Traveling away from home for surgery?

[bassadict69]

I seem to be reading alot here about people traveling away from home to see a particular surgeon & having surgery away from home.

I am having trouble understanding how you all are pulling that off! I mean, are you having to travel for multiple appointments? During & after the surgery, where is family or loved ones staying? Are you going home upon release from the hospital then traveling back for followup visits? What about in the case of a problem after returning home?

I just have lots of questions about this seeing as how the top heart surgeon in Shreveport has refused my dad's heart surgery.

 

[DebbyA]

Some of the people who traveled will show up before long. In the meantime, I read your other post, too. Did the Shreveport surgeon say NO, period? Was there any idea whether the surgery could be later? Or any recommendation for another treatment center?
I'm sorry you and your family have this hard thing to deal with.

 

[bassadict69]

From what his Dr at the LTC hospital told us, the surgeon is saying NO period. She had set surgury originally for the first part of December then canceled that when dad ended up with a weight gain of about 25-30 pounds of fluid. At that time she said she was postponing. Now she is just saying NO.

His cardio has mentioned another surgeon here in Shreveport that he would recommend but that he has been out of the country working & may not be back in town. I am assuming he is checking on that.

 

[njean]

I have had all three of my OHS in Houston TX. I live in NM.

I'm not sure about other medical centers but the motels, restaurants, etc., are all located within walking distance of the hospitals there & if your spouse or other members of the family are traveling with you, they stay at the motels nearest to the hospital you will be in. In fact, the hospital (St. Luke's) where I had my surgeries, even has a McDonald's (I know, NOT a particularly healthy place to eat, but....) right in the hospital.

From my experience, when I was discharged from the hospital, the surgeon, doctors there recommended I stay an additional day or two at a motel near the hospital before flying home in case something happened. Luckily, nothing ever did & I was able to go home.

Also, if there are motels located near the medical center you will be going to, they usually offer reduced rates for the patient & patients family members.

And, this last OHS in 2006, the cardio & the surgeon, requested I go back to Houston for my 6-month follow-up, however, I had & have, particular issues going on, so I went back to Houston for the follow-up. In your Dad's case, perhaps it will be okay for him to have his follow-up visit w/his local cardiologist.

Good luck to you & welcome to VR!

 

[bassadict69]

Thanks Norma! Houston is definately something we may be checking into. I hear they have some good surgeons down there. We also have a little family in the Houston area, so that may make things a little easier.

How did you work your initial consults? Did you go down there & see a cardiologist or go straight to a surgeon? Did your local cardio refer you down there?

Sorry about all the questions!

 

[njean]

Thanks Norma! Houston is definately something we may be checking into. I hear they have some good surgeons down there. We also have a little family in the Houston area, so that may make things a little easier.

How did you work your initial consults? Did you go down there & see a cardiologist or go straight to a surgeon? Did your local cardio refer you down there?

Sorry about all the questions!

In my humble opinion, Houston does have some of the greatest surgeons. People from all over the world travel there & you would definitely NOT be going wrong by sending your father there.

In my case, since I had had my prior OHS at St. Luke's, my local cardiologist talked by phone to Dr. Cooley & arrangements were made thru them to have me sent there. So, yes, your cardiologist would have to get in touch with the surgeons there.

There are many fine surgeons, Dr. Coselli, Dr. Duncan, come to mind immediately, but you can go into [B]http://www.texasheartinstitute.com/[/B] & start your search there.

If you have any more questions, I am here to help you!

 

[zipper2]

I seem to be reading alot here about people traveling away from home to see a particular surgeon & having surgery away from home.

I am having trouble understanding how you all are pulling that off! I mean, are you having to travel for multiple appointments? During & after the surgery, where is family or loved ones staying? Are you going home upon release from the hospital then traveling back for followup visits? What about in the case of a problem after returning home?

I just have lots of questions about this seeing as how the top heart surgeon in Shreveport has refused my dad's heart surgery.

I'm in Canada but 5 hrs or 2o hrs away still have to accomadate options

of hubbys stay and when i went for cath and tee in sept took a week

for me in hospital then,the hospital provided us with a list 2 pages

of accomadation options and then nice part was they have dormitory

rooms right in hospital to accomadate,we were lucky afew were open

but you cant reserve this option ,so there are other options more costly.

