FAQs

What is medical tourism?

Medical Tourism (also known as health tourism or medical travel) is a term to describe the trend where people travel from one part of the world to another to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care. In 2005, more than 500,000 US residents traveled abroad for medical or dental treatment, according to the National Coalition on Health Care.

Is medical tourism safe?

This is the first, and probably the most important question that comes to mind when talking about medical tourism.

Any medical surgery or procedure, no matter where it’s carried out, entails some risk. In order to reduce this risk, we work hard to research & provide our clients with information on various options for high quality medical facilities.

The following are some of the important things that we consider when we add any health care provider to our network (one or more of the below):

• ISO 9000 certified or accreditation from Joint Commission International (JCI), USA. (JCI is the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which evaluates quality standards of US hospitals). If they are not yet accredited by either of these, they should at least be working towards these certifications or accreditations. They follow the best practices and quality standards in the industry.
• Track record of quality service, no waiting time, personal attention from doctors. Feedback that we get from previous patients enable us to obtain this information.
• Medical staff with experience working in medical institutions in US, Europe or other advanced countries is preferred.
• Certified by one of the leading medical prosthesis manufacturing company in the world.
• Staff who speak English or have an English speaking interpreter available for international patients.
• Excellent infrastructure (clean A/C rooms, TV, Internet connectivity)
• Comfortable accommodation and facilities for any one accompanying the patient.
• Licensed to practice in their home country.

What procedures are available?

Medical, cosmetic, dental, diagnostics, infertility and cancer treatment, and many other medically-related and surgical procedures.

How much do I save?

Savings can be from 30-90%, depending upon the procedure and the destination.
A cost comparison between India, US, and UK for some popular medical procedures:

Why does it cost so little?

The difference in cost is caused by labor and insurance costs, and not by a lack of quality. A good portion of health care costs in the U.S. and UK are tied up with administrative(labor cost) and insurance costs.

What about quality?

Many of the doctors from these institutions have been educated and have worked in the USA or a developed European country. Many of our partners have a strategic partnership with leading US institutions such as Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical International.

Also, unlike many other places, there are no waiting lines.

Can I know the doctors’ credentials?

Yes, we provide you with the doctor’s professional credentials.

Do I need to tell my doctor?

You are not required to tell your doctor at home. However, we recommend that you discuss your thoughts about having a medical procedure abroad with your general practitioner. We can facilitate correspondence between your doctor and the relevant physician at one of our partner facilities, if you wish.

What should I tell my doctor?

When you first tell your doctor about planning a medical trip abroad, the initial reaction of your doctor may be immediate approval, but, in some cases, it may be skepticism. What you can do is, provide your doctor with more details on the credentials of the medical facility that you are considering, the physician’s background & other trip associated information (we can help you with this). This should address your doctors concern, if any. Twenty five percent of the physicians in the USA are from overseas, so US physicians are quite aware of the global medical care quality.

In rare cases if your doctor is against medical tourism, encourage him to do a research on the medical care facility & physicians we deal with. He/She will be surprised to know that these are better equipped than many local facilities.

Do the doctors & medical staff speak English?

Yes, in most cases the doctors know English. If not, someone in their staff is competent in English and helps bridge any communication gap.

If I’m taking a companion, when can he or she travel?

The companion can travel with you. He/she would need a valid passport & may need a visa as well(this depends on destination country and country of origin/citizenship). We can, again, help in this regards.

Where do I stay?

This is, again, where we come to your assistance. As an individual, not only finding the right medical center, but also the right accommodation that meets your & your companion’s comfort could be disquieting. Before you leave for your trip, we work with you to make sure you are booked in an accommodation of your choice & liking.

Does Medical Tourism Corporation give healthcare advice?

We don’t give any medical advice. Your primary care physician or the physician you choose from our network can do it.

What happens if I need follow-up?

Follow-up, if needed, can be done by a doctor of your liking in your home country. We suggest that any follow-up, if needed, be arranged prior to your trip abroad.

What Does Medical Tourism Corporation charge?

Based on your medical history, we provide you a free cost estimate with details of medical facilities & physicians.

We don’t mark up the medical or travel related expenses. Our service costs you nothing. Sometimes, you save due to the special airfare or hotel rates that we can arrange.

If I deal directly with the hospital will my medical expenses cost less?
No. The hospital charges the same. The benefit you have when you go through us is that we help you with a lot of information that we have already researched. Plus, unlike going directly to an overseas hospital where you do your own trip planning, we provide a complete package support (pre trip planning & destination support) for free.

Why should I choose Medical Tourism Corporation?

• Track record of helping hundreds of people with a successful trip abroad.
• A US Corporation.
• More you can learn in the “About Us” section.

