The Pre-Travel Consultation
The pre-travel health consultation is an opportunity to discuss your upcoming trip, in detail, with our travel medicine providers. During this time, we will share detailed information about your trip and answer your questions, taking into consideration your itinerary, risk tolerance, and medical history.
Why Is This Important?
Many travelers may not be aware of certain precautions and risks at their destination. We can help fill that knowledge gap. Even well-seasoned travelers can benefit from the consultation because there may be potential risks in their trip of which they are unaware. We specialize in travel consultations and thoroughly explain important topics. Of course, we don’t cover everything, but hit what we think are important topics to review.
Some may think a pre-travel consultation is unnecessary and that one can gain this information online through various resources. While it is true that there are resources online which provide country-specific travel information, we can clarify potentially overwhelming and confusing information and construct a clear, understandable plan that works for you. Additionally, travelers have different risk tolerances. Some may want significant services, some may want the bare minimum, and some may be in-between. We are here for all types of travelers.
Whether you've done your research or know nothing about your destination, the pre-travel consult provided by our experts is a vital part of our travel medicine services.
What Is Included?
The pre-travel consultation may include the following topics:
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Insect Precautions
Insects can cause a variety of diseases, ranging from malaria to yellow fever to oropouche fever to leishmaniasis. It is important to understand relevant and significant insect concerns, including how to prevent bites through both medication and non-medication practices, symptoms to watch out for, and, sometimes, how to treat an infection.
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Food and Water Safety
Some diseases are spread through contaminated food and water, so it is important to review how to prevent these through prudent water and food choices. Some travelers may benefit from deeper discussion on various techniques to filter and purify water, while others may be fine knowing to avoid tap water. Food can sometimes be tricky, so knowing the higher risk categories and activities can be helpful.
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Rabies
This is an uncommon concern in the United States, but rabies causes tens of thousands of deaths overseas ever year. Rabies is a highly fatal viral diseases; in many cases, spread through saliva is the main transmission method. It is important for travelers to understand how to prevent animal exposures and what to do if exposed. Some travelers may opt to get the pre-exposure rabies vaccine series which we can provide.
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Altitude Health
Some travelers ascend to elevations that can put them at risk of acute mountain sickness or worse syndromes. Techniques to help prevent altitude illness (including medication), symptoms to watch out for, and what to do if one is symptomatic, can be reviewed. Such advice is important for those participating in high-altitude climbs and treks (such as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro or trekking in Nepal to the Everest Base Camp) but also for those going to lower elevations that are still at risk, such as popular destinations in the Andes Mountains, such as Cusco, Peru.
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Other Concerns & Risks
Depending on one's itinerary and personal medical factors, other topics may be discussed. Of course, ask any questions you may have.
In addition to these topics, the traveler's medical conditions, medications, allergies, immunization history and other health issues and concerns will be addressed in light of the traveler's itinerary (trip duration, destinations, activities, etc.) and risk tolerance.
How Is It Done?
The pre-travel consultation is often provided in person at our office. However, we can provide virtual consultations for anyone residing in Tennessee and Georgia. Though vaccines cannot be administered online, a virtual consultation is a convenient way to still meet with us, review your and our concerns, and discuss recommendations from the comfort of your home. An added benefit is that we have even more flexible availability for virtual consultations, including in most evenings and on Sundays. Recommended prescription medications can be sent electronically to your pharmacy without having to meet us in person.
