Step-by-step Guide to Medical Tourism

Going overseas for surgical treatment can be overwhelming for anybody. After all, it's not like going to a hospital down the road where you have been to before and know all the doctors and nurses. To be successful in your pursuit of low-cost high quality medical treatment, there is a step by step process that you must follow to gain confidence in your decision, get the right care and save money.

STEP 1: FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE TREND OF MEDICAL TOURISM
Find out why everybody is raving about it and why they are willing to travel half the world for it. Learn from the experience of others. Read news and articles on the subject. Check out the frequently asked questions that medical tourists have at https://www.healthbase.com/hb/pages/medical-tourism-faq.jsp.

STEP 2: RESEARCH ON THE MEDICAL PROCEDURE
Find out all you can about the medical procedure in question – problems it solves, follow-up care needed, physical therapy required, etc. This will help you clear 3 doubts: is the procedure right for your condition; are you the right candidate for the procedure; and should you go abroad for it.

STEP 3: FIND OUT IF MEDICAL TOURISM IS WHAT YOU WANT
Medical tourism is not always a good choice for non-emergency medical treatments. Sometimes transportation costs may outweigh the possible savings achievable by going abroad. In some cases, the time required for the surgery abroad may be too much for you to spare. Or, the surgery you need may not be available abroad with a reputable health care provider.

STEP 4: LEARN ABOUT MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS
Some countries have the reputation for top-quality cardiac surgery while others for world-class orthopedics and yet others for cosmetic procedures. So make your selection wisely. Sometimes distance can also play an important role in your decision-making, like in the case of small dental jobs. You should also prepare yourself for culture differences.

STEP 5: LEARN ABOUT INTERNATIONAL FACILITIES AND SURGEONS
When researching on any health care provider try to find answers to the following:
Does the hospital or clinic employ the latest equipments and technology? Do they have expertise in the medical procedure you are seeking? What accreditations and awards do they have? Are the surgeons qualified enough? Where did they receive their education and training?
Answering these questions will give you a fair idea of the standard of quality of the provider.

STEP 6: ARRANGE ALL YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS
You will need them at the time of pre-consultation with your overseas surgeon as well as when you go abroad for surgery. Depending upon the condition you are treating, medical records you may need are: X-Rays, X-Ray reports, MRI's, health histories, photographs, immunization record, prescriptions, etc..

STEP 7: REQUEST AND COMPARE QUOTES
Costs of health care vary from country to country and provider to provider. So request for quotes and compare them. Your selection of a particular provider and country should be based not just on low cost but also on quality as well as distance.

STEP 8: CHECK WITH YOUR INSURANCE FOR COVERAGE
With the numerous benefits that medical tourism offers, today some insurance companies have medical tourism plans. So, if you are covered under an overseas medical treatment plan, your insurer might cover your medical tourism expenses in full or in part. So check with your health insurance company for coverage details.

STEP 9: ACQUIRE YOUR PASSPORT AND VISA
If you and/or your travel companion (if any) do not have a passport, you will need to acquire it. Check with the foreign country's embassy if a visa is required for entry and apply for it accordingly.

STEP 10: PLAN YOUR ITINERARY
When planning your itinerary, allow ample time for recovery. Be prepared to stay longer/shorter than expected. If you have travel or tourism on mind, allow time for that as well.

STEP 11: BOOK TICKETS AND ROOMS
Book tickets for yourself and your companion. After your surgery, you can choose to relax at a resort or in a hotel or go traveling in the foreign country. So if possible, make arrangements beforehand.

STEP 12: APPLY FOR TRAVEL INSURANCE PLAN
Consider purchasing one of the short-term health and emergency assistance policies designed for travelers. Travel insurance gives medical tourists coverage for unforeseen problems, from a canceled flight to a serious illness.

STEP 13: APPLY FOR MEDICAL FINANCE LOAN
If you do not have enough money for your medical treatment overseas, you may consider applying for medical loan or dental loan. Loan processing companies provide patient payment plans for plastic surgery, dental procedures, bariatric procedures, dermatology treatments, hospital, etc.