What do you do with my information?

We recognize the importance of confidentiality of your medical and health-related information. To serve your medical needs, we pass your information to our network of hospitals for their assessment. You can read more in the Health Privacy & Confidentiality Statement.

How do I get started?

Complete the online application form which will give us a good idea of your needs. We will get back to you.

Where are you located?

We are based in Plano, TX in USA. We also have a physical office in India. Also, we have agents in other parts of the world where our network health providers are located.

What if something goes wrong?

The medical centers we deal with have invested millions of dollars & would not like to have the adverse affect of any negative publicity affecting their business. They take great care to make sure that the patient is satisfied and the results are successful. At the same time any surgery or medical procedure entails risk & successful results cannot be guaranteed by anyone.

Why are US physicians willing to recommend getting treatment overseas?

In many cases the physician cannot suggest any feasible procedure to the patient in the USA, due to the patient’s financial incapacity. Also, many super specialist physicians in the USA are already overbooked.

Does Medical Tourism Corporation not hurt the US or UK medical system?

On the contrary, Medical Tourism Corporation helps people who cannot afford a medical procedure due to their finances or due to a long wait list. These people have to silently suffer & are liable to be less productive.

Isn’t it expensive to travel overseas for treatment?

Compared to the savings in the medical costs, travel cost is usually negligible.

What’s included in the cost of care?

Each quote details what is included. Please feel free to clarify, if you have any question on the quote, once received.

Can I have more than one medical procedure at the same time?

Yes, it may be possible. However, this will, depend on the doctor’s assessment of your case. This may be more cost beneficial.

Who will be dealing with details of my case during my trip?

Each patient is assigned to a case-manager (CM) who will take care of all details relating to their visit and successful return & recovery.

Step-by-step, how does the process work?

Refer to flowchart

What if I can’t find the procedure I’m interested in on your website?

It is very possible that the procedure you are looking for is not listed in our application form or website, but there is a good chance we cover it. Send us a query on what you are looking for & we can provide you the information you need, if available, or request it from any of our network hospitals.

Is medical tourism right for me?

Ultimately, it’s a personal decision.

Will I need any travel documents?

Yes, depending on your country of origin and/or citizenship & country of destination, you will need a valid passport and/or Visa (we can help you with this, as well).

What patients are most likely to use the medical tourism?

Patients most likely to use medical tourism are those whose medical insurance do not cover an expensive procedure at home, or the co pay is very high, or the medical procedure is not available at home.  Another case is where there is a long queue for getting the medical help in their home country.

I don’t know anything about my destination country. Will I be safe? How will I get around?

You will not be left alone without help anywhere you decide to go, unless you choose to. Before your trip, you will be briefed on what to expect.

What are the risks?

There is an inherent risk in every medical procedure. Our focus is to minimize the risks involved by working only with accredited hospitals, and certified medical professionals who deliver high quality of care.

For example, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center in Delhi, India performs nearly 15,000 heart operations each year, and surprisingly the death rate among patients during surgery is only 0.8 percent. This is less than half the equivalent rate in most major hospitals in the United States.

Do I need to get inoculated?

Although you are NOT REQUIRED, the CDC recommends immunizations. They are different for each country.

What does the package include?

In most cases, the medical package includes the following. Please refer to the quote provided to you for up to date information.

• Pre surgical consultations
• Transport to and from the Airport or Hotel if required
• Surgeon and Anesthetist fees in relation with the operation
• Operation theatre fees and medical and surgical appliances costs in relation with the operation
• Nursing care, diagnostic and therapeutic services costs during in-patient stay at the Hospital in relation with the operation.
• In-patient drugs and dressing, implants
• In-patient X-ray and physiotherapy as prescribed by Surgeon
• In-patient accommodation and meals

What does the cost for surgical treatment exclude?

• Any drugs prescribed following patient’s discharge from the hospital
• Any care or service relating to any complications that may arise, which is not related to the Patient’s Surgical Treatment (additional costs will be charged to Patient in accordance with the Hospital’s standard charges prevailing at the time of the complication.)
• Any service or care relating to major complications that may arise during the Patient’s operation, which necessitates Patient’s transfer into an Internal or External Specialized Intensive Care Unit. Additional costs relating to the said major complication treatment will be charged to the patient in accordance with the standard charges prevailing at the time of the complication.
• Any in-patient stay extension in the hospital, with regard to the initial length of hospitalization, in relation to the Patient’s surgical treatment, and decided upon, due to medical reasons, by the patient and the surgeon. In such an event, costs relating to the in-patient stay extension will be charged to the Patient and paid by the Patient immediately to the Hospital.