Surgery abroad? Medical tourism inquiry.
Moderator: bbsadmin
Surgery abroad? Medical tourism inquiry.
I know that many people on this board have had experiences (both good and bad) with Dr. Reiche in Costa Rica, but has anyone here gotten surgery done abroad (to save money) with another doctor in Costa Rica or elsewhere? Please let me know.
I would really, really, REALLY encourage you to explore other options regardless of what the surgeon's skills are. This is such a major surgery and being able to regularly follow-up with the surgeon is extremely important. If something goes wrong, you will end up spending much more than the amount of money you saved by going abroad.
It sucks that I found out about this after my surgery, but there apparently are a lot of surgeons in the states who are using in-office surgery suites for orthognathic patients to make it more affordable to those who don't have insurance. It's really the hospital bill that causes this surgery to be so outrageously expensive (amongst other things, but still, the hospital bill is the big one). If you are in the southeast region I would try googling Lon Doles in Charleston, SC as he is very accomodating to patients who do not have insurance and is an excellent surgeon. Like I said, I found out about this option after my surgery, and honestly I am paying more now for going abroad than had I just stayed in the states and looked for a surgeon who offers this option. Even in the most skilled hands, things can go wrong with this surgery, and it is so, so, so much better to be able to follow-up with your surgeon face-to-face rather than over a phone on a different continent.
So whether it's India, England, Australia, Costa Rica, or wherever, I would say stay within your own country!!! There are plenty of doctors in the States that are willing to help you navigate the orthognathic surgery route if you are uninsured or are having difficulty with getting approval, if in fact you are in the United States. I unfortunately found out about some of these docs only after my surgery.
It sucks that I found out about this after my surgery, but there apparently are a lot of surgeons in the states who are using in-office surgery suites for orthognathic patients to make it more affordable to those who don't have insurance. It's really the hospital bill that causes this surgery to be so outrageously expensive (amongst other things, but still, the hospital bill is the big one). If you are in the southeast region I would try googling Lon Doles in Charleston, SC as he is very accomodating to patients who do not have insurance and is an excellent surgeon. Like I said, I found out about this option after my surgery, and honestly I am paying more now for going abroad than had I just stayed in the states and looked for a surgeon who offers this option. Even in the most skilled hands, things can go wrong with this surgery, and it is so, so, so much better to be able to follow-up with your surgeon face-to-face rather than over a phone on a different continent.
So whether it's India, England, Australia, Costa Rica, or wherever, I would say stay within your own country!!! There are plenty of doctors in the States that are willing to help you navigate the orthognathic surgery route if you are uninsured or are having difficulty with getting approval, if in fact you are in the United States. I unfortunately found out about some of these docs only after my surgery.
please excuse the off-topic question, but why is that?scguy85 wrote:It's really the hospital bill that causes this surgery to be so outrageously expensive (amongst other things, but still, the hospital bill is the big one).
the hospital is a small part of the bill in my country. if you pay for everything out of pocket, maybe 1/4.
SC guy, if what you allege is true, why have you been trying to book another surgery with Dr Reiche this past week?
I ask that because I had my surgery in Costa Rica and it could not have been better. Dr Reiche performed nothing short of a miracle on me and I highly recommend him and have documented photos before/after.
EVERY person whom I referred to him and who I received info from before I had my surgery had nothing but wonderful things to say about him.
If you continue to try to harm him via this board, why don't you back it up with evidence?
I ask that because I had my surgery in Costa Rica and it could not have been better. Dr Reiche performed nothing short of a miracle on me and I highly recommend him and have documented photos before/after.
EVERY person whom I referred to him and who I received info from before I had my surgery had nothing but wonderful things to say about him.
If you continue to try to harm him via this board, why don't you back it up with evidence?
October 8, 2008 Lefort1(6mm impaction), BSSO, Genioplasty, Turbinectomies, Partial septoplasty, gum recontoring
I'm not sure if your situation would have been any better if your surgery had gone wrong with a local doctor.scguy85 wrote:I would really, really, REALLY encourage you to explore other options regardless of what the surgeon's skills are. This is such a major surgery and being able to regularly follow-up with the surgeon is extremely important. If something goes wrong, you will end up spending much more than the amount of money you saved by going abroad.
