Obesity treatment abroad - how to compare clinics and countries

Having made the decision to have weight loss surgery abroad, how do you choose between the many hundreds of clinics that have sprung up to attract international patients? How can you maximize your safety while at the same time minimizing your costs?  How do you compare surgeons and standards? And what else should you consider when comparing clinics?

Talk to the clinics offering weight loss surgery

Most obesity clinics abroad will have a website that will contain detailed information about their facilities and the treatments and procedures that they offer. However, there is no substitute for talking to them in person. If nothing else, you will get a feel for how well they speak your language and how much they understand about your requests and requirements.

Talking to the clinics may cost a little more in international phone calls, but the peace of mind this personal contact can give you is priceless. If possible, you should arrange to speak to your surgeon in person to discuss your treatment.

Comparing experience and expertise for obesity treatment abroad

Perhaps the most important element you should consider in your choice of clinic will be the calibre of surgeons available to perform your operation. You should ask for proof of their training and qualifications, including specialist training in the field of bariatric surgery. You should also ask for details of their experience in performing the particular operation that you require. The more experienced they are, the safer you will be and the lower the risk of mistakes or complications. Ideally, your bariatric surgeon should be doing multiple procedures each week for most weeks of the year.

Always make sure that the surgeon that the clinic tells you about is actually the surgeon who will perform your operation. Some clinics have a well qualified lead surgeon, but still some operations are carried out by junior staff.

Don’t just take the clinic’s word for their expertise, ask for personal recommendations and testimonials wherever possible, and follow these up if you can to check their authenticity. This may sound like a lot of work, but it is well worth it when you consider you are placing your life in their hands.

Comparing facilities for obesity treatment abroad

If you are seeking treatment at a specialist obesity centre, then you can safely assume that they have the necessary equipment and facilities to cater for morbidly obese patients. However, if you are considering a non-specialist centre, then you need to check that they have appropriate facilities. For example:

•     Do they have wheelchairs for obese patients?
•     Are their hospital beds suitable?
•     Do they have recovery beds for obese patients?
•     Do they have, or have access to, intensive care facilities that can take morbidly obese patients?
•     Do they have CT scanners, X-ray machines and other essential equipment that will fit morbidly obese patients?

It may feel embarrassing to ask, but it is better than getting there and finding the intensive care unit cannot cope with a patient your size when you need it.

Comparing standards for obesity treatment abroad

Clinics should also be prepared to show you independently verified records of their success rates and their infection rates. No clinic will be completely free of infections, and these are a risk you have to take. However they should strive to keep infection rates low and should be proud to show you their record. If in any doubt, contact the local health authority, or the national association in their country.

Don’t assume that less developed countries, such as India and Central American countries, will automatically have lower standards. Often these clinics will have state of the art equipment and the highest standards in order to attract foreign customers. On the other hand, some smaller clinics in developing countries may not measure up to the standards expected in the west.

Comparing travel for obesity treatment abroad

Accessibility is a major consideration when comparing obesity treatment clinics abroad. For patients in the US, clinics in Mexico and Costa Rica are a relatively short trip away, and Mexico can even be reached without flying from southern states. For European patients, countries such as Belgium are easy to reach, with budget airlines offering cheap and regular flights, and direct Channel Tunnel trains from London for UK patients.

The further away your clinic, the more arduous your journey is going to be, especially on the return flight when you are nursing wounds from your operation. Long haul travel in economy seats is never comfortable for the larger traveller, and will be even less so after surgery when you may also have special dietary requirements.

Clearly there will be a trade off between the cost of staying at home for your treatment and the savings to be made by travelling abroad. It is up to you to decide where that line is for you and how much discomfort you are prepared to put up with to save money.

Comparing prices for obesity treatment abroad

Obviously, price will be a major consideration when comparing clinics for obesity treatment abroad, however this involves much more than simply comparing the headline price. See the detailed article in this guide on comparing prices for full details.

Go with your instincts

Weight loss surgery is a major operation, and you need to have complete faith in the team that are performing your procedure. The risks from complications and mistakes can be genuinely life threatening and so you will naturally be worried enough without adding to that with concerns about the clinic or the staff. This is why it is important to speak to each clinic personally and to feel comfortable with the responses you get. If anything rings an alarm bell, even if this is for no rational reason, you should walk away. There are plenty of other clinics to choose from.