Who We Are And What We Do
AMERICAN-STYLE MEDICAL RESOURCES ABROAD
Whether you want to live abroad or travel overseas for medical treatments, Traveling 4 Health & Retirement can help you find the global medical and lifestyle resources catering to Americans and Canadians. Read more …
What is Medical Travel
Medical travel, often described as Medical Tourism, Traveling for Treatment, or Health Travel refers to the practice of traveling to other parts of the country or abroad with an aim to receive necessary or desired medical treatments or procedures. Choosing a destination and a provider depends upon many factors. Read more…
Living Abroad: Reality vs. Marketing Hype
Give Yourself the Option to Live Abroad
Give Yourself the Option to Live Abroad
Living in Costa Rica – Living in Mexico – Living in Panama – Medical Advice for Expats
If the rich and famous, like James Cameron – Hollywood Director of Avatar and Titanic – are moving abroad to shore up lifestyle and financial strategies, perhaps that’s a “heads-up” to the rest of us.
And if worrying about your own lifestyle options is keeping you up at night, you might want to learn about the expat experience.
Resources you can Trust
Traveling 4 Health & Retirement (T4H&R) is pleased to introduce you to David J Gregerson, the owner of OverSeasRadio.com (ORN), a talk-radio network for expats and people who are interested in living abroad.
ORN is about “listen and learn”; picking up on nuances from live-audio that you can’t get in a “white paper” presentation.
The person behind the business
Learning about the leadership of any company promoting living abroad is an essential first step in finding trusted resources. You can’t measure a company’s ethics by reading credentials on a...
Best Hospitals in Panama
Hospital Punta Pacifica in Panama Central America
Hospital Punta Pacifica in Panama Central America
Hospital Punta Pacifica – Centro Medico Paitilla – Clinica Hospital San Fernando -
Great Reasons Why You Should Visit Panama, Central America, for Your Health
Close proximity to the USA, US dollar economy, great hotels and resorts, and exceptional doctors are key factors for considering medical surgery in Panama.
Panama is a tropical paradise with more beaches that we can count, or name. It has off-shore islands, great spas, jungle resorts, the Panama Canal, mountains and super nice people who welcome any visitor. In addition to its eco-friendly designation, Panama offers value shopping, great food, exceptional medical and dental professionals and a keen desire to help you spend your money.
Another great benefit is its very reasonably priced real estate market, and the inclusion of the American money system which makes for a robust economy.
You will feel right at home, because there are many friendly English speakers within this country.
But, of all the enticing reasons to visit Panama, the greatest...
A U.S. Dentist Uses Paper Clips in Root Canals
Paper clips being used by a U.S. dentist in root canals? We're not kidding!
Paper clips being used by a U.S. dentist in root canals? We're not kidding!
Dental Care –Dentist Reviews –Rate a Dentist
Michael Clair, a former dentist in Massachusetts, has pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud for using paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals. Source: 1/24/12 Associated Press
Since the emphasis in news story seems to be focused on the “Medicare Fraud” aspect, I want to focus, here, on the patient.
Seriously, folks, this is a rude “wake-up” call that you can’t assume your local dentist is ethical or any good at what they do.
Since I’m in the business of educating people on what a highly-skilled and ethical dentist is and does – and promoting only those dentists recommended by our members, I’ll share one article here: ”Can your dentist pass the litmus test?”
I also suggest you...
New York Hospital Makes “Big Mistaka”
New York Hospital Makes “Big Mistaka” (file / credit: Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center)
New York Hospital Makes “Big Mistaka” (file / credit: Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center)
Patient Care in the Bronx – Hospital Report New York City
To borrow a phrase from the Jimmy Buffet song, “Jamaica Mistaka”, a hospital in New York made a “big Mistaka” resulting in patients getting billed for tens of millions of dollars for medical services. (source: http://nydn.us/AjolYU).
Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center is a general medical and surgical hospital in Bronx, NY, reported by USNews.com to be one of the best hospitals in the U.S.
The company that does the billing for the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital erroneously put the invoice number in the space where the invoice amount should go. So the billing company is to blame, but the buck stops at the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital.
I’m sure this is all an embarrassment to the hospital; but can you imagine the shock of one patient who received a bill saying he owed $44.8 million dollars?
That’s what happened to Alexis Rodriguez, an unemployed doorman, who said he almost became ill when he saw the bill for $44.8 million...
IVF Vacations in South Africa? Buyer Beware!
Risks associated with IVF Vacations in South Africa
Risks associated with IVF Vacations in South Africa
IVF Vacation in Africa – In vitro fertilization – Medical Tourism Report on IVF
A press release announcing a new IVF Vacation Center in South Africa is marketing South Africa as “A New Option For Infertile Couples and Singles Looking To Save Money In Beautiful Vacation Destinations.” (Source: Retrieved from http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=151385 )
The challenge is, press releases aren’t designed to give you both sides of the story; the risks, as well as the cost-advantages, even supposing the medical services are indeed excellent.
So, I’m here to give you a heads’ up; not to discourage you, but just so you can make an informed decision about where to go.
As you know, Traveling 4 Health & Retirement is dedicated to educating people about medical resources abroad, so I’m bullish on traveling for treatments and want very much to give credit where credit is due, for example, to those centers of medical excellence and individual physicians who have earned the respect of professional peers and their...
How American Hospitals are Failing Patients
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...
Happy New Year from Traveling 4 Health and Retirement . . .
Happy Thoughts for the New Year
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...
Traveling for Surgery – Who’s doing it and why?
PepsiCo offers surgical travel benefit to employees
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-peps...)
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...
Most Affordable Hospital Care in Costa Rica
Medical staff at Metropolitano Hospital in Costa Rica
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...
In Search of Superior Health Care Overseas
Expanding the discussion of traveling for surgery
Expanding the discussion of traveling for surgery
Medical Tourism Report – Health Articles – Health Travel
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 ...
