Checking out the clinic/hospital

It is important to make sure that your chosen hospital or clinic is formally regulated and inspected by the relevant authorities of their country — usually the government health ministry. If in doubt, check with the regulatory body to confirm the clinic’s status.

In the UK, the assessment of private clinics is the responsibility of the Care Quality Commission. Similar bodies will exist in your chosen country and they should be able to confirm your chosen clinic’s registration and the results of any recent inspections, as well as whether there have been any problems or complaints associated with the clinic.

Inspection reports and references

The best clinics will be proud to give you access to inspection reports and formal assessments, as they have nothing to hide. You will often find this kind of information on the clinic website, but you should always double check these claims for complete peace of mind. The clinic should also provide access to references from previous patients, or better still, put you in touch with satisfied customers that you can talk to directly. If your chosen clinic is unable or unwilling to share such information, you should move on to one that will.

Questions to ask a clinic or hospital

What should you ask your clinic?

• Will the operation take place in a private hospital or at the doctor’s clinic?
• What are the back up facilities in case of an emergency?
• What are their success rates? Do they have any clinical outcome data?
• What are their post-operative infection rates?
• What is the rate of unplanned readmissions after elective surgery?
• How long do patients usually stay in hospital?
• What happens in the first day after surgery — what aftercare and rehabilitation is provided?
• Can they provide patient testimonials, or can you speak to past patients?