As far as post op appts,yeah i'll have to go back,whats one to do?

It can prove costly,but it's your health,very much same reasoning here

though as Norma mentioned her way.

zipper2 (DEB)

 

[Phyllis]

We traveled to Boston- two hours away for Dick's surgery. We went up two nights before for the pre-op. I stayed in a motel which was near the hospital and had complimentary van service to the hospital and special rates for family of patients. We arranged to have our local cardio do follow-up when we returned home and only went back to Boston at 6 weeks post surgery to be checked and dismissed by the surgeon. Of course if anything other than an emergency comes up in the future, we would go back to Boston to address it.

 

[goffrey]

We have always traveled out of state for my son's surgeries and heart caths...all 5 heart surgeries were done at Mayo in Rochester, MN and some of his heart caths were done at Boston Children's.....Since my son is 18 or under I stayed at the Ronald Mc Donald House this go around but before have stayed in hotels....My husband has gone with me in the past but this surgery I went up with just my son....As far as follow up care we have a cardiologist here in our home state of Iowa who does the follow up visits and normal appts... He then faxes my son's echo's to Mayo for a consult when he feels it is needed... Most Drs should not have a problem doing this....we then go up a few days early to Mayo for tests and the surgery is usually done the same week...this last open heart surgery we went up on a Wednesday...had tests on Thursday...Heart cath on Friday...consults with cardiologist and surgeon on Monday the surgery was to be on Tuesday...we were 5 minutes from my son being taken into the OR and the surgeon comes in the holding area and tells us the valve he needs to use isn't in stock...that has NEVER happened before...asked if we could wait til Friday...not much choice...surgery was on Friday he was out of the hospital by the following Tuesday....follow up appt with his hometown card 2 weeks later....

 

[Curtsmum]

Because my son is a child we do get free accomadation but sometimes when not avalible right away we have stayed in hotels. On the odd occastion when he was having a cath, we have stayed the night in the car. His last surgery was at birmingham childrens hospital 3hrs away, so we went back to birmingham for his first post op check and now we are back to the hospital he as been from birth, which is only a hour away.

 

[kfay]

I travelled to the Mayo clinic in Rochester from North Carolina for my surgery. I first contacted my surgeon by e-mail and had my local cardio send him all my latest test results. He called me a week later and basically wanted to schedule surgery for about 3 weeks later. I told him I had to come and meet him first so I flew there last Dec. and stayed for about 4 days. They did more intensive testing than my local cardio had done. They then presented my case to their weekly meeting to decide the best course of action. They wanted to do surgery in January, I put it off until April.

My husband and I flew up on a Monday. I saw all of my Dr's on Tues. and had my pre-op tests. Wed. I had a cath. Thursday I had my surgery. My husband stayed at the hotel across the street. We flew home the following Friday. I have known people who have hung around for an extra week or so after surgery. My local cardio saw me the week after I got home and then again 1 month after that. I developed what turned out to be a superficial infection, and my local guy called in a local cardiac surgeon and the two of them handled it here. I didn't have any problem getting immediate response from my Dr's at the Mayo ANY time I called with a question or a problem. I will go back there in April for a year check.

It wasn't the easiest thing to do, but it was doable and I would do it again to get the level of care I received there.

Good luck getting your father sorted.

Kim

 

[Jay]

Hi- I appreciate you stating these questions and I hope the options for your dad fall in place soon! Some of the replies to your questions have helped me think through some logisitics of a surgery I may have. I wondered how much the follow up visists could be done by a general cardio doc hours away from the surgeon. Sounds like that can be done. I also wondered after the patient reaches the point where insurance says- time to scoot outta the hospital, how safe or giggly/ uncomfortable is it to hop in the family car and toodle on down the highway several hours away from medical facilities. I don't mean to piggy back onto this very informative posting and bring up more questions that may not applly or be of concern. I just find the situation with your dad to be a very understable situation. Thanks again for posting and thank you all for the wealth of info and perspectives.

 

[bassadict69]

Jay, I am glad my posts are helping you also! This site is definately a Godsend!!

Don't feel bad about jumping into here with more questions!