MedNet Brazil Reveals New Medical Tourism Fee for Service!

Hello! This last week of July, 2008 marked the 4 year anniversary launch of our Website; the First of its kind in Brazil! This launch marked a very important milestone for MNB as we became a real internet presence from our humble 2 year start as a Yahoo group in 2002. Your respect, confidence and trust in me and MedNetBrazil has always been inspiring to me. Your inquiries to simply “find me a skilled surgeon,” over these months has allowed and in fact, encouraged me to keep a human face on MedNetBrazil and make sure that as we evolve, the Mission remains the same:
ADVOCACY, OPTIONS AND TOTAL SUPPORT
Coincidentally, (or not!), this week MNB is poised once again to define the model and be a Pioneer in the industry by now providing Medical Tourism Consulting Services to an eager and growing network of doctors, hospitals and hotels even, from several Latin American Countries only now entering the Medical Tourism industry. Seeing the working model that we created in Brazil, they need help to duplicate such a support system for their healthcare networks and providers, and ultimately, you, their patient. I have been working closely with several in order to provide them with the tools they need to run a responsible Medical Tourism Company and still provide you with more options and serve you, my peers. Yet it has taken my time away from being able to respond to many of your inquiries as I normally would do. Delegation has always been hard for me, but I realize you may interpret my slow or no responses as lack of interest to help you on my part, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Once again, it is obvious that changes need to be made and MNB’s services, evolved.

What better time than our Anniversary week to introducing a whole new business model to the Medical Tourism Industry: One of absolute Patient Advocacy, Consultancy and Fee-for-Service for our Medical Concierge Services. They are, as always, based on Transparency and Integrity. Our ADVOCACY and highly individualized consulting services are paid for in advance, once you begin your Journey with us and decide that you want MedNetBrazil to accompany you and serve YOUR best interests, always.

Now our network of doctors and healthcare providers will be vast and even begin to expand to other Latin American countries… OPTIONS… Always part of MedNetBrazil’s Mission Statement. Also with this model, we are able to provide many more features, benefits, value, not only the Individualized Treatment Plan and everything we help and provide you with thus far, but TOTAL SUPPORT with our Medical Care Package, and now Video-Conferencing with the surgeon, a “Make it Real, Make me Heal Package.” Lots of great stuff that I know you NEED and will only HELP you after my own experiences and assisting 200+ of you through this empowering process so intimately!

Our Concierge Fee is US$500, and will be collected once you have made the decision that Brazil or another country we are present in (just ask!) is at the start of your inquiries with us. We now ask the surgeon and hospital to contribute the commission they would have paid to a Medical Tourism Facilitator, (Concierge Service) directly to your Aftercare and 24/7 Support once you arrive for your surgery. MNB is now the only Medical Concierge Service that can promise you the finest daily aftercare and 24/7 support no matter your destination country with MNB! We simply won’t refer if an Accredited Aftercare Program is not in place in your destination and Best Standards Protocol is not being followed. It is what has always set us apart and makes MedNetBrazil the most complete, thorough and appropriate Medical Concierge Service and now, Consulting Service!

Perhaps best of all, the US$500 you pay as you begin your journey with us, will be rebated to you through your surgical fees since the surgeon is now contributing to YOUR CARE, and not the Medical Travel Facilitator’s commissions or referral fees. So you lose NOTHING! It is an investment in YOURSELF and the transformation and empowerment these procedures and the support we provide you on your Journey will afford you. With this model, MNB is not allied or tied to any surgeon whatsoever as most all Medical Tourism Facilitators are. I never believed in representing just one or two doctors this way and was always uncomfortable when I was, hence my disengagement from referring patients to Brazil for quite a while as I restructured and evolved MNB’s services. MedNetBrazil was the pioneer before, I am proud to be so again. Since 2002, MedNetBrazil has tried to listen to what my fellow peers want and showed that I care by making changes whenever possible.

In addition to the Business to Business Consulting Opportunities, I am honored to have been asked to speak and present a workshop at the Medical Tourism Congress sponsored by the Medical Travel Authority (www.MedicalTourismCongress.com) in San Francisco this September and just recently, at a Business to Consumer event in the UK in October! Both are landmark events in the still new and Booming Medical Tourism Industry and I am proud to be recognized as one of the experienced ones in the six years since my start. As I do more and more business to business consulting and sharing my experience in this industry with other facilitators on how to best and most appropriately serve their own patient, and just DO IT RIGHT, I am fulfilling my Mission Statement on a larger level, and proving my dedication, always always, to you, my patient, my peer. =) Helping them, is helping YOU! Life is Good!

