No one should ever underestimate the importance of having a trustworthy, prepared physician when moving.
Moving to another country for work, educational or personal reasons is usually fun and yet it seems overwhelming. For expats moving is even more complex: almost a 100% of the times you are not sure what you’re going to find in your new city and worries that were automatically solved – like healthcare or even finding good dry cleaners – take on a whole new proportion. Finding a right house or temporary accommodations, learning a new way of life, getting through the logistics of shipping your stuff and finding a new school for the kids leaves little time to think about less urgent things, such as finding a new physician or getting to know the details of your health plan in Mexico. First, let’s clearly state the importance of finding the right physician: it is a really huge deal. It’s just as important as furnishing your new home! No one should ever underestimate the importance of having a trustworthy, prepared physician when moving: you really don’t want to be unprepared for a possible medical emergency and you should always have some support when taking medical decisions both at home and abroad.
Many expats overlook that medical practices can be very different from what they are accustomed at home. Language barriers are only the first point on a checklist; drug availability varies from country to country, as well as medical equipment, insurance coverage and even medical history formats and information. This doesn’t mean you are not going to find quality healthcare just as back home, it only means you have to be a little more attentive and try and solve these issues just as you get to your new city. Choosing the right physician is a very important first step, and that’s why we want to share some tips that will help you not only locate a new doctor, but also put your mind at ease in some health-related questions for expats.
Contact your health insurance provider to clarify what their coverage is in Mexico. In most cases your health insurance will be managed by your company, so asking HR for a docket is not a bad idea. If coverage is unavailable, look into long-term expat coverage for the duration of your stay with a local insurance agent. Yearly premiums will be between $500 and a $1,000 dollars with maybe a $200-$300 dollar deductible.
Check with your insurance company, whether local or not, if they have an approved or recommended doctors directory. Many companies will regularly offer and update their own recommended doctors directory taking quite a burden off your back.
Ask other expats for their opinions. Nothing is as a valuable as having someone with a similar background helping you with their own experience. This is definitely a must!
Take into account that many of Mexico’s physicians are at least bilingual. Many of them went to school in the US or attended a residence or specialty program in the States, so you should be covered in the language department.
If needed be, the US State Department provides Consular Information Sheets on many countries providing destination- specific healthcare information.
Consider gathering your health records and using an online Personal Health Record for storage of your medical information that you can share with medical providers abroad. Always have your most recent medical history with you and share it with your new physician.
Get and app such as Evernote and store all the important information regarding your health insurance and doctor’s contact information. You really don’t want to be caught in an emergency without your insurance policy number or your doctor’s emergency phone number.
Bring along a list of the medications you’re taking at home to your first check-up with your new physician. Write down not only the brand and name, but the scientific name and the proper dosage. This will help avoid any translation issues and will help you get an adequate substitute if any of the medications you’re taking is not available in Mexico, which is highly unusual.
Take into account that many of Mexico’s physicians are at least bilingual. Many of them went to school in the US.
If you are a frequent traveler you should think about becoming a member of the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers, or IAMAT. Being a member will grant you access to a database of English-speaking medical professionals around the world. You can look up more information about this on their website iamat.org
Last, but not least, don’t worry about the quality of healthcare in Mexico. As expat Don Halbert wrote in his blog after his daughter broke her fingers: “The medical attention she received can only be rated as top notch in terms of professionalism, service, and facilities. The doctor and nurses and hospital staff conveyed a sense of confidence without making an effort to do so. My daughter was never for a moment frightened, and I was never once in doubt she was receiving the best medical attention available worldwide”.
