what is a travel health clinic

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Travel Medicine Clinics Overview

A visit to a Mayo Clinic travel medicine clinic before you depart on an international trip can help ensure a safer, smoother experience.

If you're planning a trip overseas, make one of your first stops a consultation with specialists in the travel medicine clinics at Mayo's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Availability of services may vary among locations. Please confirm when you request an appointment.

You meet with a travel medicine specialist who is knowledgeable about current health risks worldwide and who will promote safe and healthy travels by offering counseling, recommendations, vaccinations, prescriptions and, if needed, a referral to another expert for complex medical conditions.

Virtual visits

You might be eligible for virtual pretravel consultations. If you're interested in this option, talk with the patient appointment specialist when you contact us to schedule an appointment.

COVID-19 and international travel

International travel has become more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and some countries have exit and entry requirements. Your travel medicine specialist will be able to help you prepare for these requirements so that you have a smoother travel experience.

Before your trip

Schedule an appointment for a pretravel consultation with a Mayo Clinic travel medicine clinic well before you depart so the travel medicine specialist can help you prepare. Ideally, this appointment would occur as soon as travel plans are established and at least two weeks — and preferably 4-8 weeks — before departure. When requesting an appointment for pretravel consultation, be prepared to inform the patient appointment specialist of the following:

• All countries being visited
• Dates and duration of travel
• Any unusual circumstances

At or preferably before the appointment, you will want to provide copies of all available immunization records (including the International Certificate of Vaccination, commonly referred to as the yellow card). Doing so will expedite your clinic visit and may decrease the number of vaccines you are advised to receive.

Your in-depth pre-travel consultation may include:

• A country-by-country assessment of all health risks specific for your travel itinerary, such as exotic infectious agents, altitude sickness and heat exhaustion
• A review of your medical and immunization history profile with advice for health promotion and illness prevention
• Advice for the high-risk traveler
• Immunization recommendations, counseling and administration of vaccines to prevent illnesses
• Vector precautions counseling
• Malaria prevention counseling, with prescriptions if needed
• Traveler's diarrhea counseling for prevention and self-treatment, with antibiotic prescription if needed
• Identification of health resources in the countries you'll be visiting
• Counseling on travel-related risks such as altitude sickness, with preventive prescriptions if needed
• An opportunity to ask questions about the unique health and safety concerns for your travel itinerary

You will leave your travel medicine clinic appointment with much helpful and up-to-date information.

After your trip

• Depending on where you're going and for how long, the travel clinic may recommend a routine follow-up evaluation after your return.
• If you return sick, the travel clinic staff members are Mayo Clinic infectious diseases experts who provide comprehensive post-travel consultations for evaluation and treatment of travel-related illness, including parasitic and other diseases common to tropical regions but uncommon in the United States.
• Mayo Clinic Travel Medicine Clinic
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• 4500 San Pablo Road Jacksonville, FL 32224
• Phone: 904-953-0774
• Mayo Clinic Travel and Geographic Medicine Clinic
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• Phone: 507-255-7763 (toll-fee)
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Travel Medicine Clinics

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Why you should always visit a travel health clinic before heading abroad

Travelers across the country are stocking up on sanitary wipes and face masks amid concerns surrounding the new coronavirus from China . But there's an often untapped resource that can help you stay healthy while on the road, especially if your journey takes you to an international destination.

Many university hospitals and other healthcare providers operate what are commonly known as travel clinics. These niche facilities are equipped with specialists who can advise you on everything from vaccinations to risks facing travelers in specific countries.

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"You're going to have a much more detailed level of knowledge that can be tailored to your itinerary and your underlying health issues," said Dr. David Hamer, a professor of infectious diseases at Boston University School of Medicine. As a result, he said, "you're more likely to have fewer complications during your trip, potentially."

Hamer said the information provided at a travel clinic is often more in-depth compared to what you'd receive from a traditional internal medicine visit or data gathered from an online source.

Most of these clinics are open to the public, including Boston University's clinic , which is open to anyone. Special arrangements can be made for large groups such as volunteers and missionaries.

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While there's a strong focus on immunizations to combat potentially infectious diseases, patients at travel clinics are given advice to help them during every step of their journey, including how best to prevent diarrhea, mosquito bites and blood clots on long distance flights, said Dr. Andrés Henao, travel clinic director at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus .

Patients are typically asked to provide any immunization records, as well as an itinerary of their trip, including the length. They may be asked about where they'll stay and sleep, as well as any planned activities, to help providers make an assessment of particular risks, Dr. Henao said.

"Then, we decide what immunizations might be given depending on the trip and its characteristics, such as immunizations for food-borne illnesses such as typhoid or Hepatitis A; or vector-borne or mosquito-borne illnesses , such as dengue fever, chikungunya or yellow fever and counseling in regards to repellants or how you cover your skin with outdoor activities," said Dr. Henao.

Such visits should be scheduled well before the start of your trip.

"It's good to allow more than two weeks before visiting the travel medicine specialist — vaccines take 10 to 14 days to take effect or require two doses a week or more apart," said Dr. Hamer.

In addition to medical information, patients are often given specific advice when it comes to food and water consumption . Patients are also briefed on other risks such as traffic safety and accident prevention.

While the focus is on preventive care, providers may know of physicians abroad, in case you need medical assistance abroad. Doctors also recommend checking with the U.S. embassy at your international destination for a list of medical options. Clinicians can also provide information for pre-travel health insurance . Some providers may offer screening of COVID-19 and other viral infections, however tests are in short supply.

In some cases, follow-up visits are scheduled for when a patient returns from their trip.

While many clinic visits are covered by insurance, coverage can vary by state and provider. The cost can fluctuate depending on the extent of treatment and vaccines administered, but the total could add up to several hundred dollars, if not more.

In addition to the clinics in Boston and Denver, travelers will find clinics in most metropolitan areas, including Weill Cornell in New York City; the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (near Detroit); Nashville's Vanderbilt Health travel clinic; UCLA Health in Los Angeles; and the University of Miami Health clinic.

To find a travel clinic in your area, contact your primary care physician for a recommendation; the infectious disease department at your local hospital; or your area university. You might also have some luck with a simple Google search.

Check ahead to determine if you're eligible for treatment.

Travel Medicine and International Health

Travel medicine and international health is a specialized branch of medicine that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of health issues related to international travel and global health. It aims to promote the well-being of travelers by providing pre-travel consultations, vaccinations, prophylactic medications, and post-travel care for various travel-related illnesses and conditions.

Related Fact Sheets

Global health and travel-related maladies, outdoor emergencies and injuries, related news.

Related Departments

Infectious diseases, internal medicine, allergy & immunology.

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Need travel vaccines? Plan ahead.

