It’s no surprise that medical costs in the United States are oftentimes much higher than in other countries, and while there are a number of debatable factors that contribute to these elevated costs, the fact of the matter is that cost is oftentimes one of the biggest hurdles to obtaining valuable medical care here in America. When people hear stories about how it’s so much cheaper to have a hip replaced in the United Kingdom or two undergo fertility treatments in Eastern Europe, they often wonder if that’s something they should consider instead of seeking care in the United States. While we can’t speak for all medical procedures, in today’s blog we want to focus on medical tourism as it pertains to joint replacement surgery.
Knee Or Hip Replacement Overseas
The most obvious reason why someone would travel out of the country for surgery is to save on the cost of an operation. But while the procedure itself may be cheaper, you’re still going to have to deal with added travel expenses like airfare, hotel, hospital stay and other expenses related to the fact that you’re now thousands of miles away from home and dealing with the aftermath of a surgical procedure.
Even so, it can still be cheaper to travel for your surgery, but when it comes to your health, you don’t always want to go with the cheapest option. You only get one body, so you want to ensure you’re trusting it to someone who can safely and effectively perform the procedure. There are certainly skilled surgeons all over the world, but the phrase “you get what you pay for,” also exists, and it won’t be worth saving a couple extra thousand dollars if your hip still hurts after surgery or you have to spend all those savings on additional physical therapy sessions because your artificial knee isn’t responding like your recovery team had hoped.
There’s also the increased risk of complications associated with medical tourism. Again, there are world-class facilities all over the globe, but it’s critical that you do your research and make sure that any facility you choose, whether it’s overseas or in the US, meets strict requirements for patient care. Do they follow World Health Organization guidelines for orthopedic surgery? Are they accredited by the Joint Commission International? What’s their rate of surgical and bloodborne infections and how do they stack up to other facilities in the Western world?
Even if you find a world-class facility and a surgeon with an outstanding track record, you need to consider what you’re asking of your body. You’ll be thousands of miles away from home, dealing with pain and discomfort that is standard after a joint replacement operation, you may need to track down medication in a foreign country, your mobility will be extremely limited, and now you’re going to have to deal with getting back home. Are you really going to want to be stuck in a car or train for hours just so you can navigate the airport before boarding a plane and flying for half a day or longer to get home?
When you look at all the factors, it’s clear that there are a number of risks associated with traveling outside the US for hip and knee replacement surgery. You may save a little money on the front-end, but you’ll also incur travel expenses and may have more expenses on the back-end if surgery doesn’t produce optimal results. There’s also the travel headache associated with getting home following surgery, and of course there’s the increased risk of complications or botched surgeries that come with traveling to a foreign country to have an operation performed by a surgeon you’ve never met and will likely never see again.
When you add it all up, joint replacement in the US just makes the most sense, especially when you consider the advances in technology and techniques. Dr. Botero specializes in minimally invasive joint replacement, minimizing damage to other structures, shortening your rehab time and keeping patient costs down. You’ll be cared for by a team in your own backyard who will gladly see you in person for any concerns or questions you may have before or after your surgical procedure. We do everything we can to keep costs down so that money doesn’t have to be an obstacle to receiving the medical care you deserve.
To learn more about how Dr. Botero can provide you with the best care at a reasonable cost, give his team a call today at (865) 558-4444.
