The Importance of the Joint Commission International

Everyday more insurers, employers, and consumers are selecting a medical travel package to add to their health insurance plan. As the medical travel industry grows in major countries, the standard of care across the world continues to grow as well. Nevertheless, many wonder how new hospitals and doctors are measured, and who sets the standards for medical travel?

The Joint Commission International is one major organization helping to keep a standard of care for international health care. On their website, they describe themselves as a “non-profit organization focused on improving the safety of patient care through the provisions of accreditation and certification services.” They also offer education and advisory for organizations across the globe.

Joint Commission International uses a set of standards and tools to evaluate and present point of reference for hospitals and doctors. Hospitals and doctors overseas accredited and certified by the Joint Commission are often the best, and give insurers, employers, and consumers a sense of comfort when traveling for medical purposes.

The Society for Quality in Health Care accredited the Joint Commission International in 2007, providing them with even more legitimacy. Now, the Joint Commission International has accredited more than 220 health care facilities in 33 countries, and is continuing to work towards a high standard of patient care across the globe.

References:
http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/about-jci/
http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/

U.S. vs. Other Countries on Chronic Illness

According to a study published by healthaffaris.org, the U.S. is drastically lagging behind other countries in care for the chronically ill. Chronically ill patients in eight different nations including Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, and the U.S. were asked about their experiences with healthcare in their country. Patients surveyed had conditions including cancer, diabetes, depression, and heart disease.

Chronically ill U.S. patients have the most complaints about their healthcare system. Over half claimed to abstain from some form of medical treatment or care due to the high-cost of care in the U.S., and over 40 percent spent more than $1,000 out of pocket on healthcare needs in the last year. In addition, 1/3 of patients claimed that they received delayed test results, incorrect diagnoses, or the wrong medication. Compared to other countries in the survey, the U.S. is far behind on treatment for the chronically ill.

The rise in U.S. healthcare costs and the decline of quality care is providing more reason for Americans to consider medical travel. Healthcare in the U.S. for chronically ill patients is much worse than other nations with similar economic status, and this is pushing Americans to look towards medical travel as a solution.

References:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4AC10720081113

The Expansion of Medical Travel in South Korea

South Korea is quickly increasing their stake in the medical travel industry with a variety of innovative solutions. Currently admired by medical travelers of Southeast Asia, South Korea is now focusing on expanding their medical travel program and reaching out to the U.S., Japan, and China. Recently, they announced a goal of attracting 100,000 medical tourists per year by 2012.

South Korea has already built a stellar reputation around their specialty in plastic surgery, but is quickly gaining recognition for their future in stem cell research and biotechnology. With over $400 million ($430 billion won) invested in stem cell research, South Korea is hoping to be among the top three in the field by 1215.

However, South Korea is not only focusing on innovative fields of medicine, they also offer a variety of tradition Korean alternative treatments for medical travel.
The medical travel industry is bound to benefit greatly from the aspiration of South Korea. Patients traveling to South Korea for medical travel experience top-notch technology, and outstanding care for much less than in the U.S. Estimates put a stay in U.S. hospitals at 13 times more than in South Korea.

South Korea’s innovation and investment in the medical travel industry has put them at the top of the list for patients looking for surgery abroad.

Reference:
http://www.koreahealthtour.co.kr/eng/korea-medical-travel.jsp

Risk Prevention for Medical Travel

Traveling overseas for medical care is certainly a cheaper solution for many American consumers, but it brings with it a variety of concerns. While every surgery carries an inherent risk, there are additional risks when traveling abroad that consumers, employers, and insurers should consider. These may include complications with the procedure, cultural differences, and language barriers.
One case, as illustrated by Niko Karvounis on Healthbeatblog.org, tells of a woman who traveled to Thailand for plastic surgery only to return to the U.S. and discover that the surgery had gone wrong. Because the surgery was performed in Thailand, she was not successful in taking legal action.

While certain risks are unavoidable, there are many ways to prevent them. Some of these include:

Research – The internet is a place with readily available information on doctors, hospitals, and travel options. Patients should research their options online as much as possible before traveling overseas, receive recommendations via word-of-mouth, and investigate any potential problems before traveling.

Accreditation – U.S. or internationally known organizations, such as Johns Hopkins and the Joint Commission International, accredit the top hospitals abroad. Employers, insurers, and patients should use hospitals accredited by a known organization.

Training and Certification – Many doctors working overseas in the medical travel industry receive training and certification in the U.S. Insurers, consumers, and employers should fully research their potential doctor’s credentials, and verify their training and certification.

References:
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/10/01/13-smart-questions-and-quick-answers-about-medical-tourism.html

The Effect of Medical Travel on U.S. Healthcare

The increase in American medical travel has sparked a heated debate about whether it is beneficial to the U.S. healthcare system. Advocates of medical travel, such as GlobalChoice, believe that Americans seeking less costly medical care abroad will lower the cost of healthcare in the U.S. – naming it as a solution to rising U.S. healthcare costs. Essentially, employers and insurers pay less for procedures abroad, and as a result leave less demand for expensive U.S. care. This gives the cost of U.S. healthcare nowhere to go but down.

Those against medical travel ascertain that it may damage the healthcare system in America – lowering the cost only by 2 percent, providing insurers with too many extra duties, and leaving some patients without the care they need. They claim that because U.S. healthcare costs relate to supply-side issues and not demand, the cost of U.S. healthcare will not sufficiently decrease. In addition, those that travel abroad for medical care are often those who pay into the U.S. system - helping to pay for the elderly, poor, and others who can’t or don’t want to travel for care – and are essentially increasing costs for those groups by spending healthcare dollars in other countries.

The medical travel industry only continues to grow, and the absolute effect it has on the U.S. healthcare system is yet to be seen. Either way, healthcare in the U.S. will have to cope with the increase of medical travel, and the pros and cons that come with it.

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Examining Medical Travel in Panama and Mexico

The cost of healthcare is steeply climbing in the U.S., and consumers are looking for less expensive alternatives close by. Panama and Mexico are two nearby countries that offer a variety of healthcare opportunities for American patients looking to travel and save money on care. Both Panama and Mexico specialize in specific procedures that patients benefit from.

Panama – Panama is not only a country known for its beauty, but also for outstanding healthcare. U.S. citizens save an estimated 50% on medical care by traveling to Panama. Panama offers top care in the fields of dentistry, plastic surgery, cardiology, optometry, orthopedics, and assisted reproduction. Hospitals in Panama provide physicians trained in the U.S., and supply top-of-the-line medical technology and equipment. Panama hospitals are affiliates with a variety of international organizations such as Johns Hopkins International, Harvard Medical Faculty, Baptist Health International of Miami, and other well-known organizations.

Mexico – Many Americans are traveling across the border to receive quality dental and plastic surgery procedures. Mexican dentists have been increasing in popularity due to their high quality of care and significantly lower cost. Bariatric and weight loss procedures have become popular among U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico for care as well. These procedures often cost 75% more in the U.S., and hospitals in Mexico meet all requirements for medical travel while using the latest technology.

References:
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/medical-tourism-in-mexico-and-panama-392199.html