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Kevin Bürchler is the Managing Director of SIP Medical Family Office, Switzerland.
Every year, more than 29 million people require emergency medical interventions. These situations are challenging enough, but the complexity intensifies when they occur in a foreign country. For frequently traveling global families, health management and medical contingency planning are critical. As peak holiday season arrives in the northern hemisphere, the importance of medical preparedness in order to be able to navigate the various healthcare systems across different countries in those unforeseen emergencies cannot be overstated.
Even in familiar surroundings, securing high-quality emergency care can be difficult. This complexity increases significantly when traveling or relocating to a new country. The key is to have a well-prepared plan before any move or trip. Identifying hospitals with 24/7 emergency care is crucial, as the quality of hospitals can vary widely even within the same city, be it in London, Bangkok, or Cape Town. Without experience managing such situations, analyzing medical facilities by criteria such as infrastructure, availability, and quality of care can be challenging. Larger hospitals with intensive and intermediate care units are generally better equipped to handle emergencies.
When traveling or relocating, it is essential to research and prepare a list of go-to hospitals. This is particularly important for families with children studying abroad, as medical emergencies can become highly stressful for both the child and the family. Ensuring access to high-quality emergency care requires knowing who to call, where to go, and how to find the best specialists for specific medical issues.
Switzerland boasts some of the world’s top medical institutions, particularly in cities such as Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Zurich, and Basel. However, the country also has many smaller hospitals that may not offer the same level of care. In fact, Switzerland has too many regional hospitals without a sufficient number of cases in any particular field of speciality. While small hospitals can be excellent for specific issues like skiing accidents, larger hospitals in main centers are recommended for most medical needs.
Switzerland's healthcare system is characterized by a mix of public and private facilities. The larger hospitals in the main centers are well-equipped with the necessary infrastructure and specialists to manage most medical incidents 24 hours a day. However, many of the smaller hospitals are not well positioned to deal with more serious medical issues and thus it is advisable to go to the larger public or private hospitals in the main centers. This is also where most global citizens visiting or living in Switzerland will likely be found.
The USA has a diverse healthcare system with many centers of excellence, especially on the East and West Coasts. However, the quality of care can vary dramatically. The USA has some of the best hospitals in the world, but also many substandard providers.
In the USA, the healthcare system is vast, with numerous centers of excellence spread across the country. There is a particular concentration of top-tier medical facilities on the East and West Coasts. However, the quality of medical care varies tremendously. While there are outstanding and world-leading hospitals and private clinics, there are also many mediocre, substandard medical service providers.
The legal system in the USA tends to force the medical profession to adhere to specific protocols, often resulting in over-screening and over-prescribing, which may not always be in the patient's best interest. As a foreign patient, securing medical services swiftly can be challenging, especially with foreign health insurance, or payment might be required on the spot. The USA not only has some of the most sophisticated (and expensive) medical facilities in the world but also some of the most challenging to navigate.
Singapore is renowned for its high density of medical facilities and top-level healthcare. As a regional hub, Singapore is a reliable destination for medical treatment in Asia. Despite its small size, it has become a regional and even global center for top-level medicine. The country’s health system is structurally one of the best in the world, aligning the interests of patients and medical service providers more effectively than in most other countries. Singapore’s effective co-pay system means that hospitals are not incentivized to financially benefit from complications following operations, resulting in a high standard of care. This makes Singapore a safe place for international families to receive or even seek treatment. For those living in Singapore or nearby, it is the best place for medical care available in Southeast Asia.
The UAE, particularly Dubai, has rapidly developed into a global hub for business, tourism, and lifestyle, attracting international families. The UAE offers excellent medical care, but like the USA, it has a higher risk of overtreatment due to incentive structures. Engaging independent advisors to avoid unnecessary treatments and ensure high-quality care is advisable.
