Travelers can maximize the likelihood of medical safety on a trip abroad by obtaining travel-related medical advice, preventive measures, and treatment services. Guidelines on travel medicine published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend that pre- and post-travel care are obtained from a clinician with expertise in travel medicine. This is especially relevant for travelers going to exotic destinations or engaging in adventure travel, or who have special needs or medical complications.
The essential elements of a pre-travel examination include the following:
- Evaluation of the traveler’s health, including underlying health conditions and immunization history
- Careful analysis of the itinerary, including duration, season, activities, and style of travel
- Evaluation for vaccinations and other preventive measures
- Education for disease prevention and health maintenance, including access to medical care overseas
Other important considerations include:
- What countries and what parts of these countries is the traveler visiting?
- How long is the traveler going to stay?
- What time of the year is the traveler visiting?
- What are the destination’s living conditions?
- What are the destination’s current security concerns?
- What activities is the traveler undertaking? For example, does is the traveler need a medical examination for diving?
The specialty of travel medicine is dynamic and vast in medical knowledge requirements. We have physicians with extensive knowledge of pre-travel management, vaccinations, epidemiology, region-specific travel medicine, travel-related illnesses, and post-travel management.
Patient Paperwork
Please print, complete and bring to your appointment.