If you have received a quote elsewhere that you are considering, we would be more than happy to take a look at it and make sure that as we prepare a Personalized Medical Treatment Plan and Budget Estimation, you are comparing apples to apples rather than apples to mangos! MNB does not sell “cheap surgeries” because we realize it is all about value, not cost. Your health and satisfactory results we take very seriously because we care and refuse to leave them to chance! Again, thank you for your trust. You can reach us, in Pacific Time, at 877-9-MedNet!

Plastic Surgery In Brazil

Women from the US, Europe and other rich countries with high medical costs are flocking to have their tummy tucks and liposuctions done for less in places like Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica and Argentina.

The best evidence of a trend is probably the emergence of a nascent cottage industry of travel companies specialized in what is sometimes called “lipotourism” (a term registered as a trademark by an Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, doctor). At least three start-ups offer choices of physicians and maintain their own multilingual support teams in Brazil. The Pioneer: MedNetBrazil, was launched by American, Christi deMoraes in Brazil after her own surgeries and experience….
Price is the biggest incentive for prospective patients. Depending partly on the often fluctuating exchange rate, total expenditures in Brazil usually run from one-third to one-half of what the same procedure would cost in the United States, say insiders. An unscientific poll based on five dozen responses from members of PSJ found that about 40% saved $10,000-30,000 by going outside the US; another 40% saved $2,000-10,000. “It is like going abroad to buy a Mercedes and bringing it back without paying taxes,” said Marcel Bates, co-founder with his wife Lily of the PSJ website.

Brazil stands out from much of the cut-rate Third World crowd because it can keep a straight face as it offers First World quality. A Brazilian economist once dubbed the country “Belindia” – a place where the best of Belgium coexists with the worst poverty of a place like India. For those who live on the “Belgian side,” plastic surgery is common. Over 600,000 operations were performed in 2004, including over 365,000, almost 60%, for purely aesthetic reasons, according to a Gallup poll conducted in conjunction with the SBCP. Brazil has been a recognized international leader in the area for decades. Indeed it might be the only country with a procedure named after it: the Brazilian butt lift. Though cheaper than the northern hemisphere, Brazil isn’t the rock-bottom option. “Anybody who is worried only about cost can go to Argentina or Thailand,” said Peter Ryan, president of Cosmetic Vacations.

Plastic surgery tourism for regular gringas in Brazil may have started with Pitanguy. São Paulo-based physician Bernando Froes graduated from the Pitanguy Institute in 1991. He remembers small numbers of foreign commoners who had made their way to Rio for nips and tucks. “There weren’t many patients, but there were people who served as intermediaries,” recalls Froes. “And they made money that way.”

Pitanguy may be a household name in Brazil, but most foreigners only come across him when they begin to do their homework. “Not everybody knows that Brazil is one of the countries that develop techniques,” said a woman from Ashville, North Carolina, who went to Brazil to remove redundant skin following a gastric bypass operation and subsequent loss of 85 pounds. “Pitanguy has been on the national news, but none of us know that until we start getting serious.”

Christi de Moraes, MedNetBrazil, got serious in July 2002 when she moved south with her then-Brazilian husband. Suffering from morbid obesity, she had underwent weight-loss surgery in the USA and was ready for total body reconstruction. That experience led to the idea of a concierge service for foreigners that evolved into MedNetBrazil. By May 2003, the first of her now hundreds of  patients had landed. She now shares her time on either side of the equator, adding more exceptional surgeons to the network as options for her clients and reminding people that Brazil is THE Internationally recognized Capital for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery through Conferences and Presentations (5 total since 2005) where you can often meet the surgeon in the USA first before you go.  

Her more than 5 years of expertise in specialized Brazilian Plastic Surgery Techniques, Post-Weight-Loss Reconstruction and other “Extreme Makeovers” has widened her calling now and MedNetBrazil is extending their services through consulting not only for patients but for other Medical Tourism or Medical Concierge services.

Full service companies like Cosmetic Vacations and MedNetBrazil meet patients at the airport with bilingual guides and arrange all of the logistics, including lodging and transfers to and from the hospital. Bilingual nurses and other specialists attend to patients as they complete their recovery periods in hotel rooms or short-term rental apartments after release from the hospital. “Most people want their hands held,” noted Ryan. Length-of-stay depends on the procedure, but the average is about two weeks, he added.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has released a white paper that urges caution for patients thinking about heading abroad. The warnings essentially boil down to buyer beware. “In the United States and some other countries there is quality assurance and more regulatory control,” said Scott Spear, professor and chief of Plastic Surgery at the Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington D.C., in an interview. “When you leave home you take on an added risk, and when you go to a Third World country even more so.”

