Que perguntas fazer ao programa antes de viajar

If you're talking to an international medical program for the first time, here are the 30 questions that will tell you the most about whether they're right for you.

Surgeon questions (most important)

1. Who specifically will perform my surgery? (Get name + qualifications.)
2. What's their personal annual case volume on my specific procedure?
3. How long have they been doing this procedure?
4. What's their complication rate, and how do they define complications?
5. Will they personally be present for the entire surgery?
6. Who is the backup surgeon if they're unavailable?
7. How do I contact them directly during my recovery?

Program questions

1. What's the program's annual volume on my procedure?
2. What's the program's accreditation status (JCI, NABH, ISO, etc.)?
3. Where does the surgery happen — full hospital or surgical center?
4. Is there ICU step-down available if needed?
5. What's the conversion rate (minimally-invasive to open) for my procedure type?
6. What's the discharge timeline?

Pricing questions

1. Can I have an itemized quote with all line items broken out?
2. What's specifically excluded?
3. What's the worst-case all-in if I have complications?
4. What's the per-day rate if I need to extend hospital stay?
5. What's the deposit requirement and refund policy?
6. What's the revision policy and what does revision cost?

Practical logistics

1. What pre-op workup do I need to bring vs. what will you do at the destination?
2. What's the visa pathway and timeline?
3. What's the recovery accommodation arrangement?
4. What's the airport-to-hospital transfer process?
5. What languages do staff speak?
6. What's the timeline from arrival to surgery?

Recovery and follow-up

1. What's the inpatient PT plan?
2. What outpatient PT is included after discharge?
3. What's the follow-up schedule?
4. Is telemedicine follow-up included after I fly home?
5. How does coordination with my home physician work?

What good answers look like

Reputable programs answer all 30 questions specifically and in writing. Vague answers ("our team handles that"), reluctance to put answers in writing, and pressure to commit before answers come are warning signs.

Best programs respond within 24–48 hours with detailed answers, often anticipating follow-up questions you didn't think to ask.

The follow-up questions

Based on initial answers, follow up with:

• Can you connect me with a recent patient who had this same procedure?
• Can you provide before-and-after data (photos, outcomes) for procedures like mine?
• Can you share your published outcomes data?
• What does your patient-satisfaction follow-up program look like?

Red flag responses

• "All our surgeons are excellent" without specifics.
• "Don't worry about that" deflections.
• Unwillingness to itemize pricing.
• Pressure to make decision quickly.
• Unable to provide outcome data.
• Vague about who specifically performs surgery.
• Limited or no warranty/guarantee terms.

Questions to skip on first call

• Highly specific clinical questions (better in clinical consult).
• Negotiation about price (after you have full information).
• Detailed travel logistics (after you've decided to proceed).

Save these for later when you've already determined the program is a fit.

What I'd actually do

For each program you're considering:

1. Send these 30 questions in writing (email or web form).
2. Compare written responses across 3–4 programs.
3. Schedule clinical consultations with the top 1–2.
4. Make decision based on comprehensive comparison.

This process takes 2–4 weeks. That's time well spent for a major procedure.

The framing

You're not interrogating the program. You're being a thoughtful patient.

Reputable programs welcome these questions because they're confident in their answers. Programs that resist them are programs you should look elsewhere.

The right level of due diligence varies by procedure complexity. For LASIK or routine cosmetic, simpler. For cardiac, transplant, or major oncology, comprehensive due diligence is essential.

Reviewed by the MedCasts coordination team.