Healthcare, Doctors, Language Barries, and Travel.
2025 brought a lot of experiences that I am truly grateful for, and many dreams have come true. It is all because I simply made a list and followed through with my goals. Has it been easy? NO. I have had to sacrifice some things in life, like a vehicle and a closet full of clothes. But what I have gained far outweighs the loss. I have gained invaluable knowledge into how the world works for basic needs like healthcare, travel, and payment systems.
In a blog post I created in early 2025, titled “The Best Travel Hacks and Apps,” I detail all of the hacks and apps that I have used to date that have helped me save money, time, and reach professionals.
A new app that is being added to this page is Air Doctor. This is an app that works in most countries (specifically where I am based out of in Brazil), and it connects you with quality doctors. If you have read any of my blog posts, you will notice that one thing I was concerned with when leaving the U.S. to search for a new home was a valid question… “How will I find a doctor or medical professional when I need one?” Well… last year in October, I had to dive straight in and answer this very question. After a Peruvian came to visit me in Brazil, I noticed that I was experiencing some pain in an area where I had a fusion the year before, so I found a hospital, which then turned into scheduling appointments for an MRI and a follow-up with a neurosurgeon.
I found Hcor and went for the MRI and detailed the experience in a blog post I created titled “Finding Medical Care While Traveling.” I detailed the steps that I took to find all these places and how easy it was to schedule appointments, attend appointments, and pay for the services. One thing I did not think about was refilling prescriptions and referrals.
Thankfully, it does not require surgery at the moment, but I do require ongoing care where I am. And that is when I found Air Doctor. While searching Google, I found an app that allows you to schedule appointments with qualified and professional doctors. These are not just any doctors, no-no. The doctor that I found last October, I requested another home visit, and she arrived that same day. I needed to have routine medications refilled and referrals for other needs.
What I have learned in the past two years of travel is that each country has its own guidelines for medication, and Brazil has specific controls. While I was in Lima, Peru, I found a very good neurosurgeon that helped me conduct other routine tests and provide prescriptions. Well… those had to be translated to a Brazilian brand and have a local doctor as the prescriber. Air Doctor has a feature where you can schedule an at-home visit by your selected provider, and this is super helpful for me since I have a very demanding position and it can be hard to step away. Especially when in another country, there are a lot of hurdles that one must cross just to get into the doctor’s office.
All said and done, my doctor came to my apartment, sent the prescriptions electronically, provided the referrals, and we discussed where I had traveled since seeing her last. Within forty-five minutes, all was done. Now… let’s discuss pricing. I can say, as someone who has extensively navigated the U.S. healthcare system in three different states, that this was without a doubt less expensive (by a great deal) and not stressful at all. I will also add that I have found it a lot less stressful if I do not use health insurance and can do what is suggested by the medical provider. When I started down this path last year, I was greatly surprised by the affordable side of funding your own healthcare and the types of medication available in other countries that are far superior.
If I was just starting out on my solo travel lifestyle, I would have relaxed a lot more knowing that this app existed and that I could obtain care so quickly. Because when traveling abroad all the time, you have to rely on your intuition, navigate language barriers, complex directions to a facility, and follow-up care. The last thing that someone in need should be concerned with is, “Will this be approved by someone sitting in a desk chair, trying to save a third party money?”
