Stop at the Travel Clinic Before You Fly
Submitted by Amanda Falcone
Middlesex Hospital Public Relations
Did you know that Middlesex Hospital has a Travel Clinic?
The Travel Clinic, located at 80 South Main Street in Middletown, allows you to prepare for travel abroad. Unlike many other travel clinics, Middlesex physicians review your travel itinerary, recommend and provide immunizations, carefully review your medical history and prescribe preventative medications. The physicians can also help if you return home with a medical problem, such as a fever, diarrhea or dermatitis.
The clinic carries most routine vaccines, along with vaccines for hepatitis A; typhoid; Japanese encephalitis; rabies and measles, mumps and rubella; and yellow fever.
You do not need a referral to visit the Travel Clinic, but there is a counseling fee that is not typically covered by insurance. Charges for vaccines are submitted to insurance companies. Coverage, however, is not guaranteed.
Why visit the Travel Clinic?
Middlesex Hospital’s Travel Clinic counsels patients about risks associated with travel and provides all prescriptions and vaccines. If you were to visit your primary care doctor instead, they wouldn’t be able to provide most of the vaccines that you need, and they are not as informed about options for malaria prophylaxis and the antibiotics that help with traveler’s diarrhea.
“Many potential travel-related infections can be prevented,” says Dr. Alina Filozov, Middlesex Hospital’s Infectious Disease chief. “A visit to the travel clinic will help protect visitors to foreign countries against the most common travel-related infections through education, vaccinations and preventative medications in order to assure a safe trip. The infectious diseases we discuss can lead to severe health problems; therefore, prevention is important.”
To learn more about the Travel Clinic, or to make an appointment, call 860-358-6878. Travelers should schedule office visits at least two weeks prior to their departure date. Groups are welcome!