Personal Injury Law

Doctor in Texas Talking Up the Positives of US Medical Malpractice System

By Steve Lombardi

I never thought I'd hear a doctor say it publicly. But I'm glad he said it because it's true that the US medical malpractice system does support patients in a positive way. There are benefits to being able to hold the system responsible for medical care that falls below the standard of the medical community. Let's put it into context. Brooks Schuelke from IB in Austin, Texas blogged about the Austin Texas Fox News channel's story concerning medical tourism.

Medical tourism is a concept that has been around for a long time. Medical tourism is about patients choosing to have medical procedures done in a foreign country because of cost comparisons or limitations imposed by their home country government.

Medical Tourism Guide - Medical tourism is the practice of a patient "outsourcing" healthcare services to an area outside of his/her home country. Medical travel is becoming more popular, as more people realize its benefits. The main benefits of health tourism include getting the opportunity to travel to an exotic destination and reaping potentially big monetary savings. Many common operations overseas cost a fraction of what they might cost in the United States. For instance, the average cost of rhinoplasty (or nose job) in the U.S. is $6,000; the same procedure in Costa Rica costs only $1,500 (Source: Wikipedia). The savings of $4,500 is more than enough to cover your travel expenses, and you'll get to travel to a new destination.

In the instance of the Austin Fox Channel 7 they focused on orthopedic operations and compared costs of two procedures in India versus the United States. For instance a knee replacement in the US costs around $48,000.00 but in India $8,500.00. Dental implants cost $3,500.00 versus $800.00.

The company that arranges this care logistically is MedTrava.

MedTrava Group

Outstanding Healthcare. Unbelievable Savings.

Are skyrocketing health care expenses an issue of concern for you?  Are you making compromises to your personal health or your business due to ever-increasing insurance costs? You're not alone.  Companies and individuals are seeking alternatives and leveraging more affordable healthcare options overseas with a savings of 50%-80%. World-class internationally accredited health care facilities, top-notch physicians, exceptional surgical services at a fraction of the cost

The orthopedic surgeon Fox interviewed was warning patients that if when obtaining medical care in a foreign country something goes wrong the legal system of that country probably won't be there for the injured patient. And I'd have to agree with him. Anyone traveling abroad to obtain medical care should be aware of the legal limitations for recovery, should something go wrong.

So for all the whining that we've heard from tort deformers about a crisis in the health care industry now they want their patients to know it's a good system. Thank you doctor, for being so honest. We applaud your honesty and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in your efforts to educate the public about their legal rights to seek redress when medical care falls below required the standard of care.

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on May 06, 2008 (boomark / email).