I know some horror stories with local doctors and in none of them the original doctor was of much help - be it either because he's trying to protect himself or because the patient had lost trust in him.
OzzysMom -
I didn't try to book another surgery with Dr. Reiche this week. I spoke with him over the phone, and not once did I say I wanted to book another surgery with him - the call was solely for the purpose to clarify what had happened since the initial surgery in January and everything with my jaw guy/ortho here.
But aside from all of that, how did you even know we spoke this week??? And even if I had tried to schedule a surgery, which couldn't be farther from the truth, how would you have heard about it 48 hours after the call ended????
That's seriously disturbing, it's Monday and I spoke to him on Friday, so somehow over the weekend you got word that a private conversation occured between me and Dr. Reiche about 48 hours ago. Are you affiliated with Dr. Reiche?!?!
I didn't try to book another surgery with Dr. Reiche this week. I spoke with him over the phone, and not once did I say I wanted to book another surgery with him - the call was solely for the purpose to clarify what had happened since the initial surgery in January and everything with my jaw guy/ortho here.
But aside from all of that, how did you even know we spoke this week??? And even if I had tried to schedule a surgery, which couldn't be farther from the truth, how would you have heard about it 48 hours after the call ended????
That's seriously disturbing, it's Monday and I spoke to him on Friday, so somehow over the weekend you got word that a private conversation occured between me and Dr. Reiche about 48 hours ago. Are you affiliated with Dr. Reiche?!?!
And in regards to proof, what kind of exhibit am I supposed to provide via this message board besides words? If I have a positive experience I am the kind of person who encourages others to do the same. If I have a negative experience, I am the kind of person who will warn others not to do the same. Therefore it follows that since my experience was negative, I warned others.
If I were interested in dragging Dr. Reiche through the mud for no reason, which I most certainly am not, I would have done more than post one or two messages like 5 months ago on some random board that not that many people go to. I'm sure he has a solid reputation and good business that isn't going to be much affected by one foreigner's bad experience.
You are obviously on the defense for some reason as if you take this personally, which makes no sense to me. But honestly I just really wish you had not just accused me of trying to schedule another surgery with him on Friday because
a). I didn't and that's a flat out lie, so I guess that would make whoever told you that a liar
b). I last spoke with him 2-3 days ago and somehow a complete stranger on the other side of the country has found out about this
c). it's called patient confidentiality, doctors aren't supposed to just air conversations to people, and in such a short amount of time...how would you even know who he had spoken to???
You pretty much just put a "Hey, I am personally connected to these people in someway" sticker on your forehead.
For the record, I had a bad experience, I will leave it at that, there is NO need to get into it anymore, for Dr. Reiche's sake and for my sake, which I think is the most professional and ethical way to go about this. I have moved on trying to get this taken care of and my phone calls with him are really not your business...on any level...whatsoever. If you are indeed a real patient with a real positive experience, then that is great for you. I didn't and that is that.
If I were interested in dragging Dr. Reiche through the mud for no reason, which I most certainly am not, I would have done more than post one or two messages like 5 months ago on some random board that not that many people go to. I'm sure he has a solid reputation and good business that isn't going to be much affected by one foreigner's bad experience.
You are obviously on the defense for some reason as if you take this personally, which makes no sense to me. But honestly I just really wish you had not just accused me of trying to schedule another surgery with him on Friday because
a). I didn't and that's a flat out lie, so I guess that would make whoever told you that a liar
b). I last spoke with him 2-3 days ago and somehow a complete stranger on the other side of the country has found out about this
c). it's called patient confidentiality, doctors aren't supposed to just air conversations to people, and in such a short amount of time...how would you even know who he had spoken to???
You pretty much just put a "Hey, I am personally connected to these people in someway" sticker on your forehead.
