Long air travel can be both physically and mentally taxing. I recommend always bringing a small carry-on bag with you, packed with the basic essentials such as any prescription medication, an extra set of clothes and personal valuables, just in case your checked luggage is lost, stolen, damaged, or gets delayed. Below are a few more items to bring in your carry-on that can make your flight more comfortable and the time go by a little faster.

1. The drone of the airplane engine, talkative travelers, and crying babies can make it hard to sleep on a plane. Bring earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the noise.
2. Neck pillows can make the seats more comfortable and help you catch some sleep during the flight.
3. Bring entertainment such as a music player, reading material, or a cross word puzzle to pass the time.
4. Airline food can be heavy and often high in sodium. Pack a light, healthy snack like dried fruits, nuts, or a protein bar for when you are feeling hungry during your flight.
5. Protect yourself from getting sick on the plane by bringing hand sanitizer (make sure to abide by TSA’s 3-1-1 rule), anti-bacterial wipes and vitamin C supplements.
6. Changes in cabin air pressure can cause earaches, bring a pack of chewing gum to ease ear pressure during takeoff and landing.

Remember not to over pack your carry-on bag, some airlines may charge an additional fee or make you check the bag if it doesn’t comply with their carry-on weight and dimensions. Also make sure that the bag is light enough so you can easily lift it into the overhead bins.

Happy travels,

Kevin

Follow Global Health Networks and Medical Travel on LinkedIn for news on the medical travel industry, lively discussions, and the latest updates on Satori World Medical.

Global Health Networks and Medical Travel

As the cost of U.S. health care continues to climb, more Americans will turn to alternative solutions, like medical travel. This group will address the growing interest in global health care and medical travel, and help industry participants stay informed of timely discussion, news and trends.

Click here to join: http://www.linkedin.com/e/-koh5ys-gdhu2k59-4w/vgh/3356225/

Pierre Brassard, M.D., Offers Top-of-the-Line Care in Canada for Patients Worldwide

Satori World Medical, the leader in medical travel, adds world-renowned gender reassignment and plastic surgeon Pierre Brassard, M.D. to its prestigious network.  

Canadian surgeon Brassard brings nearly three decades of experience in plastic surgery and performs more than 200 gender reassignment procedures each year.  Known as one of the world’s leading physicians in the field of gender reassignment procedures, Brassard joins Satori World Medical’s physician network to give greater access to patients across the globe.

“At Satori, one of our pillars of excellence is to align ourselves with only the best of the best in health care,” said Steven Lash, president and CEO, Satori World Medical.  “Dr. Brassard is widely known as one of the top physicians in his field and we are delighted that he has joined our network.  All of our physicians are U.S./U.K. or equivalently board certified and trained, and are experts in their field.”

Read the full press release here: http://www.satoriworldmed.com/content.php?id=110

Buncher Brings Nearly 40 Years of Health Care Management Experience

Satori World Medical, the leader in medical travel, announces the appointment of health care management leader James Buncher to its board of directors.

Spending nearly 40 years in the formation, financing and delivery of health care, Buncher will provide strategic input on the development of Satori and the overall Satori Experience™.  

“Jim’s joining the board comes at an exceptional time of growth for Satori,” said Steven Lash, president and CEO, Satori World Medical. “Jim has experience in successfully leading health care organizations, including his most recent position as CEO of Safeguard Health Enterprises – a dental and vision insurance company. We are expanding our dental network worldwide and his expertise in the dental industry will prove to be valuable in the build-out of this program.”

 Read the full press release here: http://www.satoriworldmed.com/content.php?id=109

Satori World Medical’s Global Transgender Program offers individuals access to a high quality network of international hospitals and highly trained gender reassignment surgeons, at a signigicant cost savings of up to 30-50% on surgical procedures when compared to the same procedure performed in the U.S.

High Quality Network of Surgery Centers and Surgeons

With Satori, you have access to high quality surgery centers where procedures are performed in facilities designed to cater to U.S. patients. All surgeons are U.S./U.K. or equivalently trained and board certified and fluent in English. You can be confident you will receive high quality care.

