AMA caution over plastic surgery and dental holidays

Australian Medical Association (AMA) vice president Steve Hambleton has urged caution on the risk of taking up cosmetic plastic surgery and dental holidays offered by a new launched Gold Coast Business.

The business, CosMediTour, to be officially launched on Wednesday night, offers packages that include return flights, surgery, recuperation in a five star hotel and the potential to take a friend along for support.

However, Dr Hambleton said holidays and surgery should not mix.

He also said the cost savings should be weighed up against increased risk and a lack of recourse should something go wrong.

Dr Hambleton told AAP on Wednesday that overseas may not have the doctor registration systems that is provided in Australia and is confident that the training and the doctors' standards are excellent.

Director Christyna Kruczaj said while prices varied depending on surgery type and by person, packages would cost 20 to 40 per cent less than having the equivalent procedure in Australia.

A breast enlargement, for example, would total $6,500 in Thailand while the same procedure costs more than $10,000 in Australia.

All of our surgeons are accredited plastic surgeons and the Thai accreditation is based on the US system of plastic and reconstructive surgery, Ms Kruczaj said.

She said patients only paid for an initial consult, flights and accommodation before leaving Australia and they could opt out of their surgery in Thailand without financial penalty.

The response we've got is immense, I've got plenty of friends who have gone over (for surgery) and they are all happy, Ms Kruczaj also said.

Dr Hambleton said while some Australians would have hassle-free surgery overseas there were recent cases of problematic joint replacements, followed by the prospect of costly corrective surgeries.

He said from July 1, all Australian doctors would be required to hold indemnity insurance under a new national registration regime.

This would ensure patients entitled to compensation after a medical malpractice case would receive their payment whereas, overseas, none of those guarantees exist.

The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery also said it had serious misgivings about the rising practice of medical tourism.

Cosmetic surgery shouldn't be trivialised by thinking it's an easy product that you can get anywhere in the world and you can have a holiday as well.

He said insurance costs, and the GST, were key reasons why cosmetic surgery costs more in Australia.

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