FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY SHOULD I TRAVEL OVERSEAS FOR SURGERY OR DENTISTRY?
Deciding to travel overseas for treatment, surgery or dentistry is becoming very popular way for people around the world because it offers you the freedom to access high standards of medical care, clinics, internationally trained specialist surgeons and facilities at a much lower cost, without the waiting lists and high overheads at home.
Overseas medical travel costs of treatments and procedures are much lower than here in Australia, the US and many other countries. The lower costs of hospital care, nursing, surgery, insurance is because of the generally lower cost of living in South East Asia.
The high standard of care received in overseas hospitals and recovery environments suits many clients who have experienced an impersonal medical system at home. With Meditrav, you will have the benefit of highly experienced, caring professionals who will ensure your comfort, safety and recovery is their highest priority.
Overseas surgery affords you with a greater privacy and anonymity, which some people prefer as they undergo surgery and recovery.
ARE THE DOCTORS, SURGEONS AND HOSPITALS QUALIFIED?
Meditrav has carried out all the checks necessary to ensure that our partner clinics, hospitals and their surgeons and specialists are internationally accredited, highly experienced surgeons, with safe ethical procedures, who meet, and often exceed, the standards of care that patients expect at home. The hospital and clinical facilities are accredited in their own country, to international standards, and offer the most up-to-date equipment, treatments and facilities in the world. Generally, the nurse/patient ratio is also higher than hospitals at home.
Most are accredited by USA non-profit organisation Joint Commission International or JCI. There are stringent criteria each facility needs to establish and maintain to retain their accreditation.
If you are doing your own research, via JCI you will quickly see that our partner’s doctors and surgeons have been trained at some of the most prestigious hospitals and universities in the world. Many of the surgeons were educated and trained in the US, Australia, Europe and UK, and have met the most rigorous international standards of training.
WHAT ARE THE MEDICAL RISKS?
At Meditrav, we want you to make an informed, trusted choice about the risks and benefits of overseas medical travel. Every medical treatment or surgical procedure can carry a medical risk. With overseas medical travel through Meditrav, the risks are no greater than using a qualified surgeon at home.
We have carried out the due diligence, research and necessary check to minimise the risks involved by working only with accredited hospitals and certified medical professionals, who deliver to an internationally recognised standard of care and ethics.
We are open and transparent about our surgeons, clinics and hospitals, and encourage you to research our partner clinics and doctors for yourself, if you wish.
Depending on your surgery, travelling too soon after an operation might increase the potential for complications. At Meditrav, we recommend you allow plenty of time to recover in the country where the medical procedure is done and follow your Doctor’s advice on this.
IS OVERSEAS SURGERY COVERED BY MEDICAL OR TRAVEL INSURANCE?
Basic travel insurance will cover you for travel related matters, depending on your level of cover, but it will not cover you for elective surgery should there be any complications.
You must check with your own private health insurance provider to find out if they will cover you for any complications when you return home, as the range of cover and claimable circumstances differ depending on your individual cover and needs.
However, there are products on the market that offer medical complications combined with travel cover for you, during your journey and after you arrive home for up to 6 months . Speak to one of our case managers to learn more or go to medical travel cover.
WHY DO I NEED A CONSULTATION?
If you are thinking about having dental surgery or medical treatment, you need to have clear, realistic expectations about the results, and the full recovery process that any form of surgery requires to achieve the best results.
Our Doctors, Dentists and surgeons are your accredited medical experts, who will guide you through the process of determining the procedures that best suit you and your goals as well as giving you a personal consultation based on your current situation and medical history. They may ask you for images, x-rays or medical reports if you have them, so that they can begin your assessment, and once you arrive for treatment, they will examine you physically to ensure that it is safe to proceed with the initial treatment recommendations.
Your Doctor can answer any of the questions you have about the treatment, surgery, recovery process and best practice and self-care to ensure you are aware of how to maximise the benefits of the healing process.
A consultation allows you to ask as many questions as you like, so that you can find out exactly what to expect, how long you need to spend in recovery, what you need to know about any risks or side-effects, and gives you the knowledge you need to make a fully informed choice about your decision to proceed with cosmetic surgery.
