I expect you could have a gastric bypass done in Mexico with excellent results. The vast majority of Mexican doctors are conscientious and well trained. And I'm sure the top Mexican hospitals can provide care equivalent to what's available here.
Having said that, would I (an MD!) do it there? No way. There are potentially serious complications to be considered, and it is for those times that I want the full range of services that are familiar to me available to me. Getting some teeth fixed, or picking up prescription drugs is one thing. Having elective surgery for potentially serious conditions is a whole 'nother thing.
Oh, and Jonna -- there's nothing wrong with Northern Idaho!
A wealthy friend of mine after having an accident on a race car, was told by doctors in Mexico that he needed a reconstructive knee surgery just to walk again.
Then he decided that he could get a better surgery in the US than in Mexico... Little he knew, because after some "strange" and never fully explained complications during the surgery, he suffered brain damage and was pronounced dead after spending close to a month on a coma. He was only 32 years old.
With this single case, even than I know a few more, I can not make a judgment and start saying outloud that all US hospitals are just plain bad, just based of some few cases. Just like some "self proclaimed" Mexico experts do judge not only this medical care issue, but many other themes related to Mexico in this forum.
There is good and bad hospitals in every country, but please do not forget that the hospitals and equipments are just "things"
The real important factor to heal is the human one, I mean the doctors, the nurses and everyone that works on hospitals. And unfortunately there is also good and bad doctors and nurses, just like any other human activity, on every country.
During many years the people involved on health care had a true vocation for helping, but now medical care is just a BIG business...
* This post was
edited 06/03/08 08:46pm by Guz Motorsports *
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MichDoc wrote: Well, okay, since you ask, let me just share this with you:
I don't see where RVing through a third world country for a few months per year makes one an expert in Mexican, European and American hospitals. For a person to make a blanket statement that Mexican and European hospitals are superior to those in the U.S. is absolutely ridiculous. People from all over the world choose to come to the U.S. for the most advanced treatment, primarily because most of the new techniques and procedures are being pioneered here. People from the U.S. also go to Mexico for treatment, but it isn't because of the high quality, it's because it's cheap. In reading the posts from this forum, or the Snowbird forum, a common theme seems to be traveling to Mexico for cheap medicine, cheap dental care, cheap medical treatment. I have yet to see one post where someone chooses to go to a Mexican health care facility because it is better than that available in the U.S. I feel that some on this forum have become so defensive of Mexico and its inhabitants that they have lost their objectivity in favor of a Mexican bias. I've noticed that same bias whenever someone has posted a question or comment about crime or corruption in Mexico. A few feel the need to turn any comment that they perceive to be "anti-Mexican" into a rant against the U.S. instead of addressing the original post.
I don't take it personally and I have nothing here to defend. However, I like for the truth to be told. I have lived here for most of my adult life. I have had both IMSS and private medical insurance. I have spent more time in hospitals here visiting friends, teachers, parents of friends, etc. and so I think I have a pretty good take on this.
I don't know if you have ever had surgery here, inspected a Mexican hospital either private or public. I wouldn't want to be in a Mexican hospital in a small town anymore than I would want to be in a hospital in Alpine, TX and believe I know that place pretty well too. But for major cities, just like in the U.S. I think medical care is very good. If you are a poor American, don't have or cannot afford health care, you bet you will go where the price is right and get very good treatment at the same time.
Hip hip hooray for those that don't want to get ripped off by high prices because insurance companies have made a business out of being born and dying.
Monterrey's school of medicine which belongs to the University of Nuevo Leon, and Hospital San Jose which belongs to the most prestigious private university in Latin America (Tecnologico de Monterrey) are hosts to many U.S. med students who go on to become very famous surgeons and doctors.
Check my earlier post in this thread where I list three private hospitals. Don't take my word for it, ask them yourself for their credentials, records and prices. Email them in English, send them this thread and they will respond accordingly.
Millions of Mexicans live and die of old age in this country and rely on their Mexican health care system both private and public. Ask me of the horror stories of friends who have died of breast cancer (her tumor was the size of a baseball, hanging outside of her armpit, swollen and bleeding and she had been stuffing it with gauze and no one would take her because she had no health insurance. finally, the American Cancer Society offered her kidney dialysis after she was dying, it took only another month and we found her dead in her apartment) liver cancer (died because insurance topped out after extensive chemo and the only choice was to sell the house), and botched operations in the U.S. for lack of health insurance.
