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Hip Surgery Abroad – is it the Right Choice for Me?
by
Pamela Maunsell
It might seem strange but hundreds of people are opting to have their hip surgery abroad. As hip replacements in Malta, Poland and India become more common place lets look at the reasons why.
Whats the Benefit?
The benefits in terms of costs and short waiting lists have been well publicised but many would-be patients are now realising that quality is another real incentive in having hip surgery overseas.
Financial: it comes as quite a shock to many insured patients to find that they are inadequately covered and that their insurance company expects them to cough up a significant contribution towards the costs. Usually this realisation only comes at the time surgery is needed and when it is too late to do anything about.
For those without insurance the option of paying privately may simply be impossible.
Waiting lists: although waiting lists are usually associated with government provided health care, private providers are not exempt from keeping people hanging about; another real shock for people whove paid their contributions regularly and expect to be given the care they need when they need it.
Quality: how much say do you have over who does your surgery in your own country or which hospital you have it in? You may have a wonderful government funded consultant but will he be doing the operation himself? Having insurance doesnt mean you can pick and chose who operates on you either. The surgeon will need to meet the insurance companys specifications in terms of costs as well as qualifications. The only way to guarantee getting the surgeon of your choice in your home country is to pay for the procedure yourself hugely expensive.
If you chose to be operated on abroad you can decide who you want to operate on you and where.
Many of the surgeons working with medical tourists have trained in the UK or USA.
Costs and Timing
The cost of surgery overseas is significantly cheaper than in countries like the UK (about 8,000) or the USA (a whacking $40,000). Countries like Bulgaria, Tunisia and Poland are all offering a hip replacement for around 3,000 / $4,500
Of course you need to factor in additional costs like flights and accommodations and a post-surgery stay in the country as you wont be able to fly immediately. On the plus side you can use this additional time for recuperation, physiotherapy and a short holiday. The savings on physiotherapy alone should be significant; and how much nicer to do your exercises in the sunshine?
Depending on the type of procedure you have your hospital stay could be anything from 2 days to 1 week (rarely longer) and you will need a minimum of 10 days post op before flying – to reduce the risk of a deep vein thrombosis. Obviously the further you fly to your hospital the longer you need to give yourself to recuperate before the return trip. The type of surgery you have will also be a factor.
Where to Travel
As medical tourism becomes more established the list of countries offering orthopaedic surgery grows. Top quality hip replacements are currently available in Poland, Malta, Belgium, Tunisia, Norway, South Africa, Mexico and Hungary. India is also a highly viable option with some first class orthopaedic surgeons.
If the thought of making all the travel and accommodation arrangements seems daunting then the good news is that once youve found a service provider for your hip replacement they will be happy to help with everything else. Clinics have found that providing a tailored made package for their patients eases a lot of the stress and anxiety associated with travelling abroad for surgery. A good package will include transportation, transfers, accommodation and follow up treatment such as physiotherapy.
Choosing a Hip Surgery Provider
Research is essential. Get onto the web and start checking out credentials. What qualifications does the surgeon have? With which bodies is the hospital or clinic registered? Ask questions about their infection rates, MRSA rates, and revision rates. How long will they expect you to stay in country post-op? Can they offer physiotherapy? Dont be shy make sure you ask all your questions before you sign on the dotted line.
It is always worth Googling the clinics name to look for reviews by former patients.
Some clinics are now associated with health care centres in the UK and the USA and it may be possible to have an initial interview and assessment with a company representative near your home.
Medical Tourism: the Future
Medical tourism is a growing market mainly fuelled by growing concerns about future funding of health care both in the UK and the USA
In response to this demand a number of specialised medical tourist agencies are now available to help you. Travel and medical insurance providers are also responding to this new market and offering cover on overseas operations something Id strongly advise you looked into.
Is it Right for Me?
Hip surgery abroad is not going to be the best solution for everyone but if you have any worries about accessing a high quality hip replacement in your own country and within your own time frame, then it is certainly worth having a look at the overseas market.
Pamela Maunsell had her first hip replaced in 2009. She is currently waiting to hear which joint her consultant is going to tackle next!
After the op Pamela set up a one-stop information site for everything to do with hip replacement surgery called www.hip-replacement-and-recovery.com
For more information on hip surgery abroadArticle Source: Hip Surgery Abroad – is it the Right Choice for Me?
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