International travel increases your chances of getting and spreading diseases that are rare or not found in United States. Find out which travel vaccines you may need to help you stay healthy on your trip.

Before Travel

Make sure you are up-to-date on all of your routine vaccines . Routine vaccinations protect you from infectious diseases such as measles that can spread quickly in groups of unvaccinated people. Many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are not common in the United States but are still common in other countries.

Check CDC’s destination pages for travel health information . Check CDC’s webpage for your destination to see what vaccines or medicines you may need and what diseases or health risks are a concern at your destination.

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider or a travel health specialist  that takes place at least one month before you leave. They can help you get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and information. Discussing your health concerns, itinerary, and planned activities with your provider allows them to give more specific advice and recommendations.

Because some vaccines require multiple doses, it’s best to see your health care provider as soon as possible.

Medicines to prevent malaria are pills that you start to take before travel. Take recommended medicines as directed. If your health care provider prescribes medicine for you, take the medicine as directed before, during, and after travel. 

Where can I get travel vaccines?

You may be able to get some travel vaccines from your primary healthcare provider. If you or your healthcare provider need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit CDC’s Find a Clinic page.

If yellow fever vaccine is recommended or required for your destination, you’ll need to go to a vaccine center authorized to give yellow fever vaccinations. Many yellow fever vaccine centers also provide other pre-travel health care services. Find an  authorized US yellow fever vaccine center .

Examples of Vaccines

Here is a list of possible vaccines that you may need to get for the first time or boosters before you travel.

• Cholera 
• Flu (Influenza)
• Hepatitis A   
• Hepatitis B   
• Japanese encephalitis   
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
• Meningococcal   
• Pneumococcal   
• Polio   
• Rabies   
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
• Typhoid   
• Yellow fever

More Information

CDC Yellow Book: Travel Vaccine Summary Table

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Travelers’ Health

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The mission of the Travelers’ Health Branch of CDC’s Division of Global Migration Health is to reduce illness and injury in US residents traveling internationally or living abroad. Applying the best science, we provide alerts, recommendations, education, and technical support to travelers and the healthcare providers who serve them.

The CDC Travelers’ Health Branch provides international travel health advice, including vaccine recommendations and requirements, behavioral precautions, and advice for specific worldwide events. We play an integral role in many of CDC’s global emergency response efforts, such as the H1N1 influenza pandemic and the MERS, Ebola, and Zika outbreaks. Our focus areas converge on:

• investigating the wide-ranging health threats posed by mass gatherings abroad;
• teaming up with other CDC programs and external partners to advance groundbreaking science related to infectious and noninfectious threats to the health of travelers;
• understanding and advising international travelers with specific needs ; and
• applying best practices in health communication science and new information technologies.

Where We Work

Our complete portfolio of travel notices, recommendations, traveler tools, and clinical guidance is available online at www.cdc.gov/travel . This online portal, consistently ranks as one of the most visited CDC websites.

Our travel health messages and materials can also be found at airports and seaports across the country and in embassies around the world.

How We Work Together

We maintain formal partnerships with the World Health Organization , foreign ministries of health, US federal agencies (including the Department of State), Global TravEpiNet (a national network of travel clinics across the United States) and GeoSentinel (global disease surveillance network of over 200 members and 60 clinical sites on six continents).

Program in Action

Surveillance and Epidemiology: Through our collaboration with the GeoSentinel Network Global TravEpiNet, and other partners, we ensure our travel alerts are based on most current science available.

Yellow Book and Provider Education: We publish CDC Health Information for International Travel (commonly called the Yellow Book) every two years. The Yellow Book is a reference for health professionals who provide care for international travelers about health guidelines such as pretravel vaccine recommendations and destination-specific health advice.

Travel Health Alerts and Stakeholder Communications: We constantly seek innovative ways to communicate with our audiences, like designing interactive maps, text alerts, mobile applications, and digital media campaigns. By customizing, promoting, and evaluating audience-centric content we inform and empower international travelers as well as the partners and healthcare providers who serve them.

• Visit the Travelers’ Health  site.

CDC Travelers' Health

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Vaccines for Travelers

Vaccines protect travelers from serious diseases. Depending on where you travel, you may come into contact with diseases that are rare in the United States, like yellow fever. Some vaccines may also be required for you to travel to certain places.

Getting vaccinated will help keep you safe and healthy while you’re traveling. It will also help make sure that you don’t bring any serious diseases home to your family, friends, and community.

On this page, you'll find answers to common questions about vaccines for travelers.

Which vaccines do I need before traveling?

The vaccines you need to get before traveling will depend on few things, including:

• Where you plan to travel . Some countries require proof of vaccination for certain diseases, like yellow fever or polio. And traveling in developing countries and rural areas may bring you into contact with more diseases, which means you might need more vaccines before you visit.
• Your health . If you’re pregnant or have an ongoing illness or weakened immune system, you may need additional vaccines.
• The vaccinations you’ve already had . It’s important to be up to date on your routine vaccinations. While diseases like measles are rare in the United States, they are more common in other countries. Learn more about routine vaccines for specific age groups .

How far in advance should I get vaccinated before traveling?

It’s important to get vaccinated at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. This will give the vaccines time to start working, so you’re protected while you’re traveling. It will also usually make sure there’s enough time for you to get vaccines that require more than 1 dose.

Where can I go to get travel vaccines?

Start by finding a:

• Travel clinic
• Health department
• Yellow fever vaccination clinic

Learn more about where you can get vaccines .

What resources can I use to prepare for my trip?

Here are some resources that may come in handy as you’re planning your trip:

• Visit CDC’s travel website to find out which vaccines you may need based on where you plan to travel, what you’ll be doing, and any health conditions you have.
• Download CDC's TravWell app to get recommended vaccines, a checklist to help prepare for travel, and a personalized packing list. You can also use it to store travel documents and keep a record of your medicines and vaccinations.
• Read the current travel notices to learn about any new disease outbreaks in or vaccine recommendations for the areas where you plan to travel.
• Visit the State Department’s website to learn about vaccinations, insurance, and medical emergencies while traveling.

Traveling with a child? Make sure they get the measles vaccine.

Measles is still common in some countries. Getting your child vaccinated will protect them from getting measles — and from bringing it back to the United States where it can spread to others. Learn more about the measles vaccine.

Find out which vaccines you need

CDC’s Adult Vaccine Quiz helps you create a list of vaccines you may need based on your age, health conditions, and more.

Take the quiz now !

Get Immunized

Getting immunized is easy. Vaccines and preventive antibodies are available at the doctor’s office or pharmacies — and are usually covered by insurance.

Find out how to get protected .

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Travel vaccinations

Measles cases are increasing worldwide.

