If you are planning to travel abroad, you may need to visit a travel medicine clinic before your trip. A travel clinic is a place where you can get travel health advice, vaccines, medications, and resources from a doctor or nurse who specializes in travel medicine. A travel clinic can help you prepare for your trip and protect your health while you are away.
But how do you find a travel medicine clinic near you? How do you know if it is reliable and reputable? How do you make an appointment and what should you expect? In this blog post, we will answer these questions and give you some tips on how to find a travel medicine clinic near you.
Why Do You Need to Visit a Travel Medicine Clinic?
You may need to visit a travel medicine clinic for several reasons, such as:
- To get a pre-travel health assessment and risk evaluation: A travel medicine specialist can assess your health status, destination, itinerary, and activities before your trip and provide you with personalized advice and recommendations on how to prevent or manage any health problems or emergencies that may arise during your trip.
- To get travel vaccines: A travel medicine specialist can advise you on which vaccines you need or want for your destination and administer them for you. Some vaccines are routine and recommended for everyone regardless of their travel plans; some are recommended or required for travelers based on their destination, itinerary, health status, and personal preferences; and some are required for travelers by certain countries as a condition of entry or exit.
- To get travel medications: A travel medicine specialist can prescribe or provide you with medications that can prevent or treat certain diseases or conditions that are prevalent or endemic in your destination. Some medications are prophylactic and taken before or during your trip to prevent infection; some are therapeutic and taken during or after your trip to treat infection; and some are symptomatic and taken as needed to relieve symptoms.
- To get a post-travel health check-up and follow-up care: A travel medicine specialist can check your health status and provide you with any necessary care or treatment after your trip. Some diseases or infections may not show any symptoms until weeks or months after exposure; some may require further testing or monitoring; and some may require reporting or notification to public health authorities.
How Do You Find a Travel Medicine Clinic Near You?
There are several ways to find a travel medicine clinic near you, such as:
- Searching online: You can use online tools or websites that allow you to search for travel medicine clinics near you based on your location, criteria, and preferences. You can also read reviews or testimonials from other travelers who have used the same clinics. Some examples of online tools or websites that you can use are:
- The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) Directory of Travel Clinics: This is a directory of travel clinics that are members of the ISTM, a professional organization that promotes excellence in the field of travel medicine. You can search for clinics by country, city, or name and view their contact information, services, and fees.
- The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Clinical Consultants Directory: This is a directory of clinicians who are members of the ASTMH, a professional organization that advances global health through research, education, and practice in tropical medicine and hygiene. You can search for clinicians by name, location, or specialty and view their contact information and credentials.
- The CDC Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinics Search: This is a search tool that allows you to find authorized yellow fever vaccination clinics in the United States or abroad. You can search for clinics by state, city, or zip code and view their contact information and hours of operation.
- Asking your primary care provider: You can ask your primary care provider if they can provide pre-travel advice, vaccines, medications, or resources or if they can refer you to a travel medicine clinic or specialist near you. Your primary care provider may have some knowledge or experience in travel medicine. They may have access to reliable sources or networks of information or referrals.
- Asking your friends or family: You can ask your friends or family who has traveled abroad before if they have used any travel medicine clinics or specialists near you or if they have any recommendations or feedback on them. Your friends or family may have personal experience or insight into the quality and reliability of the clinics that they have used.
How Do You Make an Appointment and What Should You Expect?
Once you have found a travel medicine clinic near you that suits your needs and preferences, you should make an appointment as soon as possible. Ideally, you should visit a travel medicine clinic at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to allow enough time for your immune system to respond and develop protection. However, even if you have less time than that, it is still better to visit a travel medicine clinic than not at all.
To make an appointment, you should contact the clinic by phone,
email, or online booking system and provide them with some basic information such as:
- Your name, contact information, and insurance information (if applicable)
- Your destination, itinerary, duration, and purpose of your trip
- Your planned activities, accommodation, and transportation during your trip
- Your medical history, immunization status, allergies, pregnancy status, current medications, and any special needs or concerns
The clinic will then confirm your appointment date and time and inform you of any preparation or requirements that you need to follow before your visit such as:
- Bringing your passport, travel documents, vaccination records, prescription copies, and payment method (if applicable)
- Fasting or avoiding certain foods or drinks before your visit (if applicable)
- Wearing loose-fitting clothing that allows easy access to your arms (if applicable)
During your visit, you should expect the following:
- A pre-travel health assessment and risk evaluation: The travel medicine specialist will review your information and ask you more questions about your health status, destination, itinerary, and activities. They will also examine you physically and perform any necessary tests or procedures. They will then evaluate your risk of exposure to various diseases or infections and provide you with personalized advice and recommendations on how to prevent or manage them.
- A customized travel health plan: The travel medicine specialist will prescribe or provide you with any vaccines, medications, or resources that you need or want for your trip. They will also explain the dosage, schedule, booster shots,
precautions, and contraindications of each vaccine or medication. They will also provide you with a travel health kit that contains essential items and supplies that can help you deal with common or unexpected situations during your trip. - A post-travel health check-up and follow-up care: The travel medicine specialist will advise you on what to do after your trip such as monitoring your health status, seeking medical attention if needed, informing them of any issues or problems that occurred during your trip, returning any unused vaccines or medications (if applicable), and scheduling a post-travel health check-up and follow-up care if needed.
Conclusion
Visiting a travel medicine clinic before your trip is an important step in preparing for any trip abroad. It can help protect your health while traveling and prevent any complications or consequences after returning home.
