Medical tourism to El Salvador
The Fox News Health Blog has been running a series of articles about one person's trip from the US to El Salvador to get expensive dental procedures performed. The cost of the procedures was much less in El Salvador than in the US, and so the trip becomes both a medical treatment and a tropical vacation. Here is an excerpt from one of the posts:
I admit that I am not sure how I feel about this story. I think my mixed feelings relate to the fact that my wife just returned from a week of coordinating a group of US dentists and other medical professionals who travelled to El Salvador to provide free care to some of El Salvador's poorest communities. They saw dozens and dozens of patients in need of dental care of the most basic forms. Perhaps this story just provides another perspective on how skewed is the allocation of healthcare resources across the world.
Here are links to the entire series from the Fox News Health blog:He did a brief exam of Doug’s mouth and made a few slight changes to the treatment plan. He went over everything in detail with Doug: Doug would come in the next day for prep work and cleaning; he would have the major work done the following day.
Ricardo, also known as “Ricky,” then took us to check into our hotel. An enormous bouquet of flowers greeted us when we walked into our room.
Dr. Lorenzana sent them with a note welcoming us to El Salvador.
The room overlooked a pool with a waterfall; the air smelled of tropical plants and the temperature was in the 80s. We heard it was snowing in New York.
- What To Do About Costly Dental Work
- Day One in El Salvador
- Doug Undergoes Major Dental Surgery in El Salvador
- A Day At The Beach After Surgery
- Taking In The Sights While On The Mend
El Salvador is a popular destination for cosmetic surgery and access to American Board Certified dentists. Its proximity to the US and favorable exchange rate make it an easy choice for quality care.Another US company called MedRetreat also lists El Salvador as one of its destinations for medical tourism.
I admit that I am not sure how I feel about this story. I think my mixed feelings relate to the fact that my wife just returned from a week of coordinating a group of US dentists and other medical professionals who travelled to El Salvador to provide free care to some of El Salvador's poorest communities. They saw dozens and dozens of patients in need of dental care of the most basic forms. Perhaps this story just provides another perspective on how skewed is the allocation of healthcare resources across the world.
Comments
Dental fees have skyrocketed to the point where many people, like those you mention in your post, are going to other countries to get their dental treatments done.
Many quality dentists participate in church organized "mission trips" to Mexico to help those who are unable to afford care, at no cost to them whatsoever.
Dental fees in the U.S. are out of control and astronomically high, that so many people can't afford even a basic teeth cleaning, and certainly can't afford dental insurance to cover the costs.
Then, ask your Salvadorean dentist how much he paid for his malpractice/liability insurance (zero in most instances).
Then ask yourself how much of your U.S. bill is there just to feed the ambulance-chaser portion of the U.S. legal profession.
common people in the US travel to countries like el salvador for cheaper dental care; volunteer US dentists travel to el salvador to provide basic, free medical care to salvadoran commoners. you just have to enjoy, taste the good irony here. i don't make much of it, that's just how it is, but boy is this paradox savory. tim, is your wife salvadoran by chance?
for medical and Dental, well done, not really hard to mess up, as some one posted, this view is not applicable and if there is a problem the dentist will certainly fix it
Mexico and Brazil, hahahahahahaha
good luck
Mexico, get real Mexico is great, w/o the Mexicans
actually Colombia is bestin Cali for 3 months
3 root canals, 5 crowns, same technology, clean place, $800 here in Myrtle beach, possible AIDS dentist, $9500 for same
3M products
but then again as the last post mentioned, Cuba is best of all best trained doctors probably in the world
I will have a small umbligical hernia repair[too much lifting of tons of frozen shrimp,fish and squid in 50 lb boxes we get in 2-6000 lbs at a time]
and I lift some weights
here in SC %10,000.00 w/o anestheioligist
El Salvador same op, using my own skin as graft, $800-1100 which will be my choice as far as best logistics and time frame
15 minute op
Cuba where i trust best and my cuz's friend/neighbour gets paid $50 month, but has brand new clinic he will charge me $200
and I just may do that as i need to go see some fishermen in Belize next month, if I have time
I have been in various hospitals in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and many times in El Sal, I am a gringo, and even have a social medicine card been 5-6 times in hospital $1.98--2 bux, emergency room, antibiotics, analgesic and stitches 2 BUX!
EVEN HAD A KIDNEY STONE ONCE ambulance ride, from Playa San Diego to Hospital Rosales/emergency roon, big fat shot with pain killers, drank 2 cocos, pissed, checked out 2 bux!
doctors in USA are nada but dope dealers for the pharma companies
and they do NOT want you well in America
[but then again another day on medicine in Asia. different concept,been there 10 times]
and way healthier people than in obese, junk food loving North America
again, wake up 'sheeples'
Viva El Frente/Verde
I refuse to become involved in "political" discussions regarding Salvadorian or Latin American "politics?", especially with those visiting from North America or Europe, look around, make your own decisions, the only exception is my close local friends, always in private, left, center or right, civil discussions, agree to disagree. Too far left or too extreme right, please have a nice day and excuse me, I've an errand to run!
A local associate and I are now assisting an entire Salvadorian village to implement a "green" eco tourism project, including a planned Revolutionary War Musuem highlight the intense conflict history of the area, which will be larger than the exisiting Musuem in Perquin. My work, voluntary, will be promotion of the project abroad. Anyway welcome any visitors to El Salvador and we shall be more than happy to escort you off the beaten path into the "Green Heart" of El Salvador before or after you've hit the Beach and seen the "usual sights"
For those who speak Spanish and wishing detailed information on the project e mail inquiry en español to marco arroba telemovil.net
This is my bloq on "Tourism" (no politics, no religion)whether you like it or not, it is at least informative.
I've been living down here in Central America for 22 years, so am a bit cynical and sarcastic and also at my age, I don't even know how to be, nor care to be "politically correct". Have a fine day. Saludos
Le esperamos.
El Salvador Information/Links Bloq URL: http://traveloblog.com/trip/tropicalguide/south-america-el-salvador-san-salvador.html
I also had cosmetic surgery done there and paid a third of what I would have paid here.
Saludos
Donald Lee
San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A.
El Salvador Bloq
http://traveloblog.com/trip/tropicalguide/south-america-el-salvador-san-salvador.html
Tropicooltours.com
http://www.tropicooltours.com/
Why Not El Salvador? Facebook.com Group (I am moderator)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19135694632
get with me or Donald,
for El Salvador
is an artist, Chino Rosales
just had about 12k done for 3k
also had a hernia op done for,
not very much, here 10K or more
been many times to hospital in El Sal
$2
for a gringo