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Did you know that over 1 million Americans travel outside the US for medical procedures every year? According to the Medical Tourism Association (www.medicaltourismassociation.com), located in nearby Palm Beach Gardens, one million-plus Americans visit international destinations every year to have medical procedures including bariatric surgery, hip and knee replacements, cosmetic surgery, and even dental work – all at up to one-third the cost of these procedures in the US.
Most Americans don’t know that top international hospitals are accredited by the same organization as leading hospitals in the US, meaning they both must meet the same strict standards. The Joint Commission International (JCI) (www.Jointcommissioninternational.org), is the worldwide accrediting organization that carefully inspects hospitals and medical clinics to ensure that these facilities adhere to the highest possible standards of care. This means that the hospitals in San Jose, Costa Rica, meet the same standards as St Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach or Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. Therefore, patients need not worry that they may be going to a sub-standard hospital or clinic outside the US, as long as it is JIC accredited.
Many Americans express concerns about the doctors in other countries and question whether they are on par with US physicians. The facts are that many of the physicians in international JIC-accredited hospitals have received their medical education and training in some of the best US academic health centers like Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Duke, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia. Other physicians have studied and trained in some of the best international medical schools like University of Cambridge in England and Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Patients considering having a procedure outside the US can always inquire about the education and training of a particular physician or surgeon.
Consider average Americans, Joe, 62 and his Wife Donna, who are at a challenging medical crossroads. Joe and Donna are small business owners in South Florida and only have ‘catastrophic’ healthcare insurance in case of a heart attack, cancer, brain tumor, etc. After many years of physical work, Joe has been told by his local physician that he needs a total knee replacement. The estimated cost of this surgery in a South Florida Hospital is going to exceed $50,000. This is not covered by their insurance, so unexpected expense for Joe and Donna and will take a real bite out of their savings. Joe and Donna saw an ad about affordable medical procedures outside the US in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica, just two-plus hours flight from home. With one phone call to Global Healthcare Concierge (www.Globalhealthcareconcierge.com), they learned that the knee replacement Joe needs, including travel costs, hotel in San Jose, and recovery in a lush resort for both Joe and Donna, will not exceed $16,000. They also learned that in many cases, surgery can be scheduled in as little as two weeks. Global Healthcare Concierge (GHC) takes care of everything – travel arrangements, passports, hospital and physician arrangements, post-operative care, medical complications insurance, even getting them to the airport and back in their driveway again. Joe and Donna will have the assistance of a concierge in Costa Rica to take care of their needs, including tours and local sightseeing. Not only will they receive world-class healthcare in a JIC-accredited hospital and expert clinical care from a team of top physicians and surgeons, they will also get a tropical paradise and warm hospitality – all while saving a significant amount of money.
Other South Floridians can benefit from the services of Global Healthcare Concierge, LTD. Patients wanting procedures not covered by insurance such as facelifts, browlifts, gastric bypass surgery, lap bands, dental implants, and other elective surgeries, can benefit from world-class medical care and state-of-the-art medical facilities in Costa Rica – and realize dramatic savings. Individuals who are underinsured or uninsured can take advantage of Global Healthcare Concierge’s services in arranging affordable medical procedures within a budget. In some cases, financing is available to help spread out the costs of surgery needed now. Patients who are insured should check with their insurance company to see if medical procedures outside the US are covered, as many insurance companies now encourage procedures outside the US, recognizing the high quality of care and cost savings.
Today, Global Healthcare Concierge is focused on Costa Rica. In the near future, GHC’s destinations will include Thailand, India, and other exotic destinations which offer world-class medical services and facilities and cater to Americans and Europeans seeking an affordable surgery alternative. To find out more about affordable medical procedures provided by Global Healthcare Concierge, call 305-615-3933 (English/Español) or email info@Globahealthcareconcierge.com