The surge in plastic surgery travel notwithstanding, such words do not fall on deaf ears. Indeed they find especially fertile ground among friends and family. “When you first tell people that you’re thinking of having plastic surgery, they think you’re crazy,” said PSJ’s Lily Bates. “Then when you tell them you’re going abroad they think you’ll be taken to a back alley and butchered.” The North Carolina woman’s partner, a retired medical professional, at first joked with her: “Make sure the price includes a cardboard box to send you back.” But after he saw the before-and-after photographs of the Brazilian surgeon’s patients and heard their testimonials, he encouraged her to go.

Even among prospective patients doing their background checks, misconceptions often persist. “Some people think they’ll be going to the Amazon,” laughed Moraes. “One asked whether we use disposable needles.”

Full-service operators try to eliminate some of the worry by helping prospective patients perform due diligence on physicians and hospitals, an often difficult task given language barriers and an unfamiliar bureaucracy. “We take the time to check on the surgeons, to see, for example, if they have any complaints registered against them,” said Ryan.

Despite names like Cosmetic Vacations and Vanity Medical Holidays, the most reputable firms are all business. “We play down the vacation aspect,” said Ryan. Most patients take a similar attitude, although they can’t be blamed for dreaming about a return trip to the tropics. “I’m not here for tourism,” said Kramp. “But I would love to come back and spend some time on this beautiful beach.”

Resources on International Cosmetic Surgery

Plastic Surgery Journeys – discussion forums and more

Brazilian Plastic Surgery Oversight Agencies

Brazilian Institute for Oversight in Sanitary Inspection
Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP)

Brazil has Most Experience with Butt Lift and Implants

This was an article online for the Citizen Patriot newspaper, discussing the popularity of the Brazilian Butt Lift, Fat Grafting and Silicone Butt Implants (cohesive gel) here in the USA. As you will read in the article, both are procedures that are performed very seldom here in the USA, although, as both American Plastic Surgeons admit, performed extensively and with great skill in Brazil. www.MedNetBrazil.com and www.ExtremeMakeoverBrazil.com can help you with this procedure by affording you access to the surgeons most experienced with this procedure. Not only will you save money on the procedure itself, but you will be assured of a surgeon with many YEARS of experience in this particular procedure and 10-14 days of pure healing time to actually RECOVER, aided by daily nursing visits and 24/7 patient support. If you would like to learn more about the Plastic Surgery Capital of the World and have an opportunity to MEET a Brazilian surgeon, specializing in your needs, please go to: www.MedicalTourismExpo2008.com and register now!

Butt, they’re not happy with the one they have
Friday, April 18, 2008
By Ingrid Jacques
For the Citizen Patriot
For those who aren’t satisfied with their posterior, there are a few options to consider that offer a firmer — and more shapely — behind.
A buttock lift tightens the skin of the buttock area. The procedure can be done alone or in combination with other surgeries, such as a thigh lift and abdominoplasty. Liposuction also is commonly performed along with buttock procedures. In addition to the buttock lift, other options include buttock implants as well as augmentation through fat injections.
Dr. Pramit Malhotra, director of Malhotra Center for Plastic Surgery, 603 Lansing Ave., says he rarely performs buttock lifts or implants and that the procedure is just starting to gain popularity in the United States. In other countries, such as Brazil, buttock implants — which use a modified form of silicone — are as common as breast augmentation in the U.S., he said.

While many people seek a smaller, firmer behind, others crave a curvier figure.
As an alternative to silicone implants, which can cause discomfort in some patients, Malhotra performs a form of augmentation using fat injections. The fat is removed from one part of the body and then injected into the buttocks. He said it takes from one to three procedures for most effective results, since there is a fat absorption rate of around 50 percent. This form of augmentation costs around $1,400 to $2,500 per treatment.
“Some people feel like they have no butt,” Malhotra said.
According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 3,300 buttock lifts performed in 2007 and 1,038 buttock implants. While these numbers are small compared to those getting more popular procedures such as breast augmentation (more than 300,000 last year), since 2000 the number of buttock lifts has increased by around 140 percent.
Dr. John Sampson of Argyle Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 1514 Fourth St., said buttock implants have only “recently developed” and are gaining popularity — especially in large urban areas. He said they are the equivalent of “breast implants for the butt.” Like Malhotra, Sampson said he most often uses fat injections.
Sampson, who performs few buttock surgeries, said there are three main categories of people who seek out buttock procedures: those who have undergone extreme weight loss and subsequently have poor skin texture; those with small buttocks; and those with “normal” buttocks who want to change the shape or size because of current fads.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says procedures such as buttock lifts are most helpful in cases of major weight loss, whether from bariatric surgery or diet and exercise.
The group states this form of body contouring reduces excess skin and fat that is left behind from the expansion of skin, loss of fat and lack of tissue elasticity that often occurs after weight loss. In addition to the buttocks, this sagging skin commonly develops around the face, neck, upper arms, breast, abdomen and thighs.
When excess skin is removed to tighten the buttocks during a buttock lift, Sampson said the procedure is similar to an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck.
Much like the face or breasts, this part of the body suffers the consequences of time, gravity and significant weight loss. A buttock lift is a body-rejuvenating procedure that remains fairly underutilized in the United States. The ideal candidate for this operation is an individual with excess skin along the buttocks with associated cellulite.
The buttock lift is intended to produce tighter, more attractive buttock skin with improved contours. It also decreases irregularities on the skin’s surface. During surgery, the incision is placed low on the back, just above the buttocks. The scar, which generally heals well, is hidden by most underwear and bikini swimwear.
According to the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery group, the procedure usually is performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Bruising and swelling subside within a month, and strenuous activities are usually possible in six weeks. Most symptoms are gone in four to six months.