Before travelling, check that you and your family have received the recommended measles vaccinations.

Do not travel if you have symptoms of measles or have been in contact with someone with measles.

If you develop symptoms of measles after your return to Canada, call a health care provider right away.

Global Measles Notice

When travelling outside Canada, you may be at risk for a number of vaccine preventable illnesses.

You should consult a health care provider or visit a travel health clinic preferably six weeks before you travel. This is an opportunity to:

• review your immunization history
• make sure your provincial/territorial vaccination schedule is up-to-date
• discuss any trip-related health concerns you may have
• assess your needs based on where you plan to travel and what you plan to do

You may need additional vaccinations depending on your age, planned travel activities and local conditions. Preventing disease through vaccination is a lifelong process.

Use the reference below to determine which vaccinations may be recommended or required for your destination.

Vaccination recommendations by destination

Yellow fever vaccination.

Some countries require proof that you have received a yellow fever vaccination before allowing you to enter the country. Consult an embassy or consulate of your destination country in Canada for up-to-date information on its entry and exit requirements before you travel abroad.

Other countries may require you to have been vaccinated for yellow fever if you have passed through an area where yellow fever may occur .

Proof of vaccination must be documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis . You must carry the original certificate with you.

In Canada, the vaccination is only given at designated yellow fever vaccination centres .

Immunization records

• Download the free CANImmunize app from the iOS App Store or Google Play, and manage your family’s vaccination records on the go.
• Carry copies of your family’s immunization records while you travel and leave the originals at home.
• Sickness or injury
• Travel Advice and Advisories
• If you get sick after travelling
• Receiving medical care in other countries
• Travel health kit
• Travel insurance
• Well on Your Way - A Canadian’s Guide to Healthy Travel Abroad
• Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada , Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
• Recommended Immunization Schedules , PHAC

Key benefits of travel medical insurance

• Travel medical insurance coverage
• Who needs medical travel insurance?

Choosing the right travel medical insurance

How to use travel medical insurance, is travel medical insurance right for your next trip, travel medical insurance: essential coverage for health and safety abroad.

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• Travel medical insurance covers unexpected emergency medical expenses while traveling.
• Travelers off to foreign countries or remote areas should strongly consider travel medical insurance.
• If you have to use your travel medical insurance, keep all documents related to your treatment.

Of all the delights associated with travel to far-flung locales, getting sick or injured while away from home is low on the savvy traveler's list. Beyond gut-wrenching anxiety, seeking medical treatment in a foreign country can be exceedingly inconvenient and expensive.

The peace of mind that comes with travel insurance for the many things that could ail you while abroad is priceless. As options for travel-related insurance abound, it's essential to research, read the fine print, and act according to the specifics of your itinerary, pocketbook, and other needs.

Travel insurance reimburses you for any unexpected medical expenses incurred while traveling. On domestic trips, travel medical insurance usually take a backseat to your health insurance. However, when traveling to a foreign country, where your primary health insurance can't cover you, travel medical insurance takes the wheel. This can be especially helpful in countries with high medical care costs, such as Scandinavian countries.

Emergency medical evacuation insurance

Another benefit that often comes with travel medical insurance, emergency medical evacuation insurance covers you for any costs to transport you to an adequately equipped medical center. Emergency medical evacuation insurance is often paired with repatriation insurance, which covers costs associated with returning your remains to your home country if the worst happens. 

These benefits are for worst-case scenarios, but they might be more necessary depending on the type of trips you take. Emergency medical evacuation insurance is helpful if you're planning on traveling to a remote location or if you're traveling on a cruise as sea to land evacuations can be costly. Some of the best travel insurance companies also offer non-medical evacuations as part of an adventure sports insurance package.

It's also worth mentioning that emergency medical evacuation insurance is required for international students studying in the US on a J Visa. 

Types of coverage offered by travel medical insurance

The exact terms of your coverage will vary depending on your insurer, but you can expect most travel medical insurance policies to offer the following coverages.

• Hospital room and board
• Inpatient/outpatient hospital services
• Prescription Drugs
• COVID-19 treatment
• Emergency room services
• Urgent care visits
• Local ambulance
• Acute onset of pre-existing conditions
• Dental coverage (accident/sudden relief of pain)
• Medical care due to terrorist attack
• Emergency medical evacuation 
• Repatriation of mortal remains
• Accidental death and dismemberment

Travel medical insurance and pre-existing conditions

Many travel insurance providers will cover pre-existing conditions as long as certain conditions are met. For one, travelers need to purchase their travel insurance within a certain time frame from when they placed a deposit on their trip, usually two to three weeks. 

Additionally, travel insurance companies usually only cover stable medical conditions, which are conditions that don't need additional medical treatment, diagnosis, or medications.

Who needs travel medical insurance?

Even the best-laid travel plans can go awry. As such, it pays to consider your potential healthcare needs before taking off, even if you are generally healthy. Even if well-managed, preexisting conditions like diabetes or asthma can make a medical backup plan even more vital.

Having what you need to refill prescriptions or get other care if you get stuck somewhere other than home could be essential to your health and well-being. That's without counting all the accidents and illnesses that can hit us when away from home.

Individuals traveling for extended periods (more than six months) or engaging in high-risk activities (think scuba diving or parasailing) should also consider a solid medical travel plan. Both scenarios increase the likelihood that medical attention, whether routine or emergency, could be needed.

In the case of travel via the friendly seas, it's also worth considering cruise trip medical travel insurance . Routine care will be available onboard. But anything beyond that will require transportation to the nearest land mass (and could quickly become extremely expensive, especially if you're in another country).

Like other types of insurance, medical travel insurance rates are calculated based on various factors. Failing to disclose a preexisting health condition could result in a lapse of coverage right when you need it, as insurers can cancel your policy if you withhold material information. So honesty is always the best policy.

Even the best-laid travel plans can go awry. As such, it pays to consider your potential healthcare needs before taking off, even if you are generally healthy. Making the right choice when shopping for travel medical insurance can mean the difference between a minor hiccup in your travels and a financial nightmare. 

When a travel insurance company comes up with a quote for your policy, they take a few factors into consideration, such as your age, your destination, and the duration of your trip. You should do the same when assessing a travel insurance company. 

For example, older travelers who are more susceptible to injury may benefit from travel medical insurance (though your premiums will be higher). If you're traveling for extended periods throughout one calendar year, you should look into an annual travel medical insurance plan . If you're engaging in high-risk activities (think scuba diving or parasailing), you should seek a plan that includes coverage for injuries sustained in adventure sports.

Travel medical insurance isn't just for peace of mind. If you travel often enough, there's a good chance you'll eventually experience an incident where medical treatment is necessary.