For the record, I had a bad experience, I will leave it at that, there is NO need to get into it anymore, for Dr. Reiche's sake and for my sake, which I think is the most professional and ethical way to go about this. I have moved on trying to get this taken care of and my phone calls with him are really not your business...on any level...whatsoever. If you are indeed a real patient with a real positive experience, then that is great for you. I didn't and that is that.
The only way I am personally connected is that I have been the person that many Americans including yourself had contacted to hear my experience...no other way. People contact me because they have no other surgical option(same situation I was in 2 years ago). After I had my surgery after waiting decades for it, I promised myself that I would help others who were in a similar situation.
I actually heard about this 10 days ago and this came about because of the following very nasty post by you on this board which Dr Reiche is aware of:
viewtopic.php?p=332801&highlight=#332801
That harmful post totally discredited what I had experienced, hurt Dr Reiche's business(which was your intention), discouraged people from having the surgery all because you were trying to make trouble. I know this because of emails you sent me after surgery.
I spent the last 2 years helping people on this board, some of who were interested in going to CR for surgery and others who were staying here. With almost 400 helpful postings, I think that speaks for itself.
I actually heard about this 10 days ago and this came about because of the following very nasty post by you on this board which Dr Reiche is aware of:
viewtopic.php?p=332801&highlight=#332801
That harmful post totally discredited what I had experienced, hurt Dr Reiche's business(which was your intention), discouraged people from having the surgery all because you were trying to make trouble. I know this because of emails you sent me after surgery.
I spent the last 2 years helping people on this board, some of who were interested in going to CR for surgery and others who were staying here. With almost 400 helpful postings, I think that speaks for itself.
October 8, 2008 Lefort1(6mm impaction), BSSO, Genioplasty, Turbinectomies, Partial septoplasty, gum recontoring
can't you finally take this elsewhere? noone here cares about Dr. Reiche's business, or anyone else's.OzzysMom wrote: That harmful post totally discredited what I had experienced, hurt Dr Reiche's business(which was your intention), discouraged people from having the surgery all because you were trying to make trouble. I know this because of emails you sent me after surgery.
this is a patient's forum.
besides that, if you really know about private phone conversations between a doctor and his patients, you might get his "business" into more trouble by saying so than scguy ever could.
I don't know about CR law, but almost everywhere that's a criminal offense.
Quertz, I don't know about what was said in the personal conversation which took place but I was informed because I was the one who referred him.
Maybe nobody cares about him but for what it's worth, many, many people from this board contacted me about him over the past 2 years so there are some people who do care. I've spend a lot of time talking, emailing, etc...patients from this board and calming their fears. Not everyone has insurance and it is their only option. If you are covered by medical insurance, you are one of the lucky ones.
I was simply trying to defend something that I know is a great option. Going back to the first post of this thread, this specific doctor was mentioned as well as saying "experiences(both good and bad)" and to be honest, there is no other person who I am aware of who ever had/posted a bad experience. All others have been good.
Sorry if I offended you.
Maybe nobody cares about him but for what it's worth, many, many people from this board contacted me about him over the past 2 years so there are some people who do care. I've spend a lot of time talking, emailing, etc...patients from this board and calming their fears. Not everyone has insurance and it is their only option. If you are covered by medical insurance, you are one of the lucky ones.
I was simply trying to defend something that I know is a great option. Going back to the first post of this thread, this specific doctor was mentioned as well as saying "experiences(both good and bad)" and to be honest, there is no other person who I am aware of who ever had/posted a bad experience. All others have been good.
Sorry if I offended you.
October 8, 2008 Lefort1(6mm impaction), BSSO, Genioplasty, Turbinectomies, Partial septoplasty, gum recontoring
I was just asking why you are accusing me of scheduling surgery with him last week? That's just kinda creepy, because I didn't try to schedule another surgery but I did speak with him on Friday and here it is 3 days later and somehow you knew we talked.
No one even said anything to me about that post until last week which is funny because it was posted in like February or March and it is almost August.
