MEDICAL TRAVEL
Invasive vs. non-invasive procedures
Wellness travelers may seek care characterized as non-invasive: alternative therapies and wellness treatments; most dental treatments; some non-invasive cosmetic surgery procedures like Botox, facial fillers, spot liposuction, and fat injections; acupuncture therapy; ayurveda; mineral spas; colonic cleansing; most executive check-ups. It is critical to make a distinction between invasive and non-invasive procedures. Insurance companies that issue medical travel insurance are clear about this. Medical travel insurance – different from travel medical insurance which covers tourists for accidental, unplanned medical treatment while on vacation – insures against complications of invasive procedures. The U.S. government defines surgical and other invasive procedures as “operative procedures in which skin or mucous membranes and connective tissue are incised, or an instrument is introduced through a natural body orifice.” Invasive procedures encompass a range of services, including:
• Minimally invasive dermatological procedures (e.g., biopsy, excision, or deep cryotherapy for malignant lesions)
• Extensive multi-organ transplantation
• All procedures classified as surgery
• Procedures such as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and cardiac catheterization
• Minimally invasive procedures involving biopsies or placement of probes or catheters requiring entry into a body cavity through a needle or trocar
Some very minor procedures such as drawing blood or using certain instruments for examinations are technically invasive procedures but are not included in the definition. Non-invasive procedures sought by wellness travelers are dental treatments (excluding implants), dermatology procedures, certain cosmetic procedures, some ophthalmology procedures, genetic testing and so on. They may be single-purpose travelers, mostly focused on saving money, who travel across a border and return the same day. They may be on vacation and opt to have some non-invasive treatments at the same time as participating in wellness tourism activities. Medi-spas have emerged to serve these vacationers. Similarly, Europe offers many spas for wellness travelers that traditionally provide healing waters and mineral baths, and are prescribed by medical doctors for rehabilitation.