One of the top worries I had when considering going abroad was illness and injury abroad. I’m a naturally clumsy person and have also had my fair share of health issues, so it was a natural worry for myself and my family. Despite my travel experience and already being away from home for college, it was an important question that we had, and I did end up having to deal with an injury while I was abroad, and this is how it went! Before I go further into it, I would like to preface knowing that not all healthcare experiences or interactions are the same or equitable around the world and person-to-person. This story shows my experience with an acute injury while I was abroad in London.
On one of my breaks in between classes, a friend and I had walked down the street to Borough Market to grab lunch, and on our way back, I stepped into a pothole I didn’t see and fell to the ground (I said I was clumsy!). My foot had turned under me, and I had hurt my knee, but initially, all I felt was damage to my pride–many people saw this. I brushed it off and walked back to campus for our afternoon class with my friend. I thought I had just rolled my ankle and skinned my knee, so I wasn’t too worried. The next day, I went to my class and continued my day, not even thinking about the fall. Nothing was bothering me two days after the fall, just a few bruises. I went on a long walk, exploring the city and running errands. When I returned to my dorm, my ankle was hurting, and when I took my shoes off, I noticed it was pretty swollen. I put it on ice, elevated it, and told my mom (moms make everything better). After I had been off my feet for a while, I got up to go to the bathroom and make dinner, and I could barely walk without pain. I took some Tylenol, wrapped my ankle in an ACE bandage wrap, and made do. The next morning, it was still swollen, so I decided I should probably get it checked out–this was four days after the fall, and I had never seen my ankle swell before.
As part of the fees to go abroad, all students are enrolled in GeoBlue International Health Insurance, which I had looked at with my parents before departure, and covers acute injuries (clumsiness was covered). I looked on their app and was a bit confused as to who I should go to–there are a lot of nuances in the British healthcare system and who has access to public health care (the NHS) on a visitor visa, and the NHS is extremely overwhelmed right now. The app mainly showed private providers, but I wasn’t sure if I should go to an urgent care, a general practitioner, or someone else. I called the GeoBlue hotline and was immediately connected to a representative who I told my situation to. They sent me a list of covered providers in my area in less than 10 minutes. I could make an appointment at one of the private GPs and see them the next day.
I had no idea what to expect from a “private GP” in England. I had heard stories about how luxurious it can be, how the private hospitals have private chefs, and that the royals had been well taken care of there. I was greeted by a doorman in a suit and tie and escorted to the clinic (in a medical office building). The reception and waiting area was clean and had a wide array of coffee, tea, and snacks. The person working behind the desk, creating appointments, was also wearing a suit and tie–not scrubs like in the US, and they were not a nurse expected to fulfill patient care duties simultaneously. The doctor came to get me from the waiting room, dressed very professionally, and brought me back to a room with a desk, chairs, exam table, lights, and all the usual medical gadgets needed. There was a large, brand new Mac desktop computer for the doctor, who spent 30 minutes with me, compared to the average 12-minute consultation at an NHS GP. She knew what she was talking about, understood that I was studying abroad alone, and made me feel heard. After an examination, she ordered an x-ray and referred me to an orthopedic doctor for a potential scan. I took the x-ray order down the street to the outpatient radiology department–their machine was broken. I then went to the private hospital for the x-ray, where I was, again, greeted by multiple men in suits and directed to where I needed to be. They were kind and professional, and the environment was clean and calm. After giving my insurance information and referral, I waited about 5 minutes to be taken back for the x-ray, where they “apologize[d] for the wait.” I lay on the table, and he offered me extra pillows and a blanket–for an X-ray that took 2 minutes! Then, they had the radiologist check it immediately, and I was able to confidently head to class that day, knowing I hadn’t broken my foot or ankle and just had a bad sprain. I had the full, official radiology report in less than two hours. In less than 2 hours, the insurance claim for a guarantee of payment had been processed at GeoBlue; I sent that to both providers and haven’t had to deal with any other insurance-related drama since. Once I received the report, I could email the GP I had seen to decide my next steps. and deciding not to move forward with the orthopedic referral, but she made sure I knew she would write it if the problem persisted.
It was unfortunate that I had to go through this, but it was a positive experience with a healthcare system I was unfamiliar with. I also gained insight into the extreme differences between the NHS care that 90% of the population receives and the private care that 10% of the population receives.
Lauren Mccutcheon
Spring 2024
GW England - King's College London (GW Study Program)
Milken Institute School of Public Health
Public Health Major