Medical Tourism in Sri Lanka

Medical Tourism to Sri Lanka allows individuals to receive the highest quality care at affordable cost. Sri Lanka benefits from specialists of a particularly high quality, cheaper prices than many other countries, and the attraction of next-day appointments as opposed to lengthy waiting lists.
Another attraction is of course the beautiful weather and breathtaking scenery, all of which can be experienced for as little as US$ 700 per return flight from Europe.

GUIDE TO MEDICAL TOURISM IN SRI LANKA

About this guide
Medical tourism – traveling abroad for medical or dental treatment or surgery - is becoming more and more common for people in the West.
Cosmetic surgery abroad is becoming popular with patients who combine low cost surgery with a holiday in tourist destinations such as Sri Lanka. The reduction in dental services is
encouraging people to look overseas for savings on expensive treatments such as dental implants and cosmetic dentistry. And people faced with a waiting list are seeking overseas treatment for heart conditions, hip and knee replacements and general surgery.
But, for the patient considering medical tourism, there are many concerns. What are the conditions like in Sri Lankan clinics? Is the surgeon or dentist suitably qualified? Where can I get the best deal? What questions should I ask about the treatment?
This guide attempts to answer those questions and guides the patient through the medical tourism process.

Contents:
Is treatment in Sri Lanka for you?
What to consider?
Comparing the costs
Checking out the surgeon/dentist
Checking out the clinic/hospital
Questions to ask the surgeon or dentist in Sri Lanka
What guarantee should you expect?
How to compare different providers
What not to do
The practicalities of going to Sri Lanka for treatment

Is treatment in Sri Lanka for you?
The reasons for choosing to travel to Sri Lanka for medical treatment are different for everyone but with lengthy waits for treatment at home and concerns about MRSA in hospitals there is little wonder that a growing number of foreigners are taking advantage of affordable, high quality private healthcare in Sri Lanka, and combining it with a tropical, cultural or relaxing holiday on a sunny island, saving thousands of $ compared with having the treatment done privately.
Sri Lanka’s health care sector, for example, has undergone an enormous boom in recent years and has become a global health destination offering some of the best medical treatment in the world, despite the perceived shortcomings of healthcare in developing countries.

What to consider?
Find out as much as possible about the procedure you are interested in - an informed patient is more able to make an informed decision. With cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry different techniques and materials may be used for different procedures, so find out which method and materials are used by the provider. It is imperative that you compare services, treatments, costs and credentials of providers. Think about how long you want to go away for and how far you are prepared to travel. Will you have to go alone, or will a close friend/member of the family be able to accompany you? (Some providers often provide escorts for those traveling alone). Try to be as flexible with your schedule as you can as you may have to stay longer if there is a complication, and it is preferable that the surgeon and provider treat you there and then, rather than at home when it becomes more difficult.
However tantalizing the prospect of cosmetic surgery in an exotic country like Sri Lanka sounds, will you be comfortable on a long flight and would your doctor deem you fit for traveling long distance? Don’t let the allure of a holiday in an exciting destination you haven’t visited before become more important than the reputation of the surgery/dentistry/medical treatment.

Comparing the costs
Many of the providers will collect patients from the airport and chauffeur them to their hotel and collect them for hospital appointments, so find out whether this will be the case. When speaking to the provider or medical broker always make sure you fully understand exactly what is included in the cost, as low prices may be offered and then extras could be added on afterwards. Ask what happens regarding the cost if a complication arises. Prices vary from provider to provider but they can typically include surgeon fees, hospital fees, medical team, hospital meals, laboratory tests, anesthesia, implants (if appropriate), all consultations, all transfers (airport and hospital), medication, local mobile phone use and English speaking personal assistant.
In your negotiations with the provider/broker establish the means of payment. Will they require payment in advance, and/or a deposit? Do they accept credit card, money transfers, or do they want cash payments? Is it possible to pay by installment? Before handing over any money ensure you see a valid contract first.
Get everything clarified beforehand and factor in the cost of passport and/or travel visas, flights, airport pick-up, travel to-and-from medical provider, accommodation, food and drink including any tips, phone calls and other correspondence with family at home, medications or medical supplies such as crutches for hip/knee patients which may be needed post-op.

Checking out the surgeon/dentist
Making sure that you have chosen the right surgeon or dentist begins with finding out about the qualifications and accreditations the dentists, doctors and surgeons should have in order to be practicing in Sri Lanka, and secondly checking that the professionals you will be seeing have these in place. Often surgeons and dentists working abroad train and qualify in the West and if that is the case then practicing doctors will be listed on a General Medical Council’s register. Cosmetic surgeons may be members of the Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and cosmetic dentists may be listed on the General
Dental Council’s (GDC) register or may be members of the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD).
You can also expect surgeons to have international memberships such as with the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) or the European Association of Plastic Surgeons (EURAPS). Ask whether those based in Europe are ‘Board Certified’. Cosmetic surgeons trained in the US may be members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Checking out the clinic/hospital
Check to see that the proposed provider/country lists which professional regulatory bodies oversee its private clinics, and if not, ask. In the UK for example, the assessment of clinics is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive, the Healthcare Commission and local primary care organizations who conduct practice inspections.
Ask for the name of the clinic/hospital where the surgery will be carried out, and find information online.
Some suggested questions include:
Will the operation take place in a private hospital or at the doctor’s clinic?
Do they use an outpatient clinic or a hospital?
Are they certified with the local and national health organizations?
Do they have a crash cart (used in case of emergency)?
How far is the clinic from an intensive care unit in case of emergency?
What are the post operative infection rates?

