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Originally Posted by hotair2
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It is great until you have a complication. Try finding a doc in the US who would agree to take over someone else's complications. It is the same for people who get treatment out of state.
Also, believe it or not, the US medical boards and certification process are difficult (as are the Canadian and British systems). Having seen foriegn trained docs practicing in the US (and these are supposed to be thier best), there is alot to be desired. I would not have a foriegn trained doc treat me, having seen many at work. That being said, the non-US docs with US training are like everyone else, so it is not xenophobia at work, it is a quality issue.
Now some of these foriegn hospitals actually have US trained docs and staff at a cheaper price. Then it becomes an issue of deductibles here vs travel expenses and the problem with treating complications and follow up. I have had two patients call up our practice to treat wound infections incurred in surgery overseas. I told them to go back to the surgeon. I don't expect any one else to clean up a mess I made. In those situations there is potential litigation, and you will drag yourself into someone else's problem.
Further, if you were not good enough in the patient's eyes to do the surgery in the first place, you are certainly not qualified to treat a complication, which is always more difficult. Caveat Empor. A patient who goes overseas and seeking "higher level of care" clearly does not understand the foriegn literature (bad- that is why lumbar prosthetic discs were wonderful in europe, while good science in the US showed they were a bust) and would be a difficult patient to treat in the first place. Best to ship them elsewhere anyway, as they are never happy with anyone.
Also is the legal issue. What are the malpractice laws in that nation? If one has an adverse event, can you sue them in that nation, as you surely cannot sue them in US courts. There is the problem. Any doc in the US who treats the complications from overseas risks being dragged into a problem they did not create because we are an easier target for the lawyers. Also, the FDA does not have authority overseas. Non FDA approved drugs can be used, which may be potentially risky and have negative consequences. Everyone ******* about the FDA, but they are very stringent relative to other countries. Remember thalidomide? We make a huge issue over drugs like Vioxx, but these situations occur overseas all the time, as the pharmaceutical industry usually releases drugs overseas first, as thier drug approval is easier. We are often in a position to sit back and see how these drugs work and essentially use the rest of the world as guinea pigs before release in the US. bad for them- good for us.
Lastly is the fraudulent medical treatment, particularly for cancer. We eventually ferret out fraudulent treatment in the US, but it flourishes outside of the US. Know about Steve McQueen's coffee enemas for bowel cancer? How about Farrah Fawcett? Ever see one of these treatments work? It can be a racket that is highly profitable, but useless.
I recently had some pricey medical treatment. I chose to stay in my hometown for treatment, as I know the quality of care is high and I did not want to even travel in the US, knowing what I know about people who get care out of town. It would be different if the care was bad. I am able to afford to pay out of pocket for pretty much anything I want, but would never dream of seeking treatment overseas. But if someone is strapped for cash and they are willing to take the complication risk, overseas treatment is certainly an option. Most of the time I would expect things would turn out fine. Maybe that "competition" may force down costs of care in the US and in the end be a good thing.
caveat empor.
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