By Kevin Poling, Director of Travel, Satori World Medical

The most common questions I get asked when it comes to flying are: When is the best time to fly? Which seats have the most legroom? How early do I have to arrive at the airport?  Below are a few answers to those frequently asked questions, as well as some helpful tips to reduce your chances of encountering problems when flying.

• Fly in the morning. Typically, the least expensive and less delayed flights are the first flights out in the morning and red-eye flights. When choosing a flight that departs early morning, there is less likely to be a significant delay, when compared to an afternoon flight, which is a preferred time to fly. Once the air traffic systems experiences problems and delays, the domino effect can continue throughout the entire day.
• Reserve a good seat. Emergency exit row seats usually offer the most legroom and depending on the plane, “bulkhead seats” (seats that are directly behind a wall or curtain) can be slightly more spacious, since there is no passenger reclining their seat in front of you. If you want to experience the smoothest possible flight, reserve a seat towards the front of the cabin. Turbulence, as well as engine noise, is usually greater in the back of the aircraft.
• Arrive at the airport early. The general rule-of-thumb is to arrive at the airport for a domestic flight 60 minutes prior to the departure time if you are not checking baggage and 90 minutes if you are. Try to arrive 2 hours early when flying to international destinations. It is recommended to leave even earlier if you are flying with children, bringing a lot of luggage, or traveling during peak holiday seasons.
• Plan enough time between flights. It is tempting to book a connecting flight with the shortest layover, but make sure to leave enough time to exit the aircraft and make it to the other gate, which can be at the opposite end of the airport. To be safe, it is recommended to leave about an hour to an hour and a half between flights.

You can read more useful flying and travel tips here.

Happy Travels,

Kevin

By Dr. Ron Johnson, Chief Medical Officer at Satori World Medical

Traveling for people with back or neck pain can be demanding. Cramped airplane seats, carrying heavy luggage and sitting for an extended period of time can all aggravate the pain. The following tips can help reduce back and neck discomfort while traveling.

1.    Lift with your legs

Always use your knees and leg muscles to lift heavy luggage, rather than your back muscles. Also, remember to distribute the weight of a bag evenly on both sides of your body to avoid strains.

2.    Bring a pillow

Bring a lumbar support pillow to make your cramped airplane seat more comfortable and to support your lower back. You can also pack an inflatable neck pillow to help avoid neck strain during sleep.

 3.    Pack light

Not only is a heavy bag a burden to carry around, but it can also strain back and neck muscles when lifting into overhead bins or into the trunk of a car. Make sure to pack light and for less hassle, check all your suitcases. If you decide to take a carryon item, bring a bag with wheels and a handle.

4.    Walk around the cabin

Sitting in the same position for a long time can cause stiffness and back pain. Try to walk up and down the aisles of the airplane every hour. Also, try these in-flight exercises to keep your blood flowing during the flight.

By Kevin Poling, Director of Travel at Satori World Medical

A passport is your key to unlock the doors of international travel. Below are a few helpful passport tips before you travel abroad.

1. Apply early. Processing times can vary, but once you have applied for a passport, it can take approximately 4-6 weeks to receive it. However with an additional fee, you can get it within 2 weeks by applying for the expedited service. As of 2010, applying for a U.S. passport costs $135 and the fee for renewing one will cost $110.
2. Check the expiration date. Make sure your passport is up-to-date. Some countries require that your passport be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.  The U.S. Department of State recommends renewing your passport approximately nine months before it expires. Passports are valid for 10 years.
3. Sign your passport. Make sure your passport is signed and the emergency information page is filled out.
4. Check to see if you need a visa. Some countries require a visa to enter their country. Check the U.S. Department of State’s website to see if the country you are traveling to require a visa stamp.
5. Make a copy. Before you travel abroad, make a couple photocopies of your passport’s identification pages, just in case it gets lost or stolen during your travels. Keep one copy with you and leave the other one with someone at home.
6. Take advantage of the passport card. If your travel plans only involve land or sea border crossing (e.g.: Canada, Mexico, or a cruise to the Caribbean/Bermuda) you may want to purchase a passport card, an alternative to the regular passport booklet. The passport card is very convenient since it is credit card-sized and less expensive than a passport booklet. A passport card costs $55.

 Happy travels,

Kevin

Don’t forget to check your email for the December issue of Medical Travel Market Watch, or if you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit the home page of www.satoriworldmedical.com and enter an e-mail address in the newsletter sign-up field.

Below is part of the President’s Perspective segment from the current issue. To read the entire newsletter click here.

As 2010 comes to a close and reflecting on the events and activities this past year, I am reminded that innovation can be more evolutionary then revolutionary. This past year has seen health care reform become the law of the land and our economy (and the global economy) suffering the worst recession in several generations.  It has been quite a year.  Despite these incredible landscape-altering events, I see a continual and steady growth in the global health care sector and am bullish about the adoption curve for our program.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that was signed into law in March of this year changes the way health care is delivered and financed in the U.S. will play a significant role in the growth of medical travel.  Although the PPACA is phased in over several years with many key provisions not fully effective until 2014, we are already beginning to see the changes it will bring to businesses, insurance companies and consumers.  With the addition of 40 million Americans having access to health insurance, there will be increased demand for health care services. This coupled with an already existing shortage of nurses and doctors and an aging baby boomer population, queuing for medical care will be a natural by-product, making medical travel an attractive option.

Satori is always looking for suggestions, feedback and guest columnists for Medical Travel Market Watch. People with comments regarding the newsletter can send them to newsletter@satoriworldmedical.com.