For someone who is ill or suffers from a serious medical condition, the act of preparing for surgery or treatment can be debilitating both mentally and physically. In the best of cases the person may face multiple doctor appointments, medical exams, financial burdens, and perhaps even doubts about the ultimate success of the treatment, all while attempting to balance work and family commitments.

A flutter of the drapes causes you to stir, bringing into focus a rippling of light and shadow along a mahogany paneled wall. Your eyes drift across the lavish décor of your suite and slowly come to rest on a crumpled mass of pale green sheets lying on a futon couch nearby. Almost immediately the cheerful hum of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons fills the room, followed by the soft patter of footsteps.

How can Virtual Medicine be an equalizer? Organizations around the world position their brand and services based upon the ability to see Doctor X or Doctor Y (when a need arises). Many healthcare organizations spent years recruiting, maintain and molding clinicians and staff to ensure the institution charters a course in medical innovation, research and high quality outcomes.

On December 1st, GHA Interim Chief Quality Officer, Ann Jacobson and Director of Business Development, Bill Cook will travel to Bangkok, Thailand to provide training and advisory services for a well-known hospital in the region that is preparing for accreditation by GHA.

Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA) announces the accreditation of four healthcare providers: Bumrungrad International Hospital, Thailand (Accreditation with Excellence); Cleveland Clinic Ohio, USA (Accreditation with Excellence); My Spine Center of Clínica Santa Clarita, Mexico; and St. Catherine's Specialty Hospital, Croatia.

This past week we were gratified to read three news articles highlighting different activities or issues that impact the patient experience. While none of the articles dealt specifically with medical travel, all focused on values that GHA promotes in its standards. Below we provide a brief synopsis of each article and some key takeaways for healthcare providers treating traveling patients.

Medical travel can offer patients many benefits such as rapid access to care and improved quality, service and savings, but, not all patients can or should travel for treatment. There are many elements – some obvious, some not so obvious – that should be evaluated in advance to determine if a patient is a good candidate for medical travel.

GHA is pleased to announce that Ms. Karen Timmons and Mr. Bill Cook, GHA's Chief Executive Officer and Director of Business Development & Marketing, respectively will present a workshop on Best Practices in Medical Travel to healthcare providers in Bahrain on October 12th, 2019.

Director of Business Development and Surveyor Bill Cook will be heading to Baja California in Mexico July 26-28 to participate as a speaker and panelist in an event that seeks to promote the health and wellness offering of this scenic region.

COVID-19 Certification

Medical tourism accreditation

Back in the day (early 2000’s), mentioning the words medical travel in any discussion about healthcare usually triggered two types of reactions:

Medical tourism certification

The latest issue of International Hospitals & Medical Travel Magazine features an indepth interview with GHA CEO Karen Timmons.

Patients’ companions represent an important source of potential support for patients undergoing treatment. The physical and emotional support they can provide is especially beneficial during the recovery process when patients are at their most vulnerable.

Through the journey of a patient across the medical travel care continuum, one specific role is often a constant. Around the world, the profession of nursing has maintained a long and integral role in the delivery of care. The modern understanding of the profession encounters greater relevance now more than ever.

Recognizing and responding to the needs of an individual is critical to the development of a responsive service that is truly patient-centered. Patients experience needs on several different levels: medical, psychological, related to attitudes and beliefs and even concerning information and communication preferences.

Ms. Karen Timmons and Mr. Bill Cook, GHA's Chief Executive Officer and Director of Business Development & Marketing, respectively, presented a workshop on Best Practices in Medical Travel and Destination Development in Sophia, Bulgaria on June 18th.

It is easy to think of hotels as relatively unimportant players in the context of a patient’s medical trip. Typically the patient (and often a companion) books a night or two in a hotel before treatment and then returns for several days of rest prior to his or her departure home.

Healthcare organizations face unique and dynamic challenges on a daily basis. Organizations attracting traveling patients generally understand the importance of mapping out the path for medical travel patients, yet may miss the mark in including and executing all of the necessary moving components.