Medical travel or medical tourism has become a popular option for many Americans as healthcare cost continue to rise in the US and the availability of high quality, affordable care at accredited hospitals around the World. April Wilks, an Ohio resident, traveled to Bangkok, Thailand for Surgery, Satori World Medical, a medical travel facilitator arranged and coordinated Wilks' care.

Satori World Medical provides access to a high quality network of international hospitals and highly trained surgeons, at significant cost savings off surgical procedures compared with the U.S. Satori World Medical has contracted with the top surgeons around the world. They have established working relationships with all their hospitals and surgeons and have negotiated and contracted procedures rates exclusive to Satori World Medical.

Satori's team of Nurse Patient Advocates guide the patient through every step of the medical travel process, from coordinating the patients care, transferring medical records, setting up a conference call with the patient's international surgeon, scheduling the patient's procedure, making hotel and airfare reservations and setting up their follow-up appointment with their U.S. physician upon their return.

Edward Rucinski, an Ohio resident traveled to Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India for a Birmingham hip resurfacing procedure. Satori World Medical, a leading medical travel company and global healthcare network, coordinated Rucinski's care which was offered as an additional choice through his employer.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Vijay Bose, a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and expert in hip resurfacing surgeon, who has performed several thousand Birmingham hip resurfacing procedures. Bose is an accomplished orthopedic surgeon who completed his surgical training in several prestigious centers such as University of Birmingham and University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. He specializes in hip and shoulder surgery and also serves as the chief surgeon of the Asian Regional Center of Hip Resurfacing (ARCH).

At Satori, one of our core pillars of excellence is to align ourselves with only the best of the best in health care," said Steven Lash, president and CEO, Satori World Medical. "Dr. Bose is widely regarded as one of the world's leading physicians in his field."

Orthopedic procedures offered by Satori's global network include hip replacement, hip resurfacing, knee replacement -- partial knee replacement, total shoulder replacement, ACL repair, ankle fusion, arthroscopy, carpal tunnel, tarsal tunnel, rotator cuff repair and shoulder impingement.

The patient saved a significant amount of money using Satori World Medical's network for hip resurfacing surgery. The patient's entire medical costs as well as the patient and companion's airfare, hotel, ground transportation and insurance were covered under Satori's agreement with the patient's healthcare plan.

Samantha Davis, a student at Brigham Young University and daughter of Lee Davis, an employee at Imperial County Office of Education, traveled to Centre Metropolitain de Chirurgie in Montreal, Canada for laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Satori World Medical coordinated Davis’ care which is now part of ICSVEBA’s employee medical plan.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Nicolas Christou, a world-renowned bariatric surgeon. Christou is an accomplished bariatric surgeon and is a member of many prestigious societies including the American Surgical Association, The Canadian Association of General Surgeons, The American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Bariatric Surgery.

I went to Germany for a treatment through Satori World Medical. I was referred to Satori through my husband’s health benefits coordinator. I was amazed by the hospital when I arrived – it was gorgeous and overlooked the rolling hills and forests of Germany. It had three indoor arboretums and a garden on the rooftop. I have to say it was even nicer than any U.S. hospital I had stayed at! I had a large private room and they also provided a guest room for my companion. The medical care was first-class. The doctors and nursing staff were so caring and had great bed-side manner. I had no problem communicating with them since they were all fluent in English.

Customer service at Satori was first-rate. Kevin is just the best! He is so kind and very encouraging. He discussed every aspect of the trip and made sure I knew exactly what was going to happen. I was able to reach him easily the entire time I was abroad.

The savings were tremendous and included travel and accommodations for my companion as well. Satori even worked with my insurance and they were able to cover 100% of the costs. I was so pleased with my first experience with Satori that I went through them for a second time. I would highly recommend Satori to those looking to travel abroad for a procedure.

I recently returned from having surgery in Bangkok, Thailand. While I was researching on the internet, I came across Satori World Medical. From my initial contact with Satori, until I was safely home, Kevin, the Director of Patient Services, organized every detail of my trip and kept me informed the entire time. I was in constant contact with Kevin and it was reassuring to know he was always only a phone call or email away. The customer service at Satori went above and beyond my expectations. The hospital staff was also very professional and attentive. I was very impressed by the facility; it was incredibly clean, modern, and upscale. They even had a shopping area on the first floor! I am extremely pleased with my experience with Satori World Medical and would highly recommend them to anyone looking to try global healthcare.

I went through Satori World Medical’s Dental Network to have dental procedures done in Tijuana, B.C. Mexico. The entire experience exceeded my expectations! Kevin assisted me through the whole process and was very accommodating. He even scheduled an appointment for me the very next day after I spoke with him. It doesn’t get easier than that. The offices were easily accessible, modern, and immaculate and had state-of-the art equipment. The dental staff was very professional and attentive. I had no problem communicating with them since they spoke English very well. I could not be happier with the outcome. I am so pleased that I went through Satori World Medical. The savings were tremendous and I will definitely be returning for future dental work. I have even already recommended them to others!

A dear friend underwent surgery at Bangkok Hospital Medical Center in Thailand through Satori World Medical. My friend chose to go through Satori World Medical not only because of the costs savings, but also because their services included hotel and travel accommodations for a companion. I accompanied my friend throughout her entire procedure and would like to share some information regarding my experience as her companion.

When we checked in to the Bangkok Hospital, we were promptly escorted to her personal hospital room. She was given a beautiful, private room which even included a large sofa sleeper so I could stay the night and keep her company after her surgery. Once my friend was taken into surgery, I was given breakfast and waited in her room until she was brought back from her operation a few hours later. The doctors and medical staff, who all spoke English, were incredibly accommodating and attentive whenever my friend needed assistance. The remainder of our stay was a pleasant experience and my friend’s recovery proceeded as expected.

