TRAVEL MEDICINE

 

Our Travel Medicine Services provides travelers with protection from contracting diseases before they depart on their overseas journey. Our physician is a certified Travel Physician and is committed to serving the global traveler with comprehensive care before and after a trip. Travel Medicine Services protects travelers from a host of diseases including malaria, Hepatitis B, Yellow Fever, rabies, polio, diphtheria, typhoid, meningitis and the most common affliction, travelers' diarrhea. In addition to inoculations, travelers receive a full range of other services.

 

Dr. Garcia is designated by the Florida Health Department as a Yellow Fever Vaccination Center to validate International Certification of Yellow Fever Immunizations.

 

We provide a full array of vaccinations and information on destination-specific travel precautions, diagnosis and treatment of travel-related diseases and assistance to the traveler with chronic illness.

 

We provide education to our patients that travel internationally in order to reduce their risk of contracting an illness while they are away from home. In many countries around the world travelers will encounter diseases from unsanitary water, parasites, insects, viruses and bacteria that are not often found in the United States. Education, Vaccinations, Immunizations and prevention are your best defense against these serious and often life threatening illnesses.

 

Many countries require Vaccinations and Immunizations prior to your entering the country. We can provide you with those travel vaccinations and immunizations quickly at affordable prices.

 

Prevention is the key as medical care in many foreign countries can be far less than the American standards you are accustomed to, very expensive and many of these diseases can at best ruin your trip and in some cases may even be be life threatening.

 

Immunization and Education are the keys to healthy travel!

 

Here is a review what Dr. Garcia will provide for you related to your medical travel needs:

 

1. Physician review of a traveler's itinerary and health risks

2. A personalized health and safety report with information on risk of disease, political concerns and safety concerns for each country

3. United States embassy phone number for each country

4. Validated International Certificates of Vaccination

5. Post-travel care

6. Ideally travelers should allow two to four weeks to receive a complete review and all required inoculations. Prior to the first visit travelers should check the dates of past immunizations, including tetanus, hepatitis A and polio vaccines.

 

 

Please click here to complete the travel medicine Survey Form required to be completed prior to your visit.

 

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (305) 857-3330.

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

When should I schedule my travel exam?

 

Ideally, set up one up 4 to 6 weeks before your trip.

 

Most vaccines take time to become effective in your body and some vaccines must be given in a series over a period of days or sometimes weeks.

 

If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. You might still benefit from shots or medications and other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

 

Are you aware of which types of vaccinations you or those traveling with you may need?

 

CDC divides vaccines for travel into three categories: routine, recommended, and required. While Dr. Garcia will tell you which ones you should have, it's best to be aware of them ahead of time.

 

Routine Vaccinations

 

Be sure that you and your family are up to date on your routine vaccinations. These vaccines are necessary for protection from diseases that are still common in many parts of the world even though they rarely occur in the United States. If you are not sure which vaccinations are routine, look at the schedules below.

 

Vaccines for adults include:

 

Tetanus-Diphtheria Vaccine (all adults, every 10 years)

Influenza (Flu) Vaccine (adults 50 and older)

Pneumococcal Vaccine (adults 65 and older)

Hepatitis B Vaccine (adults at risk)

Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine (susceptible adults)

Varicella (chickenpox) Vaccine (susceptible adults)

Vaccines for travelers (see CDC travel web site for specifics - www.cdc.com)

Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule — United States, 2005-2006

 

Vaccines

 

After an initial consultation, we will advise you as to which vaccines are required, recommended and optional. Advice is given after a careful review of your itinerary. These determinations are individualized to your age, particular destination, length of trip, time of year, urban vs. rural setting, business trip vs. vacation, education, missionary, disaster-relief work, and adventure travel. Also included in your consultation is a discussion about any pre-existing medical conditions you may have. All recommendations are always discussed thoroughly, giving you complete information and an opportunity to have all of your questions answered.

 

Vaccines available with our travel medical services:

 

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis A & B combination (Twinrix)

Polio (IPOL)

Tetanus / Diphtheria

Tetanus / Diphtheria / Pertussis

Typhoid oral (Vivotif)

Yellow Fever

Meningitis (Menveo, Menactra or Menomune)

Rabies (pre- and post-exposure)

Japanese Encephalitis (Ixiaro or JE-Vax)

Influenza

Pneumococcal

Tuberculin skin test (PPD)

MMR (Measles / Mumps, Rubella)

Shingles (Zostavax)

HPV (Gardasil or Cerverix)

 

Please bring the following with you on your visit to our office:

 

1. Any records of previous immunizations (including routine vaccines such as tetanus or MMR)

2. Yellow International Certificate of Vaccination (ICV)

3. Information regarding any chronic illness

4. List of allergies

5. List of current medications

 

Recommended Vaccinations

 

These vaccines are recommended to protect travelers from illnesses present in other parts of the world and to prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders. Which vaccinations you need depends on a number of factors including your destination, whether you will be spending time in rural areas, the season of the year you are traveling, your age, health status, and previous immunizations.

 

Required Vaccinations

 

The only vaccine required by International Health Regulations is yellow fever vaccination for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. Meningococcal vaccination is required by the government of Saudi Arabia for annual travel during the Hajj.

 

General Health Questions to consider prior to traveling

 

Do you have altered immunocompetence due to illnesses such as diabetes or HIV?

 

Read Vaccine Recommendations for Travelers with Altered Immunocompetence, Including HIV in Health Information for International Travel or take a copy to your doctor.

 

Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?

 

Read the Immunizations section of Pregnancy, Breast-Feeding, and Travel in Health Information for International Travel or take a copy to your doctor.

 

Are you traveling with infants or children?

 

While many travel health issues for adults also apply to infants and children, they also have special needs that are to be considered when they travel.

 

What is the cost for a visit for Travel Exam?

 

A travel exam consultation is $250 for the visit and this is usually not covered by most health insurance plans.  Receipts can be provided if you wish to submit to your insurance.  Any required vaccinations are additional and vary in cost by vaccine.

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Please click here to complete the travel medicine Survey Form required to be completed prior to your visit.

 

For more information visit the Centers for Disease Control website (www.cdc.com), contact our office or to schedule an appointment, call (305) 857-3330.