Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus, many sectors of the health care system have pivoted to focus on COVID-19 services, yet on the other hand, other sectors, mostly speciality providers of non-emergency services, were forced to substantially cut back services or even temporarily close their doors. Many physician specialities, including cardiology, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, urology, ENT and plastic and reconstructive surgery have had to cut back on services, due to patients being subject to travel restrictions and new theatre protocols. These specialities are slowly opening up again and patients have become less reluctant to undergo procedures.

Health care providers have put several safety precautions in place. For example:

• Registering before entering the hospital
• Temperature screening before entering the hospital
• Hand sanitizing before entering the hospital or practice
• Limiting or eliminating waiting room attendance
• Promoting telemedicine or virtual consultations

Medical Tourism Care Management: subtle differences

There are differences in the various levels of service in care management or concierge services for tourists travelling for medical or surgical reasons. Some examples in the extent of their services which have been noted below.

The Medical Concierge vs a Medical Travel Company

Often, a medical travel company will contract with a local travel or destination agency to provide “ground services” for the patient and a medical concierge is often found on-site at the medical facility. The medical concierge has no medical training or experience. “Medical” refers only to the function of ensuring that the patient arrives at all medical appointments on time and includes patient hospital visits. The medical concierge may function as a personal assistant, providing services from airport pickup to family liaison and shopping assistance. The services of a medical concierge are restricted to not much more than a travel guide.

However, in other cases, a medical travel company such as Mappa Travel provides the above as well as a more extensive or comprehensive service for the medical traveller. This service can be the equivalent of a “care manager”, offering patient liaison services, nursing support, and medical travel planning. In such cases, the care manager may also function as a patient advocate or patient representative. In my first blog, you can read about more Mappa Travel.

Why consider a patient care manager during and after the COVID-19 pandemic?

Mappa Travel, your preferred medical tourism concierge service in Cape Town, acts as a patient care manager.

• The patient care manager is a professional, trained to support and help you manage your medical and surgical care away from home.
• The patient care manager speaks the local language and has access to a network of local medical support services that you may need.
• The patient care manager is your advocate, your agent and your partner.
• The patient care manager takes responsibility for your care at the medical destination.
• The patient care manager helps plan your procedures, coordinates with the medical team to ensure that all hospital and surgical requirements are satisfied, facilitates all consultations, communication, activities, and events, provides support and reassurance to the patient, family and friends, and manages all post-surgery recovery needs and services.

Having a patient care manager working for you gives you immeasurable confidence, peace of mind, support and reassurance at a time when you need to put all your energies and thoughts toward preparing for your procedures and having a stress-free recovery.

Should an unanticipated event occur, the patient care manager can step in to do whatever needs to be done, to make new arrangements or change existing ones, and to provide any other support necessary to keep you on your path to a comfortable, without incident surgical procedure and recovery.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still at the forefront of our minds, it is even more advisable to be assisted by a ‘local’ professional during your medical journey. With their strong knowledge, preparation and vast experience, Mappa Travel will ease your potential anxiety every step of the way and guide you on all aspects from staying in foreign accommodation in a foreign town, with restricted movement due to the special regulations. 

What can you expect of a patient care manager during COVID-19?

Mappa Travel prides themselves in their diligence in adhering to the special COVID-19 precautions:

• Special precautions during travel, pick-up and drop-off at a hospital and medical facility: hand sanitizing, temperature testing, division screen in car, mask available, etc.
• Arranging COVID-19 testing for elective surgeries
• All shopping and activities that require ‘going out’, will be taken care off to minimize your contamination risk
• All direct contact with medical staff and assistants will be handled by Mappa Travel

Conclusion

Mappa Travel is a ‘pur sang’ and dedicated medical tourism concierge and patient care manager with a heart for Cape Town and their patients.

With having Mappa Travel one call away, there is no reason to postpone your elective surgery any longer.

Let Mappa Travel ensure your peace of mind and offer you a perfectly enjoyable and surgically safe medical tourism experience and world renowned medical care in our Mother City Cape Town.

To find out more pop me an email or give me a call.