Costa Rica Medical Tourism: New Club Med -- 'Family Time ...

Costa Rica's robust medical tourism industry promises patients a land of ... Costa Rica Medical Tourism: New Club Med -- 'Family Time' with 'Me Time'. HomeReadRecentCategoriesEngageForPatientsForProfessionalsWriteanArticleMedical TourismIndexCertifiedMedical TravelProfessionalCertificationAboutContactMediaKitEditorialGuidelinessby01Home02READ2.1RECENT2.2GLOBAL NEWS03ENGAGE3.1FOR PATIENTS3.2FOR PROFESSIONALS3.3Writeanarticle3.4CERTIFIED MEDICAL TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL04INFORM4.1AboutUs4.2MEDIA KIT4.3editorialguidelines4.4MEDICAL TOURISM INDEX05contactEmployerPopQuiz→Howdoesyourorganizationscoreforhealth&safety?Takethe5-min.quizandfindout!Self-FundedEmployer?Takethissurveyforachancetowin$500 →OurResponsetoCOVID-19→DestinationSpotlightCostaRicaMedicalTourism:NewClubMed--'FamilyTime'with'MeTime'ByCristianeRogetDestinationSpotlightNotlongago,thewealthyoftheworld,especiallythosefromdevelopingnations,wereapttooptfortraveltotheUnitedStatesformattersofmedicalcare.Proceduresperformedstatesideweredeemedsuperior.Conversely,destinationsformedicaltourisminCostaRicaandThailandweresoughtfortheirexoticnature,PadThaiandwealthofpre-Colombianpyramids.WithorwithoutObamacare,patientshaveseentheU.S.medicalindustrygothewayofBigPharma.Ballooningcostsandroboticservicehavepromptedaparadigmshiftamongthoseaffluent—andnotsoaffluent—whohaveturnedthetablesonwhatwastraditionallydefinedas“medicaltravel.”CountlessNorthAmericanseschewlocaltreatmenttoactivelyseekingalternativesoutsidetheircomfortzone.‍AshortlimpfromSouthFloridaandCalifornia,CostaRicaisrankedamongthetopfivemedicaldestinations,accordingtotheInternationalHealthcareResearchCenter.‍CostaRicahostsupwardof1.5millionvacationersayearincluding45,000-60,000wholistamedicalprocedureintheiritinerary;especiallyaffordabledentistry—fromfullmouthrestorationtoasimpleimplant.‍Thelogicoffreetradeinmedicineisbecominghardertoresist,especiallyinCostaRica,wherequalityofcareisequaltoandoftensurpassestheequivalentfoundinindustrializednations.Proceduresmayrunthegamutfromelectivedermalfillers,cosmeticsurgery—popularamongthethousandsofflightattendantswhovisitCostaRicaeveryyear—todeluxesparejuvenation.‍AffordableOptionCriticalcareoperations,suchashipandkneereplacements,arebilledat50percentlessthantheidenticalprocedurestatesideand,accordingtoJessicaS.Alvarez,coordinatoratCIMAHospitalinLiberia,“mostmajormedicalinsuranceisacceptedtodefraythosecosts.”‍Whatconstitutes“vacationtime”islessandlessaboutR&Randmoreaboutexploringviablemedicalalternativesonaroadlesstraveled.‍Thestrongerdollar,easeoftravelandglobalconnectivityhaspositioned“medical”vacationsonthetopofcountlessbucketlists.Qualitytimespentinthecompanyoffamilyandfriendsisanaddedvalue.Whilethepatientrecuperateswithextendedstaysandaffordablecertifiedpost-operativecaregivers,thefamilycanpursueahealthierlifestyle.‍“Theymayhitthegreens,takeatrekinoneofthecountry’s50nationalpreservesorsurfthesecludedbeachesalongCosta’sRica’stemperatetotropicalcoastline,”saidprofessionalsurfinstructorEmmanuelGomez,whosefamilyinvestedinCostaRicamorethanadecadeago.‍Othersseekingalternativeandnon-traditionalmedicalcare,suchasstemcellprocedures,mayavailthemselvestoresearchcentersandtemplesofwell-beingincludingNayaraSpringsLaFortunaResortandSpaoratretreatsforyogaenthusiastsorartistsattheluxuriousOnZenSpaatthePlayaFlamingoResortinGuanacaste.