Before you submit your claim, you should take some time to understand your policy. Your travel medical insurance is either primary (you can submit claims directly to your travel medical insurance provider) or secondary (you must first submit claims to your primary insurance provider). In the case of secondary travel medical insurance, a refusal notice from your primary insurance provider, even if it does not cover medical claims outside the US, is often required as evidence of protocol.

On that note, you should be sure to document every step of your medical treatment. You should keep any receipts for filled prescriptions, hospital bills, and anything else documenting your medical emergency.

As many people have found out the hard way, reading the fine print is vital. Most travel insurance policies will reimburse your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if you fall ill with a severe condition, including illnesses like COVID-19. 

Still on the fence about whether or not medical travel insurance is worth it ? It's worth noting that many travel insurance plans also include medical protections, so you can also protect against trip cancellations and other unexpected developments while obtaining travel medical insurance.

While short, domestic trips may not warrant travel medical insurance, it may be a good idea to insure longer, international trips. You should also consider travel medical insurance for trips to remote areas, where a medical evacuation may be expensive, and more physically tasking trips.

While shopping for travel medical insurance may not be fun, a little advance leg work can let you relax on your trip and give you peace of mind. After all, that is the point of a vacation. 

Medical travel insurance frequently asked questions

Trip insurance covers any unexpected financial losses while traveling, such as the cost of replacing lost luggage, trip interruptions, and unexpected medical expenses. Travel medical insurance just covers those medical expenses without the trip interruption or cancellation insurance.

Travel insurance companies usually offer adventure sports as add-on coverage or a separate plan entirely. You'll likely pay more for a policy with adventure sports coverage. 

Many travel medical insurance policies now include coverage for COVID-19 related medical expenses and treat it like any other illness. However, you should double-check your policy to ensure that is the case.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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Hospitals in Russia for Foreigners and Visitors

Hospitals in Russia for Visitors and Expats

Considering making a move to Russia? Whether you’re interested in a long stay or one of short duration, it’s important to consider access to healthcare. Most often that means being able to access the  hospitals in Russia . Here’s a guide for what you need to know as an expat to navigate Russia’s hospital system.

Read:  Health Insurance in Russia for Expats

List of Hospitals in Russia for Expatriates and Travelers

Best hospitals in moscow.

• Adventist Health Center (Adventistsky Tsentr Zdorov’ya) Prospect 60 Letiya Oktyabrya 21-A Moscow 117036 Russia Tel : + 7 95 126 7906 Fax: + 7 95 126 8767
• American Hospital of Moscow 26/6 pr. Mira (1, Grokholsky Pereulok) Moscow 129090 Russia Tel: + 7 95 933 7700 Fax: + 7 95 933 7701
• European Dental Center Moscow, Bolshaya Ochakovskaya street, 5 Tel: +7 (499) 283-99-60
• European Medical Center Spiridonevsky Per. 5 Moscow 103104 Russia Tel: + 7 95 933 6655 Fax: + 7 95 933 6650
• Medincentre 4-th Dobrininsky Lane House 4 Moscow 117049 Russia Tel: + 7 95 236 3116/237 3964 Fax: + 7 95 237 8475
• ZAO International Medical Clinic Polyclinic No. 1 10th Floor 31 Grokholsky Pereulok Moscow 129010 Russia Tel: + 7 95 937 5760 Fax: + 7 95 280 8677

Hospitals in St. Petersburg

• American Medical Clinic 78 Moika Embankment St. Petersburg 190000 Russia Tel: + 7 812 140 2090 Fax: + 7 812 310 4664
• Andros Clinic 36A Lenin Street, 1st floor St. Petersburg 197136 Russia Tel: + 7 812 235 1487 Fax: + 7 812 235 6988
• Euromed Clinic Suvorovskiy prospekt 60 St. Petersburg 193124 Russia Tel: + 7 812 327 0301 Fax: + 7 812 274 9320
• Hospital #122 4 Prospekt Kultury St. Petersburg 194291 Russia Tel: + 7 812 558 0508 Fax: + 7 812 559 8993
• Nevamed 14 Ismailovsky Prospekt St. Petersburg 198058 Russia Tel: + 7 812 110 1882 Fax: + 7 812 110 1092
• The International Clinic Griffin House 19/21 Dostoevskogo Street St. Petersburg 121014 Russia Tel: + 7 812 320 3870 Fax: + 7 812 320 3871

Hospitals in Other Parts of Russia

• Canadian Medical Centre Suite 402 Venetzia Hotel Nizhnevartovsk 626440 Tyumen Region Russia Tel: + 7 3466 65 39 86
• International SOS Clinic Yuuzhno Militseyskaya Ulitsa, 7/1 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast 693001Sakhalin Russia Tel: + 7 8 4242 727 550 Fax: + 7 8 4242 473 650

The Russian Healthcare System: A Quick Overview

Russia offers treatment options at different levels of government and region. Here’s a breakdown of how you can access medical treatment in Russia:

• At the municipal level are Health Posts that offer basic out-patient care for non-emergency situations, for example, vaccinations and routine check-ups.
• Also generally at the municipal level are Health Centers that are specialized for maternity care and also offer routine surgery.
• At the regional level are Urban Polyclinics which offer a wider array of services including follow-up care for complex conditions. Some of the larger polyclinics will have in-house specialists, for example, oncologists and cardiologists.
• Almost exclusively in large cities are Specialized Medical Hospitals which offer the full range of medical services and are also open 24 hours.

This last point about the 24-hour opening is quite important, as many healthcare facilities in Russia operate during normal business hours or are closed at night. Needing immediate medical care ‘off-hours’ can prove challenging or expensive. Many private facilities also observe closing hours or charge high premiums for after-hour care.

Read:  Understanding Russia’s Healthcare System

Is Healthcare in Russia Free?

Like so many countries, Russia’s healthcare system is based around insurance. And like many European countries, Russia offers its citizens what is meant to be universal healthcare. But in order to gain access to free public healthcare, Russian residents are required to pay in through their employment. The Russian Federation has guaranteed all of its citizens’ free healthcare since ratifying its Constitution in 1996. But in actuality, many people in the population are not covered. In some rural areas, the majority of people have no coverage or access to quality healthcare.

Russia’s Hospital System

How is russia’s public hospital and healthcare system.

Just as there are areas of the country where the population does not have access to quality healthcare, so is it within the public sector. And overall Western visitors are likely to find the Russian healthcare system, especially the public one, not up to standards. Challenges faced within the public hospital system, particularly for foreigners, include food shortages, a lack of English speakers, extremely long wait times, underfunding, basic equipment and facilities, or even a lack of equipment altogether. So if the question is, ‘Are hospitals in Russia good?’ for the average Western expat, if they are discussing the public hospital system, the answer is most likely going to be no.

