Medical Tourism: The Increasing Popularity of Traveling Abroad for Medical Procedures

Traveling outside your home country for a medical procedure–called medical tourism–is an increasingly popular reason to travel.

While these trips are sometimes best taken solo, some people want the support of the familyduring their procedure … even if that support involves the kids fighting or complaining about boredom on occasion. If nothing else, staying close to your family’s normal routine may make you feel more relaxed ahead of your procedure. Of course, depending on the severity of the condition, a medical procedure can merely be an excuse to see a new country with your family as well.

Whether travelling solo or with a family, safety should always come first!

Keeping Everyone Safe

Whether or not you decide to take your family with you for the out-of-country medical work, you’re going to want to take some precautions before you leave. You don’t want to have a family member fall ill on the trip, possibly infecting you and forcing a postponement of the procedure. And you don’t want to be worrying about an ill family member, causing stress while you wait for your procedure. To stay healthy when traveling, follow these five tips:

1. Keep hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes with you to minimize the number of germs with which you and your family may come in contact.
2. Finding just the right amount of exercise can be difficult when undergoing a procedure for medical tourism. You don’t want to overdo it and exhaust yourself just to make sure your family members are exercising, so check with your doctor about what is recommended.
3. Proper hydration is a key to good health for all family members. Just make sure each family member has his or her own water bottle, so you don’t share any potential illnesses.
4. Make sure all of everyone’s immunizations are up to date before leaving the country for a medical tourism trip.
5. Traveling is exhausting, so maintain time for rest in your schedule.

Eat Healthy Foods 

Another challenge when traveling is making sure you’re eating the best foods for your health. Fast food is convenient and the kids may beg for it, but it isn’t always the healthiest option. Five of the most important foods you should be sure to eat on your medical trip abroad are:

1. Many types of beans, such as kidney beans and black beans provide fiber and protein, while remaining low in fat.
2. Vitamins C and K are commonly found in all types of berries, which can be carried as a snack.
3. Granola bar. A low-sugar, low-fat granola bar is a much healthier option than a candy bar, for example. Anything similar that you can carry easily as a healthy snack is a good option.
4. Green vegetables. Broccoli and spinach have the vitamins A, C, and K, which are important for health while remaining low in calories.
5. When choosing meat, look for low-fat options, such as fish or chicken breast.

Choosing to Take the Family

You’ll have to think extensively about whether you want to take your family on your medical tourism trip. Thoroughly consider all of the pluses and minuses before making your choice. Look closely at the infographic attached here for some advice about your trip.

And try to make the decision well in advance, because you do not want to be juggling schedules at the last minute, adding to your stress. While it might be tempting to make your medical tourism trip into a family vacation, it might not be the best idea for your health. Instead, consider taking the family if you return for a follow-up visit, when you may be feeling stronger and when the trip should be less stressful!

AQ Medicare