Don't call me a defender of the country, but don't tell stories unless you have experience or first-hand knowledge of health care. Also, to think that new technologies are coming only out of the U.S. is outrageous. It is actually India who is leading the way.
MichDoc wrote: Well, okay, since you ask, let me just share this with you:
I don't see where RVing through a third world country for a few months per year makes one an expert in Mexican, European and American hospitals. For a person to make a blanket statement that Mexican and European hospitals are superior to those in the U.S. is absolutely ridiculous. People from all over the world choose to come to the U.S. for the most advanced treatment, primarily because most of the new techniques and procedures are being pioneered here. People from the U.S. also go to Mexico for treatment, but it isn't because of the high quality, it's because it's cheap. In reading the posts from this forum, or the Snowbird forum, a common theme seems to be traveling to Mexico for cheap medicine, cheap dental care, cheap medical treatment. I have yet to see one post where someone chooses to go to a Mexican health care facility because it is better than that available in the U.S. I feel that some on this forum have become so defensive of Mexico and its inhabitants that they have lost their objectivity in favor of a Mexican bias. I've noticed that same bias whenever someone has posted a question or comment about crime or corruption in Mexico. A few feel the need to turn any comment that they perceive to be "anti-Mexican" into a rant against the U.S. instead of addressing the original post.
I don't take it personally and I have nothing here to defend. However, I like for the truth to be told. I have lived here for most of my adult life. I have had both IMSS and private medical insurance. I have spent more time in hospitals here visiting friends, teachers, parents of friends, etc. and so I think I have a pretty good take on this.
I don't know if you have ever had surgery here, inspected a Mexican hospital either private or public. I wouldn't want to be in a Mexican hospital in a small town anymore than I would want to be in a hospital in Alpine, TX and believe I know that place pretty well too. But for major cities, just like in the U.S. I think medical care is very good. If you are a poor American, don't have or cannot afford health care, you bet you will go where the price is right and get very good treatment at the same time.
Hip hip hooray for those that don't want to get ripped off by high prices because insurance companies have made a business out of being born and dying.
Monterrey's school of medicine which belongs to the University of Nuevo Leon, and Hospital San Jose which belongs to the most prestigious private university in Latin America (Tecnologico de Monterrey) are hosts to many U.S. med students who go on to become very famous surgeons and doctors.
Check my earlier post in this thread where I list three private hospitals. Don't take my word for it, ask them yourself for their credentials, records and prices. Email them in English, send them this thread and they will respond accordingly.
Millions of Mexicans live and die of old age in this country and rely on their Mexican health care system both private and public. Ask me of the horror stories of friends who have died of breast cancer (her tumor was the size of a baseball, hanging outside of her armpit, swollen and bleeding and she had been stuffing it with gauze and no one would take her because she had no health insurance. finally, the American Cancer Society offered her kidney dialysis after she was dying, it took only another month and we found her dead in her apartment) liver cancer (died because insurance topped out after extensive chemo and the only choice was to sell the house), and botched operations in the U.S. for lack of health insurance.
Don't call me a defender of the country, but don't tell stories unless you have experience or first-hand knowledge of health care. Also, to think that new technologies are coming only out of the U.S. is outrageous. It is actually India who is leading the way.
First of all, you were the one who invited me to "share" my opinion, and that is what I did. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, but that has nothing whatever to do with my response to the comment made by Jonna. The attack on American hospitals by him (or her) stating that they are inferior to those in Mexico was what precipitated my remarks. I also never addressed the issue of insurance, or fairness in the way in which medical care is allocated, so please don't throw something new into the pot here. Also, go back and re-read my post, and you will see that I said "most of the new techniques and procedures are being pioneered here", not that they are "only" coming out of the U.S. as you stated. Finally, I'm at a loss as to what "stories" I've told that you are refering to. My comments, not anecdotes, were posted in an attept to right a wrong where someone boasted of the superiority of the Mexican hospitals over those in the U.S., not the other way around, so please don't try and twist my words. I don't see anything in those comments that could be interpreted as "stories". Actually, my main objective was to point out the anti-American, pro-Mexican, bias that some people display in this forum. In fact, just a short time ago the moderator edited a comment, again made by Jonna.
Moderator's edit: You may not quote (or paraphrase) comments that have been removed by a moderator.