Vanity or Societal Norms? A Look at Why Plastic Surgery??

I responded to a post on WordPress about warped body image and “extreme” procedures like, actually making yourself taller with bone grafts in your legs and why people endure such “painful procedures”… 

Hello, I enjoyed your post for the most part.  Personally, I have undergone four rounds of plastic surgery procedures in order to reconstruct my body after massive weight loss.  Am I a “have or have not?”… it really doesn’t matter!  This was a matter of necessity, not only physically for proportion’s sake, and psychologically for my own sanity and sense of well-being, but it was truly a “repair” and return to a functional form! 

Was vanity also involved? ABSOLUTELY. 

Was desperation present at times? HECK YEAH!

Was bravery, or bravado, a function of my vanity? Hard to say… But I never really considered it vanity, I considered it, and do to this day, more than 6 years after I started this Journey, simply a series of steps I had to complete to make my outside truly reflect who I knew I was on the inside.  Now, I take a more unique stance perhaps and I do NOT blame “society” for not accepting what I might look like on the “outside,” in a way, FORCING me to undergo these painful procedures…  Heck no.  I really didn’t CARE what society thought, I was doing it for ME… not society, not my husband, not my kids, not my friends or family, not for a better job or more opportunity,… It was purely and simply for ME.    I knew what I wanted to look like and plastic surgery was a way to achieve it. Now, am I a product or function of the society in which I live?  Well, how can we NOT be?

I literally got my “new body” in Brazil but I am American.  Did Brazilian societal norms of what a “great body” should look like influence my desire for certain procedures and even the final results of the surgery itself?   Of course!   But why is that a bad thing, necessarily?  Unless it just doesn’t “sit right” with you and so I say then again, “Do what YOU want then.  Look and dress and act the way that YOU want… “ as long as it resonates within you and YOU can look in the mirror everyday and be at peace and harmony with yourself.  Even though I am back in the USA, I love my “Brazilian body” and would not want to conform to the American society standard (bigger breasts for example). 

I was most disappointed, yet not surprised, by the last comment about the man saying he was married and had a wife and therefore saw no reason to alter his appearance.  What exactly does THAT have to do with any decision to do something so life changing and transforming?  If anything, THAT statement is a clearer indication that more people are concerned with society than about vanity.  Which is the lesser evil?  LOL!!  What I tell MY patients (I began a Medical Concierge Service in Brazil in 2002 to help my peers after my own experience) when I consult them about having these surgeries, is to make sure first and foremost that they are doing it for THEM and only THEM!  They cannot CARE what size breasts their husband or boyfriend or whomever may “want” (excuse me??!!) because they could very well be gone tomorrow and then you are stuck with D cups and perhaps some neck pain, etc just because someone preferred that size and the woman gave in.  Now THAT is desperation! 

Cosmetic or any plastic or “beauty enhancement” procedure or surgery should ultimately be judged or justified for its necessity and motive by no one other than the person choosing to undergo it.  It really isn’t anyone else’s place.  Are there going to be extremes where most of society will have some reaction, like the Texas woman going to Brazil for yet another breast enlargement procedure because a surgeon here either lacks the skill to perform it, or simply chooses to “judge” her and decide for himself that she doesn’t “need” it. Perhaps there are indeed even medical reasons NOT to go larger (I myself cannot imagine the neck and shoulder pain she could experience) yet, there are medical reasons not to take aspirin too… so… again, all relative to the individual.  That’s what we all are:  Individuals.  With our own set of values, perceptions, vision, needs and desires.   And if we want it bad enough, and there is a way to achieve it, especially knowing the risks and becoming informed, we will continue to strive for our own idea of perfection.  Let’s just try and bless those on this journey to self-reveal or maybe, “self-harmonization.”