I fully realized through my friend’s procedure the importance of requiring a companion program. Having a familiar face accompany the patient adds immediate comfort and peace of mind. I would highly recommend Satori World Medical and Bangkok Hospital Medical Center to anyone considering traveling outside the US for a procedure.

I had heard about medical tourism through friends and the media, and I knew that people were traveling to exotic destinations to have medical procedures.  When I heard about Satori World Medical in San Diego, I really felt like this was the best company for me.    

Having worked in the U.S. health care industry for more than 10 years at Sharp HealthCare, the leading health care provider in San Diego and recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest honor for quality and organizational performance excellence, the care I received at Samitivej Hospital was beyond comparable to the level of care I would have received in any U.S. hospital. Satori World Medical’s kind and knowledgeable team also made all of the difference in terms of ensuring the ease and comfort of my surgery and entire travel experience. I would not hesitate to undergo another surgery through the Satori World Medical program.

I first learned about medical tourism and Satori World Medical from my friend, who was also going through the Satori program. When I discovered how much money I could save (as much as 50%) by traveling outside the U.S. to receive my procedure, I didn’t hesitate to contact Satori World Medical.

From the very first phone call to Satori, I was extremely impressed with the knowledgeable and caring support that was offered by Satori’s team of professionals. Satori’s Director of Travel, Kevin Poling, assisted me in planning all aspects of my trip. He was always accessible and in constant communication with me at all times throughout the entire process.

At first, I felt a bit of apprehension with undergoing surgery outside the U.S. However, I was quickly put at ease by Kevin who assured me of the high quality of care I would receive at any of the international hospitals in the Satori Global Network™, as well as the fact that I would have their support and guidance every step of the way. Satori handled every detail of my trip, including helping me choose the best destination for my procedure, making all travel arrangements, including my flights, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation. Satori also arranged all details of my medical care, including scheduling my procedure, transferring my medical records to my destination hospital, and scheduling follow-up care for me in the U.S. upon my return. Overall, the support I received from Satori’s team was very professional and personalized.

After my initial consultation with Satori, I chose Samitivej Hospital in Thailand for my face lift procedure. Samitivej Hospital is particularly renowned for its excellence in plastic and cosmetic surgery. When I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, I was greeted by my driver, who transported me to my hotel. When I arrived at my hotel, the Marriott Executive Apartments Mayfair, and checked in, I was very pleased with my amenities. The room was beautiful and completely comfortable.

The next morning, my driver picked me up at the Marriott to take me to Samitivej Hospital. The hospital was immaculate and very modern. My room was spacious and private, which was important to me. It even had a flat screen TV and a couch for guests, not to mention that the hospital offered room service from the restaurants within the campus!

But aside from the facility, the hospital’s caring medical staff was unbelievable. The nurses were fluent in English, eliminating any language barriers, and my surgeon was absolutely wonderful. He took the time to explain all details of the procedure and what to expect from the recovery process and had a very calming bedside manner. The surgery went very quick and was relatively painless. It was only a couple hours later that I was comfortably back in my room recovering from surgery. After a quick two-day recovery period in the hospital, I then returned to my hotel to relax and recover. I even extended my stay in Thailand to enjoy the country for an additional week. I had a wonderful time!

Having worked in the U.S. health care industry for more than 10 years at Sharp HealthCare, the care I received at Samitivej Hospital was beyond comparable to the level of care I would have received in any U.S. hospital. Satori World Medical’s kind and knowledgeable team also made all of the difference in terms of ensuring the ease and comfort of my surgery and entire travel experience. I would not hesitate to undergo another surgery through the Satori World Medical program.

I first learned about medical tourism and the Satori World Medical program from my employer. When I discovered how much money could be saved by traveling outside the U.S. to receive medical care, I was immediately intrigued by the option.

After a brief introduction, I enrolled in the Satori World Medical program and within just a matter of time made arrangements to have surgery at one of the top-rate hospitals within the Satori Global Network. With the counsel of one of Satori World Medical’s Nurse Patient Advocates, I chose Clinica Biblica in Costa Rica.

At first, I had a lot of questions but immediately felt at ease upon speaking with my Nurse Patient Advocate. She was extremely knowledgeable and took care of absolutely every detail for me, from helping me select my hospital and transferring my medical records, to scheduling my follow-up care in the U.S. before even leaving the country.

Meanwhile, Satori World Medical’s Travel Care Coordinators handled all travel details for me and my companion, including making all flight and hotel reservations, arranging all of our ground transportation and ensuring the best possible experience from beginning to end. It was wonderful to know that I could have a companion accompany me. It made all the difference. My Travel Care Coordinator also provided us with a detailed travel itinerary so that we knew exactly where to be and when, and exactly what to expect along the way.

Then when I finally arrived on the day of my scheduled surgery at Clinica Biblica, I couldn’t believe how beautiful the hospital was, from the registration area to the patient rooms. Everything was absolutely state-of-the-art and the care I received from their doctors and nurses was more compassionate and personalized than I had ever experienced anywhere.

My hospital room was great – private, spacious and equipped with every amenity, even a flat-screen TV and sofa! But still what stands out in my mind the most was Clinica Biblica’s caring medical staff. They were extremely helpful. In fact my doctor still calls me to see how I am doing.

Looking back, I would not hesitate again to receive surgery through any of the international hospitals in the Satori World Medical program and would certainly recommend it to anybody else who is considering medical travel.