AMA Board Chair Responds To Article About Medical Tourism

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 08 Apr 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The information attributed to the American Medical Association in a March 28 Chicago Tribune article that examined the increased number of U.S. residents who travel to India for complicated medical procedures "is not from an official AMA policy report," as the organization has no official policy on medical tourism, Edward Langston, chair of the AMA board, writes in a Tribune letter to the editor.

According to Langston, AMA plans to "take a deeper look" at medical tourism at a June policy meeting. He writes that a "higher priority for the AMA" is an effort to "determine what changes need to be made to the U.S. health care system so we can continue to treat patients at home" and that the group is "currently working to improve access to and affordability of health care for patients and to increase the physician supply."

Langston adds, "For those considering medical tourism," AMA encourages them "to keep in mind that different countries have different safety standards, so patients going abroad for care need to be fully aware of and confident in the qualifications of the health care professional providing the care," as well as "the safety standards of the hospital or clinic where the care will be given." He writes, "Equally important is ensuring there is a plan in place to receive the proper follow-up care with a physician once the patient returns" (Langston, Chicago Tribune, 4/4).

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