Russia’s Private Hospitals

The popular choice for expats and visitors to Russia are private hospitals. These often offer English-speaking doctors and staff. The medical treatment available at some of Russia’s private hospitals is very much up to international standards. These hospitals can often be quite expensive. Treatment in Russia’s private hospitals can be costly by the standards of Western medicine. That is why it is so important to have the right insurance that will offer you coverage. Another important point about the private hospital system is that clinics and hospitals are the only options within the private system. There are not private surgeries or practices that offer complex procedures. Rather, doctors, even though is a private system, must operate within an accredited hospital or clinic.

Before traveling to Russia, it is vital to have quality health insurance.

Best Health Insurance Plan for Expats in Russia

Cigna Global Insurance Plan

• The flexibility to tailor a plan to suit your individual needs
• Access to Cigna Global’s trusted network of hospitals and doctors
• The convenience and confidence of 24/7/365 customer service

Best Health Insurance Plan for US Citizens Living in Russia

Xplorer Worldwide Medical Plan

• Premium Benefits, Coverage and Service
• Define your deductible and prescription benefits
• For Foreigners in the US or US citizens abroad

Read:  Expat Health Insurance

What You Need to Know About Accessing Russia’s Hospital System as an Expat

Once again, access is based on whether this is the public or private system. Those using the public hospital system will either have to show proof of coverage through employment or pay upfront. For those with state-sponsored insurance, there will be no costs. However, it is necessary to show proof of insurance from the start to avoid admitting fees. Public hospitals will treat emergency situations but then bill afterward, as well as for any follow-up treatment, both in-patient or outpatient. For this and all non-emergency services, payment is always expected upfront.

Those accessing the private hospital system should expect to pay upfront. Even with private insurance, many private facilities expect to be paid upfront. In order to avoid this, it is vital to choose both private insurance as well as a hospital that already has an arrangement with the insurance company to bill directly.

How Many Hospitals Are in Russia?

Russia is a country with many hospitals. In just Moscow, there are well over 100 hundred hospitals. As of 2018, there were 5.3 thousand hospitals in Russia. The numbers from 2010 until 2018 show a marked decrease during that timeframe. There was a total net loss of 1,000 hospitals in less than a decade.

Find more International Hospitals and healthcare options in popular Expat countries:  Hospitals in Portugal ,  Hospitals in Malaysia ,  Hospitals in Turkey ,  Hospitals in Germany ,  Hospitals in Brazil ,  Hospitals in Kenya ,  Hospitals in Cuba ,  Hospitals in China ,  Hospitals in Italy ,  Hospitals in Spain ,  Hospitals in New Zealand .

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About Migration

Health Assessment for Immigration Purposes

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its office in Moscow provides technical support in organizing Health Assessments to assess the health of migrants in specialized healthcare institutions of Moscow in accordance with the visa requirements of the country of entry.

You can find the visa medical requirements in detail on the official website of the relevant embassy and consular service.

To get the detailed information on the medical examination please choose the country of destination.

To book an appointment please press country of destination link and study the information provided.

If the applicant is younger than 18, please send a booking request to [email protected] or call +7 495-660-77-84. Our Call-center operation hours - weekdays - Mondays to Thursdays from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m., on Fridays from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m.

1, 2 January - New Year Day

5 January - Russian Orthodox Christmas Day Holiday

8 March - International Women’s Day

10 April - Eid Al-Fitr

1 May - Spring and Labour Day

9 May - Victory Day

12 June - Day of Russia

17 June - Eid Al-Adha

Kindly note international payments are not supported at the moment.

To book an appointment and to check what medical test you are requested to undergo please send Medical request information and forms (if any) at  [email protected]

Please bring with you the following:

• Passport (valid original); in exceptional cases where your original passport is not available your original National Passport will be accepted;
• Recent colour photos;
• Medical Request Form (if any);
• Any medical reports on past or current medical conditions;
• Vaccination records (optional);
• Eyeglasses or lenses, if you wear them.

Please fill in the  questionnaire  print it out, and bring it with you.

The cost of Medical examination depends on the amount of tests requested. The payment could be made in Rubles only. Only online or bank payments are accepted.

Medical examination site is located in Moscow, Rastorguevskiy pereulok, 3, city polyclinic №220 sub-brunch, 4th floor, room 412 (metro station Ulitsa 1905 goda).

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Public Health

How florida and arizona supreme court rulings change the abortion access map.

Selena Simmons-Duffin

Hilary Fung

In a few weeks, Florida and Arizona are set to join most states in the southern U.S. in banning abortion. It's a significant shake up to the abortion legal landscape, and data shared exclusively with NPR maps and quantifies what the changes will mean for millions of Americans.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court cleared the way for an 1864 law to be enforced. That law completely bans abortion except when someone's life is in danger. Last week, the Florida Supreme Court made its decision to allow a ban on abortions after six weeks gestation to take effect on May 1.

Caitlin Myers , an economics professor at Middlebury College in Vermont, has been tracking abortion facilities and travel distances since 2009. She analyzed how these latest rulings will affect the access map.

"Because of these bans, it's about 6 million women of reproductive age who are experiencing an increase in distance of more than 200 miles," she says.

She points out that Floridians who are seeking abortions after six weeks will have to travel nearly 600 miles to North Carolina, which has a 72-hour waiting period. "So we're talking about a day's drive to a state that requires you to engage in this multi-day process," Myers says. "A lot of people might end up going several hundred miles further to Virginia."

For people in Arizona, after the 1864 law takes effect, "their nearest destinations are pretty long drives. They're going to be facing hundreds of miles to reach southern California, New Mexico, Colorado," Myers says. "I think Arizona spillover is likely to affect California in a way that California hasn't yet been affected by bans."

Myers helms the Myers Abortion Facility Database . She has gathered data about facilities – including clinics, doctors, and hospitals that publicly indicated that they provide abortions – going back more than a decade, using data licensure databases, directories, and Wayback Machine captures of websites from years past. She uses a team of undergraduate research assistants to periodically call facilities and make sure the information is up to date.

Numbers of abortions rise in Florida, decline in Arizona

Although Florida and Arizona have historically both been politically purple states and both have had 15-week abortion bans since 2022, the states have been on different trajectories when it comes to abortion and play very different roles in their regions.

There were about 12,000 abortions in Arizona in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute , a research organization that supports abortion rights. Out-of-state travel accounted for 3% of abortions in the state, and the overall number of abortions has been declining there in recent years, Guttmacher finds.