In many aspects, the UAE has become a truly global hub. The Henley Passport Index continues to showcase the rise of the UAE in terms of passport power, now being in the top 10 globally. This reflects the UAE’s significant development over the last decades and its positioning, especially Dubai, as a global city. The UAE continuously attracts visitors, new residents, and investors for its leisure, business, and lifestyle opportunities.
When traveling or relocating to the UAE, it is crucial to understand the specific and unique healthcare infrastructure. There are multiple international health facilities available, but the system is not straightforward. The UAE tends to have a higher risk of overtreatment for self-payers and well-insured individuals because medical practitioners and other healthcare stakeholders are often not operating at near capacity and are incentivized to sell healthcare services. This is why it is essential to go to large facilities with a high number of cases for specific treatments. Identifying an advisor independent from these incentives is crucial to safeguard against unnecessary treatments and potentially adverse outcomes. This should be included in every health management protocol, not just when traveling through or moving to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Despite these challenges, the UAE is an excellent place to receive medical care, provided specific precautionary measures are taken.
While communicating in English is not an issue in Singapore, the UAE, and the USA, and to a large extent also in Switzerland, language barriers can pose significant challenges in many countries. Opting for international hospitals where English is spoken and international insurance is accepted helps avoid language-related complications. If you have an accident in Istanbul, Phuket, or Rome, the doctors and nurses may be excellent, but they may not speak English or your mother tongue well.
In most countries, approaching international hospitals is better to avoid language complications. This is also true if you have foreign or international private medical insurance, as international hospitals are more likely to recognize it. This saves costs and, most importantly, valuable time.
A comprehensive first-aid kit is crucial for addressing minor and major medical issues while traveling. Immediate first-aid response is often critical and may sometimes be a matter of life and death. For instance, an adverse allergic reaction or unexpected severe illness can quickly become a nightmare scenario, especially when abroad. Even minor incidents, such as acute tooth pain or a sprained ankle, can escalate into a significant problem. An infected wound, for example, can lead to sepsis and serious complications if not treated promptly. A severe toothache occurring before a critical event can be unbearable without immediate pain relief.
A well-prepared first-aid kit can offer relief in many situations. Standard kits available in pharmacies fit into any travel bag or hand luggage and provide peace of mind in unexpected situations. However, a more comprehensive, well-equipped kit tailored to individual risk exposures and destinations is even better. A 30-year-old traveler will have different requirements compared to an elderly couple with pre-existing medical conditions or chronic illnesses. A good medical kit should include not just standard items such as band-aids and disinfectants but also allergy medications, various strong pain relievers, antibiotic creams, and activated charcoal for acute poisoning.
Having quick access to your medical information in emergencies can be life-saving. Using a physical device like a card or wristband with internet-linked emergency codes ensures immediate accessibility, whatever happens to you. Fast access to emergency data and medical records is critical and often overlooked. Carrying your emergency medical information profile with you at all times helps first and second responders provide adequate immediate care and avoid medical errors due to missing information.
Different formats of such tools are available, but a physical device like a card or wristband with internet-linked emergency codes readable by any device worldwide is recommended over profiles stored on local devices such as smartphones. This avoids dependency on battery availability, accessibility, and the functionality of the mobile device, increasing the odds that first aid responders can quickly obtain emergency information.
Medical emergency profiles must include current and relevant past medical conditions, allergies, required drugs, drug incompatibilities, blood type, and important emergency contacts in the private, medical, and insurance contexts. A key pillar of health management is collecting all your medical records from different doctors and clinics, which for global families are often located in various countries, translating them if necessary, and keeping them available in a handy digital format accessible worldwide. This simple arrangement is often overlooked, leading to unnecessary delays, repeated scans, and potentially serious medical errors. Consolidating medical records and maintaining an updated emergency profile is one of the easiest and most effective medical precautionary measures available.
For global citizens, proactive health management is not just about immediate medical care but also about comprehensive planning and preparedness. By understanding local healthcare systems, addressing language barriers, carrying essential medical kits, and maintaining up-to-date emergency medical profiles, you can ensure that you and your family receive the best possible care wherever you are in the world.
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