A-Z of Blogging: T is for Travel #AtoZChallenge

26 posts. 26 days. 26 letters of the alphabet, one blog post beginning with each letter.

T is for Travel

Planning a holiday should be an exciting time, but having a medical condition can often make it quite stressful. Many people can wait until the last minute, make a booking, and jump on the plane in the space of a day. When you have a medical condition, however, there is a lot more planning involved. If you need specialist equipment, are you able to take it with you or can you hire it there? Does your accommodation have suitable accessibility? If needed, is there local transport to help you get around? Will the climate trigger any episodes?

There are so many questions that need answering. You might even want to look up some safe travel tips.

Traveling with a medical condition – the best places to try

With a pre-existing medical condition, it is important to know what level of medical care you can expect to receive if something were to happen whilst on holiday. If it is a condition you manage on a daily basis, you might feel confident enough to jet off to any destination, as long as you have enough medication with you. For those higher risk medical conditions though, it is likely you will want to know there is somewhere nearby that can give you adequate medical attention.

International Living has ranked the 6 countries in the world with the best healthcare from an expat’s point of view, which is a brilliant place to start. These countries offer fantastic levels of care, at an affordable rate. They are countries that still offer lots of adventure potential, and are some of the most popular travel destinations in the world.

Malaysia

The Joint Commission International is widely considered to be the highest standard in healthcare assessment across the world. In beautiful Malaysia, they have 13 JCI accredited hospitals. As an added bonus, the majority of their doctors were trained in the UK, Australia or the USA, meaning that they are fluent in English and communication is simple.

France

The World Health Organisation consistently names France as the country with the best healthcare in the world. It is accessible to all and heavily subsidised making it affordable. They offer top of the range medical equipment, highly trained staff, and they even offer medication and healthcare free of charge to those with long-term illnesses.

Thailand

Thailand is a beautiful country, and currently one of the most popular places to travel. It is friendly, welcoming, and not too hard on the purse strings. They also have top quality hospitals spread across the country, with English speaking, highly trained medical staff. Thailand is the medical tourism destination of choice in South-east Asia, which just goes to show the level of healthcare that they provide.

Ecuador

Ecuador is a picture perfect place to visit, with its wildlife, white sandy beaches, Amazonian rainforests and the stunning Andes. It truly is a destination that offers something for everyone. Whether in the big cities or small towns, you will find either public or private doctors and hospitals who go the extra mile for their patients. Their waiting times are short, and their healthcare levels are superb.

Mexico

One of the reasons so many people holiday to Mexico is for the Aztec and Mayan history. There are so many wonders to see, such as Uxmal, Guanajuato, and Chichén Itzá. When you are done visiting sites, there are many beautiful beaches to relax on. Mexico also has a large number of first-rate hospitals, their healthcare costs are reasonable, and they offer great quality medical care for those with serious medical conditions.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one for the avid adventurer. Relax knowing that both the private and public healthcare systems in Costa Rica are being regularly upgraded. They regularly update their staff training, with a lot of their doctors receiving training in Canada, USA, and Europe. They are also updating the quality of their hospitals as well as improving their equipment.

Don’t forget your travel insurance

Whilst the above countries offer affordable healthcare, you still don’t want to find yourself paying out for unexpected medical bills whilst you’re away. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it is likely that you will need to get specialised medical travel insurance.

Over to you

What are some of your favourite countries to visit? Have you any other tips to share on traveling after a cancer?