STEP 14: PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR RECOVERY
In certain cases, you may need to prepare your home for recovery. For example, if you are seeking affordable hip resurfacing surgery abroad, you may want to rearrange furniture in your house in advance before you leave to aid during the recovery stages.

STEP 15: PACK YOUR BAGS AND TAKE THE TRIP
Ensure that you have packed comfortable clothing. Bring some local currency, travelers checks, and one or two major credit cards. Keep important contact information handy. Bring all the required medical records. Remember to carry all your medical reports as well as any medicines in your carry-on luggage. Finally, take your well-planned medical trip and return home happy and healthy!

The above step by step medical tourism guide will help you with most aspects of medical tourism. To make your medical travel easy you may want to use a medical tourism provider to help you with all the logistics of medical tourism. Medical tourism providers like Healthbase (http://www.healthbase.com) connect you with the hospital of your choice while providing many other related valuable services.

You can learn more about the growing trend of medical tourism, international healthcare facilities and surgeons, and the details of the medical tourism process by logging on to http://www.healthbase.com. Healthbase.com is a medical tourism facilitator committed to providing low-cost high quality medical travel services to the global medical consumer.

Best Places for Medical Tourism

Medical tourists from different countries travel for health care purposes to those countries having quality healthcare services at reasonable prices. So they spend extra money on travel, health care and accommodations on the places of treatment. Medical tourism is an old concept because thousands of years ago people traveled for medical purposes or for spiritual treatments to different countries. Many factors are considered while choosing a destination place for medical tourism such as high healthcare services and costs, waiting for certain procedures, availability and affordability of international travel, quality and latest technology used in the treatment.

Some of the most popular places include Europe, Japan, Middle East, UK, United States, Canada and Costa Rica. These places are popular due to the quality of their health care services, technology and competency of physicians. The hospitals of Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Cuba and Turkey are popular for Cosmetic surgery treatments. Surgeons of South American countries like Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Argentine lead in plastic surgery due to their experience and knowledge. Plastic surgery is very common in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Colombia and US. Slovakia, Belgium and Poland are entering in the business of health care and medical tourism.

A large number of Americans are going abroad for health care although the facilites of health in US are also availabe. There are many intermediary companies which provide help in medical tourism. These companies offer global health care at reasonable costs. There are different commissions and societies which care for the quality and standards of the hospitals available for medical tourism. Counteries such as Malaysia, Thailand, India and Costa Rica have many infectious diseases as compare to Norht America and Europe . So medical tourists need to stay for some time in the country which they choose for health care because travel soon after surgery can create many complexities. Tourists having breath and heart related problems avoid long flights and combine their vacation tours with medical tours.

th American Places

The quality of healthcare in Canada is not less than that of America but medical tourists can save 30 to 60 percent of their costs as compare to America. Medical tourists can save up to 80 on healthcare services in Costa Rica as compare to US. Costa Rica is popular for cosmetic procedure, dental, weight-loss and orthopedic surgeries. Knee replacement surgery is very cheap so patients travel to Costa Rica for medical tourism. Patients from all over the world travel to cuba for the best quality of healthcare services and fine reputation of their doctors. Medical tourists of Europe and Latin America travle to this destination because of its situation and save up to 60 to 80 percent as compare to the charges in US. The hospitals of cuba are best known for cancer treatment, cosmetic surgery, joint replacement, eye surgery and addictions rehabilitations. the government of cuba has taken many steps to increase income from medical tourism and patients of US, Canada and UK visit cuba for medical treatments. Dominincan Republic is very popular destination for hip replacement, bariatric surgeries, plastic surgeries, knee replacement, eye surgeries and all other medical treatments. Medical tourists can save from 50 to 75 percent as compare to the costs in US. The plastice surgery and dentistry healthcare services of Mexico are appreciated by all the world. The costs of these treatments are one-fourth to one-fifth of American costs. The quality of health care services in Mexico is very high and medical tourists are satisfied.