High Touch Medical & Travel Services

A phone call to Satori World Medical is all it takes. You can focus on getting the care you need and Satori will do the rest. Our team of Gender Transition Advocates (GTA) guide you through every step; coordinating your care, transferring medical records, setting up a conference call with your international surgeon, scheduling your procedure, making hotel and airfare reservations and setting up your follow-up appointment with your U.S. physician upon your return. Our in-country concierge service will take care of your medical transportation needs during your stay.

Significant Savings of 30-50% on SRS Procedures

Typically a procedure in our network costs 30-50% less when compared to the same procedure in the U.S. That savings of 30-50% includes roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations. This savings enables you to finally afford the procedures you need.

For more information on our program contact Kevin Poling, Director of Patient Services at http://satoriworldmed.com/transgender/contactus.htm or (866) 613-9686
Visit us on our website at www.satoriworldmedical.com/transgender

Official Hospital Webpage: http://www.bumrungrad.com/

Bumrungrad International Hospital is a Joint Commission International accredited, multi-specialty hospital located in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. Founded in 1980, today it is the largest private hospital in Southeast Asia, with 554 beds and over 30 specialty centers. Bumrungrad offers state-of-the-art diagnostic, therapeutic and intensive care facilities in a one-stop medical center.

Bumrungrad International Hospital serves over a million patients annually. Over 400,000 of those patients are internationals. They include visitors from 190 countries around the world. The hospital has a medical coordination office staffed by doctors, nurses, and interpreters who serve the special needs of international patients.

The staff of Bumrungrad International Hospital includes over 700+ nurses and 945 doctors, covering 55 sub-specialties. The Red Cross gives Bumrungrad its top classification of “A” – defined as “a tertiary care center which should be able to provide quality care in all medical specialties including invasive cardiology, cardiac and neurosurgery.”

Read more about Bumrungrad International Hospital on the Satori Website

Read more about What to Experience in Bangkok During Your Medical Stay

Bangkok Hospital’s first medical campus was established in 1972. In the past 38 years, the Bangkok Hospital Group has grown from a single 100 bed facility to becoming the kingdom’s largest hospital operator with 13 network locations throughout all of Thailand.

From the 256-slice Multi-detector CT Scan, to Gamma Knife Surgery - Bangkok Hospital Medical Center (BMC) boasts some of the most cutting-edge medical technology available today. Use of these modern technologies results in more reliable diagnostic imaging, shorter recovery periods, and less invasive surgical procedures for patients. Bangkok Hospital Medical Center is committed to applying the latest innovations in medical technology throughout all of their clinics and specialized centers.

Bangkok Hospital Medical Center’s patient rooms are among the best. Spacious and private, the comfortable atmosphere and relaxed setting are essential to letting patients relax and focus on recovery. The main goal of BMC is complete patient satisfaction: from their friendly staff, to the hospital’s many amenities and constant care.

Links:

Click to view the Bangkok Brochure PDF

View more information about Bangkok Hospital on Satori website

Visit Bangkok Hospital website

View previous post: “What to experience in Bangkok on your medical stay”

The trend of medical tourism, where Americans are traveling outside the United States for medical care, is becoming more common due to the high cost of surgery in the U.S. Countries all over the world such as Thailand, India, Costa Rica, and Mexico are world-renowned for their medical and dental care.  Below are a few of the most popular procedures among medical tourists:

• Cardiac Surgery: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease, stroke and other vascular problems, is one of the deadliest and costliest health problems in the U.S. However, top quality healthcare for heart disease can be obtained internationally at a fraction of the cost than within the U.S. The average heart procedure in India costs a tenth of what it would for the same procedure in a U.S. hospital. The Asian Heart Institute, located in Mumbai, India, performs over 1,200 Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) procedures per year. They are affiliated with the prestigious American hospital The Cleveland Clinic, and provide world-class cardiac care. 
• Joint Replacement: Orthopedic procedures, such as hip/knee replacements are becoming more frequent due to the aging Baby Boomer population, and as Americans remain leading active lifestyles. Having an orthopedic procedure can be done overseas in high quality facilities that can save as much as 50% compared to having it done domestically.
• Cosmetic Surgery: Costa Rica, Thailand, Mexico, and Brazil are known for their plastic surgery. Average savings on plastic surgery procedures can be as much a 50%, while the quality of the care delivered rivals that of top U.S. hospital institutions. Top plastic surgery procedures include tummy tucks, breast augmentation, facelifts, and rhinoplasty.
• Dental Procedure: Having dental work done abroad has become popular since most health insurance plans do not cover dental procedures and the average cost savings for dental treatments can be as much as 75%, when compared to the cost in the U.S. Every year, highly trained reconstructive and cosmetic dentists provide dental treatments to thousands of patients travelling abroad for economical dental procedures. Popular dental tourism locations include Mexico and Costa Rica.