‍Whileuntanglingthestatisticsmaybeachallenge,compellingfactorsprovedentalandmedicaltourisminCostaRicaasanidyllicandfullyaccountabledestination.Boastingultra-modernandaccreditedhospitals,doctorsanddentistsbothinpublicandinprivatepracticeareanindisputablefact.‍CostaRica’smedicalprofessionalsconsistentlymeetorexceedstandardsoftheAccreditationAssociationforAmbulatoryHealthCare,aninternationalbodythatassuresandmaintainsthehighestlevelofpatientconfidence,accordingtoDr.JuanMendezandDr.LuisFernandoChavarria,oftheLatinAmericanFederationofUltrasoundandSocietyofBiologicalMedicine.‍“Inadditiontoexceedingrigorousaccreditationcriteriabasedoninternationalstandards,CostaRica’sprivateandpublicmedicalfacilitiesareonparand,inmanycases,superiortothosefoundintheNorthernHemisphere,”saidDr.IvaniaS.Tinoco,ofClinicaDentalTS,whosepartner,Dr.AntonioT.Loria,atenuredprofessorattheCostaRicaUniversityofDentalMedicine,alsoperformsfull-facialreconstructionandelectivecosmeticdentistry.‍BothdentistsworkfromtheirlavishlyappointedglassandsteelofficesinZapote,asuburbofSanJose,whereCostaRicansandtravelersfromabroadreceiveastandardofcaretheyhavecometoexpectandallpatientseverywheredeserve.‍“InCostaRica,youareknownbyyourgivennamenotbythenumberstampedonyourwristband’saidTinoco,whoalsoaccreditsdentalpracticesthroughoutCentralandSouthAmericaaschiefevaluatorwiththeAAAHCCertificationBoard.‍“Combinecostincentives,superioraccreditation,governmentbolsteringofthemedicalcommunitiesinfrastructureandaninherentqualityofcarethatispersonalizedratherthanmechanized,CostaRicaisastandard-bearerofmedicaltraveldestinations,”saidDr.AdrianaTomasFernandez,Sr.,directorofmedicaltourismattheultramodernCIMAHospital,whichofferslocationsinSanJoseandLiberia,thecapitolcityofCanton,Guanacaste.‍AnincreasingnumberofNorthAmericansaretravelingformorecriticalcareprocedures,suchaskneeandhipreplacements,weight-losssurgeriesandspinaltreatments.ManyofthesepatientsaretreatedatHospitalClinicaBiblica,aJointCommissionInternational-accreditedfacilityconsideredoneofthetopmedicaltourismhospitalsintheregion.Whilecostisaprimaryfactorinthedecisionprocess,foreignpatientsareoftenastonishedbythepersonalizedattentionandsuperbcaretheyreceive.InCostaRica,hospitalityisaculturalimperative.MedicaltourisminCostaRicaoffersthebestofhospitalityandmedicalcareforreasonableprices.‍“Thistranslatesintopatientshavingtheoptiontorecuperatefullyandspend4-5timesmoretimewiththeirsurgeonthantheyareaccustomedtobackhome,”saidDaveChambers,publisherofTheCostaRicanTimesandafull-timeresident.“Thispamperingreallymakesadifferenceintheirmedicaltravelexperienceandtheirprognosisoverall.”‍ConvenienceAddtotheequationaculturethatisessentiallystress-freeandecologicallypristine,thecalmingeffectonpatientsisalmostpalpable.ForacountryhalfthesizeofNewYorkState,CostaRica’secodiversityisdazzling.Privateandpublicsteward-shipofthenations’naturalhabitatsandtheprotectionoftheenvironmentbodewellforpatientsnowandforgenerationstocome.‍Raggedseasidecliffsconvergeontoprimevalrainforests.RiotsofwavesandswirlsofmeringuecoloreddunesarereminiscentoftheCaliforniacoastlineduenorth.Cacaoandcoffeeplantations,virginforestsredolentwithwildmangos,coconutpalmsandfragrantorchidsareabundant.ThesilkyblackPanAmericanHighwaycareensfrommountaintopstoanunbrokentropicalcoastline;awelcomerespiteforFloridianslivingatsealevelandnorthernersbracingwinterswithsub-zerowindchill.