* This post was
edited 06/03/08 09:09pm by an administrator/moderator *
MichDoc wrote: Well, okay, since you ask, let me just share this with you:
I don't see where RVing through a third world country for a few months per year makes one an expert in Mexican, European and American hospitals. For a person to make a blanket statement that Mexican and European hospitals are superior to those in the U.S. is absolutely ridiculous. People from all over the world choose to come to the U.S. for the most advanced treatment, primarily because most of the new techniques and procedures are being pioneered here. People from the U.S. also go to Mexico for treatment, but it isn't because of the high quality, it's because it's cheap. In reading the posts from this forum, or the Snowbird forum, a common theme seems to be traveling to Mexico for cheap medicine, cheap dental care, cheap medical treatment. I have yet to see one post where someone chooses to go to a Mexican health care facility because it is better than that available in the U.S. I feel that some on this forum have become so defensive of Mexico and its inhabitants that they have lost their objectivity in favor of a Mexican bias. I've noticed that same bias whenever someone has posted a question or comment about crime or corruption in Mexico. A few feel the need to turn any comment that they perceive to be "anti-Mexican" into a rant against the U.S. instead of addressing the original post.
I don't take it personally and I have nothing here to defend. However, I like for the truth to be told. I have lived here for most of my adult life. I have had both IMSS and private medical insurance. I have spent more time in hospitals here visiting friends, teachers, parents of friends, etc. and so I think I have a pretty good take on this.
I don't know if you have ever had surgery here, inspected a Mexican hospital either private or public. I wouldn't want to be in a Mexican hospital in a small town anymore than I would want to be in a hospital in Alpine, TX and believe I know that place pretty well too. But for major cities, just like in the U.S. I think medical care is very good. If you are a poor American, don't have or cannot afford health care, you bet you will go where the price is right and get very good treatment at the same time.
Hip hip hooray for those that don't want to get ripped off by high prices because insurance companies have made a business out of being born and dying.
Monterrey's school of medicine which belongs to the University of Nuevo Leon, and Hospital San Jose which belongs to the most prestigious private university in Latin America (Tecnologico de Monterrey) are hosts to many U.S. med students who go on to become very famous surgeons and doctors.
Check my earlier post in this thread where I list three private hospitals. Don't take my word for it, ask them yourself for their credentials, records and prices. Email them in English, send them this thread and they will respond accordingly.
Millions of Mexicans live and die of old age in this country and rely on their Mexican health care system both private and public. Ask me of the horror stories of friends who have died of breast cancer (her tumor was the size of a baseball, hanging outside of her armpit, swollen and bleeding and she had been stuffing it with gauze and no one would take her because she had no health insurance. finally, the American Cancer Society offered her kidney dialysis after she was dying, it took only another month and we found her dead in her apartment) liver cancer (died because insurance topped out after extensive chemo and the only choice was to sell the house), and botched operations in the U.S. for lack of health insurance.
Don't call me a defender of the country, but don't tell stories unless you have experience or first-hand knowledge of health care. Also, to think that new technologies are coming only out of the U.S. is outrageous. It is actually India who is leading the way.
First of all, you were the one who invited me to "share" my opinion, and that is what I did. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, but that has nothing whatever to do with my response to the comment made by Jonna. The attack on American hospitals by him (or her) stating that they are inferior to those in Mexico was what precipitated my remarks. I also never addressed the issue of insurance, or fairness in the way in which medical care is allocated, so please don't throw something new into the pot here. Also, go back and re-read my post, and you will see that I said "most of the new techniques and procedures are being pioneered here", not that they are "only" coming out of the U.S. as you stated. Finally, I'm at a loss as to what "stories" I've told that you are refering to. My comments, not anecdotes, were posted in an attept to right a wrong where someone boasted of the superiority of the Mexican hospitals over those in the U.S., not the other way around, so please don't try and twist my words. I don't see anything in those comments that could be interpreted as "stories". Actually, my main objective was to point out the anti-American, pro-Mexican, bias that some people display in this forum. In fact, just a short time ago the moderator edited a comment, again made by Jonna
You didn't have to mention insurance. Your statement about American and Canadian rvers coming to Mexico for healthcare as being cheap warranted the information. If healthcare in the U.S. was affordable people wouldn't be forced to go somewhere else to spend their money to get decent healthcare.
I currently have two Mexican friends, one with cervical cancer, and the other with breast cancer. One is under treatment in a private care facility and the other in IMSS. Their care is the same the only difference is the quality of the facilities. One receives a private room with living area and hardwood floors and the other is in a room with three beds and very austere. Big deal. All I want is for both to recover and go on with their lives.
Good thing is, both have options and both receive good healthcare.
I was hoping you were a doctor who could shed light based on first-hand experience about the differences between the U.S. and Mexican healthcare and also associated cost differences.
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