Medical Tourism Agency Health Options Worldwide Discusses the Benefits of Domestic Medical Travel Within the United States

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Domestic medical travel is an emerging trend with the ability to impact healthcare in the United States in a big way. "The reason we advocate domestic medical tourism is that we give patients another option besides going overseas for medical care," said David Goldstein, president of Health Options Worldwide (HOW), an online medical tourism agency, "It is very possible to get safe, quality care that's cost-effective right in this country."

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100629/NY28392LOGO )

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100629/NY28392LOGO )

"The most important aspect in traveling to a hospital outside of your own region is to make sure that you are not only saving money, but you are getting safe, high quality care, and that is only best guaranteed right here in the U.S.," said Goldstein. One major benefit of domestic medical tourism is the ease of coordinating follow-up care between the patient's local physician and the surgeon.

However, domestic medical tourism will really take off if American hospitals can establish themselves as specialized centers of excellence. In fact, Orlando, Florida, which is already a well-established vacation destination, is beginning a citywide promotion to distinguish themselves as a medical tourism destination. The city is developing a 7,000-acre complex called Medical City, which will be attached to the new University of Central Florida Medical School, expected to open in 2011.

Another major advantage of domestic medical travel is the fact that all American medical facilities and physicians are regulated by accredited organizations. American physicians need to go through a rigorous credentialing process and complete an American residency program in their specialty to be board certified. Other benefits to domestic medical tourism include:

• Access of legal recourse
• Low cost for elective high-cost major surgeries
• No language or cultural barriers
• Shorter traveling distance compared to international medical tourism

When it comes to domestic medical travel, Goldstein offers these helpful tips:

• Research on the Internet – HOW provides details on U.S. doctors, hospitals and healthcare facilities.
• Check accreditation – Joint Commission accreditation is mandatory but also look for proof of excellence, especially in the surgical procedure you are researching such as proven evidence-based guidelines and comparisons with other hospitals.
• Check doctor credentials – Find out how many procedures they have performed and their outcomes; more experience means better the outcomes.
• Talk to the doctor – This will provide you an opportunity to get your questions answered.
• Travel with a companion – This person will be your support and your advocate, but make sure you are in compliance with the HIPAA privacy requirement.
• Find out hospital travel logistics – Usually a patient care department can assist you with this. Some hospitals allow companions to sleep in the hospital room during recovery.
• Arrange follow-up care and set up a conference between your personal doctor and your surgeon – It is the best way to ensure continuity of care in case a problem arises.

SOURCE Health Options Worldwide