By Ola Kotun, Founder, 5 Delphi · 3 October 2026
Treatment abroad can give you access to centres of excellence and shorter waits. It also adds risks that rarely appear on a clinic's website: infection rates, low procedure volumes, conflicted referrals, and gaps in insurance or legal protection.
1. Verify accreditation
Check national regulation and, where relevant, international accreditation of the hospital or clinic. Confirm the accreditation is current and covers the department treating you.
2. Verify the individual clinician
Accreditation applies to the building, not the surgeon. Confirm the treating specialist's registration, training and volume for your procedure.
3. Ask for outcomes, not testimonials
Ask for complication, infection and readmission data for your procedure. Reputable centres measure these.
4. Plan aftercare before you go
Agree who manages complications when you return home, how records will be shared, and when it is safe to fly.
5. Understand jurisdiction and insurance
Check what your insurance covers abroad and what recourse you have under local law if something goes wrong.
6. Remove the language barrier
Make sure consent, instructions and records are available in a language you fully understand.
Key takeaway
Vet the clinic, the clinician and the aftercare. A medical concierge that takes no commissions can do this for you and coordinate the journey.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a qualified clinician about your own situation.