By contrast, there were nearly 85,000 abortions in Florida in 2023, according to state data , just a few thousand fewer than Illinois, which has positioned itself as a haven for people seeking abortions in the post- Roe era. And the number of abortions happening in the state has been on the rise. "The majority of the increase has been driven by out-of-state travel into Florida because of bans in surrounding states," explains Isaac Maddow-Zimet , a Guttmacher data scientist. "That really speaks to the role that Florida has played in the region where there really aren't many other options."

The Alliance Defending Freedom, which brought the case in Arizona, frames those affected by the new laws in a different way. "We celebrate the Arizona Supreme Court's decision that allows the state's pro-life law to again protect the lives of countless, innocent unborn children," the organization wrote in a statement this week .

Even with new bans in place, there are a few ways residents of Florida and Arizona will be able to access abortion without driving hundreds of miles. People with means will be able to fly to states where abortion access is protected. Others will be able to use telehealth to connect with providers in those states and receive abortion medication in the mail – a practice that has been growing in popularity in recent months. Telehealth medication abortions, though, could be curtailed by a pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court. (A decision in that case is expected this summer.)

In Florida, some will be able to get abortions before the six-week gestational limit, which is about two weeks after a missed period. "Folks have a really narrow window in order to meet that gestational duration limit if they even know about their pregnancy in time," Maddow-Zimet of Guttmacher explains. "And that's something that's particularly difficult in Florida because Florida requires an in-person counseling visit 24 hours before the abortion."

'A substantial barrier'

Many thousands of people in Florida and Arizona will be unable to navigate those options and will carry their pregnancies instead, Myers says.

"It's easy to think – if an abortion is so important to somebody, they will find a way, they will figure it out," she says, but research on people seeking abortions illustrates why that's not always possible. "[Many] are low income. They're in very difficult life circumstances. They're experiencing disruptive life events like the loss of a job or breaking up with a partner or threatened eviction. Many of them are parenting and have difficulty obtaining child care." One large study showed about 80% of people seeking abortions had subprime credit scores.

"If you think about all that, it is perhaps not so surprising that the results of my research and other people's research shows very strongly and unequivocally that distance is a substantial barrier to people who are seeking abortions," Myers says.

Mary Ziegler , a law professor and historian of reproductive rights at the University of California - Davis, says it's worth noting how these states both came to have new bans. "The common denominator is conservative state supreme courts reaching decisions contrary to what voters would want, interestingly, in an election year when those judges are facing retention elections," she says.

Voters in Florida will have a chance to weigh in on abortion access in November, when an amendment to their state constitution will be on the ballot. An effort to put an abortion amendment on the ballot in Arizona is also underway. Abortions rights opponents in both states have pledged to fight the measures.

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HHHN clinic to open in former Lake Placid ER

Pending ok from state, federal agencies, primary care clinic will open this summer.

LAKE PLACID — A primary care health center operated by Hudson Headwaters Health Network is set to open this summer in Lake Placid’s former emergency room on Old Military Road.

The practice will include family medicine, care management, family planning, preventative women’s health services and integrated behavioral health, according to a press release from HHHN. Though the health center is still waiting on approval from the state Department of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration, renovations began on March 18. According to HHHN Director of External Affairs Pamela Fisher, the renovations at the former ER are “minimal” and “internal only.”

HHHN submitted an application to the DOH to open a primary care office in Lake Placid last year before the closure of the Lake Placid ER.

This new health center opening comes as healthcare options in Lake Placid dwindle and the region as a whole struggles to retain medical staff. Mountain Medical Services’ urgent care center on Saranac Avenue has been closed for a few years and most remaining practitioners are affiliated with Adirondack Health, which owns the building HHHN’s new health center will be in.

Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin said that the health center’s announced opening was “great news.”

“I think it’s going to give people more choices and more accessibility to doctors and healthcare,” he said.

North Elba town Supervisor Derek Doty agreed, saying that primary care facilities are “greatly needed” in the area.

“I’m happy to see that all our medical needs seem to be met and certainly welcome Hudson Headwaters with their new venture here,” he said.

The health center will accept same-day appointments for “acute needs” such as coughs, cold or flu, rashes, ear infections, urinary tract infections and minor injuries.

This health center will not function as an ER or urgent care clinic; emergent injuries will still need to travel to the ER at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, as well as any EMS calls.

HHHN is a Federally Qualified Health Center. This means that it is a federally-funded nonprofit health center that accepts the Medicaid insurance used by many moderate- to low-income residents and focuses its work on underserved communities. FQHCs charge for their services on a sliding scale based on their patients’ abilities to pay.

“As a nonprofit, FQHC, our mission is to expand primary care access,” Hudson Headwaters CEO Dr. Tucker Slingerland said. “The new location in Lake Placid will be a helpful addition to the vital primary care access that has been provided by Adirondack Health, a fellow safety-net provider, and other providers for many years.”

Adirondack Health, which owns the building, will continue to operate the other services in the facility, including its primary care practice on the second floor. HHHN and Adirondack Health share other facilities; HHHN’s Saranac Lake Family Health clinic is located inside AMC in Saranac Lake.

The new health center is expected to create six new healthcare jobs in Lake Placid, with more opportunities by the end of the year, according to Fisher. HHHN is currently recruiting physicians, internists, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

HHHN has 23 health centers across the North Country, including locations in Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake. The group submitted an application last July to open a health center in Lake Placid, though at the time, it was unclear where the health center would be located.

The ER in Lake Placid closed last August, citing financial challenges, low patient volumes and staffing shortages. Adirondack Health President and CEO Aaron Kramer told the Enterprise in October 2022 that Lake Placid’s ER averaged fewer than eight visits a day during the first six months of 2022. The low patient volumes translated to a $2.2 million loss for Adirondack Health, according an open letter from Adirondack Health last July.

The ER closure was met with heavy criticism from the community, especially from former Wilmington town Supervisor and EMT Roy Holzer, who worried that first responders’ live-saving work would be made even more difficult by longer travel times to the ER.

“I can tell you right now, when we had someone in cardiac arrest, you could not get to Lake Placid hospital quick enough (while) doing CPR on an individual,” he said. “So can you only imagine doing another 10 miles with someone from our neck of the woods going into full cardiac arrest?”

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Moscow-City: 7 surprising facts about the Russian capital’s business center

1. Guinness World Record in highlining

The record was set in 2019 by a team of seven athletes from Russia, Germany, France and Canada. They did it on September 8, on which the ‘Moscow-City Day’ is celebrated. The cord was stretched at the height of 350 m between the ‘OKO’ (“Eye”) and ‘Neva Towers’ skyscrapers. The distance between them is 245 m. The first of the athletes to cross was Friede Kuhne from Germany. The athletes didn't just walk, but also performed some daredevil tricks. Their record is 103 meters higher than the previous one set in Mexico City in December 2016.

