Medical liability is perhaps the single-most pressing question when it comes to weighing out the advantages of medical tourism.  The idea that you may find yourself stuck in a difficult, or even  threatening situation, without having any legal recourse, is something that would certainly need to factor in when considering whether or not to pursue medical procedures in other countries.  As of now, there are no standardized international regulations regarding this, so it’s important to carefully research your specific doctor and the laws in that particular country when it comes to legislation.

In general, however, US doctors can be sued in US courts by foreign nationals, but it doesn’t seem to apply anywhere else, not in any neatly packaged way, anyway.  For all the troubles with the medical system in the US, they do make it easier to pursue legal action.  The right to sue is, for some, living the dream, and if this is the case with you, then medical tourism is probably not your best option.  However, the US medical system is by no means the best in the world, where the figures regarding longevity, mortality, and general health are not the highest on the list of all the world’s countries, so there are plenty of good reasons for looking elsewhere.

The amount of procedures done on US citizens outside of the US is in the hundreds of thousands every year, and half of these procedures are elective, and half are necessary.  This is very telling in terms of how effective some of these treatment appear to be, and does speak to the quality of care.  At the same time, it’s very difficult to know if you’re working with the right people if you’re just starting out to investigate.  There are some “middle men” who work for US agencies to connect people to the right doctors.  These are much more likely to have procedures in place should legal recourse be necessary.  Consult with the doctors ahead of time, talk to people who have had the same procedure, and look into all of the specifics involved in your procedure, as well as the specifics of the country.  A little information can go a very long way here.