Why travel for medical care?
        1.  To access high quality medical care at lower costs
        2.  To avoid long waiting periods for surgery or other treatments
        3.  To obtain procedures that may not be available where you live

Can a trip for medical care be combined with a vacation or time for recuperation?
Absolutely. Visiting new destinations and combining one’s needed medical procedure with a recuperative vacation can be a dream come true. Depending upon your particular condition, and with the approval and advice of your treating doctors, we encourage participating in sightseeing and tourist activities during your trip. Being involved in enjoyable, stimulating activities can have a beneficial effect on your spirits and may even support the healing and recovery process. Also, becoming familiar with the country is advantageous should you choose to return in the future for additional treatment.

Will I need a passport or visa?
Yes. For some countries you only need a passport. For others you need a passport and visa. Make sure you have at least six months left on your passport before it expires, as that is a requirement of many countries. Be sure you also bring some other form of photo ID such as a driver’s license or military ID. To check the current requirements or to obtain a passport or visa you may visit www.visaHQ.com.

How do I find out details like tipping customs, ATM locations, money exchange, packing lists, credit card information, telephone calls, weather, etc.?
Once you book your medical travel, your Travel Care Coordinator will mail you an information packet that covers all these items and more. 

Are there any concerns regarding air travel following a medical procedure? 
This depends on your particular health condition, the procedure that was performed and the recommendation of your treating doctors. Some circumstances may warrant a longer recovery period before air travel should be attempted. In some cases, in-flight treatment can be arranged with a doctor’s order.

Research by the World Health Organization (WHO) addresses the health hazards of air travel, specifically the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) - blood clots in the veins.  Key findings indicate:

Overall, the risk of VTE is about 1 in 6,000 healthy individuals, but is primarily concentrated in those with hypercoagulable conditions (a biochemical abnormality that increases clotting risk), those using birth control pills, and/or those with other risk factors such as obesity, extremes of height (less than 5'2" or greater than 6'2"), older age and cardiovascular disease.

The risk of VTE roughly doubles with flights greater than 4 hrs and increases with longer flights or repeated flights within a short period of time.

VTE risk is greatest immediately following the flight, but persists for several weeks afterwards.

VTE risk also exists for other forms of travel, but travel-related immobility may carry a greater risk than non-travel immobility such as sitting in a movie marathon.