American College of Surgeons Official Statement Statement On Medical And Surgical Tourism

Tagged: America, American College of Surgeons, Joint Commission International, Medical Tourism, Standards, Trent International Accreditation Scheme

The American College of Surgeons has adopted the following position with respect to medical tourism.

1. The ACS encourages patients to seek care of the highest quality and supports their rights to select their surgeons and health care institutions without restriction.
2. The ACS encourages its Fellows to assist all patients in reaching informed decisions concerning medical care, whether at home or abroad.
3. The ACS advises patients to consider the medical, social, cultural, and legal implications of seeking medical treatment abroad prior to deciding on a venue of care. In the event of proven medical liability for injury, viable means for the recovery of damages should be in place. Patients should be aware that many of the means for legal recourse available to citizens in the U.S. are not universally accessible in other countries.
4. The ACS encourages patients electing to receive treatment abroad to seek care at health care institutions that have met the standards for accreditation established by recognized accrediting organizations. Examples of recognized accrediting organizations include The Joint Commission International (U.S.) and the Trent International Accreditation Scheme (U.K.). Patients should be aware, however, that accreditation standards are not uniform and that standards set locally can vary from place to place around the world.
5. The ACS encourages patients electing treatment abroad to seek care from surgeons and anesthesiologists certified in their specialties through a process equivalent to that established by the member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.
6. The ACS encourages patients receiving treatment abroad to obtain a complete set of medical records prior to returning home so that the details of their care are immediately available to their physicians and surgeons in the U.S. Follow-up care at home should be organized prior to travel whenever possible.
7. The ACS encourages patients contemplating medical tourism to understand the special risks of combining long international flights and certain vacation activities with anesthesia and surgical procedures.
8. The ACS opposes the imposition of provisions for mandatory referral of patients by insurers to health care institutions outside the U.S., unless such provisions are clearly and explicitly stated in the insurance contract and accepted by the subscriber. The ACS opposes the addition of provisions for mandatory referral abroad for patients with insurance contracts already in force, absent the subscribers’ fully informed consent. In any circumstance, mandatory care abroad should be verifiably equivalent in quality to care available in the U.S.
9. The ACS supports the view that payors referring patients for mandatory treatment abroad should be responsible for the coordination and reimbursement of follow-up care in the U.S., including the management of postoperative complications, readmissions, rehabilitation, and long-term care.

For links to The Joint Commission International (U.S.) and the Trent International Accreditation Scheme (U.K.).  Please look refer to our recommendations on the left side of the page.

Related Links: American College of Surgeon  Official Stand on Medical Tourism