When shopping for a new car or even a small, inexpensive item, you’ll probably consult a buying guide or try to find out what other people who have bought the product in the past say to help you make smart buying decisions. But when it comes to shopping for health care, do you do the same? You must.

Health care has gone global today. The rising cost of health care in the US has led many Americans to seek health-related services in other countries. There are vendors all over the world selling health care packaged in attractive and attractive packages on the internet. And people buy health products on the Internet just like they buy products. In such a market, it becomes all the more important that you review the medical tourism consumer guide before embarking on your medical travel journey.

Here is a quick consumer guide for your reference when purchasing medical tourism services.

Can medical tourism solve your problem?

First, find out the problems you want medical tourism to solve. For most people, it is the high price that their local hospital asks due to lack of insurance or the long wait for surgery. You may have another problem, but will medical tourism help you solve it? Find out if medical tourism is right for you by reading facts and frequently asked questions about it.

What are your expectations with the medical procedure you are seeking?

Is the procedure you are seeking elective or medically indicated? Find out as much as you can about the medical procedure in question. This will help you answer some questions: Is the treatment right for your condition? Are you the right candidate for this treatment? in case of obtaining this treatment abroad; what physical therapy and follow-up care you will need; whether you need the procedure urgently or can wait, or in other words, when is the right time to get care; how much time you will need to be away from work (which will include not only the time you will be abroad for the surgery but also the recovery time upon your return); etc.

What countries are out there where you can get treatment?

Consult the different international destinations that offer the treatment you require. Some countries are known for offering good orthopedic treatments, some for their heart surgery, some for cosmetic treatments, and some for their dental work. Travel and lodging costs add to your final bill, so consider those costs not only when calculating expected savings, but also when choosing an international destination for your treatment.

How do you tell the good provider from the bad?

The Internet has given anyone and everyone the freedom to sell their service, making it all too easy for the consumer to land in the wrong place. When studying about a particular hospital or clinic, don’t be fooled by slick websites offering services for sale. That, of course, does not mean that slick websites offering healthcare services for sale are not genuine. The point is that you should do your own research on the hospital or clinic you are considering. Ask people who have used your services in the past. Read their customer testimonials. Find out about your doctors’ certifications, qualifications, training, and experience. Give them a call and find out what equipment and technology they use. All of this will give you a fair idea of ​​the quality of the health care provider. Request quotes from different vendors and compare them. As you will notice, costs vary from country to country and from provider to provider. You should not automatically select the one that offers the lowest price, but should base your decision on the quality of care provided.

Are your medical records in place?

Put all your medical records in order. At the time of the pre-consultation, your foreign doctor may request your digitized medical file so that he can assess your condition and prescribe a course of treatment.

Do you already have your passport and visa?

Next, get your passport if you don’t already have it. Any companion traveling with you must also purchase their own. Depending on the destination you are going to, you may need an entry visa and therefore also need to apply for one for yourself and your companions.

Book your transport and accommodation

Reserve your tickets and hotel rooms in advance. After your surgery, you may choose to recover in a hotel or resort or travel abroad if your doctor allows. But travel or tourism should always take a back seat to your medical trip abroad.

Take proper follow-up care

Finally, remember that your treatment does not end with your surgery. How you follow aftercare rituals as important as your surgery. If necessary, prepare your home for recovery before you leave for surgery, such as rearranging furniture. Also, if you have even limited insurance coverage, find out if and how much your insurer will reimburse. Even a small amount can help.

The medical tourism consumer guide above will help you make good decisions when buying medical care abroad. To make your job easier, you may want to use a medical tourism service provider to help you research, plan, organize, schedule, and book your medical travel. Medical tourism providers like Healthbase connect you to the hospital of your choice and provide many other related services while saving you valuable time, resources and money.

You can learn more about medical tourism, international healthcare providers, and details of the medical tourism process by visiting http://www.healthbase.com. Healthbase is a medical tourism facilitator committed to providing high-quality, low-cost medical travel services to the global medical consumer.