Questions to ask the surgeon or dentist in Sri Lanka
There are many questions to ask the surgeon but the most important aspect is about safety, so grill the surgeon as much as you need until you feel reassured. If you don’t understand something don’t be afraid to say so – remember this is your body/teeth/life and what this surgeon does
will remain with you for the rest of your life so make sure you have all of your questions answered. You are entitled to choose which surgeon performs your procedure, and not just be given whoever is available on that particular day.
Some suggested questions include:
What professional memberships, training and qualifications do they hold?
Have the surgeon and anesthetist worked together before? This is critical as they build
up a relationship and can better monitor the patient’s needs
Will the anesthetist perform a pre operative evaluation? And a post operative evaluation?
Will the anesthetist take into account the patient’s wishes (provided it is safe to do so)?
How much recovery time will the procedure entail?
How long will you be hospitalized?
How soon after the operation can you fly home?
Ask to see credentials and ‘before and after’ pictures.
As far as checking the rest of the medical team, remember that a good surgeon will only work with a good anesthetist and in a good hospital/clinic - so the most important part is finding a good surgeon!
What guarantee should you expect?
Whether at home or abroad there are no guarantees regarding the result of any surgical or dental procedure, and this is especially true with plastic surgery where the results vary so much with each individual, and the perceived goal could be very different from the attainable goal. However, the one guarantee a patient CAN ask for is that if a complication should arise, the surgeon or dentist will correct it without additional fees.

What to check in the document
Once you have decided on a provider or a broker ask for everything to be outlined in an agreement or contract which clearly describes the services provided to you at the agreed price. Check if there is anything you are not sure about and get someone else to read over the contract for you. One of the points that potential patients should check is the refund policy in case: you change your mind once you arrive you have a pre existing medical condition that causes the surgery to be cancelled
you can’t get all the procedures you have paid for
It is also important to clarify the clauses regarding follow-up care and what happens if anything goes wrong.
This varies for someone having a hip replacement to someone having dental veneers but it is expected that the provider will stand by their patients and the work, and do whatever is necessary to make it right. Be sure to clarify this beforehand.

How to compare different providers
The bottom line is to choose a provider/company/surgeon that you trust and feel most comfortable with. If the people you are dealing with seem unsympathetic or impatient with your questioning then take that as a sign and go elsewhere. As a paying customer, it is the patient’s right to ask as much as they want to establish whether or not to go ahead with a procedure.
Whether you are dealing with a provider directly or going through a broker be sure to address ALL of your questions and concerns beforehand, and to get a firm estimate/assessment of costs and scheduling – you won’t want to deal with these issues after your procedure so be prepared, and don’t be caught off guard.
Every company has a different policy regarding the length of stay. The ideal length of stay will ensure that there are no complications and that the patient can come back home safely and without surprises. Equally, hospitals or individual surgeons won’t be as adept at organizing the logistics of travel or accommodation so if you’re not a seasoned traveler it might be advisable to go through a broker who takes care of both.
Remember it is perfectly natural to have some anxiety before a major operation/dentistry/cosmetic procedure whether you are having it done at home, or in Sri Lanka

What not to do
Choose Sri Lanka based solely on its tourist merits, without fully checking out the reputation of the surgeons, dentists, clinics or hospitals;
Go ahead with a procedure if you’re not fully comfortable or happy with what’s happening, or with the surgeon who is going to do the procedure.
Remember that you are entitled to change your mind at any time, even five minutes before the operation.

The practicalities of going to Sri Lanka for treatment
After the initial enquiry phone call or email has been made, and a formal quote for treatment received, the next step is the consultation process, to assess whether a patient is a good candidate for the procedure(s) requested.
A consultation is also a good opportunity to learn about anything the surgeon requires you to do beforehand, such as lose weight or take certain vitamins to help the recovery process. With dentistry for example, it’s normal that digital photos and x-rays are all the consultant sees until the patient arrives and pictures don’t always show exactly what is going on, so a pre-consultation process with a local surgeon will not only help provide extra information to the surgeon abroad but make the patient’s consultation more accurate.
Check that you have a valid passport. Make sure you take photocopies of your passport, visa and other documentation and keep them separate to your hand luggage and leave details of where you are going with someone at home. Don’t forget to take the contact details of someone at home who can be contacted in case of emergency.
Familiarize yourself with your Sri Lanka’s culture and customs. What are the local customs, religions and etiquette? Take either traveler cheques or credit cards which can be used to withdraw money from local ATMs.
Find out what clothing will be appropriate and make a list of some of the tourist attractions you might want to visit.
With major operations plan recreational activities such as diving, surfing, hiking, safari tours, or taking a road trip before the procedure because time to relax and recover will be needed afterwards.