GENERAL INFORMATION Congratulations, you have now reached the final stages of preparation for your impending trip to Phuket for surgery. To assist you in this final stage we have taken this opportunity to provide you with additional information as well as a checklist for you to go through, for your own personal records. Below we have included a brief synopsis and have highlighted some important information to ensure that it is brought to your attention, please take the time to print and read this information Passport Take a moment to check that you have at least six months validity before the expiry date on your passport. It is a legal requirement to gain entry into and clear customs into Thailand that you have six months validity on your Australian or New Zealand passport. If you own an Australian or New Zealand passport you are part of the visa waiver program which grants you a visa on arrival for a period of 30 days and you are staying in Thailand for tourism purposes (this includes medical tourism). If you possess a passport from a country other than those previously mentioned, please advise your consultant and we can provide you a full list of the counties who are included in the visa waiver program and or provide you with information on applying for a visa If you do not currently hold a passport then you will need to apply for one either online or at you local post office. You will need your birth/marriage certificate for proof of identification and passport photographs. All your travel documentation needs to be in the same name as per your passport/Birth Certificate. Please ensure that you allow at least 21 days for your application to be received and approved and your passport issued and sent.. You may still book and finalise your travel whilst you await your passport if you ensure the name on the passport is the name used for all travel bookings. Smart Traveller The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) recommend that if traveling overseas that you register with smart traveller as a precautionary measure if you ever find yourself in a situation where you may need assistance whist you are out of Australia. For further information and to register go to http://www.smartraveller.gov.au Compression Garments For post-operative care and on surgeon's recommendations from the hospital, you are required to wear the appropriate compression garment after your surgery. The hospital does not stock compression garments and you will need to purchase and remember to pack them for your trip. You will receive information sheets and pricing on these from your consultant. Surgery The day after your arrival you will have been booked for your consultation with your surgeon, if you choose to proceed with surgery after your consultation you will be admitted into hospital and prepared for surgery that same morning. You will also receive an information sheet on what to expect on the day of your consult and any preparation required. Please note you will be required to fast for 12 hours prior to your surgery appointment and you will need to bring your hospital bag (underwear, toiletries, etc..) In the likelihood of surgery Currency
Please note that all surgery and procedures are charged in Thai Baht. The Australian price indicated to you at any time previously is a guide and can fluctuate depending upon the conversion rate of the day, you should allow a little extra in the event of the AUD being lower, conversely if it is higher you will pay a little less than expected. Since we have no control over currency rates, you will need to take this into account when arranging your finances. The hospital have a number of payment options available and you will be given an information sheet detailing prior to departure payment options ,to take advantage of favorable rates, and payment options made direct to the hospital on the day of surgery.
CONTACT INFORMATION Mobile Phones
If you intend on taking your mobile phone you will need to contact your service provider and ask for your phone to put on roam so you can receive and make calls while you are away. Please note, that when you phone is on roam you are paying for the call when someone calls you and it can be an expensive option to keep in contact. Options
1. Hospital Mobile Phone Rental You have a choice of either a complete pack rental (Sim card, telephone & charger) for a fee of 2,000.00 THB. This also includes 250.00 THB of calls, as well as a refund of 1,500.00 THB when you return the phone. The other option with the Hospital Mobile Phone Rental is the Sim card pack rental (Sim card only) for a fee of 500.00 THB. This includes 250.00 THB of calls and a refund of 250.00 THB when you return the sim card. If you are interested in the hospital mobile phone rental, please contact us as soon as possible and we will coordinate this with the hospital on your behalf. 2. Travel SIM With this you can use your mobile phone with the TravelSIM SIM card and you get very cheap roaming calls in most countries. Best of all, in many countries it is free to receive calls. It's easy to use. Just purchase the card from an Australian post outlet or Allphones outlet, plug the sim card in and go. All you need is an unlocked mobile phone, there is no sign up, no contracts and no minimum commitments. http://www.travelsim.net.au. Other options to keep in contact, include text messages or to purchase a Thailand Sim card on arrival, inserting it into you phone and sharing your new number with the people you wish to remain in contact with while you are away Calling Home
Depending on your mobile device, the way you dial Australia is simply that you must use a combination of numbers . First you need the international dialing code which is normally 001 or 011 depending on your service provider if you are on roam then you normally receive a text on arrival into Thailand telling you how to access international dialing or your provider may have given this to you. Iphones and some other phones allow you to just enter the + sign The second thing you need to enter is the country code , for Australia which is 61 and then you drop the zero on a mobile number and also on an area code. See example below: Mobile: 001(access code) 61(country code) 404 446 446(phone number or + 61 404 446 446 Land Line: 001 61 7345 76767 or +61 7 345 76767 Home Calling you Currency