Back from Consumer Health World Congress, Las Vegas, NV

Well, I am just back from the Consumer Health World Congress / Healthcare Globalization Summit presented by Transmarx in Las Vegas, NV where I, MedNetBrazil, was very proud to be asked to present A 360° Case Study of the Patient Experience from Start to Return. 

 

It was very well received and, I was told, “thought-provoking,” as the presentation addressed many important issues that are key to the whole “Patient Experience” that are largely being ignored as both consumers and big business first look at the lower costs of treatment or surgery abroad. 

 

While MedNetBrazil, Prime and BestMedJourneys all stressed the importance of being guided by a Medical Tourism Service of some kind and choosing the right one, the true message was irrelevant of whether you are going for heart bypass, hip replacement, or cosmetic or elective surgery but dealt with the need for post op transitional care and actual in-country Concierge support in the interim time of being discharged from the hospital and being ready and cleared for your return home after recovery in the country.  Ironically, it is in this “interim time” that infection and complication rates, as well as “horror stories” take life, yet up until now, even in countries that are well-established medical tourism destinations already, cohesive, consistent aftercare and medical support are sorely lacking.  It is however, one of the first things I realized was of absolute importance as I myself, recovered in Brazil after my reconstructive surgeries.  This is just one facet of the many faceted sides to the medical tourism experience that was my vision to provide.  I hope to share it with the rest of Latin America and my fellow peers..     

 

The Conference was timely, since the long awaited McKinsey Report on Medical tourism was also released at this event, and for those of you that get to the newsstands…. US News and World Report is all about Medical Tourism this week! 

 

It was great to finally put a face on many of the countless emails and phone calls of the inspiring and dedicated people (“MT junkies” like myself, LOL!) that I have been in contact with these last two years.  I also did a lot of networking and meeting new people and gained exposure to new opportunities.   It was great to hear the trends coming in this industry that many of us in it since the beginning, 4+ years ago or more, already intuitively felt and have been preparing for.  The validation was exciting!  That being said, as MedNetBrazil was a pioneer six years ago, we are prepared and committed to pioneering once again and will be evolving our services as well as “business model” to continue to provide advocacy, transparency and value to the Medical Tourist’s experience.

 

I missed this event in Washington, DC in December last year and almost was not able to attend this one… both for medical reasons.  For about one year now, I have been having severe issues with edema (to the tune of 10+ kilos!) that, ironically, a Brazilian Cardiologist diagnosed as being due to protein deficiency, mostly likely related to my gastric bypass procedure and its inherent malabsorption issues. 

 

Upon my last return to the USA and starting to see a doctor here, I could not get her to “agree” to the Brazilian Cardiologist’s diagnosis and begin the recommended treatment as she wanted to make her own diagnosis…  sigh…   so this has delayed and frustrated my recovery somewhat.  Not surprising though since a big topic at this weekend’s event was the lack of continuum of care once returning to the USA.  Interesting how I am truly entwined in the medical tourist experience to this day, six years after my first experience.  However, it obviously serves a purpose and keeps me in tune and sensitive to the ongoing and ever-present need for the advocacy of the patients, whom we in the Medical Concierge business serve and I still refer to as my peers.  

 

Stay tuned…  Change is good….

 

Blessings and Boa Saude (Good Health),

Christina deMoraes, BA, CMC

President and Founder

MedNetBrazil Concierge Services, Inc.

Medical Concierge Brasil, SA

www.MedNetBrazil.com

If you think the Medical Tourism Company is looking out for you… read this!

 

I must applaud this company for their transparency as they answer US News and World Report.  Unfortunately, it is the sad truth about most medical tourism companies springing up left and right all over the internet as of late.  Perhaps at first read, the two comments that I highlighted in bold italics does not strike you as bothersome.  But read it again and think about it. They don’t mention accreditation or track record or relationship or even low infection rates when speaking of the hospitals that they have chosen to work with…  to where they will send unsuspecting and trusting patients, real people, to have major surgery or other procedures performed.  They mention low prices so that the company can garner their commission on the procedure from the hospital, which of course, is only paid if the patient actually has the procedure performed.  So, the incentive is to book the patient so payment can be achieved. 

Also, it is blatantly obvious that the skill and reputation of the surgeon, who, let’s be clear about this, is REALLY the major factor in the satisfactory performance of the procedure, is left up to the hospital (that will pay a commission) in the hopes that the hospital has performed due diligence and signed on a surgeon of high caliber…  and I hope speaks English (for those providers they might be contracting with across borders.)  Here is the link to the page, followed by the excerpt of the article…. 

 

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/special-reports/2008/05/01/saving-on-surgery-by-going-abroad.html?PageNr=4

 

In a sign of market forces at work, a handful of American hospitals have struck deals with North American Surgery, a Canadian company formed last August to match U.S. hospitals in Kansas, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, and Washington that are willing to provide certain procedures inexpensively with American patients who need them. Only travel and lodging are extra. Hip or knee replacement or heart-bypass surgery is $14,000; weight-loss surgery is $10,000 or $15,000. The service is free; the company is paid by the hospitals.

