Saturday, June 24, 2006

Medical Tourism

If you live in the UK and, like me, you and your family fear getting ill after the hospital horror stories you've heard (I live in an area where the NHS policies of New Labour have been in full and frightening effect for a few years), or you're on reduced tooth care because local dentists have closed their doors to non-subscribers, you'll be relieved to know about the possibilities opened up by medical tourism.

I heard someone on the radio this morning saying he travels to Hungary for his dental treatment - he even goes for his check-ups.

So I had a look round. Here's something to think about for a start - the MRSA virus comparisons:

  Country  Percentage of MRSA in 2002
  Greece  48.6%
  United Kingdom  44.5%
  Germany  27.2%
  Spain  23.5%
  Belgium  19.2%
  Czech Republic  6.2%
  Netherlands  1.0%
  Sweden  0.7%

There are a lot of clinics open to medical tourism throughout the EU, also India.

The treatmentabroad.net site gives details of clinics all over:
for surgery and for dentistry. There's also a form where you can get a quote.

medical-services-network.co.uk have a clinic in Germany with English-speaking staff.

medical-treatment-overseas.co.uk are a clinic in Malta (with prices shown).

medicaltreatmentabroad.com have a clinic in India with many UK-trained staff where you "get the best possible medical attention in the world at par with what you would get in U.K./U.S.A. at a low cost of less than half the expenses in U.K." Prices are shown on the website and they're all-inclusive packages - including airfare, hospital treatment, medicine, operation costs, prostheses (if required) and all follow up treatment.

themedicaltouristcompany.com arrange for treatment in India. Their site has a comparative price guide (though they don't include flight costs).

Treatment abroad on the NHS

If you're already waiting for treatment in the UK, then you may be eligible for NHS funding. UK patients forced to wait longer than they should for NHS treatment are entitled to reclaim the cost of being treated in Europe, the European Court of Justice has ruled.
There's a BBC article about it, also a Q&A page

Medical treatment on holiday in the EU

The E111 form for medical treatment whilst holidaying in the EU is now replaced by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

The EHIC entitles EU citizens to reduced-cost, sometimes free, medical treatment that becomes necessary while you’re in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. That's these countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (but not Northern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Best idea of all - combine treatment with a holiday in a beautiful sunny country - relax and heal faster.

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