Luxembourg concerned about medical tourism

Treatment abroad is not a problem in itself, emphasises Georges Clees from the patient rights association Patientevertriedung. In many cases, it is a matter of so-called patient mobility, where people consciously choose a clinic in another country because of distance, price or long-standing relationships with doctors. The difficulties begin when medical care becomes a commercial product.

According to Klees, patients are often attracted by low prices and "all-inclusive" offers that include accommodation and transport, but with little explanation of what will happen in the event of complications after the procedure. It is this aspect that usually proves to be the most problematic.

The association encounters situations where patients return to Luxembourg with unsuccessful treatment results and do not know how to proceed. Local doctors, such as dentists, may refuse to intervene if the correction of complications involves the risk of legal liability. As a result, the patient has to travel abroad again, this time without a "package," paying for everything themselves.

The legal side of the issue only complicates the situation. In Luxembourg, doctors are not obliged to deal with the consequences of treatment carried out abroad. In some cases, patients have to initiate legal proceedings in another country, appoint an expert and incur additional costs. Until an expert determines what exactly went wrong, it may be impossible to rectify the problem — otherwise, it is unclear who is responsible for the mistake.

In the meantime, the association strongly recommends that those considering treatment abroad carefully examine not only the price, but also the quality standards, follow-up care conditions, and their legal rights. Otherwise, savings at the initial stage may turn into serious problems and significantly higher costs in the future.