Agreeing to offer low prices is mostly what qualifies hospitals to make the list, says Richard Baker, the entrepreneur behind North American Surgery. He says he also makes use of HealthGrades.com, a service that gives hospitals one, three, or five stars for performance. But in the latest ratings, Oklahoma Heart Hospital, one of those on Baker’s roster, gets one star (“poor”) for bypass surgery death rates in the hospital, at 30 days, and at six months. Baker doesn’t concern himself with physicians’ performance; he relies on the hospitals to find good surgeons and monitor them.

Brazil: Survey says a Benchmark for Beauty

Top Celebrity Features Female Plastic Surgery Patients Want

I thought this was SO interesting!  A new survery has come out and I was impressed to see how many BRAZILIAN models and celebrities (4 here!) were internationally recognized and certain of their physical attributes desired!   

ONLY THE BEST, PLEASE Based on a survey of 20,000 plastic surgeons in 84 countries around the world, here are the top celebrity features female patients say they want: Breasts: The clear choice for breast look-alikes was Pamela Anderson, followed by Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen. Lips: Angelina Jolie was the overwhelming leader, followed by Julia Roberts. Buttocks: Jennifer Lopez was first in this category, followed by Juliana Paes of Brazil. Nose: Nicole Kidman’s nose was a clear favourite, followed by Julia Roberts’ and Jennifer Aniston’s. Abdomen: Gisele Bundchen won, followed closely by Shakira. Eyes: Angelina Jolie was the number one choice for eyes, followed by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Cheeks: The most often referenced was Sophia Loren, followed by Michelle Pfeiffer. Legs: A three-way tie between Tina Turner, Sharon Stone and Cameron Diaz. Chin: No clear cut winner in this category, but Sonia Braga, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron were prominent. Forehead: Leading selections were Nicole Kidman and Madonna.Obviously Brazil has the most vain beauties and is recognized for them and making them and keeping them looking Incredibly SEXY!  Brazil is HOME to the ultimate contoured sexy body!!  And you were considering plastic surgery in ummm….  Thailand?  Panama?  Costa Rica?  I hear even CUBA is jumping on the plastic surgery bandwagon? 

This is your body and you should only do it once and do it RIGHT the first time.  =)  Contact us:  www.MedNetBrazil.com

What makes a Medical Tourism Expert?

Ok, I admit it, I am rather humble and don’t toot my own horn much, but…  as the Advocate I see myself as, and the advocate and consultant I am often asked to BE because I HAVE actually been doing this for so long, I can see more and more that I and others like myself, running Patient-Care-Centered Medical CONCIERGE Services, need to!  In fact, I start TODAY and declare myself a MEDICAL TOURISM EXPERT.  =)  I have not only had the actual personal experience of having plastic surgery reconstruction after Massive Weight Loss in Brazil myself and can share what I know, but over the last 5 years, I have immersed myself in the rather unique Brazilian plastic surgery techniques through the surgeons I know.   I can and have consulted and counseled not only…-  HUNDREDS OF PATIENTS on particular medical procedures and techniques that I have either experienced myself (as a patient) or been thoroughly orientated on by various surgeons who specialize in not only the very specific niche of Plastic Surgery reconstruction after massive weight loss, but many other surgical procedures and techniques as well. -  I have learned so much because I have sat with MANY excellent Brazilian plastic surgeons for hundreds of HOURS total over these years, speaking to them in their own language, picking their brain as they explained their unique techniques and WHY they use the techniques they do, and how they are different than those of many of their colleagues from the USA, etc and I have eagerly SHARED this information with others that would otherwise not have access to this knowledge and expertise. - In consulting with VARIOUS SURGEONS, I will even say that I have personally helped to evolve the techniques of post op WLS reconstruction by sitting side by side with hundreds of patients and seeing the recovery, the issues, the healing, the complications, the results using certain techniques.  With my own understanding of Plastic Surgery and analyzing these results and outcomes with the surgeons, I have asked them to “think outside the box” as they attempt to graciously provide us with bodies we can be proud of.  They prove their dedication and attention to Body Contouring as their techniques have evolved rapidly and eagerly in dealing with our post-op reconstruction cases.  Staying for an extended period of time (2 to 6 weeks) and having constant support staff/visitors to their room, it has been necessary to actually choose the most medically appropriate and comfortable lodging for recovery in the post op period.  I have worked closely with…  -  Large international hotel chains about what the (MY) medical tourist needs and expects in appropriate long and short term post-op accommodations.  I have helped to identify which, if any, of their standard amenities would need to be modified and the kind of accommodations most appropriate for the ultimate comfort and ease of our patients.   -  Also, having been in Hotel Administration for many years, I am also very conscious and aware of the additional costs the HOTEL should expect to see increase in catering to and hosting the foreign medical tourist coming for a long term stay and perhaps multiple surgery stages.   -  Site inspections for other Medical Tourism companies helping to show the inappropriateness of certain types, locations, and features of “Recovery Retreats” in regards to optimal patient healing, risk of exposure to infection and increased chance of post-op complications due DIRECTLY to lodging accommodations, access and location.  We even need to take into consideration, the nutritional content and value of the 3 daily meals that are often provided at these “retreats” that obviously contribute to the patient’s ability to heal.- Analysis of how the ABSENCE of an organized infrastructure of daily, surgeon mandated, post op nursing, appropriate wound care and a simple 24/7 “Hotline” providing reliable contact and knowledgeable support for the patient can negatively impact the experience of the patient and consequently, affect their healing not only on a physical level but just as importantly on an emotional level.   Please see this link:  http://www.mednetbrazil.com/how_avoid_experience2.htmlThe “Medical Tourism Guidelines” now being issued and adopted by such organizations as the American Society of Plastic Surgery and others were actually recognized and made Standard Protocol with my patients and providers since day one of my Medical Concierge Service’s inception more than 5 years ago.   Please see this link: http://www.mednetbrazil.com/asps_recommendations.html

