Tuesday, June 24, 2008

AMA Offers Tips on Medical Tourism

Categories: Medical Tourism

The American Medical Association, in its annual meeting held in Chicago last week, issued its first-ever guidance for patients considering traveling abroad for medical care.

The fledgling medical tourism industry is gaining interest and attention as hospitals around the world -- in India, Thailand, Guatemala, and elsewhere -- are, as a recent BusinessWeek article made clear, marketing their new facilities and services. An estimated 150,000 Americans are expected to receive care overseas this year.

The AMA acknowledges that people with limited resources and even companies searching for lower-cost medical care for their employees are turning to medical tourism.

But the AMA lists nine principles to guide consumers venturing into medical tourism, including making sure the decision to seek care outside the U.S. is voluntary, that facilities are accredited, patients are well-informed about risks, and that there are provisions for follow-up care.