Travelling for Endometriosis surgery

Introduction

Endometriosis is a disease that affects over 200 million people in the World. It causes pain and fertility issues, often leading to surgery. There is a paucity of specialist care globally so many patients may need to travel to receive the appropriate care. If you’re thinking about travelling for endometriosis surgery, here are some things to consider before making your decision:

Section: How will travel affect my recovery?

Section: Will I have enough time to recover after my surgery?

Section: What will my travel insurance cover?

Section: What is the cost of travelling abroad for endometriosis treatment?

Takeaway: There are many things that need to be considered before embarking on a long-distance trip during recovery from an operation. However, if you do decide it’s right for you then know that there is help available!

Medical treatment abroad is becoming increasingly popular.

Medical treatment abroad is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. With conditions as complex as endometriosis, it is becoming painfully obvious that these procedures need to be performed by endometriosis specialists with a multidisciplinary team in place. More importantly it is important that these surgeries be performed at centres with a high volume (More than 150 cases per year) by surgeons with superspecialist training and proven outcomes.

But there are also some downsides to consider before choosing to travel abroad for your endometriosis surgery. You should ensure that you’re getting the full picture when making this decision, as it can be difficult to find out all the facts about any potential risks involved in travelling abroad for an elective procedure like endometriosis surgery.

 

-There are many reasons why people choose medical tourism over their local hospitals. Some of these include cost, convenience and the ability to have a personalised experience with a doctor who understands your condition better than anyone else. With endometriosis, the main reason patients choose to travel is that it is very difficult to find experts. For a global estimation of 200 million endometriosis patients there are an estimated 200 endometriosis specialists in the world. Out of those 200 specialists there are perhaps 20 or so that have training and skills to handle advanced disease such as nodules affecting the large and small intestine, ureters and kidneys, Pelvic nerves, diaphragm and chest. However, there are also some downsides to consider before choosing to travel abroad for your endometriosis surgery. Let’s face it – With growing awareness about endometriosis there are many practitioners who have jumped on the endometriosis bandwagon, which is great for creating more awareness about the disease but many self proclaimed “excision specialists” who choose to avoid specific training and upgradation of skills. This leads to incomplete surgeries and non resolution of symptoms which breeds mistrust and despair. We are also seeing patients who have had surgeries with more radicality but incomplete excisions. This is far more dangerous than earlier years when surgeries were abandoned due to an initial finding of a frozen pelvis!

The reasons for the growing interest in medical tourism are many

Medical tourism is a growing industry and it’s no surprise that more and more people are taking advantage of the benefits of medical tourism. The reasons for the growing interest in medical tourism are many:

• Cost savings. The cost of treatment can be significantly lower when you travel abroad, as long as you choose a reputable facility that offers quality care at an affordable price. At the Indian Centre for Endometriosis, we believe in complete transparency about costs and will endeavour to provide patients with as accurate an estimation as possible before they travel so there are no unexpected surprises during their stay.
• Quality of care. When you’re away from home (and possibly worried about what will happen if something goes wrong), having access to high-quality medical professionals who speak English fluently can make all the difference between comfort during recovery period vs worrying about whether or not everything went according to plan. Mumbai, especially compared to the rest of India stands out as a truly metropolitan city with world class hospitals and specialty care. Hospital equipment and safety protocols are world class and second to none and most people are fluent in English. * Convenience.* Short wait times -especially since many procedures for endometriosis are done laparoscopically or robotically which means less time spent waiting around on an operating table before being able to leave hospital again -this helps patients feel better mentally too because they don’t have time lingering over fears caused by waiting periods for surgery and recovery and return to activity is quicker.

Treatment abroad can be costly, but cost-savings are still a major driver for all too many patients

The cost of treatment abroad can be prohibitive, but it’s not always clear what you’ll pay. While medical tourism is a growing industry and the cost has come down over the last decade or so, it remains an expensive option for most patients.

Costs vary widely depending on your destination and procedure: In some countries (like India), costs are low; in others (like Mexico), they can be high—and there may not be much transparency about billing practices or payment options. Even if you have insurance coverage through your employer or another plan that covers both overseas procedures and medical care in the U.S., chances are good that finding out exactly how much everything will cost beforehand won’t happen until after you’ve undergone surgery abroad—and even then it’s often difficult to get answers from providers outside America itself!

However, there can be risks to having surgery abroad

However, there can be risks to having surgery abroad. There are some countries that have regulations that are not as strict as in the US and don’t have the same level of care. We follow protocols and standard of care regarding surgical safety and patient care at the level of most international centres. Our team has the collective experience of fellowship and superspecialty training in North America, Europe and Asia.  Additionally, if you need follow up care after your procedure , We have a very strong follow up protocol with our patients and Dr. Mangeshikar is always a quick phone call or text message away. We also have a large referral network in most countries where patients can be seen and managed in case of an emergency or complication upon returning home. At our centre we have experience with large volumes  of advanced endometriosis . We continually track and analyse data to reduce complications and improve clinical outcomes. This is achieved by working with a highly skilled and well trained multidisciplinary team (MDT) and also by meticulous post op care and patient follow up.

 

This is especially true if you are travelling to countries with little or no regulations on health care

If you’re looking for a safe, reliable and cost-effective way to get the treatment that will help you live a fuller life, then travelling for endometriosis surgery is an option that may interest you. Our centre is the first and largest MDT in India as well as Asia and we have the most experience with complex endometriosis cases.

We have streamlined the travel process to expedite everything from the initial consult to all diagnostics within 2 days and subsequent surgical scheduling by day 3. There is also a team to facilitate with everything from airport transfers, hotel stays and local transport.

It is important to do your homework before choosing to travel abroad for a medical procedure.

It is important to do your homework before choosing to travel abroad for a medical procedure. The country you are going to, the hospital and surgeon you are going to visit, their credentials and experience with this type of surgery—these are all factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not it’s worth travelling overseas for an endometriosis treatment. You may also want to research costs associated with your specific procedure so that you know what kind of finances will be available after paying for flights, hotels and transportation costs as well as any other expenses related specifically only one medical issue (e.g., travel insurance).

Conclusion

There are probably a handful of excision surgeons across the world and many patients need to travel for surgery. We have a large cohort of patients flying into our centre from virtually every corner of the country and the globe and years of dealing with these patients has helped us streamline the process. We are cognisant of the fact that our patients put a huge amount of faith and trust in us by flying halfway across the world to undergo some of the most complex surgical procedures.