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Destination Healthcare

Destination Healthcare® is a choice we make when seeking medical care. It involves selecting doctors, hospitals, and treatments based on factors like skill, reputation, cost, and availability. Soter Healthcare offers services that help find and access medical care not available locally. This includes identifying doctors and hospitals, evaluating their capabilities, and maintaining network relationships.

Destination Medical Care™ encompasses various medical services, such as hospital admissions, payment assistance, doctor and nursing care, and communication during and after treatment.

Today, people are considering international medical centers of excellence as an alternative. These centers offer premier medical outcomes, shorter wait times, affordability, and access to the latest treatments and technology. Soter Healthcare provides access to Centers of Excellence in over 30 medical specialties.

Destination Medical Care™ is chosen for several reasons, including avoiding long waiting times, accessing unavailable treatments, relieving financial burdens, and achieving premier medical outcomes.

The concept of traveling for medical care has a long history, dating back to ancient times. In the United States, the practice grew during the late 19th and early 20th centuries for conditions like tuberculosis. Today, patients travel to renowned international hospitals as well as those in their home countries.

The American Medical Association and American College of Surgeons recognize the value of Destination Healthcare® and Destination Medical Care™. Soter's programs meet their criteria and offer essential medical care and support.

Soter Healthcare assists individuals in finding doctors and hospitals that meet their specific medical needs and financial capabilities. They prioritize the quality of care over vacation opportunities and consider health insurance coverage to lower out-of-pocket costs. They also emphasize that the best care for a medical condition may not always be outside the home country.

History of Destination Healthcare®
Some of the earliest records about people traveling outside their home area for medical care date to roughly 2650 BC, around the time the Egyptians constructed the first pyramids. During this period, travelers came to visit the Egyptian healer Imhotep, a physician widely regarded for wound care and treatment of muscular, intestinal, and skin disorders. Definitive records from the fifth century BC describe the travels of the injured and ill to Epidauria, a territory along the Aegean Sea where the physician Asklepios lived. During this period, the cult of Asklepios gained a reputation for successfully treating chronic and often fatal conditions other doctors would not or could not treat. Patients are known to have come from Athens, Kos, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Rome, and other cities around the Mediterranean and Middle East.

In the United States, what we know as Destination Healthcare® grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Americans suffering from tuberculosis traveled to places like Colorado Springs; Louisville, Kentucky; and Saranac Lake, New York, among others. In the second half of the 20th century, Destination Healthcare® developed further as patients journey to leading hospitals including the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Today, patients travel to reach world-renowned international hospitals, in addition to those in their home countries.

Key Medical Associations Support Properly Designed Destination Healthcare®
The American Medical Association and American College of Surgeons each recognize the value of Destination Healthcare® and Destination Medical Care™ services and adopted position statements in support of its use. Our Destination Medical Care™ programs meet their criteria and offer the essential medical care and support you need.

Selecting a Destination Healthcare® Center
Realistically, this is the hardest part for most people, and we understand why. There is a lot of information from many companies promoting this place or that for medical care. There is uncertainty about going to a hospital in another country. How can you find out in advance about the quality of care? That’s where we come in. Our founder spent over a decade working with Olympic athletes, helping them find doctors and hospitals during their training and competitions. Now, we bring that and more to you.

First, we believe you should use the same standards you do when you pick a doctor or hospital at home. It starts with a simple question: Is this doctor or hospital going to deliver the care I need, when I need it, and at prices I can afford? Soter works with you to share information to help you make that decision. We don’t get fooled by websites, because we’ve visited and approved every hospital in our network.

Unfortunately, many companies begin by talking about the city or country you should visit. Many go on to describe the wonderful vacation opportunities. They don’t talk about your medical condition, except as an afterthought. That’s wrong.

At Soter, we start with your medical situation. If you tell us you want to go to a particular hospital, we’ll probably ask why. It may or may not be your best option. Our goal is to consider options with you individually, and not just pick a hospital or doctor that has a nice website. We’ll look into your health insurance coverage. Most companies skip this step entirely because they think it’s too hard. Often, we are able to find benefits that lower your out-of-pocket medical cost. Because we also focus solely on your medical need, your care is almost always eligible for medical reimbursement or tax deduction. Most of our competitors don’t understand this or seem to care.

At Soter, we don’t believe your Destination Medical Care™ provider is always outside your home country. Sometimes, the best care for your condition is available closer to home. We’ll also tell you that.

We invite you to check us out and experience the benefits of Destination Medical Care™ and Destination Healthcare®. We know you’ll be pleased you did.

Destination Medical Care™

Destination Medical Care™ involves making choices about healthcare providers that best suit our needs, including doctors and hospitals with specialized expertise, shorter wait times, and quality care. Soter Healthcare offers customized Destination Medical Care™ services for individuals, associations, businesses, and insurance companies. These programs can significantly reduce treatment costs, improve long-term disease management, and eliminate the need for additional insurance when traveling abroad. They also include access to international medical centers of excellence known for excellent outcomes in specific conditions.

Services include:

  • Travel support, including visa application, flight arrangements, and hotel accommodations, as needed
  • Admission coordination and payment guarantee
  • Access to the premier, English-speaking physicians in recognized international medical centers of excellence
  • Hospital accommodation for patients and family members on VIP floors of the hospital
  • Preferred billing rates
  • Ground transportation for accompanying family members or companions (additional costs may apply)
  • Coordination between your home and destination physicians

Soter Healthcare network hospitals and providers offer care in more than 30 medical specialties and subspecialties, including:

  • Cardiology
  • Cerebrovascular disease
  • Dentistry
  • Emergency Medicine & Trauma Care
  • Infertility
  • Internal Medicine
  • Oncology
  • Organ transplantation
  • Orthopedics
  • Neurology and neurosurgery
  • Pediatrics (incl. neonatal care)
  • Stem cell therapy
  • Surgery – Multiple specialty areas
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A woman is getting her teeth cleaned by dentist.

