Medical travel is on the lips of Americans and others looking for affordable health care in nearby countries.

Considering the excellent reports from patients who are thrilled with the results of their surgery and other medical treatments in Mexico many are seriously investigating the possibility of finding a physician in Mexico.

Where is a good place to start?  Consider Chapala. A patient’s confidence in the medical care he will receive and the comfort of his surroundings during and after treatment profoundly affects the success of his treatment and the speed of his recuperation.

In the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Donald Cole, of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto said regarding 16 studies about patient’s attitudes over 30 years, “In each case the better the patient’s expectations about how they would do after surgery or some health procedure, the better they did.” What is there in Chapala that can boost a medical traveler’s confidence? Besides its proximity to Canada and the United States, the high numbers of North Americans who have made Chapala their home make this an ideal place to travel to for your medical needs.  The more than 25,000 expats have had a positive impact on the community.

Many North American products are readily available and better service is available than in more remote areas of the country. English is spoken widely in shops, restaurants and banks and more importantly in the medical community. This is especially important to medical travelers since as Dr. Cole mentioned above said, “Clinicians should talk to their patients and find out what their hopes and fears are before a procedure.  If this were part of the process, recovery expectations could be talked about and then, according to the results of this study, at least, recovery could be better.”  The confidence that they can speak freely to the physician in their own language gives peace of mind to many who travel to Chapala for medical procedures.

The personal interest doctor’s show in their patients is expressed frequently by those who travel to Chapala and the expats that live there.  “Did I mention the doctors still make house calls?”, asked one resident of the region. “The doctor spends the time to take medical histories himself, and also provides his/her personal telephone number and says to call immediately with any questions and concerns ….and means it.” said another. The clinics in Chapala all have emergency capability, outpatient surgical facilities and short-term hospital care.  They are associated with major hospitals in Guadalajara and the Red Cross provides ambulance service if necessary. As in all of Mexico, the prices for medical procedures in Chapala are another benefit. Although insurance is available and Blue Cross plans work in some hospitals, many choose not to use insurance because of the reasonable cost of the procedures. About one hour from Guadalajara, Chapala boasts a variety of cultures and nationalities in a typically Mexican backdrop.

The natural beauty and tranquility of the region is the perfect place recover from whatever ailment brings a medical traveler to Chapala. If you are a medical traveler looking for comfort and confidence in your treatment, consider Chapala.