The American Medical Association (AMA) has taken a formal stance on medical tourism, and the biggest news is, perhaps, this: They aren’t against it.

“We need to address the cost of care in the U.S. and cover the uninsured so that every American who needs health care can get it right here at home,” said AMA Board Member J. James Rohack, M.D. “Until there is significant action at home, patients with limited resources may turn elsewhere for care. It is important that U.S. patients have access to credible information and resources so that the care they receive abroad is safe and effective.” (Emphasis added by the moderator)

Rohack’s statement was part of a news release today coming out of the AMA’s annual policy meeting in Chicago. The association said its nine principles regarding medical travel and tourism “are the first-of-its-kind, and outline steps for care abroad for consideration by patients, employers, insurers and third-parties responsible for coordinating travel outside of the U.S.”

“For those patients considering medical tourism, the new AMA principles are an important starting point for consideration before making the decision to go abroad for health care,” said Dr. Rohack.

In a preliminary statement, Stephanie Sulger, RN, MS, vice president of the consumer division of BridgeHealth International, said she “is very pleased to see the AMA addressing this issue.”

“The guidelines the AMA has put out are comprehensive and show that they have given a lot of thought to the implications of medical travel for the U.S. healthcare system and, most importantly, for patient safety and well-being,” Sulger said. “We welcome the AMA to the discussion of how to make sure patients who travel for medical care, often for financial reasons, get the best possible care.”

To ensure that insurance companies and others that facilitate medical tourism adhere to the new principles, the AMA said it will introduce model legislation for consideration of state lawmakers.

The nine principles given by the AMA are:

(a) Medical care outside of the U.S. must be voluntary.

(b) Financial incentives to travel outside the U.S. for medical care should not inappropriately limit the diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives that are offered to patients, or restrict treatment or referral options.

(c) Patients should only be referred for medical care to institutions that have been accredited by recognized international accrediting bodies (e.g., the Joint Commission International or the International Society for Quality in Health Care).

(d) Prior to travel, local follow-up care should be coordinated and financing should be arranged to ensure continuity of care when patients return from medical care outside the US.

(e) Coverage for travel outside the U.S. for medical care must include the costs of necessary follow-up care upon return to the U.S.

(f) Patients should be informed of their rights and legal recourse prior to agreeing to travel outside the U.S. for medical care.

(g) Access to physician licensing and outcome data, as well as facility accreditation and outcomes data, should be arranged for patients seeking medical care outside the U.S.

(h) The transfer of patient medical records to and from facilities outside the U.S. should be consistent with HIPAA guidelines.

(i) Patients choosing to travel outside the U.S. for medical care should be provided with information about the potential risks of combining surgical procedures with long flights and vacation activities.