Abstract
In preparation for yet another long research trip to the jungle, I pack my lisinopril, 81-mg aspirin tablets, Zantac, allergy medicines, and ibuprofen, and consider taking my blood pressure cuff to monitor my medication. I am not a hypochondriac. I am just a 50-plus-year-old American and taking less than the average medication number of nine for my age.’ I have a wonderful primary-care physician and access to a comprehensive medical system in which I have great confidence and long experience. My comfort with health care in the United States is not simply because I am a physician, but because of my experiences as a patient. Outside the United States, I could report my medical history to another physician with fair accuracy and might even manage in a few languages other than English. Over many years I have learned a lot about the U.S. health system that might be taken for granted by most Americans, and I have a fair knowledge of the many systems in place in other countries.
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Merrell, R.C. (2004). The Medical Traveler Abroad: Implications for Telemedicine. In: Nelson, R., Ball, M.J. (eds) Consumer Informatics. Health Informatics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3920-6_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3920-6_12
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