We know who we are…  WE have actually made this Medical Tourism Industry a reality, tangible, measurable and hence people can “research,” pick our brains and call themselves “experts.” And  although not always as profitable as everyone thinks, we have identified a market, catered to a desire, provided support for a need that 98% of its consumers don’t even KNOW they WILL need, (and this NEED is still being GROSSLY overlooked by insurance companies and other administrators now looking to send patients abroad, but that’s ANOTHER blog by itself! LOL!)  and satisfied a need for ALL the individuals involved, be it the patient, the surgeon, the hotel the patient stays at, etc.  We have literally held the hand of our patients through absolutely EVERY aspect of this journey and insisted on making it SAFE, medically responsible, appropriate and COMPLETE!  We are doing what we love, helping to transform and empower lives and give back and yes, even “pay it forward.”

More to come…  =)

Brazilian Plastic Surgery Experience

I have not only had the actual personal experience of having plastic surgery reconstruction myself and can share what I know, but over the last 5 years, I have immersed myself in the rather unique Brazilian plastic surgery techniques through the surgeons I know and have, with the surgeons’ blessing, counseled and consulted hundreds in the very specific niche of reconstruction after massive weight loss as well as other  “Extreme Makoever” procedures.  I have learned so much because I have sat with MANY excellent Brazilian plastic surgeons for hundreds of HOURS total over these years, speaking to them in their own language, picking their brain as they explained their unique techniques and WHY they use the techniques they do, and how they are different than those of many of their colleagues from the USA, etc and I have eagerly SHARED this information to others that would otherwise not have access to this knowledge and expertise.  Furthermore, I HAVE seen, first hand, the RESULTS of them as I have literally held the hands of more than 200 of my peers through these empowering surgeries, just as I did for YOU!  And sadly, I have watched people NOT heed some advice or information and regret it later.  I think this gives me a unique and educated perspective that I do need to share.  I won’t apologize that my loyalty and advocacy is to my peers though and not the surgeon who did my surgery, who may pay me, or simply one day decide not to or to even decide to pay someone else now.  None of my posts on ObesityHelp.com are promoting any part of my business, nor ONE particular surgeon.  I am simply sharing my knowledge and expertise that was and is earned and learned, everyday by what I have been lead to do in my life.  

I have LEARNED about plastic surgery and have earned the SURGEON’S trust in knowing that I can explain it to my peers on their behalf.  I have immersed myself in plastic surgery (yes, specific to the Brazilian surgeons I know) for the last five years and I will even say that I have personally helped to evolve the techniques of post op WLS reconstruction by sitting side by side with hundreds of patients and seeing the recovery, the scars, the healing, the complications, UNDERSTANDING Plastic Surgery and being able to explain the science/technique/etc. and offering these results and outcomes to the surgeons.  I have asked them to “think outside the box” as their techniques have evolved in dealing with our post-op patients and I have told them and shown them what exactly WE need to feel safe and be supported and accommodated both medically and socially as we go abroad for our surgery.  It has been an evolutionary learning curve, an intense one, that this kind of volume has created!  I also know in my heart that I have helped many more of my peers that I will never know about just from those that have started their own “service” after working with MedNetBrazil and the other copy cat companies that have sprung up in Brazil just hearing about what MNB has pioneered.  