2. Domination of Europe's top-10 highest skyscrapers

7 out of 10 Europe’s highest skyscrapers are located in Moscow-City. Earlier, the  ‘Federation Tower’ complex’s ‘Vostok’ (“East”) skyscraper was the considered the tallest in Europe.

Left to right: the lower of the ‘Neva Towers’ (296 m), Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt (300 m), Gorod Stolits (“City of Capitals”) Moscow tower (302 m), Eurasia tower (309 m), The Shard’ skyscraper in London (310 m), Mercury City Tower (339 m), Neva Towers (345 m).

However, in 2018, the construction of the 462 meter tall ‘Lakhta Center’ in Saint-Petersburg was completed, pushing ‘Vostok’ (374 m) into 2nd place. The 3rd place is taken by OKO’s southern tower (354 m).

3. The unrealized ‘Rossiya’ tower

If all the building plans of Moscow-City were realized, the ‘Lakhta Center’ in St. Petersburg wouldn't have a chance to be Europe's highest skyscraper. Boris Tkhor, the architect who designed the concept of Moscow-City, had planned for the ‘Rossiya’ tower to be the tallest. In his project, it was a 600 meter tall golden cylindrical skyscraper ending with a spire that was inspired by traditional Russian bell towers. Then, the project was reinvented by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster. He had designed ‘Rossiya’ as a pyramid ending with a spire. The skyscraper itself would have been 612 meters tall, and the height including the spire would have reached 744,5 meters (for comparison, the ‘Burj Khalifa’ in Dubai, UAE, would have been just 83,5 meters taller). Unfortunately, the investors faced a lot of economic problems, due to the 2008 financial crisis, so the ‘Rossiya’ skyscraper was never built. A shopping mall and the ‘Neva Towers’ complex was constructed at its place in 2019.

4. Changed appearance of ‘Federation Tower’

In its first project, the ‘Federation Tower’ was designed to resemble a ship with a mast and two sails. The mast was to be represented by a tall glass spire with passages between the towers. It was planned to make a high-speed lift in it. The top of the spire was going to be turned into an observation deck. But the ship lost its mast in the middle of its construction. Experts at the Moscow-city Museum based in the ‘Imperia’ (“Empire”) tower say, that the construction of the spire was stopped, firstly, due to fire safety reasons and secondly, because it posed a threat to helicopter flights – the flickering glass of the spire could potentially blind the pilots. So, the half-built construction was disassembled. However, an observation deck was opened in the ‘Vostok’ tower.

5. Open windows of ‘Federation Tower’

We all know that the windows of the upper floors in different buildings don’t usually open. Experts say that it’s not actually for people’s safety. Falling from a big height is likely to be fatal in any building. The actual reason is the ventilation system. In a skyscraper, it’s managed with a mechanical system, and the building has its own climate. But in the ‘Zapad’ (“West”) tower of the ‘Federation Tower’ complex, the windows can open. The 62nd and last floor of the tower are taken up by a restaurant called ‘Sixty’. There, the windows are equipped with a special hydraulic system. They open for a short period of time accompanied by classical music, so the guests can take breathtaking photos of Moscow.

6. Broken glass units of ‘Federation Tower’

The guests of the ‘Sixty’ restaurant at the top of the ‘Zapad’ tower can be surprised to see cracked glass window panes. It is particularly strange, if we take into consideration the special type of this glass. It is extremely solid and can’t be broken once installed. For example, during experiments people threw all sorts of heavy items at the windows, but the glass wouldn’t break. The broken glass units of ‘Zapad’ were already damaged during shipment . As each of them is curved in its own way to make the tower’s curvature smooth, making a new set of window panes and bringing them to Russia was deemed too expensive . Moreover, the investors had financial problems (again, due to the 2008 financial crisis), so the ‘Vostok’ tower even stood unfinished for several years. Eventually, the cracked window panes were installed in their place.

7. The highest restaurant in Europe

‘Birds’, another restaurant in Moscow-City, is remarkable for its location. It was opened at the end of 2019 on the 84th floor of the ‘OKO’ complex’s southern tower. Guests at the restaurant can enjoy an amazing panoramic view at a height of 336 meters. On January 28, the experts of ‘Kniga Recordov Rossii’ (“Russian Records Book”) declared ‘Birds’ the highest restaurant in Europe, a step toward an application for a Guinness World Record.

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State-of-the-art veterans clinic in West Oahu seen as a game changer for military families

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Friday is the grand opening of the long-awaited Daniel Kahikina Akaka Veterans Affairs Clinic in Kapolei.

HNN got an exclusive first look at the modern facility more than a decade in the making.

Veterans advocates say the clinic is a life changer for military families on the leeward side and across the Pacific.

“Our investment in this new 88,000 square foot facility, the $130 million that is taken to build this. This is our commitment to veterans in the Pacific Islands for the 21st century. This is our commitment to make sure that we honor our veterans, that we give them the care that they need,” said Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) Director Dr. Adam Robinson, Jr.

The new site means veterans like James Sewell of Kapolei won’t have to drive two hours to the VA clinic at Tripler Army Medical Center anymore.

“Traffic is bad in the morning, and in the evening. So it’s better that it’s here. I can just come from work and come right over here and get my services,” Sewell said.

It’s a huge relief for many who rely on the VA and have been frustrated with service wait times, traffic and parking challenges.

Parking shouldn’t be an issue at the Akaka clinic, with 528 parking spots total — 43 are reserved for disabled veterans and 19 are for electric vehicle charging. Patients can also use the clinic’s free valet service.

“We’ll have our red coat ambassadors here, and they can actually help them out of their car and into the facility. But one of their main functions is to guide them to where they need to be since it’s a new facility,” said clinic chief April Seghorn, who gave HNN a tour.

The clinic offers primary care and specialty services, including mental healthcare, eyecare, dental, prosthetics, women’s health, pharmacy and audiology.

“We have four state of the art audiology booths for hearing testing for the veterans. And so we’re going to have six audiologists here,” Seghorn said. “Our wait times right now are about 78 days. So this will cut down tremendously time to be seen.”

“Most veterans do come out with some type of hearing loss due to being in combat or just going to the range and all of the loud noises that they’re around,” she said.

The physical therapy areas include modern equipment, such as an anti-gravity treadmill, and outdoor recreation.

Radiology will also house the VA’s first MRI scanner in the Pacific, minimizing the need to travel to the continent.

Named after the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and fellow veteran, Daniel Akaka, the clinic serves veterans from across the region, including Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Rota and American Samoa.

“Now that we have authority through COFA legislation that Congress recently passed, we can actually have veterans from the freely associated states here,” Dr. Robinson said. “That includes Marshall Islands, that includes Palau, and that also includes Micronesia. So this is a big deal.”