 In 2008 and 2009 the American Medical Association (AMA) and American College of Surgeons (ACS) issued guidelines on medical tourism, the rapidly growing trend of traveling outside the US for medical care.  These guidelines were in favor of patient choice and focused on quality of care and patient safety.  Now the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) is advising patients who are seeking surgical care internationally to help them make informed decisions.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists is an educational, research and scientific association of physicians organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient.

Below are a few of the questions the ASA suggests asking before traveling abroad for surgical care and how Satori World Medical meets or exceeds these criteria.  For the complete list of questions, click here.

Are the physicians who will be performing the procedure licensed specifically for the procedure, and is the facility accredited by a reputable organization such as the Joint Commission International (JCI)?

Find out what professional memberships, training and qualifications the physicians hold (e.g., surgeon, anesthesiologist, etc.).  Choosing an accredited facility ensures that the hospital proved it met certain standards of care intended to keep patients safe.  While most hospitals feature this information on their Web sites, you can find those accredited by JCI at www.jointcommissioninternational.org.  You should also make sure to research mortality rates, infection rates and other performance measurements.

As a quality baseline or “gating” issue, Satori World Medical only contracts with international hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) that accredits all US hospitals and healthcare organizations.  JCI sets over 350 standards of excellence for international hospitals to meet that ensure the quality and safety of patient care.  Moreover, our network of International Centers of Excellence have leading-edge technology, departments designed to cater specifically to international patients, and teams of US/UK or equivalently trained and board certified physicians that are English speaking.

Have I considered working with a medical tourism company?

Medical tourism service providers can guide you through the process by doing everything from transferring your medical records, to coordinating your travel logistics.  It is critical that you research them carefully because, as is the case with hospitals, they can vary in quality of service.  As a first step, you should check with the hospital where you are having the procedure, as it likely has a dedicated medical tourism group.

While high-quality care is available at many hospitals around the world, not all medical travel programs offer the same level of quality.  Satori World Medical has a robust quality assurance program and a strong patient advocacy and support program in place.  Satori’s primary focus is providing access to the highest quality patient care.  Our company has developed a proprietary quality management system which includes ongoing quality audits as well as a Nurse Patient Advocacy Program.

Who will be traveling with me for this procedure?

A support group can play a significant role in the overall outcome and experience associated with having a medical procedure abroad. If possible, patients should identify a family member or friend who can accompany them.  In addition to ensuring patients are receiving the best care possible, they can also play a motivational role, which can make the experience more comfortable and decrease recovery times.

Fundamental to Satori’s Business & Care Model is the belief that a companion should accompany the patient while traveling internationally for medical care, enhancing the ease of their trip, comfort, and quality of life while abroad.  Satori’s innovative model includes the cost of hotel and travel accommodations for the patient’s companion.

“With President Obama’s crusade for lower health costs in full swing, many Americans are left wondering where they’ll find quality treatment.

The answer is likely south – as in, yes, Mexico – but trends indicate the border-crossing phenomenon may also be growing at home.

There was a time when traveling across the border for prescription drugs or dental treatment –  much less a surgical procedure – meant returning with a botched boob job or worse, but many U.S. tourism companies are taking the plunge, sending their clients to Mexico, Costa Rica and beyond for medical treatments that rival those at American hospitals at half or even one-third of the cost.

A San Diego-based medical tourism company, Satori World Medical, offers a procedure list that includes everything from plastic surgery to spinal fusion at 40 to 80 percent of the cost of the same procedure done in the U.S…”

Click to read the full article on San Diego News Network