Member asks for second opinion, discovers better hip surgery options in India

Bob Svetlik was dismayed to learn he had major hip problems at an age considered much too young for that sort of thing—he’s only 56. The Lord used the trial to lead him on a journey from his home in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin to India, where he became a “medical tourist,” received top quality care, and saved tens of thousands of dollars.

With pain increasing and the hip deteriorating fast, something had to be done. Bob and his wife, Cindy, lead an active lifestyle and are dependent on his health for his physically demanding job of installing and finishing floors.

Doctors told Bob he would have to have a total hip replacement, which would cost from $32,000 to $52,000 for the surgery and a three-day hospital stay. The doctors were specialists and did caution Bob that the replacements may only last ten years for active patients. However, they neglected to tell him that other hip surgery techniques are widely available and have been successfully used for over fifteen years.

The Svetliks sensed there had to be more options and started surfing the web. Cindy started asking for second opinions, and Bob’s brother, who worked at a hospital, did some investigating.

After much prayer and research, the Svetliks learned that Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) is better than total hip replacement for active patients. In addition, thousands of people travel to India each year to have the surgery done by well-qualified doctors who specialize in the surgery. To top it off, total cost for the surgery and trip, including transportation and six nights in a recovery resort, is only about $12,500.

After an X-ray and consultation, Indian doctors from Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India, confirmed Bob was a prime candidate for BHR. One couldn’t believe U.S. doctors had recommended total hip replacement and said that it probably would have only lasted five years for an active guy like Bob.

Dr. Vijay C. Bose ended up doing the surgery and has impressive credentials. His string of awards runs back all the way to his undergraduate days, he did post graduate work in world renowned programs in England, and he has performed more than 1,200 BHR surgeries.

Hip resurfacing works like it sounds. Both the ball point of the femur and the hip socket are sanded down and resurfaced with state-of-the-art materials designed to last 100 years. More bone is preserved than with total hip replacement, and BHR gives patients much more mobility as well.

The Svetliks are big fans of BHR, medical tourism, and their Indian health care providers. The Svetliks credit Healthbase.com for making the whole thing hassle-free. Healthbase is one of the many online entities calling itself a “medical tourism facilitator.”

Cindy says that even the billing paperwork was clear and straightforward. Bob says the recovery resort was impressive. Transportation was pre-arranged and never late.

Bob did take out a short term loan to pay for the surgery, but even with some financing costs, knows he came out way ahead of where he might have been had he gone with his first doctor’s recommendation.

Bob reports that he was back to work actually laying floors two weeks from the day of his surgery. His need was published and his bills are paid. He recommends others check into medical tourism as well. “It could be a great way to save Samaritan members’ money.”

Bob wrote to say, “Cindy and I arrived home at 10:00 p.m. on a Monday and I was out giving estimates on Tuesday morning. Every morning I wake up and say, ‘I can’t believe I feel so good!’ I have no limitations. No Pain! Thank the Lord Jesus.”

Bob met several other satisfied medical tourists on his trip. The most impressive story he heard was of a man who couldn’t afford heart surgery. His church gave him frequent flyer miles and raised enough to pay for triple bypass in India. The story is told that it cost $13,000 instead of the $200,000 quoted in the U.S.