Akaka’s son Dr. Gerard Akaka, a veteran and physician, said the West Oahu clinic is badly needed.

“Access is a thing,” he said. “It’s not easy to get transportation. If you don’t have it, and if you’re dependent on others, like your kids who have full time jobs, it’s just not easy. To provide such a facility with such capability and beauty in that area close to home for them, where they don’t have to deal with traffic and parking and other things that are really our barriers, I think it’s a real blessing for them.”

When asked what he hopes the center will mean for the future of healthcare in Hawaii and the Pacific, Akaka said: “I’ll put it in a way that maybe Dad would say it. My hope is that when they know they’re going to go to that center, they will smile. They will look forward to it. Because they know that they’ll be greeted with aloha, that they’ll feel safe in that place. And that the ‘ano or the feeling in the spirit of that place will be a reflection of him, which was one of aloha and and care and love.”

“For those who have been injured, from war or in the line of duty, thank you so much on behalf of our family and for the people of Hawaii, because they did help to protect us at various times of need so big thanks to them. And again, my hope and our family’s hope and Dad’s hope is that this will be a place of safety of healing, a place that will help them,” Akaka added.

The grand opening starts at 10 a.m. Friday, followed by a public open house and VA enrollment opportunity from 1-4 p.m.

Patient services begin on Monday, April 8. Hours are Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Akaka clinic is located at 91-1051 Franklin D. Roosevelt Ave. in Kapolei, across from the Costco. The VA clinic in Queen’s West will close on Friday.

There’s a free courtesy shuttle for veterans to/from select landmarks, while Veteran Transportation Services (VTS) offers free pick-up from eligible veterans’ homes who live as far out as Mililani going north and into Waikiki, though not past Hawaii Kai. For more information, call 808-433-7982.

For general information, call 800-214-1306 or visit hawaii.va.gov or facebook.com/VAPacificIslands .

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

One dead, 11 others injured after shuttle bus plows into group near Honolulu cruise port

Flooding rains batter Kauai, triggering rescues and closing all the island’s public schools

Former MMA fighter testifies he carried out beatings for alleged crime boss Mike Miske

Power restored to customers in West Oahu, parts of North Shore

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Repairs, debris removal at Kauai’s Wailua River Bridge to continue through weekend

HNN issues First Alert Weather Day for Oahu, Kauai ahead of more heavy showers

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Florida abortion ban prompts two Southern states to prep for an influx of patients

After the Florida Supreme Court cleared the way for a state ban on abortions after six weeks , clinics in North Carolina and Virginia say they are gearing up for an influx of patients.

Once the law takes effect on May 1, Florida will no longer be a refuge for people seeking abortions across the South. The state currently allows abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy — a far less restrictive policy than those implemented in many nearby states , including Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

More than 9,300 people traveled to Florida from other states to get abortion care last year — more than double the number in 2020, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion access.

Around 84,000 abortions were performed in Florida in 2023, representing around 1 in 12 abortions nationwide.

Come May, the closest option for Floridians and some others in the South who seek abortions will be in North Carolina, which allows abortions up to 15 weeks but requires people to receive in-person counseling at least 72 hours in advance. The next-closest option is Virginia.

Abortion clinics in both states are preparing to accommodate more patients by adding staff or extending hours of operation. Providers have had time to get ready, since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida's six-week ban in April 2023. Its implementation was on hold pending the state Supreme Court decision, which came on Monday.

The Bristol Women’s Health Center, which offers abortions in southwestern Virginia, expanded its hours a few months ago to accommodate people from Florida and other Southern states. It has also started offering services in the evenings and sometimes on weekends.

“It is already hard enough for somebody who’s driving 12 hours away,” said Karolina Ogorek, the center's administrative director. “While their reproductive health choices are being taken away by their state, as an abortion provider and a clinic, we want to give them as many choices as possible to be able to access the care that they need.”

The center also plans to work with funding agencies such as The Pink House Fund in Mississippi to help cover travel and lodging costs for patients coming from far away. 

A Woman’s Choice, a network of clinics with a location in Jacksonville, Florida, opened a new clinic in Virginia last month in anticipation of Florida's ban. That clinic is working to add doctors, according to Amber Gavin, the organization’s vice president of advocacy and operations.

But even so, she said, demand could be quite high.

“Florida was seeing a huge influx of patients from the Southeast, and I’m very concerned that the neighboring states aren’t going to be able to accommodate all the Floridians and folks in the Southeast,” Gavin said.

Jenny Black, president of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, similarly said that the organization’s North Carolina clinics are making more appointments available. But those clinics already have a two-week wait time for abortions. 

“Planned Parenthood health center staff in North Carolina are doing their level best to quickly expand capacity and increase appointment availability ahead of the near total ban in Florida taking effect, but it will not be enough to stem the tide of patients from across the South who have few options left," Black said in a statement.

For many women, traveling to get an abortion isn't an option because of a lack of resources or other circumstances.

Florida clinics anticipated the state's new law so have already trained additional staff to perform ultrasounds and confirm pregnancies. They are trying to see as many patients as possible before the end of the month.

“We’re opening up more ultrasound appointments scheduled for the next 30 days to get people in,” said Michelle Quesada, vice president of communications and marketing for Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida.

Quesada cautioned that, starting in May, patients will need to show up before the six-week mark, since Florida law requires two in-person visits to a clinic, 24 hours apart, ahead of an abortion.

“You’d have to find out you’re pregnant in your fifth week of pregnancy, which is one week after a missed period for someone with a perfect 28-day cycle,” Quesada said.

“I can only imagine in 30 days the sheer volume of patients that are going to be confused, scared, feel like they have no other option when they learn that they’re beyond six weeks,” she added.

Florida’s law allows exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

"I would think that it’s OK to have an abortion if the mother’s life is in danger. This particular law, this six-week bill, does have that — so there wouldn’t be any reason to have to travel," said Ingrid Duran, the state legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, an anti-abortion organization.

Duran noted that Florida's ban sets aside $25 million to expand the Florida Pregnancy Care Network, a group of centers that aim to convince women not to have abortions. Such centers offer pregnant women counseling and supplies like car seats and diapers, but some have been known to provide inaccurate or misleading information .

Duran said the funding may help address a lack of access to health care, counseling and support that she believes could be "some of the reasons why women choose to have abortions."

The fate of abortion access in Florida isn’t set in stone, however: The state Supreme Court also decided that a proposed amendment to its constitution that would enshrine abortion protections can be on the November ballot.

“ What we’ve seen in other states is that when abortion is on the ballot, it wins,” Gavin said.

Aria Bendix is the breaking health reporter for NBC News Digital.

Katie Mogg is an intern at NBC News.