‍“Withanotherworldlyvarietyoffloraandfauna,CostaRica’stopographyisageologicalbottleneckofmigratorybirds,butterfliesandbugs.OnecanexperiencetheentireSouthernandNorthernHemisphereinmicrocosms,”saiddocumentaryfilmdirectorChristianJohnston,whoreturnedtoLosAngelesafterfilmingthethirdannualEnvisionFestivalinPlayaUvita,neartheNationalManuelAntonioRainForest.‍Forthosewinglessmigrants,aflightfromFortLauderdaletothecapitolcityofSanJoseis20minutesfromtarmac-to-tar-macafterfactoringinthetimedifference.Asacompliment,CostaRicaboaststwospaciousandultra-moderninternationalairports.‍“Withtwice-dailydirectservicefrommultipleNorthernAmericancities,onecandepartFortLauderdaleatbreakfastandarrivebybrunch,”saidAndreaGuardino,aconsultantwithFlorida-basedVectorVoyageandexecutivewiththeNationalAssociationofProfessionalWomen.Guardinaoisaformeron-cameraspokespersonforCosta’sRica’stourismcampaign.‍SecurityCostaRica’seconomicandpoliticalstabilityprovidestheunderpinningforanationalizedmedicalsystemakintoCanadaandtheUnitedKingdom.Withnostandingarmyandunarmedsecurityguards,thecountryenjoysaverylowcrimerate.Morethan1.5millionNorthAmericansvisiteveryyearwhileenjoyingcompletesafetyandsecurity.‍“Regrettably,criminalactivityisendemicinallmetropolitancities.Exercisingcommonsenseandcautiongoesalongwayinamelioratingrisk,”saidPabloSanchez,whosecompany,G&SSecurity,providestravelassistanceandlogistics.“MostvisitorsandpatientsstayinthehillsidesuburbsofEscazú,anaffluentenclavewell-suitedforpre-andpost-operativetreatmentduetoitsproximitytoHospitalCimaandotherfirst-classmedicalfacilities.”‍FedericoQuevedo,apastresidentofEscazuandfounderofVectorVoyage,saidaprofusionofexclusiveboutiquehotels,privatevillasandgourmetrestaurantsmakesEscazutheenclaveofchoiceforNorthAmericanandEuropeanex-patswhoexpectsimplythebest.‍FacilitatorsConsideredoneoftheworld’sseven“BlueZones”duetothelongevityofthelocalpopulation;acomparisonevokessimilaritiestoMalibu,Calif.,andFrance’sCoteAzur.Manyoftheworld’scelebritieshavebecomeenamoredwiththeunspoiledandexclusivenatureoftheregionknownastheNicoyaPeninsula;afavoredhauntforthelikesofLeonardoDiCaprio,AngelinaJolieandGwynethPaltrow,wheregoodmannerspromptsthelocalpopulationtopaythemnoheed.‍Whetherthataspirationaldreamisanipandtuck,arigorouswalkonaverdantvolcanotrail,orlanguishingawaythedayatawellnessretreat,isthereanywonderwhyCostaRicaisknownastheLandof“PuraVida?”CostaRica’srobustmedicaltourismindustrypromisespatientsalandofenduringglamour.‍“Thepristineenvironment,highaccreditationstandardsandposhresidencesmakeforanunrivaledbackdrop,”saidVasilikiKarlin,founderofNaykedBotanicalskincaresystemandconsultantattheOn-ZenSpaattheFlamingoBeachResort.‍AbouttheAuthorCristianeRogetco-foundedVectorInternationalPictures(VIPictures.com)morethanadecadeagoinBeverlyHills,Calif.Sheisaseasonedinvestigativereporter,havingproducednewsfortheNBCaffiliateinBostonandasasegmentproducerfor“InsideEdition.”Sheiswritingfor“RobbReport”online,“JustLuxe”and“ABnewswire.”SheisanalumnusoftheUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles.RogetLink@aol.comLearnabouthowyoucanbecomeaCertifiedMedicalTourismProfessional→Noitemsfound.relatedarticlesPandemicPreparednessforMedicalTravelDestinationsKeySafetyStrategiesforMedicalTravelProgramsGlobalHealthcareCostsLikelytoIncreasein2022andBeyondMessagefromtheCEO|DCWDentalCenterStrategiestoUnlockYourMedicalTravelPotentialintheNewNormalContinueReadingDestinationSpotlightMessagefromtheCEO|DCWDentalCenterby DCWDentalCenteratDestinationSpotlightSoutheast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