Quality health services, location and dollar as the official currency are the reasons that Panama is famous for its medical services. The medical professionals of Panama are trained by US and use the latest technology to provide quality healthcare services. Medical tourists can save more than 50 percent of healthcare costs as compare to Europe and US. Dental implants, assisted reproduction, cosmetic dentistry, plastic surgery, cardiology, orthopedics and pulmonology are the popular procedures in medical treatments. Surgeons of Brazil have gained world wide fame in cosmetic surgery.

South American Places

Orthopedic surgeries , Cosmetic surgery, transplant surgery, eye surgery and cardiovascular are popular procedures in Colombia. Healthcare services in Colombia are cheap and foreigners can get human organs from Colombia. The doctors of colombia are experienced and have worked in many counteries of Europe and US.

Asian Places

China has gained popularity in stem cell treatments. The medical professionals of India are popular for hip resurfacing, heart surgery and areas of advanced medicine. The treatment costs in India are very low which is nearly one-tenth to the treatment costs of US. The healthcare service in Malaysia are also very popular and the doctors of Malaysia are trained in the hospitals of US and UK. New Zealand is a popular medical tourism destination for fertitlity treatments and non-acture surgical procedures. The doctors are trained in the hospitals of UK and US. The costs of healthcare services are very low as comparet to US. Thailand is popular in organ transplant and cardiac surgery at lower prices.

Europe

Moreover British and Canadian medical tourists don't wait long and travel to Germany for medical treatments. Novel cancer and spine surgery are well treated in Germany at lower prices. Dentistry services in ukraine are provided at lower costs. High class material and equipment is used in dental clinics and hospitals. There are many suitable places for medical tourism but a medical tourist chooses according to his own choice and afforability.

The Lowdown on Life Insurance Medical Exams

There are three main ways a new life insurance policy is priced: Underwritten policies are those where you answer questions on your personal and family medical history and undergo a medical exam arranged by the insurance company; a simplified issue life insurance policy application asks you some medical questions but does not require a medical exam; and a guaranteed issue life insurance policy requires no questions and no medical exam. If you're healthy, or even if you have a few medical problems, you're likely to get the best insurance value from an underwritten policy, which is priced specifically for you. Simplified issue and guaranteed issue life insurance policies set a price that assumes risk that you may not have.

Whether you're buying term life insurance or whole life insurance, you'll likely be asked to undergo a medical exam. These are typically performed by licensed paramedicals who are often independent contractors hired by the insurance company. They will schedule a visit to your home for the exam and bring all the necessary supplies. The life insurance company foots the bill for the exam.

Health questions

When you submit your completed application for your life insurance policy, your agent or life insurer will call a paramedical service to let them know you require an life insurance medical exam. The service will then contact you to arrange a convenient time and place. You must have the exam or your application won't be processed.

The life insurer may still request an attending physician's statement (APS) from your doctor, but you cannot have the life insurance medical exam done by your own physician.

In a basic exam, the paramedical will take your medical history (even though you've already supplied it on your application), height and weight, blood pressure, pulse, and blood and urine samples. Beyond that, tests will vary based on your age and policy amount.

For example, MetLife will order an in-home EKG for applicants age 50 and older who are applying for face amounts of at least $1 million. For applicants age 70 and older who are applying for $2 million policies and higher, MetLife forgoes the paramedical exam and requires an exam by an M.D. chosen by MetLife (not your own doctor). The doctor will ask the same medical questions as a paramedical and get your height, weight, blood pressure and pulse, plus do a brief medical exam such as listening to your heart.

Jacki Goldstein, Vice President of Life Underwriting at MetLife, emphasizes that this is not a comprehensive medical exam and does not include sensitive issues, such as a breast exam for women. Goldstein also stresses that the M.D. life insurance exam is not a substitute for good routine medical care.

When age and face amounts get higher, a treadmill test may be required. For example, MetLife requires treadmill tests for applicants who are at least 50 and applying for over $10 million in insurance or applicants 76 and older applying for $5 million or more.

If you're applying for a low face value policy, you may not even be asked to do a paramedical exam. For example, if you're age 40 and applying for $50,000 of life insurance, MetLife requires no specific tests or measurements. And for some cases, MetLife asks for a "simple paramed" exam, encompassing the basic measurements and blood and urine work but without the paramedical question list. Guidelines for tests will vary among life insurers.

