Dealing With Medical Complications While Traveling 

Vacations are meant to be relaxing escapes from the grind of day-to-day life. Whether you elect to travel to a new country or visit a familiar destination, there are countless activities you can pursue to enhance your trip experience. As you plan your vacation, you’re most likely focused on your itinerary and transportation logistics, so that your trip can progress smoothly. However, it’s important to remember that illnesses and injuries can occur at any time, even in a foreign country.

A CDC study estimates that “as many as 43%-79% of travelers to low- and middle-income countries become ill with a travel-related health problem.” Add to this the risk of physical injuries, from wounds as minor as a sprained ankle to as major as a broken bone, and you could have a serious situation on your hands. Particularly if you’re in a foreign country, it’s essential to know how to get the medical care you need to have the best possible outcome for your case.

Planning Ahead for Illness or Injury Abroad

Suffering an illness or injury while in an unfamiliar place can be a frightening experience. To ensure you receive proper care as quickly as possible in the event of a medical emergency abroad, you should do the following before leaving for your trip:

• Confirm that your insurance plan provides coverage for international incidents. Do not assume that your coverage simply carries over to whatever country you’ll be traveling in.
  • If your insurance plan doesn’t cover accidents abroad, you can consider opting into a short-term plan that does. 
• Double-check that your health insurance card and a claim form make it into your bag, in case you have a need for them.
• Be aware that Medicare will not cover medical or hospital bills outside the United States. Seniors may want to supplement their Medicare plan with foreign coverage. 
• Bring any medications you need to take daily or regularly with you in their clearly labeled original containers. Medication in an unmarked container may be confiscated or thrown out. In some cases, your regular medications may be legally considered narcotics in other countries. You can call the country’s foreign embassy to confirm.
• Pack a letter from your primary healthcare provider noting any pre-existing medical conditions and medications you are prescribed. 

Steps to Follow if You Require Medical Care

We hope that your trip goes smoothly and that you and your loved ones enjoy safe, restful travels. In the event that you do need to seek medical care for yourself or a fellow traveler, John Hopkins Medicine suggests:

• Contacting the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to request information on regional medical facilities and doctors.
  • If you are dealing with a serious injury or illness, your local consular officers can help you find the appropriate treatment facility. They can also keep your friends or family back home apprised of the situation.
  • Local consular offices may also be able to help an injured or ill traveler transfer funds from family or friends back home to pay for treatments received.
• Researching international healthcare providers and facilities via The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists to find the proper doctor for your needs.

Reducing the Risk of Experiencing Medical Malpractice Abroad

In some cases, the quality of care you receive while traveling may unfortunately be insufficient for your needs. When the treatment you receive does not meet accepted medical standards of care and directly causes you harm, you may have become a victim of medical malpractice. Medical malpractice can take many forms, including:

• Surgery performed on the wrong body part
• Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a patient’s condition correctly
• Anesthesia errors
• Infections occurring as a result of unsanitary facility conditions
• Emergency room errors

To reduce your risk of experiencing an adverse outcome due to the (in)action of a doctor or medical institution abroad, it’s important to visit a trained specialist that is qualified to handle your case. Research local medical institutions that accept your insurance to ensure that they have trained personnel and the supplies necessary to treat you, if you can do so. In some cases, remote hospitals or medical institutions may not have the correct medical specialists or equipment to treat complex cases. 

If you feel unwell, do not wait for your symptoms to worsen before seeking assistance. Some injuries or diseases may require prompt medical treatment to improve your chances of a positive outcome. Delaying care may reduce a doctor’s ability to successfully diagnose and treat your condition. 

What to Do if You Experience Medical Malpractice While Traveling

International medical malpractice lawsuits can be incredibly challenging to file. Each country has unique laws and regulations that apply to medical practitioners and accepted standards of care. Some countries may treat medical malpractice cases as a criminal matter, whereas countries like the U.S. consider medical malpractice as a type of civil litigation.

Even if a country uses a similar civil system to the U.S., it is likely that the amount of damages a victim is owed may be impacted by whether the foreign country’s healthcare system is public or private. 

If you or a loved one suffered preventable harm due to the actions of a foreign medical institution, filing a medical malpractice claim might provide the easiest access to compensation for your family.

To begin the process, speak with a reputable medical malpractice lawyer to determine whether you can file a lawsuit in the U.S. or the country the injury happened in. Depending on the laws of the area in question, you may need to consult with an international lawyer or may be able to file lawsuits in multiple countries.

Protecting Your Health While Traveling Abroad

Although it can be unpleasant to think about the possibility of falling ill or becoming injured while on vacation, it’s best to plan in advance for the possibility of any problems. By ensuring that you have international healthcare coverage and reviewing the medical institutions near where you’ll be traveling before you board your flight, you improve your chances of getting prompt treatment when you most need it. If you do suffer an adverse medical outcome while abroad, speak to an experienced attorney to determine your legal options for recovering fair compensation.