The Truth About Plastic Surgery Abroad

    CLEARWATER, FL, May 26, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As far as the current economic situation is concerned it seems we have heard it all. Americans are losing jobs, their houses, their life savings, and even their health insurance. As a result, thousands of US patients are turning towards medical travel as a way to cut costs and afford health treatments they need or desire. Sociologists see this trend as one of the actual benefits of the recession; Americans are quickly becoming much more resourceful, open-minded, and globally-oriented than ever before. This, unfortunately, is also a great opportunity for foreign companies to take advantage of US patients.

There are hundreds of medical tourism companies currently advertising on the Internet offering dozens of medical treatment destinations. How does one know if the company is reputable and trustworthy? How does one decide what destination to choose? Shockingly, experts say over half of US patients decide on having a plastic surgery or another kind of a procedure abroad without sufficient information, without asking necessary questions, and without full consideration of all their options! As a result they are not only risking their money, they are risking their health.

Doctors at the American Medical Association have recently changed their view on medical tourism recognizing it to be safe and beneficial when a number of conditions are met. Earlier this year they issued specific recommendations encouraging US patients to educate themselves about the subject and encouraging US top hospitals such as Johns Hopkins Medical Center and Columbia University Medical Center to form partnerships with international clinics. Still, hundreds of medical travel providers continuously benefit form their prospective clients' lack of knowledge, introducing morally questionable techniques and luring them by very low prices combined with exotic vacations. Some companies offering cosmetic surgeries in Costa Rica and Thailand go as far as to make their patients sign a disclaimer saying, in a very fine print, that the quality of care in those countries will be "most likely" lower than what they would experience in the United States and they cannot guarantee safety. One company recently posted plastic surgery in Mexico as an auction on eBay willing to sell it to the highest bidder. Fortunately, the listing was removed within hours.

Monika M. Dunlap, president of Kari Group, a leading American medical tourism company, says: " Patients should do their homework and ask many questions. They should demand seeing surgeons' credentials, they should do research about the provider they will be choosing, investigate their reputation, and the caliber of surgeons who cooperate with them."

Reputation and trustworthiness of a medical tourism provider is a key. Does the company offer dozens of destinations and many unknown clinics or concentrate on one country such as Poland and only its finest surgeons? Does the company make complete doctors' CVs available upon request and provide actual verifiable testimonials from former patients? Does the company employ medically trained staff or is it merely a travel agency? Does the company enjoy public recognition?

Kari Group has been recognized and endorsed by several media sources including Inside Business and National Medical Report with Hugh Downs and will be exclusively featured in a program describing Poland as currently the safest and most cost effective place for cosmetic surgery abroad. Mrs. Dunlap adds "It is our mission to raise awareness among US patients and help them make informed decisions. Medical travel can be a very affordable and satisfying experience if provided by a reputable company and excellent, qualified surgeons."

For more details please visit www.karigroupllc.com or call toll free at; 866.261.2927

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