Should I Have a Travel Consultation Before My Trip?

Posted: Apr 29th, 2016 at 12:00AM - by e7 Health

You have planned the big trip, saved up for months (or years!) and are getting ready for final preparations. Now it's time to keep yourself safe and prepared so you can enjoy yourself during your travels abroad. So who can help you make this process as comprehensive and stress free as possible?

Some people ask if they should visit their primary care doctor or clinic that just provides vaccinations for travel. This is like going to your primary care for diagnosis of your heart condition. A primary care may be familiar with generalized conditions and recommendations, but a specialist should be conferred with for the most up-to-date information and treatment. Same with a travel medicine clinician!

Travel medicine is its own specialty with its own training and expertise in the practice of travel medicine. Not only that, most primary care doctors and vaccine only places do not carry travel vaccines or may not carry all the travel vaccines that you need, may not provide prescriptions, or simply aren't familiar with which prescriptions travelers need.

A travel medicine clinician can guide you through recommendations for vaccinations and prescriptions specifically tailored to your health history and itinerary. The clinician will also be able to guide you on food and water precautions, insect protection, and specific safety information for the locations you are visiting, the length of stay, accommodations, transportation, and other factors. Additional information is provided on travel insurance, travel medical kits, document checklists, prevention of traveler's thrombosis, and many other concerns.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends having your consultation at least 4-8 weeks before you leave for your trip, although receiving your vaccines and travel consultation as soon as the day before also provides benefit for the traveler. The sooner you receive your vaccines, the more protection your body will have while you are away, but some protection is definitely better than none at all.

We provide travel medicine consultations with our trained travel medicine clinicians at all of our office locations. We provide you with all necessary information and prescriptions at the time of your consultation as well as a personalized trip report sent directly to your e-mail after your consultation. We recommend scheduling an appointment as soon as you know your itinerary so that you will have the most protection from vaccinations before your trip, and can prepare for travelers insurance and other recommended preparations if desired. Make sure to bring your travel itinerary and any immunization records with you to your appointment and our clinicians can personalize your travel consultation to your needs, and keep you care-free in your adventures!