What to do if you fall ill while abroad
16th Jun 2019 Wellbeing
Travelling abroad is fun but when it comes to medical care, it can be challenging should you fall ill. With medical insurance as well as medical professionals that need to be informed, it is vital that you apply for an e111 as well as other important documentation to make sure you are covered in every situation. In this article, we are going to give you a quick guide as to what to do should you fall ill abroad.
Seek Help From A Medical Professional
The first thing to do when you fall ill abroad is to seek help from a medical professional. If it is something as simple as the common cold this can often times be resolved by a trip to the chemist with medication given over the counter. However, if the condition is far more serious then a trip to the hospital may be needed which could lead to unexpected medical costs.
Talk To Your Insurance Company
When talking to your insurance company it is important to ensure that you declare a pre-existing medical condition. This is because you may not be covered should you fall ill when travelling abroad. If you have a condition such as high blood pressure or respiratory problems, it is important to declare it as this could lead to you being void of your insurances. This could, therefore, leave you out of pocket having to pay the money for the medical bills. If you do find yourself in this situation, this could completely ruin the holiday and lead to you being charged again with conversion rates when arriving home.
Ensure Your EHIC Is On Hand
It is important to ensure that you have your EHIC on hand to ensure that you are covered for free medical care in European countries. This should be kept in a safe place such as a purse as well as a pocket in a suitcase to ensure that it is on hand should you need it. With a number of people applying for Ehic cards per year, this is important to ensure that you have renewed it at least 6 months in advance as it takes time for the application to be processed and the card be sent to your door.
Let Your Doctor Know
When returning home from your holiday it is crucial that you let your doctor know as quickly as possible. This can then be added to your medical records and will ensure that all documentation is up to date at every stage. This is important as this can then be seen by another medical professional when your file is accessed. If this is not updated correctly, this can then present problems in the future and could lead to a medical history being undisclosed. IT is also important to keep a note of the medication that they placed you on as this will also need to be relayed to the doctor and placed on record.
With all this in mind, it is important not to panic should you become ill abroad, it is important to inform those that need to know and focus on getting better.
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