Health risks are among the most common concerns people have about international travel. Many otherwise intrepid older adults feel uneasy about the prospect of getting sick or injured while traveling abroad because they are afraid they won't be able to find a doctor.
Often, what worries older travelers most is the idea of being forced to find a doctor in a country where they don’t speak the language well enough to describe their symptoms, answer questions about their medical history, or understand the treatments they are being offered.
Helping Travelers Find a Doctor
Before your next international trip, you can set your mind at ease about your ability to find a doctor by joining the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT).
Founded in 1960, IAMAT is a nonprofit organization that maintains a worldwide network of physicians who speak English and have agreed to affordable prearranged fees for treating its members. Membership is free, although donations are appreciated and are used to support the organization’s valuable work.
Member Benefits
As a member of IAMAT, you will receive:
- A membership card that entitles you to the special IAMAT medical rates charged by participating physicians worldwide. The special rates apply to a patient's first office visit, house/hotel call, and doctor visits on nights, Sundays or local holidays. Referrals, additional appointments, laboratory procedures, hospitalizations and other medical services are not subject to this fee schedule.
- A directory of English-speaking physicians in 125 countries and territories that will help you find a doctor while traveling. The directory also includes participating specialists, clinics and hospitals. All IAMAT physicians have received medical training in Great Britain, the United States or Canada. Members also have access to this directory online.
- A clinical record for your physician to fill out before you depart. The record includes patient identification, emergency medical information, diagnostic history, eyeglass and drug prescriptions, immunization record, and special sections for medical problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions or allergies. This record provides the IAMAT physician with your complete medical history.
- The IAMAT World Immunization Chart, which provides detailed information about immunizations travelers may need in 200 different countries and territories, plus information about other ways to avoid or prevent infectious diseases and a wide range of other illnesses during your travels.
- Other free publications with information about preventing many different diseases, from malaria to Chagas disease, a fatal infection found in Central and South America.
Physician Qualifications
In addition to helping English-speaking travelers find a doctor who speaks their language, IAMAT also goes to great lengths to ensure its members receive high-quality medical care. The professional qualifications of all participating physicians are reviewed to make sure they meet IAMAT standards. IAMAT also continuously inspects clinics, hospitals, and physicians' offices around the world to be certain that travelers receive competent medical care.
Naturally, there is no way to guarantee that you will never have a health problem while traveling, but membership in IAMAT can make that prospect less frightening by helping you find a doctor and receive good medical care when you are away from home.
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