Destination Dental Care

Destination Dental Care offers a solution to the high cost of dental treatment in the United States. We have identified excellent dental providers abroad who offer advanced technology and techniques at lower prices. At Soter Healthcare, we thoroughly evaluate these providers based on their facilities, credentials, experience, and results. We also assess the quality of their medical products and procedures for fit, function, and comfort.

Rather than selecting providers or locations first, we prioritize reviewing the specific care you need and then match you with potential providers. We also consider the resources and environment at the destination, including security, and assist with travel arrangements.

By meeting our quality criteria, you can enjoy significant cost savings compared to US prices. Procedures that may cost $10,000 in the US can be as low as $3,000 in certain locations. For example, one of our clients reduced a $40,000 procedure to approximately $17,000, including travel expenses.

Employers can offer Destination Dental Care as a valuable employee benefit at no cost to the company. This benefit helps cover the high costs of major dental treatment that dental insurance often falls short of. Contact us today for more information on implementing this plan for your business.

Sample Cost Comparisons

Destination medical care through Soter's Center of Excellence Network offers significant financial savings compared to costs in your home country. The chart below highlights some of the savings you can achieve. We provide both billed costs and typical insurance-negotiated savings levels to give you a comprehensive view. Please note that these are general costs, and your specific condition will determine your actual expenses. Contact us for personalized information to help you make an informed decision.

We rigorously evaluate each hospital using more than 300 factors, including:

  • Accreditation
  • Medical specialties
  • Medical outcomes
  • Ethics
  • Overall reputation for quality
  • Previous patient experience
  • Training and experience of physicians in key specialty areas
  • Post‐surgical infection/complication rates
  • International patient experience
  • English‐speaking doctors and nurses
  • Nurse‐patient ratio
  • Direct company and patient access to the “best of the best” on the hospital staff
  • Direct company and patient access to the “best of the best” on the hospital staff
  • Support and accommodations for family members
  • Medical and non-medical transportation services
  • Customer experience ratings
  • Financial arrangements
  • Food services
  • Patient privacy
  • Medical equipment in patient rooms
  • Equipment in surgical areas
  • Equipment in therapy and recovery areas
  • Processes for addressing medical errors
  • Emergency response procedures
  • Continuity of care arrangements
  • Safety and security for international patients and family members

Accreditation is a means by which the medical community evaluates quality and patient safety. Many developed nations around the globe have their own means of licensing and accrediting hospitals and medical practitioners. Where the medical system operates at a high level and accreditation systems are strong, such as it is in developed countries like Australia, Canada, China, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, it is common to use only the accreditation system within its borders. For Soter Healthcare, this serves as only a basic foundation.

At Soter, we also consider international evaluating organizations. These may include international accreditors like JCI or Accreditation Canada. They may also include some of the more capable international medical assistance companies. We also consider foreign government evaluations since they review hospitals for use by embassy and consulate staff. These, too, are helpful and add information to our own evaluations.

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Soter’s Center of Excellence Network

Soter's Center of Excellence Network comprises top-tier teaching hospitals, specialty hospitals, and treatment centers that have been carefully selected for their exceptional medical care for international patients. We maintain a deliberately small network to ensure that every hospital meets our stringent standards for performance, quality, patient safety, staff training, skill, and physician experience.

Each hospital in our network undergoes a thorough review by Soter Healthcare and must have a proven track record of serving international patients. They must also hold the highest approval level from their national agency and be rated by one or more international authorities.

Sample Clinical Outcome Comparisons

Assessing the quality and probable outcome of medical procedures is crucial for those considering destination medical care. Soter Healthcare evaluates and provides information on the medical care delivered by providers in the Soter Center of Excellence Network.

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Sample Clinical Outcome Comparisons

While no firm can guarantee the outcome of a particular medical procedure, it is possible to use clinical data from providers to assess the general nature of medical outcomes. For anyone considering destination medical care, the quality of care and the probable outcome are of great importance. Consequently, Soter Healthcare evaluates and shares information on the medical care delivered by providers in the Soter Center of Excellence Network.

The table below shows clinical outcomes for a sample group of medical procedures and conditions. Additional information is available by contacting us directly.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The information above is compiled from provider sources and is believed to be accurate at the time it was gathered. This material is provided for the purpose of general comparison. It is not intended to be comprehensive and does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or available treatments.

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A group of people sitting around a table.

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Stem cells, the master cells of the human body, hold great potential for regenerative medicine. They have the ability to divide, renew themselves, and differentiate into specialized cell types. When transplanted to injured areas, stem cells interact with growth chemicals in the body, stimulating the growth of surrounding tissues. Skilled neurologists can direct these implanted stem cells to promote healthy function and treat various conditions.

Stem cells are showing promising results in treating conditions such as ALS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injuries, among others. Ongoing research aims to develop stem cell therapies for cancer, heart disease, and mental health conditions.

While stem cell treatment is still pending approval in the US, Chinese scientists and physicians have made significant progress in this field for over 15 years. The respected physicians affiliated with Soter Healthcare have developed effective injection and medication protocols, leading to notable improvements in patients' outcomes. These physicians share real medical results, ensuring that our assessments are based on actual patient experiences. In fact, one of our founder's relatives has benefited from stem cell treatment.