I feel like I have the Costa Rican mafia on my tail now
Of course I live through years of jaw troubles and other random BS and some discussion board on a braces website ends up sealing my fate. If I end up in a ditch I'm totally giving everyone a heads up as to who the prime suspects should be!
Ok, I'm kidding, but on a more serious note, everything that I said happened did in fact happen, so there really isn't anything for me to prove or disprove and I don't really see why anyone would think I'd make it up. Why would I do that? I saw a couple of doctors here, more than one, and they were all alarmed (some more than others) as to how my surgery was carried out, so it's not just my own personal opinion, there were several professional opinions involved too.
Dr. Reiche gets a couple bad posts on the internet, I get a messed up jaw, I'd say I got the bad part of the deal.
No one even said anything to me about that post until last week which is funny because it was posted in like February or March and it is almost August.
I feel like I have the Costa Rican mafia on my tail now
Of course I live through years of jaw troubles and other random BS and some discussion board on a braces website ends up sealing my fate. If I end up in a ditch I'm totally giving everyone a heads up as to who the prime suspects should be!Ok, I'm kidding, but on a more serious note, everything that I said happened did in fact happen, so there really isn't anything for me to prove or disprove and I don't really see why anyone would think I'd make it up. Why would I do that? I saw a couple of doctors here, more than one, and they were all alarmed (some more than others) as to how my surgery was carried out, so it's not just my own personal opinion, there were several professional opinions involved too.
Dr. Reiche gets a couple bad posts on the internet, I get a messed up jaw, I'd say I got the bad part of the deal.
-
BracketRacket
- Posts: 400
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:51 pm
- Location: East Coast, USA
- Contact:
SCguy, without knowing much about the situation, I would call the office and let them know in no uncertain terms that you are unhappy with strangers finding out about your private phone calls with your doctor (if that's the case). If either he or someone in his office is spreading such information around, it must stop.
No matter what the situation, that is unacceptable.
No matter what the situation, that is unacceptable.
surgery
Some surgeon wherever may be great. Maybe a lot of people go to him and have great experiences. But not everyone is going to have everything go perfectly. Someone who had a bad experience has a right to spread his story. It doesn't mean he is wrong. It means maybe he was in the unlucky minority to experience a disaster. In fact, I'd question a doctor who had nothing but success stories even if he is the greatest doctor in the world. Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe SC Guy really had a horrible experience from the doctor OzzysMom had a wonderful surgery experience with. In fact, I don't understand why anyone would make up a bad story (and with such detail) and post it here if nothing actually went wrong. I say stop all the bickering. Each is entitled to his own opinion, even if someone disagrees. I can't believe I'm giving this stupid lecture to adults. I'm sure I'm angering people. I don't care. A smart person who is considering Dr. Reiche should view all of the stories, good and bad. Usually the good stories will outweigh the bad, and a person will risk the one bad story and go along with him anyway. It'll probably be fine. But every once in a while, some poor sap will suffer. It happens all the time with lots of things. A bunch of people will say some restaurant is great and go there all the time, and then one person will go there and have bad service and get food poisoning and never go there again. You still might think it's a great place to eat, but that guy who got sick will never think that even if everyone in the world says the opposite. Anyway, good luck to anyone considering surgery anywhere in the world! 
By the way...I was going to live in a foreign country in Latin America after college, but once when I was in Honduras, I had to go to a hospital and had a very traumatic experience. I know Honduras isn't what you think of when you consider top-notch health care, but the trauma was enough for me to decide I wanted to stay living in the USA, although I did live abroad as a student in some countries and lived in Puerto Rico for two years (but that's part of the US, so I trusted the healthcare). Sorry for rambling!
By the way...I was going to live in a foreign country in Latin America after college, but once when I was in Honduras, I had to go to a hospital and had a very traumatic experience. I know Honduras isn't what you think of when you consider top-notch health care, but the trauma was enough for me to decide I wanted to stay living in the USA, although I did live abroad as a student in some countries and lived in Puerto Rico for two years (but that's part of the US, so I trusted the healthcare). Sorry for rambling!