American Medical Association’s Nine Guidelines For Medical Travel

U.S. doctors lag behind in knowledge and attitude about medical travel

In their Nov 2009 report, “Medical Tourism:  Update and Implications“, The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions has published the AMA’s nine guidelines for patients traveling overseas for medical care.

Such guidelines indicate the AMA’s recognition of medical tourism as a growing trend that cannot be ignored.

Medical tourism is now widely recognized in white papers and professional publications as representing an important option for patient populations who need care but lack adequate out-of-pocket funds to afford a procedure in the U.S., or who seek lower prices, as well as those patient populations who seek alternative treatments and have the freedom to travel for better healthcare outcomes. 

According to Deloitte, The AMA published these guidelines that should be followed by employers, insurance companies and other entities that facilitate or incentivize medical care outside of the U.S.

We, at T4H, suggest these guidelines as a checklist of questions patients should get answered prior to medical travel.

U.S. Doctors’ Attitude Lags Behind

The attitude of too many U.S. doctors, as expressed to their patients, has been at best to ignore and by implication to minimize the solution that medical travel provides.

T4H predicts that this attitude will change as more acceptance and approval is being publicly conferred on medical tourism by medical professional organizations, insurance companies and government initiatives.

We’ve come a long way – Baby – to where progressive doctors will seek to collaborate with international providers for the benefit of better patient outcomes.

The American Medical Association Guidelines

American Medical Association guidelines for Patients Traveling overseas for Medical Care:

1)  Medical care outside the U.S. should be voluntary.

2)  Financial Incentives to go outside the U.S. for care should not inappropriately limit diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives, or restrict treatment or referral options.

3)  Financial incentives should be used only for care at institutions accredited by recognized international accrediting bodies.

4)  Local follow-up care should be coordinated and financing arranged to ensure continuity of care.

5)  Coverage for travel outside the U.S. for care must include the costs of follow-up care upon return.

6)  Patients should be informed of rights and legal recourse before traveling outside the U.S. for care.

7)  Patients should have access to physician licensing and outcomes data, as well as facility accreditation and outcomes data.

8)  Transfer of patient medical records should be consistent with HIPAA guidelines.

9)  Patients should be provided with information about the potential risks of combining surgical procedures with long flights and vacation activities.

According to the Deloitte report, “A number of organizations within the U.S. have developed protocols to assist patients who seek to access medical care abroad.  However, thus far the medical tourism industry as a whole has remained mostly unstructured, with no meaningful legislation to govern the practices of participating organizations.  There has been much debate on how to regulate medical tourism but little action.  Recently, the American Medical Association (AMA) established a set of nine guidelines that should be followed by employers, insurance companies and other entities that facilitate or incentivize medical care outside of the U.S.  Many are hopeful that these guidelines will provide direction for the industry as it continues to grow and develop.”

In this same report, Deloitte reports on the role of health plans to incentivize medical travel, and the States’ initiatives to adopt legislation.

–ilene little for Traveling4Health.com