What are They Looking For?

The life insurance company wants to know if you have any health condition that could shorten your life  which in turn affects the insurer's risk and your policy premium. When samples of blood and urine are collected, the insurer tests for HIV, cholesterol and related lipids, liver or kidney disorder, diabetes, hepatitis, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and immune disorders. The urine sample might go through routine analysis, plus screening for certain medications, cocaine and other drugs.

Results go to the life insurer's home office for an underwriter to review. You can usually send a written request if you want a copy of the results, and some insurers will automatically send you a copy of your lab work. If there's anything of concern about the lab results, you would need to consult your own doctor. Goldstein says, "It's not uncommon to have abnormalities that don't mean anything."

A life insurance underwriter then reviews your application and the results of your medical exam. They decide your life insurance rating, which sets your premium. If there are lingering questions about your health, they may request additional information or medical tests. In the very rare event you are unknowingly quite ill  chronically or terminally  your application would be declined and you would have to look for a high-risk carrier or one that offers guaranteed issue life insurance.

Don't Let Your Life Insurance Premiums Go Up In Smoke

Smokers pay higher premiums for life insurance because of their higher mortality rate. If any nicotine shows up in your results, you'll be considered a smoker. The test also detects nicotine from a transdermal patch.

After the Life Insurance Exam Results

If your test results correlate with the classification used for your original life insurance quote, you'll have no problem getting that rate. If a medical problem is discovered, you might be offered a life insurance policy with a higher premium.

There are two types of risk ratings: "flat" ratings, sometimes called temporary flat extras, and "table" ratings. Underwriters assess health conditions based sophisticated table to determine how to rate certain health conditions.

For instance, an underwriter might apply a flat rating for a short period of time for a person who has just had surgery. On the other hand, a person with high-blood pressure could receive a table rating, which increases premiums by a set amount for the duration of the policy, depending on your medical condition and age. If you disagree with a rating you receive, contact your agent.

Agents can find out if the rating can be revised based on supplemental medical tests to prove you qualify for a better rating.

Even if you end up declining the life insurance policy, your test results become part of your record in MIB Group's database (formerly the Medical Information Bureau), a clearinghouse of medical information that insurers share which stores information for seven years after you apply for a life, health, disability income, long term care or critical illness insurance policy.

MIB is jointly owned by about 470 insurance companies. So, if you go shopping around for other term or whole life insurance policies, remember that your medical information is accessible to other insurers in the near future. Note that MIB's database does not contain actual medical records but rather codes that represent medical conditions and tests, hazardous hobbies and even your bad driving record.

If you want to check your MIB file, or dispute information in it, you can obtain one free report annually at www.mib.com.

No Way, You Say?

Life insurance medical exams are really quite routine. But if you want to avoid a medical exam at all costs, you could buy a simplified issue life insurance policy, which requires only that you answer a few medical questions, or a guaranteed issue life insurance policy, which requires neither an exam nor questions.

Keep in mind, though, that if you're in general good health, or even with a history of some health issues, you'll likely get a much better rate by buying a life insurance policy that requires a medical exam.

Tips for a Better Life Insurance Medical Exam

Certain health conditions simply cannot be masked, but to obtain the best possible results, here are some recommendations:

-Get a good night's rest the night before your exam. -Don't drink for at least eight hours before the exam.
-Avoid coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks such as soda for at least one hour prior to the exam.
-Limit salt intake and high-cholesterol food 24 hours before your exam.
-Don't engage in strenuous physical activities 24 hours before the exam.

Source: Exam & Profile Services, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Disposable Medical Supplies Usa: Drop the Risk of Secondary Ailment

Progress in medical science has by a long way enhanced the health care rescue system in USA. One of the greatest performances has been the reductions and control of hospital acquired contagions. In this problem, disposable medical supplies have done a good job. By using disposable medical supplies USA, the risk of obtaining a secondary ailment while receiving cure in a health care facility has dropped radically.