The first step is speaking to a Meditrav case manager. Call us on +61 2 8310 6696 or office@meditrav.com.au
HOW LONG IS THE RECOVERY PERIOD?
Your recovery period depends upon the treatment, surgery and procedures you have chosen, your general health and age, and the recommendations of your Doctor.
During your consultation, your Doctor will advise you about the minimum length of stay in hospital and recommended recovery time. Once the surgery is complete, and you have been discharged, there will be follow-up appointment with the hospital to ensure you are recovering well and when it is safe to travel home.
You will need to consider a minimum stay of 7 – 14 days after your treatment, surgery or procedure to allow yourself time to recover physically and emotionally from the surgery, and to feel confident and safe to travel home. Though your Doctor will provide more detail on this.
If you are having multiple procedures, your stay will most likely be longer, and some procedures, such as abdominoplasty will require a minimum stay of 21 nights.
You can stay as long as you like once the treatment is complete, and you can enjoy some of the local attractions at your destination.
Your post-operative care and personal recovery is one of the most important elements of any procedure, and your surgeon will advise you on the full recommendations for recovery at your destination, and when you return home.
WHY DO I NEED TO PLAN AHEAD?
You will need to plan ahead to book your travel and accommodation according to the recovery time required for the procedures you decide to have. The most important part of the planning is to give yourself enough recovery time to ensure the best results. Your surgeon and your Meditrav case manager will give all the information you need to plan ahead.
Meditrav offers a range of travel, accommodation and transport services, and the assistance of a qualified travel manager to help you choose the best options for your overseas trip.
Meditrav also offers a full on-ground patient care team and optional personal concierge to assist your through the recovery period, with trained local experts available to ensure your transport, hotel, and follow up visits to the Doctor are as smooth and seamless as possible. Call us on +61 2 8310 6696 to speak to one of our experienced case managers who can answer all of your questions and assist you in making your plans.
CAN I SPEAK TO ONE OF YOUR CLIENTS?
CAN I BOOK MY OWN TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION?
Yes. With Meditrav you have the freedom to choose your own flights and accommodation or, choose to book through our travel team. We do strongly recommend that you choose our accommodation providers, so that your recovery and safety can be closely monitored by our patient care team and so that you can use our personal concierge, if you wish.
We have carefully selected our accommodation based upon the proximity to the hospitals, and on their reputation for customer service, modern amenities, English-speaking staff and location. Our patient care team will greet you at the airport, transport you to your accommodation, take you to and from hospital and check in with you daily for surgery patients. They can take care of many of your extra needs and ensure that you are supported end-to-end throughout your Meditrav experience overseas.
Your comfort, safety and recovery is important to us, so we’ve taken extra care to ensure that our accommodation understands and can meet your post-treatment needs.
If you book your flights with us, your travel manager will do all of the work for you, and ensure you have the best available flights and options.
WHAT DO I NEED TO PREPARE AND ORGANISE FOR OVERSEAS TRAVEL?
When you book medical or dental treatment overseas with Meditrav, we will make sure you know exactly what you’ll need to be ready to travel overseas.
Once you have confirmed your surgery and travel arrangements, we will email you and send you a hard copy of your comprehensive patient guide that will contain all the information you need to arrive and return home safely.
Your travel manager will advise you on any visa requirements, and your passport will need to be valid for a period of at least six months from the date you are expected to return home.
You will always have access to assistance, support and care on hand, and your case manager will be in touch with you overseas to follow up and ensure that your experience going smoothly.
WHAT’S IN THE PATIENT GUIDE?
1. A full check list
2. Travel itinerary including flights, accommodation and ground transport arrangements
3. Currency and banking advice
4. Doctor appointment dates and other hospital appointments
5. Hospital and surgical appointment contact details
6. Patient Care Team contact details and names
7. Personal Concierge service contact details and names
8. Advice on suitable clothing and personal items you can pack to ensure you are comfortable as you recover
9. Your case manager's contact details should you have any questions or require additional assistance