A patient loses confidence in local hospital care

Hospital Report – Patient Care

I’m going to do what I expect Traveling4Health members to do; write a review when I receive any noteworthy medical services so that others can benefit from my experience.

In this case, it’s a review of an American hospital; the result of waking up in the wee hours of the morning with intense chest pain and an ambulance ride to Auburn Regional Medical Center in Auburn, WA.

Unfortunately, it’s not a positive review.  Basically I’m a “think positive” person and certainly not looking to write an exposé.  But, in good faith, I am going to share why I feel I lost confidence in my local hospital.

On Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, I called 911 and was taken by ambulance to Auburn Regional Medical Center in Washington State.  My symptoms were pain in my chest and solar-plexus area; right exactly where the needle had been inserted for the liver biopsy three days previously at the same hospital.

The short story is that, after my blood tests and chest X-ray had come back negative, I was told by a nurse, “You’re going home”.  I was being released from the emergency room regardless of pain symptoms I was exhibiting.

I was scared (more…)

Happy Thoughts for the New Year

A video and stories to lift your hearts.

A friend and partner sent me a Happy New Year message signed off with, “Let’s make a difference in 2012.  Pick a worthy cause and improve a part of the world we all live in.”

I thought of all the medical professionals I’ve interviewed and met through the members of Traveling4Health, and mention just three who are doing the work of making a difference in lives through philanthropic good works.

1.  Dr. Dino Cozzarelli is an American Board Certified Orthotist Prosthetist in Costa Rica serves over 90 percent of Costa Rica amputees.  My husband and I visited him at his clinic where we met former patients who apprenticed with this kind doctor, and are now employed at the clinic using medical-related skills.  Read “American Doctor in Costa Rica provides prosthetics at a substantial savings.”

2.  Dr. Suresh Thakurdas Bhagia.  Three patients from one family – all suffering from the same kind of heart disease – get the help they need from an Indian heart surgeon they met at a charity event in Fiji.  Read:   “Philanthropic Heart Surgeon in India”

3.  Dr. Carlos Troconis Chief Cardiac Surgeon in Santiago, is often called in the middle of the night to help save a child’s life. The handsome man, with silver hair, drops everything and hurries to perform complex interventional and surgical procedures on small babies and children.  Read:  “Pediatric Heart Surgeon … Volunteers to Save Children’s Lives”.

And finally, I share with you this wonderful video:  “Alberto Cairo: There are no scraps of men” !

PepsiCo offers surgical travel benefit to employees

Medical Tourism Report – Health Articles – Health Travel

Let’s discuss two recent articles that drop some names of U.S. corporations and U.S. companies whose promotion of medical travel lends gravitas to the benefits of medical travel.

Domestic medical travel

Last week, Pepsi Co announced a new partnership with John Hopkins Medicine to offer PepsiCo employees a new travel surgery benefit. (source:  http://www.pepsico.com/pressrelease/johns-hopkins-medicine-to-offer-pepsico-employees-new-travel-surgery-benefit12082011.html)

Folks, PepsiCo is the umbrella corporation for Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Tropicana, and Quaker.  That a big company putting their reputation on the line to promote medical travel both for quality and cost considerations.

According to the 12/8/11 press release, The Travel Surgery Benefit Program gives PepsiCo employees access to top surgeons specializing in cardiac and joint replacement operations.

The travel surgery benefit will be extended to PepsiCo’s domestic employees and their dependents — almost 250,000 people — making the finest in medical care available regardless of geography.

We’re offering their employees some of the best health care available, which should mean fewer complications and should result in employees being able to return to work sooner,” says Patricia M.C. Brown, president of Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC, the managed care arm of Johns Hopkins Medicine, “At the same time, we’re offering PepsiCo predictability regarding cost.”

Brown adds that Hopkins is open to similar arrangements with other large companies.  For more details, read the press release.

There’s no doubt that other self-insured businesses and benefit managers will take note and follow PepsiCo’s lead.  The money-saving and quality care make the move to surgical travel an obvious step.

Overseas medical travel

An article dated 12/16/11 by Fran Golden for MSNBC addresses many of the “why on earth would I do that” questions, quite nicely, albeit incompletely.  (Source:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45702566/ns/travel-news/t/medical-tourismis-it-worth-it/)

Beyond an error in reporting that the organization that accredits international hospitals is the same organization that accredits U.S. health care facilities, I found the article useful in terms of opening up topics for discussion.

I will expand on each of Golden’s talking points, and add the practical wisdom expressed by medical professionals queried in hundreds of interviews compiled in the book How to Plan a Successful Medical Tourism Trip.

If you wouldn’t drink the water in some foreign countries, why would you consider going overseas for a risky procedure—with a doctor you’ve never even met?  Continue to discussion on talking points . . .  .

Medical staff at Metropolitano Hospital in Costa Rica

Health Care in Costa Rica – Colonoscopy in Costa Rica – Gastric Pill Cam in Costa Rica

Exclusive Interview with Dr. Felipe Herrara, MD, Director of the International Patients Department of Hospital Metropolitano in Costa Rica

Tim Morales of Costa Rican Medical Care (CRMC) arranged the following interview with Dr. Felipe Herrera, MD, Director of the International Patients Department and son of Roberto Herrera, MD founder of Hospital Metropolitano, the newest ambulatory hospital in Costa Rica.

Managed by a Family

Ilene Little (IL): Dr. Herrera, I’ve looked at your website and it looks like this is a family-owned business.

Dr. Felipe Herrera (FH):  Yes, it was at the beginning.  Now, the Hospital is part of a very strong local business group, but still a family and warm facility.  Dr. Herrera Sr. has more than 20 years of experience and the rest of the family is fully involved.  Our main location is in the hospital district of downtown San Jose, where all the public hospitals are located.   We’re about 15-20 minutes away from the International airport, and about 10 minutes away from the Hyatt Hotel and the shopping mall area.

(IL): I see you also have two clinics on the West and East side of San Jose in Heredia and another in Tibás.

(FH): Yes, that’s for the convenience of people who live on the outskirts of San Jose.  The clinics have everything that the main hospital has, except for the operating rooms and in-patient rooms.

Metropolitano Hospital Leadership (more…)