It's estimated that thousands of US residents travel abroad for medical procedures each year. Many factors influence the decision to seek medical care overseas. Some people travel for care because treatment is cheaper in another country. Others may be immigrants to the United States who prefer to return to their home country for health care. Still others may travel to receive a procedure or therapy not available in the United States. The most common procedures that people undergo abroad include cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and heart surgery.
Risks of Traveling Abroad for Medical Care
The specific risks of traveling to another country for medical care depend on the area being visited and the procedures performed, but some general issues have been identified:
Communication may be a challenge. Receiving care at a facility where you do not speak the language fluently might increase the chance that misunderstandings will arise about your care.
Medication may be counterfeit or of poor quality in some countries.
Antibiotic resistance is a global problem, and resistant bacteria may be more common in other countries than in the United States.
Flying after surgery can increase the risk for blood clots.
What You Should Do
If you are planning to travel to another country for medical care, see a travel medicine provider at least 4-6 weeks before the trip to discuss general information for healthy travel and to learn about specific risks related to the procedure and to travel before and after the procedure.
Make sure that any current medical conditions you have are well controlled, and that your regular health care provider knows about your plans for travel and medical care overseas.
Check the qualifications of the health care providers who will be doing the procedure and the credentials of the facility where the procedure will be done. Remember that foreign standards for health care providers and facilities may be different from those of the United States. Accrediting groups, including Joint Commission International, DNV International Accreditation for Hospitals, and the International Society for Quality in Healthcare, have lists of standards that facilities need to meet to be accredited.
Make sure you have a written agreement with the health care facility or the group arranging the trip, defining what treatments, supplies, and care are covered by the costs of the trip.
If you go to a country where you do not speak the language, determine ahead of time how you will communicate with your doctor and other people who are caring for you.
Take with you copies of your medical records that include the lab and other studies done related to the condition for which you are obtaining care and any allergies you may have.
Bring copies of all your prescriptions and a list of all the medicines you take, including their brand names, generic names, manufacturers, and dosages.
Arrange for follow-up care with your local health care provider before you leave.
Before planning vacation activities, such as sunbathing, drinking alcohol, swimming, or taking long tours, find out if those activities are permitted after surgery.
Get copies of all your medical records before you return home.
All health departments in the United States meeting the NACCHO definition of a local health department. Rhode Island is excluded because the state health department operates on behalf of local public health and has no sub-state units.
What fees can I expect to pay to the Rhode Island Department of Health? The Rhode Island Department of Health collects an application processing fee of $1,090 for a full medical license. If you are also applying for a Controlled Substance Registration (CSR), the application processing fee is $1,290.
Rhode Island Hospital is a private, 719-bed, not-for-profit acute care hospital. We are the largest hospital in the state and provide comprehensive services to patients.
If you have previously established a profile with the FCVS, average processing time for a Rhode Island Medical License is between 4-6 weeks. If you have not previously established a profile with the FCVS, average processing time for a Rhode Island Medical License is between 12-16 weeks.
How do I schedule or reschedule an appointment? Phone: You may confirm or reschedule an appointment by calling 1-855-MYRIDHS (1-855-697-4347) and selecting option #4. For phone interviews, Call Center staff can complete your interview at the time of your call if you have sent in all the necessary documentation.
Jerome Larkin, MD is the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. Dr. Larkin previously served as the Medical Director of Inpatient Infectious Diseases Consultation Services at Rhode Island Hospital.
The states of Rhode Island and Connecticut do not have county governments at all—counties are geographic, not political. The number and size of counties varies from state to state. Texas has 254 counties, while Delaware has only three.
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