Healthcare Article

Note: The highlighted portion below (in “Bring all necessary medications with you”) is useful information provided by Christina, but it still needs to be fact-­‐checked. (Also, my paraphrasing of what she said might have altered the meaning.) My other concern: I’m afraid that the first point of “Know Before You Go” and the sidebar might be too similar.

Tonya Johnson and Ryne Steinacker 10/5/12 ELang 430R Word Count: 482

Is There a Doctor in the House?

How to Meet Your Medical Needs While Traveling

Every international traveler cringes at the thought of getting sick or needing to find health care in an unfamiliar place. Even if you’re not frightened by the thought of illness, you’re probably still depressed by the thought of spending a day or two in bed during your vacation. Follow the informative tips below to help you avoid illness and spend your trip the way you planned it.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:47 PM Comment [1]: I like this title idea. Here are a few more: • Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:45 PM Comment [2]: This sentence needs a little bit of work. It doesn’t quite connect with the opening sentence. Try replacing it with something like, “the thought of spending a day or two in bed during your vacation might take the wind out of your sails.”

Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:46 PM Deleted: ing Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:46 PM Deleted: are a few Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:47 PM Deleted: that will help you Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:47 PM Deleted: to

Know Before You Go •

Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:50 PM Comment [3]: I would suggest tightening these up a little bit more. Maybe something like, “Get Familiar.”

Check out information specific to your travel destination before you arrive

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No two countries, or even regions of the same country, are identical in terms of healthcare. Take the

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:31 PM Comment [4]: Are there other things aside from hospitals or other healthcare providers? If not, change the heading to be about providers only, and not just general info. Then you can have the sidebar focus on everything else.

time to investigate the type and availability of health care at your destination—for instance, available hospitals or clinics of repute—before you even arrive. This will prevent a mad scramble in the event of

an accident. Luckily, the US Department of State has already done extensive research for you. Check out this website for country-specific information about health, safety, and a variety of other important topics: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html. The article sidebar contains more

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detailed information about finding healthcare providers during your trip.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:32 PM Comment [5]: For whatever reason I couldn’t remove the hyperlink for this website!

Receive all recommended vaccinations for the area you’re traveling to

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Go to the Center for Disease Control’s website to learn about vaccinations specific to your area of

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travel; http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. Different vaccinations are suggested for different

Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:53 PM Deleted: e

Check when your prescriptions expire, and make sure to get them renewed before you leave. Be aware

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:32 PM Comment [6]: You could even use a theme like “get.” An example for this one would be “Get Vaccinated.” I would encourage you to have something a little more succinct so that even if people don’t read the entire paragraph, they will have a short bulleted list to keep in mind.

that customs officials may confiscate prescribed drugs that are not accompanied by a written

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prescription. If you can’t bring enough medication with you to last your whole trip, ensure that you

Tara Walker 10/9/12 2:52 PM Formatted: Default Paragraph Font, Font:(Default) +Theme Body, Italic

destinations.

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Bring all necessary medications with you

know how to get more at your destination, and bring a little more medication than you expect to need before your refill. That way, if you encounter any unexpected delays in getting the medication, you won’t have any problems.

You should also plan to bring along travel-sized, basic medicines that might prove useful during your trip. Learn the names of common over-the-counter drugs so that you can purchase them abroad, if needed. For example, Tylenol is actually a brand name of the drug acetaminophen. Knowing a drug’s real name will help you to get the correct drug in countries where the brand name you’re familiar with is not sold. Be aware that an over-the-counter drug in your country may require a prescription in another country, and vice-versa.

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Make plans for allergies If you have any allergies, bring the necessary medications or epinephrine autoinjector with you. During your trip, have on your person some form of physical information about your allergies, such as an

Tara Walker 10/9/12 3:11 PM Comment [7]: This sentence seems repetitive. Does the website have the vaccinations listed according to continent?

Or some other format? This would give readers a little bit more new information.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:35 PM Comment [8]: I checked a few websites, and it said that as long as your medications are in the original pill bottle with the name that matches your airline ticket that you should be fine. Non prescription meds should also be kept in the original container.

They suggested bringing an empty pillbox to use after you get through security.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:59 PM Comment [9]: This sentence doesn’t quite make sense. If I can’t bring enough to last my whole trip, then I will only have enough until my refill.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:58 PM Comment [10]: See comment 8 about non-­‐prescription medications.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:56 PM Comment [11]: You could make some reference to food allergies and packing snacks? Bring a mask on the plane if you’re allergic to peanuts. Check on plants that will be in bloom to avoid going when the pollen count is high.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:54 PM Deleted: c condition

allergy bracelet or card. (This should be in the language of your travel destination.) Learn a few key phrases in the language about your allergy condition and the allergens that trigger it. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America lists several useful tips for travelers with allergies:

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http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=20&cont=291

[Sidebar-­‐122 words] Once You’re There, Know Where to Go and What to Do •

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You should, of course, follow all of the tried and true traveler’s rules of health during your trip: only drink safe tap water, wash your hands regularly, and be discriminating if you want to buy food from street vendors. If you follow those tips and still get sick, though, then use a trustworthy source, like the ones listed in this article, to find a reputable doctor and hospital. Ideally, you will have enough time to talk to trusted people, get references, and then visit establishments to get a feeling for what kind of practices they run. There is a wealth of information available about healthcare providers through the CDC website, which refers travelers to organizations such as US embassies, the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM), and others: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2012/chapter-2-the-pretravel-consultation/obtaining-health-care-abroad-for-the-ill-traveler.htm

Tara Walker 10/9/12 6:53 PM Comment [12]: This is ideal, but not really plausible for a vacation. Consider removing this, and replacing it with other tips you can do once you’re in a foreign country. Maybe include something about alternative medicine? Like acupuncture, foot zoning, essential oils, or reiki. This would add something to the sidebar.

Tara Walker 10/9/12 7:00 PM Comment [13]: I would move this all to the paragraph above about healthcare providers.