Background: Thousands of patients travel each year to access surgical procedures in other locations but there is limited evidence on the types of procedures they seek, the coordination of care across countries, the role played by their companion-caregivers and the presence of complications. Aim: The current review aims to provide an overview of the current evidence on medical travel for surgical procedures.Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed articles was conducted by searching the databases PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest Central and CINAHL for papers on medical travel for surgeries. Data were extracted through a form developed in REDCap. The MMAT was used to assess the quality of the studies. We followed PRISMA. Results: The review included a total of 58 articles. Patients travelled with their caregiver-companions to gain access to surgical procedures. Pre-assessments in the destination countries were limited. Access to follow-up care was challenging, threatening the continuity of care. There was limited information exchange between sending and destination countries. Significant health risks for patients were identified in the form of postoperative complications.Conclusion: Future research needs to explore the full pathway of care of patients and their caregiver-companions traveling to access surgical procedures. Protocol registration: CRD: 42018114495
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.