Chapter 5Health Care Myth versus RealityMyth versus Reality
“EARLY TO BED AND EARLY TO RISE,” the saying goes, “makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But we’d add that moving overseas might do exactly the same thing.
Not only will the lower cost of living in many foreign countries save you money overall, but you’ll find vast savings on health care costs. Does that mean you have to compromise on quality? Absolutely not.
In many countries you’ll find excellent health care, with doctors and other practitioners who have studied at the world’s best medical schools and hospitals. Our own physician in Ecuador, for instance, received his PhD from the University of London, and did postgraduate work at the University of Miami School of Medicine, the Royal College of Physicians of London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, among others.
Many of the doctors we’ve visited since we’ve been living overseas have similarly impressive resumes. As you’d expect, they speak excellent English and have no problem communicating. Certainly, there are physicians in foreign countries who haven’t studied internationally and don’t speak English. But in the major hospitals—especially those accredited by The Joint Commission International (JCI)—you will find multilingual health care professionals.
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