If your planned trip requires travel immunizations, you may consider a visit to the travel health clinic.
Is there any other time a consult before international travel is necessary? Yes!
I used to think a travel clinic visit was only necessary when traveling to a third world country or some exotic location where adventure travel was part of the itinerary.
This past April, my family traveled to Thailand and Hong Kong. This would be the second visit to these Asian destinations for both my husband and I, but since my 6 year old has some medical issues, I decided to schedule a quick consult with the local travel clinic- Travel Med Inc.. I met Nurse Practitioner and Travel Health Specialist Gina Flaharty and instantly knew we had made a wise decision to visit the clinic before traveling internationally.
More than Travel Immunizations, Travel Health Clinics offer customized resources!
The valuable information we gained not only saved us time and potential misery learning the hard way about Typhoid Fever or the dramatic increase of the Dengue Fever to Thailand, but it brought to my attention the need to check in with a specialist on the latest advisories when traveling out of the country. Since I had not gotten sick from the food on my previous visit to Thailand, I did not realize Typhoid Fever was a danger when eating in “local” restaurants and from the popular vendors. I also did not know anything about the mosquito carrying Dengue Fever – found in both the urban areas of Hong Kong and Thailand.
When traveling to international destinations, protect your investment and health. One trip without proper protection or wisdom could result in a lifetime of misery! A 45-minute appointment with Gina will not only provide travelers with peace of mind, the consultation fee includes fantastic information about local English speaking hospitals or clinics, recommended items to pack, and much more!
“What if I don’t live in Northern California or near a travel clinic?” Here’s the great news. Travelers are able to pick up the phone and schedule a phone consult! Forms can be easily printed off from the Travel Med website, filled out with information about the planned trip, and faxed or emailed to Gina and her staff. They will do all the research for you and then set an appointment for a 45 minute phone consult. The fee for all of this is only $90.
“Is a travel consultation worth it?” Considering the cost and stress associated with an unexpected medical visit in a foreign country, misery related to horrific symptoms of an unfamiliar illness and/or scary conditions of a medical facility NOT on the recommended list, plus the untold dangers of eating certain foods or drinking water the locals seem to do fine on, this $90 may be the best investment into your trip and health!
“I have traveled to the destination before and been fine. Why would I need a consult now?” Guilty here. I thought the same thing. My husband and I had traveled to Thailand previously and I made the appointment more for my son than for my husband and I. My travel experience to the area was not relevant to the current advisories. Gina looked at the medical history of our entire family and what the current advisories were in the specific locations we were traveling and applied her recommendations to fit our needs.
“Won’t the locals know what my needs are and provide the care I need?” It would be great to think so, but as a nurse as well as a parent, I can tell you – it can literally save someone’s life if you understand your needs and basic information related to their care.
I often write about how consulting a specialist who is passionate about their area of specialty offers greater benefits. When people tell me they just ask their family physician or pediatrician about any travel needs, I ask them if the physician reads the latest advisories, attends conferences on the topic, and is well connected in the international travel world.
The Travel Med Clinics live and breathe travel.
- They know and understand what travelers need to protect the investment and quality of travel.
- They encourage international travel and want travelers to be able to experience the destination instead of lying half way across the world in a bed sick with fever and pain.
- They also understand how to offer peace of mind when traveling so far from home and familiar resources.
- The provided information includes a booklet FULL of valuable resources customized for the countries on your itinerary. From recommended medical facilities to local embassies, general travel advice, passport/visa requirements, first aid kit and travel checklists, as well as explaining the difference between travel medical insurance and travel insurance, etc. the information will save you loads of time and potential misery!
Travel Med Inc. also offers vaccines, medications, and relevant travel supplies. My favorite? One that allows females to stand up while urinating (even modern urban cities have disgusting toilets) and we all know those plane bathrooms are far from clean. The staff at Travel Med Inc are familiar with and passionate about these unique travel products that qualify as “Products Worth Packing”!
Travel is an investment. Protect your health and your itinerary.
Give Travel Med, Inc. a call at 1-916-254-2100 or visit them on Facebook or at their website http://travelmedinc.com/
*My consultation at Travel Med, Inc. was not discounted or comped. I paid full price for all travel products and services associated with the Travel Med, Inc. I am not being financially compensated for this post. I just really believe visiting a travel health specialist before international travel is a wise thing to do! I found a good one and am sharing my experience.
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