Disposable medical products are the products designed for cheapness and short-term expediency somewhat medium to long-term durability, with most products only planned for single use. Toilet paper, wet wipes, paper towels, handkerchief, facial tissues, condoms and other contraception products are disposable products that are used for one time only. Other disposable medical supplies USA, that save life included enemas, cotton swabs, medical and cleaning gloves, baby as well as adult diapers, toothbrushes and dental floss. Disposable toilet paper products are used to uphold personal sanitation after human defection. Disposable medical gloves are medical safety accessories made of latex and powdered with cornstarch to grease the gloves, making them easier to use.

Safe and good medical instruments are the first choice of every doctor as well as medical products supplier. To cover the protection and happiness of patients, every medical institution and private healthcare organizations need to be eternally supply for proper medical equipments. Disposable, single use medical instruments such as containers or specula, reusable surgical instruments like surgical scissors, blades, tissue forceps, dilators and curettes medical instruments are extensively used in all medical facilities from various medical fields.

Other surgical instruments such as stands, trays and many others are also used in all medical facilities. Due to topical use of these accessories, disposable medical supplies in USA are requested in present. However proper and cost effective medical instruments are scarce resource, and reliable suppliers are very difficult to find. Disposable medical supplies are highly used products. They are manufactured to keep in mind the quality symbol and purity because this is the matter related to everyone's life. Disposable medical supplies products are available online. For this, you are to search over internet and you will find many online suppliers who are supplying these types of products with affordable prices and a quality symbol. Modern hospitals depend on medical technology to diagnose, treat and prevent from disease. Disposable thermometers are calibrated to do the same thing in the form of dots.

Medications For Erectile Dysfunction - Find the Best Cure Now!

There are many types of medications for erectile dysfunction in the market today. Finding the right cure should be taken with the necessary precaution so as to alleviate and not aggravate your medical condition.

Below are some medications for erectile dysfunction. Find the best cure for you now!

1. Oral medications

Oral medications require a certain amount of time before it takes effect. A person taking oral medication for erectile dysfunction should take it at least an hour before sexual activity.

Below are drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors. These drugs work mainly by blocking the enzyme PDE5, thus maintaining the level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP). Intake of these medications, coupled with sexual stimulation, increases the blood flow in the penis, causing erection.

Incidentally, these are also FDA-approved drugs.

PDE5 Inhibitors as Medications for Erectile Dysfunction:

Medication Developer / Distributor Unique Selling Proposition Duration Common Side Effects

Sildenafil (Viagra) Pfizer First oral medication for erectile dysfunction approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; brand name Viagra is more commonly known than its competitors 4-5 hours Headache, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, impaired vision(Applicable for all PDE5 inhibitors.)

Vardenafil (Levitra; Vivanza) Bayer Pharmaceuticals (Levitra); GSK (Vivanza, another brand of vardenafil) Nausea (Unique to this drug only.)

Tadalafil (Cialis) Lilly ICOS, LLC Known as "The Weekend Pill" because it lasts longer than Viagra and Levitra 36 hours Back pain, muscle aches
(Onset 12-24 hours after use and usually lasts up to 48 hours.)

To get a hold on these drugs, doctor's prescription is necessary.

2. Injected Medications

Unlike oral medications, injected medications for erectile dysfunction take effect automatically.

Ways to administer injected medications for erectile dysfunction:

a. Inject directly into the penis.

Injecting drugs directly into the penis causes the blood vessels to widen, allowing blood increase to flow into the organ, thus providing it with a sufficient amount of blood needed to sustain an erection. Most men achieve stronger erections when using injected medications.

b. Inject into the urethra (Muse system)

Drug is injected about an inch deep into the urethra.

