Complications From International Surgery Tourism
Melendez MM, Alizadeh K
Aesthet Surg J. 2011;31:694-697
Summary
Medical tourism (ie, traveling outside the home country to undergo medical treatment) is a rising trend. An estimated 2.5 million Americans traveled abroad in 2011 to undergo healthcare procedures. This results in a significant direct opportunity cost to the US healthcare system. Complications from these procedures also affect the US healthcare system because patients often require treatment and have no compensation recourse from insurance. For cosmetic or other procedures that are not covered by insurance, economic motivators are driving medical tourism because some international clinics offer procedures at significantly lower costs, possibly by compromising the quality of care.
Very little data have been available to assess the outcomes, follow-up, and complication rates for patients undergoing cosmetic procedures abroad. The authors of this study distributed a 15-question survey to 2000 active members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons about experiences treating patients with complications from procedures that they underwent during medical tourism. The response rate was acknowledged to be low, at 18%. Of the respondents, 80% had treated patients with complications arising from surgical tourism. Complications included infection (31%), dehiscence (19%), contour abnormalities (9%), and hematoma (4%). The majority of respondents reported not receiving any compensation for the care delivered to these patients.
Viewpoint
Some patients travel to other states or countries seeking specialized care from surgeons who are experts in their field. In these cases, the patients understand that they will be paying a premium for the expertise, as well as the added expenses incurred for travel and lodging. These patients would be paying significantly more than they would have by undergoing the same procedure locally, but they consider the additional cost worthwhile due to the expected higher level of care.
The majority of patients who are attracted to medical tourism have a different motivation -- they are trying to attain an equivalent level of care for a lower cost. Consumers are traditionally driven by price rather than quality and generally do not consider issues regarding follow-up and potential complications. Although reputable international clinics that offer high-quality care do exist, the greater majority that are trying to attract medical tourism patients are doing so by offering low prices. Overhead costs may be lower in other countries, but the level of regulation is also lower. Thus, the accepted standards of care tend to be lower as well.
A recent example of this issue is the current crisis involving breast implants manufactured by Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP).[1] Instead of using medical-grade silicone to manufacture these implants, PIP used substandard industrial-grade silicone as a cost-saving measure. Probably because of this, the implants have a markedly higher rate of rupture than other available breast implants. The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery recommends removal or exchange of these implants to avoid further health risks.[2]
PIP implants have not been used in the US since 2000, owing to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision that the premarket approval application was inadequate.[3] In addition to blocking the use of these implants in the United States, the FDA sent a warning letter to the manufacturer discussing inadequacies in the manufacturing process.[4]
PIP implants have a significantly lower price point than implants approved for use in the United States and are therefore competitive in countries with less stringent regulation. International surgeons trying to entice patients with lower costs could easily justify using PIP implants. In my own practice, I have met patients who were lured overseas for less expensive surgery and ended up with PIP implants. These patients are now faced with additional expenditures for surgery to address complications.
If you have influence over a patient's decision on where to undergo surgery, advise them of the adage: Buyer beware; you get what you pay for.
Medscape Plastic Surgery © 2012 WebMD, LLC
Cite this: Michael A. Bogdan. The Cost of Medical Tourism - Medscape - Feb 17, 2012.
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