Is surgery abroad safe?

Few would argue that there are good and bad doctors/hospitals everywhere. It is however generally agreed that the medical standards in the best hospitals abroad are as good as if not better than those in the US / UK. Often hospitals, particularly those in South East Asia boast lower morbidity rates for certain procedures than those in the U.S / UK. One should also realise that many of the doctors/dentists working abroad have often had their medical training in the U.S / U.K

The Joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organisations (JCAHO) is responsible for assessing many of the hospitals in the US. Due to the growth in medical tourism they now have an international accreditation scheme (JCI) which assesses hospitals overseas. Such JCI accredited hospitals are considered to meet the same standards as in the US and to date more than 100 hospitals have gained this award. Although JCI is an important indicator of competency of overseas hospitals, it is important to mention that there are many equally impressive healthcare providers not yet accredited as it is both an expensive and lengthy process.

Share on Facebook