If you do have your mobile placed on roam then anyone from home can just dial your number as they normally would. It is very important that you realise when you receive calls on your mobile whilst on roam that you actually are picking up the cost of the call at international rates please check these with your service provider. Thus why we suggest texting when possible. However if you choose to purchase a Thai Sim card or hire the Thai Mobile calls to you will need to use the international code from Australia (0011) followed by the country code for Thailand (66), then followed by your new mobile number, i.e. 0011 66 xxx xxx xxx
CONTACT INFORMATION Although we will have all your details on record, i.e. Itinerary, appointment details, etc., We encourage that you give a copy of your itinerary and your contact details to your next of kin or friend not traveling to Thailand with you. We would also ask that you pass on our contact details to provide reassurance to family and friends that if they cannot contact you directly that they can contact us to check on your progress via our ground staff at the hospital. In saying that, it is always a good idea to remember to send a message via phone or Internet when you arrive and again after your procedure. This allows them to be aware of your movements, how you are going and knowing that you can be contacted directly or via a third person will give peace of mind to loved ones back in Australia. Hospital contact
Whilst you are in Thailand your hospital contact is Ms. Yvette Enriquez (Telephone 076 249 400) , she is available to assist you with any queries relating to your surgery. (Her photo and details are recorded on your appointment confirmation in your information pack). Meditravel Contacts
While you are in Thailand, please note that we are available to take your calls or text messages (cheaper option). If you find that you need to contact us in regard to a medically related matter, your first port of call is always your hospital contact. Through your hospital contact we are also informed of your progress and of any issues that may arise, so though you may not need to talk to us whilst you are away, we are aware of how you are going. Our contact numbers are: Office: 0011 61 887231284 Melanie's: 001 61 404 493105 Jacquie's: 001 61 414 011534 We strongly encourage you to make use of the checklist provided as well as taking time to read through the other information provided so you feel prepared and confident for your upcoming trip. If you require any further information or clarification on the information provided, please do not hesitate to contact us. Returning Home Currency
Hopefully our consultants provided a fantastic service throughout your coordination process, from your initial contact through to your departure and stay in Thailand. Our service does not end once your surgery has been completed . If you have any concerns upon your return home please contact us immediately so we can obtain the correct information and advise you accordingly. About 2-3 Weeks after your return one of our consultant will send a follow up email to check that everything is as you expected. We would also kindly ask that you complete the included survey in that email and return with your testimonial of your personal experience . This allows us to provide continually improvement and provide support to yourself and future clients. At this time we ask that you reflect back to your initial research where our client testimonials and before and after Photos were crucial to your final decision. We ensure that no client identifying information is ever included and respect your need for privacy. If you could also included 1-2 update photos after surgery this would be highly appreciated
CHECK LIST. Destiny Meditravel has create this check list form for the purpose of providing a visual checklist to assist you in knowing what you need to have organised in preparation for your surgical travel. This is for your records and if there is anything on the list that you require clarification upon, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately. The checklist is sectioned into three parts; Travel, Surgery and Miscellaneous. There may be items listed that do not apply to your situation so please ignore.
Travel You may have chosen to book your own travel or have Meditravel do this for you through MTA . As the travel component is essential to you arriving in Thailand this section is applicable to everyone. Self Arrange
Have Valid Passport (less than 6mths till expiry)
Inform DMT of Dates
Apply for passport (if applicable)
Provide a copy of itinerary to DMT
Check days your to be required in Thailand
Confirm departure dates
Confirm dates available for appointment
Request Quote for Travel
Receive and check Quote for Travel
Confirm Travel arrangements with agent
Check Correct names as per passport
Inform Travel Agent of any requests, meals, etc
Advise Travel agent of Frequent flyer numbers
Receive Travel Invoice
Read Travel Insurance Brochure
Confirm if you want Travel Insurance
Pay Deposits for Travel by due date
Pay final Payments prior to Due date
Receive all Travel Documents
Check again spelling on all travel Docs
Keep all travel documents in a safe place
DMT- Destiny Meditravel
CHECK LIST. Appointments We like to double check that your appointments for all surgery and or Dental is correct. You need to check that your appointments also coincide with your departure and arrival dates. You must have a clear 12 hours from arrive till surgery time, this is a medical requirement stipulated by the hospitals for your safety
Request Appointment Dates for consult/surgery
Receive Procedure information sheet & Pricing
Request and Review Surgeons qualification sheet
Receive Payment option sheet
Receive information sheet on Photographs
Decide on Method of Payment for surgery
Take Photos as per requirements
Transfer Money if your payment choice
Email photos to DMT
Scan and send DMT copy of bank pmt slip
Receive Surgeons review and recommendations
Receive confirmation of pmt from hospital
Read information on Compression Garments
Select/Purchase Compression Garments and or Scar Creams
Receive appointment/Transfer confirmation sheet
Received Risk and Complication Sheet Received Pre-Post Surgery Sheet
Other Stuff Below is a list of a few things that you may have already thought of or not. If you have any questions about any of the items listed below please feel free to contact your consultant as they are happy to clarify or assist you.
Inform Mobile Phone Carrier to activate roam
Register with Smart Traveller
Check if any current Medications need to cease
Leave photocopy of travel itinerary with friend
Start writing list of Questions for Surgeon
Know Luggage limits
Advise DMT if any changes to travel itinerary
No Liquids in Carry on Luggage
Provide emergency contact details to DMT
Request hire mobile if required
Enjoyable reading material for recovery
Suntan Lotion