Side effects are inevitable with this type of medication, especially if the instruments used are not sterilized. Most common side effects for injected medications are:

• Scarring

• Redness

• Tenderness and swelling

• Minor bleeding or spotting

• Priapism or persistent and painful erection

• Allergic reactions such as rashes, itching, dizziness, and difficulty in breathing

• *For Urethral Injection:

- Burning sensation in the urethra

Standard drugs used as injected medications for erectile dysfunction are:

• Alprostadil (i.e. Caverject, Edex)

• Phentolamine

• Papaverine

Alpostadil as medication for erectile dysfunction:

• Safe to use even for men with medical conditions such as diabetes

• Safe for men taking nitrate-based medications and prostate cancer treatments

• Unsafe for men with penile implants

• Should be taken at a maximum of 3 times per week (allowing one day rest period between for each injection)

3. Topical Medications

An example for this type of medication is nitroglycerin. This acts as a muscle relaxant which, when rubbed on the penis, can enhance erection.

Another example of a topical medication for erectile dysfunction is the TriMix Gel. A research showed that men who did not get the desired effect from oral medications such as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis, got a better response from this medication.

Precautionary measures to take when using TriMix Gel:

• Use a condom to prevent your partner from having an allergic reaction, especially if pregnant or sensitive to prostaglandin.

• Do not use if you yourself are sensitive to prostaglanding. Consult your doctor before using this type of medication.

• Be sure to wash your hands before applying the medication.

• Clean the tip of your penis before applying medication.

• Do not put more than necessary.

Simulated Medication Provides Effective Medical Training

Physicians, nurses and emergency responders work quickly in emergency situations to determine what is wrong with a patient and what needs to be done to help them. Many times this requires the administration of a medication.

It is imperative that the proper medication be administered in the correct dose. There have been too many instances of patients receiving too little or too much medication- or even worse the wrong medication, all of which can lead to disastrous results. In November 2007, the twin babies of actor Dennis Quaid received 1000 times the dose of heparin, a blood thinning medication, than they should have. Fortunately, the mistake did not result in the death of either infant, but it is reported that both experienced bleeding and required additional care.

Drug manufacturers have responded to issues such as what happened with the Quaid twins by changing the labels of different concentrations of heparin and placing large red warnings on the label of the vials. Hospitals have responded by providing for more automation of drug dispensing and reviewing and revising policies that are supposed to insure that mistakes do not occur.

A vital component of preventing medication errors must occur well before a medical professional sees patients - TRAINING. While all medical professionals receive training about medications and how to administer them, many times this training is performed with expired or re-labeled drug containers, or is just explained verbally, "I will administer 1 mg of epinephrine 1:1000, subcutaneously."

When a medical professional has made a determination as to the proper drug to administer to a patient, they must then acquire the proper drug, in the proper concentration. It is important that medical professionals examine the label of the drug container to ascertain that it is the correct drug in the correct concentration, and that it is not expired. It is also important that they examine the drug itself to be sure that it is not discolored or contain contaminants such as crystals.

The most effective way to train medical professionals in medication administration is repetition. The more times they have to find the correct medication, read its label and examine the contents, the more they develop the habit to perform these critical tasks. The more ingrained the habit becomes; the more likely they are to perform it properly during an emergency. The goal of effective training in a skill such as this is to insure that it becomes an automatic process that will occur every time a procedure takes place.

As a medical training professional, my husband searched for an effective teaching tool that could be used to develop this critical process in paramedic students. Most educational programs rely on using expired medications, which is not legal in many areas, and which does not allow for the proper development of the habit of rejecting expired or adulterated medication. Others use "fresh" drugs which becomes quite expensive. Both expired drugs and "fresh" drugs introduce safety issues into medication administration training. A manikin filled with drugs can pose a great hazard to students if the "soup" of drugs leaks out.

After searching extensively for a safe, legal and effective means to teach this important skill, my husband was sorely frustrated due to the lack of an appropriate training aid. After listening to him complain time after time, I finally asked him why we couldn't produce what he needed!

Months of research later, PharmProps, LLC was formed, offering  extremely realistic simulated  medication products that provide all of the necessary elements required for safe, effective medication administration training. As the picture shows, the simulated medications are quite realistic, but easily identifiable as training simulations due to the brightly colored labels and the inclusion of the "Training Use Only" and "Not For Human Use - Contains No Medication" tags. All of PharmProps products contain only water, for safety purposes.

Finally there is a product that will allow educators and trainers to address the medication administration training needs of medical professionals in a safe, legal and effective manner.