I started my “business” (yes, I also had two small children to support as I found myself in the middle of a Brazilian divorce and custody battle) as a way to give back to my peers and seeing people needed to be properly informed of their OPTIONS and given the BEST options and make it as SAFE, affordable and supportive as possible in going to a foreign country for major, life-transforming surgery!  In fact, I was literally ASKED to start it by my peers.  I NEVER took my responsibility lightly, I do not accept it when the surgeon takes the responsibility lightly and loses sleep wondering if another surgeon I choose to offer to you will eat into his piece of the pie.   You appear to be judging me for something I did not do to you and you are NOT fully informed about.  And I do not appreciate you or anyone else second-guessing my motives or agenda for WHAT I do (for the patient OR the surgeon), WHY I do it, who should or should not pay MNB and WHERE the soul of my life’s work lies. The patient testimonials on my site are NOT about the surgeon, they are about what MNB has facilitated FOR them.   My SERVICE is NOT about the surgeon for there are plenty of excellent ones both here in Brazil and all over the world and they should not be jealous of each other’s expertise and experience! 

 MedNetBrazil is moving forward rapidly with the expansion of an elite team of surgeons in Sao Paulo and a dedicated Patient Care Concierge System whose Mission Statement is the same:  OPTIONS, SAFETY, MEDICAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND FULL MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT OF THE PATIENT all in order to guarantee the best experience, value and results for the Medical Tourist. 

Patient Advocacy Extends to Surgery Loan Financing!

Well, as one of my favorite books states, “When you declare yourself to BE something, be prepared for your chance to PROVE it!” 

True to my commitment to ADVOCACY for my patients on this journey, I did not realize that the chance to prove just how far would entail!  

 MedNetBrazil realizes that some patients need financing help with their surgery and other related costs to this Journey.  For this reason, more than three years ago, we began approaching the loan companies that were specializing in “cosmetic loans” and loans for surgeries, etc.  At that time, these companies were not able or sometimes, willing to loan to patients who were having procedures performed abroad due to the logistics of sending the money internationally (most Brazilian surgeons don’t have US bank accounts, nor do they need them), communicating with the foreign providers and hospitals that would be paid from the funds loaned a patient, etc.  Since we are a real US-based company (corporation) with an American Bank account however, and after explaining what our “Concierge Services” entailed, we were able to show the feasability of loaning to a patient going abroad.  Consequently, we have been recommending www.SurgeryLoans.com , also known as www.PlasticSurgeryFinancing.com  for more than two years now to our clients.  I have also recommended them to several of my colleagues in the Medical Tourism profession to sign up as “providers” or facilitators for them, referring their patients to them for help with cosmetic and other elective surgeries.  Granted, it has not been a huge number of MedNetBrazil patients that have had to use their services, but I have been pleased to be able to offer this option to those that do have the need, even those that perhaps choose to go elsewhere or use a different service.

Although we had to sign up as a “provider” and they charged the us/the doctor a “discount” or fee for funding the loan, the relationship has seemed to work fine until “hammering out the details” and some obvious changes in protocol began to cause unnecessary, last-minute anxiety for a patient with surgery scheduled, plane tickets bought, hotel reservations made and a myriad of medical and logistical support services that MedNetBrazil provides and coordinates all lined up and ready to go, but funding being delayed and terms being modified just a minimal two days before the patient’s departure to Brazil and four days before her scheduled surgery!

Needless to say, of course, finance companies are NOT aware of all the planning, coordination, orchestration and of course, patient stress levels that are a part of this process.  So it may be easy to be totally oblivious to it.  MedNetBrazil however, is NOT.  There is enough to stress about just with arriving for the surgery and preparing yourself mentally, meeting the surgeon, unpacking at the hotel, trying to settle in and get comfortable and just concentrate on yourself and your recovery for the next few weeks.  Stress about whether, after ALL this, all the work, all the planning, the paperwork, the savings…  wondering whether all the medical providers will be properly and promptly compensated should not even be on the worry list!    

As a direct result of this unpleasant experience for not only the patient, but the doctor and the Brazilian support staff carefully coordinating her care, MedNetBrazil is looking for other medical loan companies that allow you to choose the surgeon even if they are not “providers” with the loan company, that do NOT charge the doctor a (”discount”) fee to fund the loan (after all, WE are referring patients TO the finance company!), do not question if you want to use some of your loan for hotel lodging, or medications, or your flight,  etc, and will fund promptly and in advance of your procedure, entrusting YOU to know best what you need the funds for.

 MedNetBrazil has been in contact with several reputable companies that seem to meet these criteria as of today and will be posting them to the website in a day or two!  Just another way we are here to “give back” and be an advocate for the Medical Tourist.