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Traveling the world can be a wonderful experience. You get to take in new sights, see a ton of history, embed yourself in other cultures, and create lifelong memories. However, while the experience may be fun, traveling to other countries also puts you at risk.
Not only do you run the risk of getting lost or being taken advantage of in other countries due to your lack of direction and/or inability to speak the language, but you are also exposed to illness and disease that you may not be exposed to back home in the US.
Getting sick in another country is not always ideal. Not only do the doctors likely not have access to your medical records, which could put you at risk if you have an underlying medical condition or allergy to medication they aren’t aware of, but you may not get the best possible treatment either. In order to ensure your safety while traveling to another country, use the following tips.
Get vaccinated.
Different countries have different illnesses and diseases, and in order to travel to certain countries, you may be required to get certain vaccinations. Before you go, check and see what vaccinations you need to travel out of the country, and then set up an appointment with your doctor to get vaccinated. Keep in mind that some vaccinations may require multiple doses, so this isn’t something you can put off until the last minute. Plus, you’ll also need proof that you were vaccinated in order to board the plane, so be sure you keep all records and documentation on hand. Getting these shots done will help eliminate your risk of catching a disease while you’re traveling, which will help to keep you safe.
Research doctors/hospitals.
Even though you are vaccinated, it’s still a good idea to research local doctors and hospitals in the area where you’re traveling. This will ensure that you know exactly where to go if you were to become sick or injured. Make sure you not only note the location, but do your research on the doctors and staff too. Determine if you would be comfortable with having these people treat you. Look at their training and education, and try to find reviews from patients. The more you know about the doctor or facility, the better decision you’ll be able to make. If you do not want to be treated by a foreign doctor, then try to find a hospital that offers air medical transportation so that you can seek medical attention in a facility back home or where you’re more comfortable.
Contact the embassy.
A US embassy can be found in different parts of the world. Make sure you know where the closest US embassy is to your vacation destination in case you become ill or injured. The embassy will be able to help point you in the direction of local healthcare options that can care for you properly, or they can help you acquire air medical transportation to help get you safely back home so that you can be treated by a local doctor or hospital that you’re more comfortable with.
Request air medical transportation.
Getting medical treatment in another country can be scary. You don’t speak the language, so you’re not entirely sure what’s going on. You don’t know if the doctor has access to your medical records, which can be extremely important based on your past medical history. And you don’t even know if the doctor is competent enough to be treating you or how sterile the hospital is that you’re being treated at. Because of this, you may want to have air medical transportation fly you back to your local hospital where you can get the care you trust.
If you don’t like the thought of being treated in a foreign location, you always have the option of getting yourself back to US soil to be treated by trusted and experienced doctors. Medjet is a company that specializes in air medical transportation. By signing up for their MedjetAssist program, you will be able to get to the hospital of your choice from anywhere in the world. Medjet offers their program to anyone, so your age or previous medical conditions don’t matter. So if you want the comfort of knowing you can have air medical transportation in case of an emergency while traveling, you can have it.
That’s one thing I worry most about anyone leaving or entering our country is contracting illnesses that can easily be spread. I guess all you can really do is get vaccinated to protect yourself and others.