the legal issues of medical tourism, Medical Tourism Training, LLC is the ideal resource for medical tourism information.