International patients turn to U.S. hospitals for specialized health care.

When Irene Saez, a former Miss Universe and Venezuelan state governor, faced a difficult pregnancy, she came to the United States for specialized medical care. Saez, 38, is the former governor of the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta on the island of Margarita and the 1981 beauty queen. She spent the last few months of her pregnancy in Miami, before having her first child by Caesarian section.

Saez is among the tens of thousands of Latin Americans who visit the United States each year for checkups, second opinions, diagnosis or treatment of a wide array of medical conditions. At the same time, many U.S. facilities offer outreach programs to Latin America, helping to train new physicians and other medical specialists, offering professional education programs, and building two-way referral networks.

Several reasons exist for the growing flow of patients and medical information throughout the Western Hemisphere:

* Many Latins with complex medical conditions seek out facilities with advanced diagnostic or treatment technologies that are not readily available in their home countries.

* Other Latins find it convenient to get a medical checkup or second opinion from a physician while on a business or leisure trip to the United States. In some cases, an entire family can receive checkups while enjoying a U.S. vacation.

* A growing number of U.S. medical centers offer special international programs designed to meet the needs of Latin patients. These programs typically include concierge-type services, as well as assistance with air travel, lodging, translation services and family support.

* Many private insurers offer programs that can provide financial assistance to international patients. Other policies are designed to help travelers obtain appropriate care in the event of a medical emergency.

* Air travel is becoming more convenient for visitors from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Major air carriers provide non-stop and one-stop services to a growing number of U.S. destinations.

* Advanced communications technology, including the Internet and e-mail, is making it easier for Latin Americans to obtain reliable, up-to-the-minute information about U.S. health care facilities and physicians.

As a result of these factors, medical-related travel within the Americas is expected to continue growing rapidly in the early years of the 21st century, especially in areas with a high volume of Latin visitors, such as South Florida, and academic medical centers, such as New England.

SALUD MIAMI

The Internet has made medical information much more accessible to Latin Americans, who seek out web sites like that of the Miami Medical Alliance (Salud Miami) for the latest news. The site offers up-to-the-minute reports of advances made at nine Miami hospitals, which provide world-class health care to patients from around the world.

Salud Miami is a consortium of nine hospitals that have banded together to promote Miami as a health care destination and to facilitate delivery of patient care through their international departments.

"Miami has some of the best physicians in the world, outstanding research and diversified facilities," says Victoria Brewer-Anderson, executive director.

Participating hospitals include Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, Baptist Hospital, Cedars Medical Center, Mercy Hospital, Miami Children's Hospital, Miami Heart Institute and Medical Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, South Miami Hospital, and The University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

Prospective patients can contact Salud Miami for help in finding the appropriate hospital, making travel arrangements and in obtaining physician referrals. Their home-country doctors send medical records, X-rays and other diagnostic reports, often via e-mail, before a patient's referral is complete. At that point, an appointment is made for the patient to see a doctor in Miami.

Latin Americans have used Salud Miami's services for everything from physical exams and second opinions to complicated cancer or cardiac surgeries.

For more information, see www.saludmiami.com in Spanish, www.miamihealth.com in English, and www.saudemiami.com in Portuguese.

MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER

Mount Sinai Medical Center on Miami Beach features one the most modern and effective ways to prevent heart disease -- Electronic Beam Tomography (EBT).

Creating a three-dimensional image of the heart, this state-of-the-art, non-invasive tool measures calcium deposits in the walls of arteries surrounding the heart. These deposits indicate the risk of heart disease.

"We believe that the EBT scan can be used to prevent most heart attacks and strokes," says Arthur Agatston, M.D., Mount Sinai cardiologist and medical director of its Cardiac Prevention Center. "It's a much better predictor of heart disease than conventional risk factors, and, for the first time, we can really individualize a patient's treatment."

Developed under the brand name matron, EBT is an excellent preventive tool for people of all ages, and it is highly recommended for those in their 40s with a strong family history of heart disease. There are no injections, patients do not have to undress, and there is no feeling of claustrophobia. Within five minutes, and after an immediate review with their physician, patients will know if they are at risk for heart disease. Additionally, the computer images are saved and can be used as baseline measures for comparison as the individual becomes older.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call 305-67-HEART (305-674-3278).

PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL

Boston is one of the world's leading medical destinations, drawing a growing number of patients from Latin America through the Partners International Program. Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the other Partners hospitals provide highly sophisticated medical care to patients of all ages and with every type of medical problem.

"We have very modern facilities with every conceivable medical and surgical technique currently available," says Dr. Timothy Guiney, medical director of the International Patient Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The world-renowned clinical expertise at the Partners' hospitals is continually replenished through on-going research and experimentation. Both Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, formed by a merger of three Harvard hospitals in 1980, are actively collaborating with institutions all over the world on multi-center clinical studies, as well as basic research programs.

The Partners hospitals operate the largest biomedical research center among independent hospitals in the United States. Total annual research expenditures at Partners-affiliated institutions exceed $500 million. For 12 consecutive years, MGH and BWH have topped the list of independent hospital recipients of research grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

"Our patients have access to leading edge medical services," says Dr. Gilbert Mudge, chairman of the international committee at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "A great deal of patient-centered research is conducted at both institutions, as well as more basic medical research in areas such as heart disease and cancer."