Plan ahead for healthy travel.

THE KEY TO HEALTHY BUSINESS OR leisure travel in Latin America or the Caribbean is good preparation. While accidents or medical emergencies can sometimes happen in spite of all best efforts, you can reduce the risk by taking several steps in advance of your trip. As with most aspects of medical care, prevention is the best strategy.

Put your medications in a carry-on bag, for example, instead of packing them in a suitcase that could be lost or delayed in transit. Take along food supplements or vitamins if you have special dietary needs. On an extended trip, take an extra prescription with you, and know the generic name of your medication in case a local pharmacy carries a different brand. Insulin users should bring along a letter (in Spanish or Portuguese) from a physician that explains why they are carrying needles.

Try to locate a doctor in your destination before you start your trip. "Ask your doctor for a name, or call your business contact in Latin America to get a name before you go," says international traveler Anne B. Freedman, president of Coral Gables-based Speak Out Inc., a corporate business communication trainer. "One experience of having to rely on a foreign hotel to call a doctor for me because my local contact was unreachable taught me how important it is to do this in advance. Remember, if you are traveling on business, your contacts will be happy to advise you. They want you to be healthy."

Freedman also suggests taking along a first-aid kit, a neck-support pillow for long plane flights and, for those who are allergic to feathers, an inflatable pillow for sleeping.

Follow these additional steps to ensure a carefree trip:

* Talk to your primary care doctor if you have a chronic condition or are currently taking prescription medication.

* Familiarize yourself with local health care conditions and medical facilities. Check out the medical advisories posted by the U.S. State Department (http://travel.state.gov.) and by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) via its web site (www.cdc.gov), international travelers hotline (1-877-FYI-TRIP) and autofax service (888-CDC-FAXX).

* Prepare a personal game plan for handling unexpected problems.

* Study your insurance policy's international travel provisions. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid abroad, and even if a policy covers life-threatening conditions, you may have to pay the costs of treating a broken leg, chipped tooth or sprained wrist. The federal Medicare/Medicaid program does not pay for medical services outside the United States. Be aware that doctors and hospitals in Latin America may expect immediate cash payment for health services.

* Consider a supplemental insurance and/or emergency medical transportation policy. Your travel agent can recommend a trip-insurance specialist such as Access America (800-284-8300), for a policy covering trip cancellation, lost baggage, medical bills and air ambulance transport in case you wish to be treated in the United States. Be sure to purchase this type of insurance when you pay for your trip.

* Join the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT) (www.sentex.net/-iamat), a nonprofit group that lists American-educated, English-speaking doctors with fixed payment schedules for members.

* See a travel medicine specialist to update vaccinations and get additional information about any special medical risks associated with your destination. Specialists are listed by the International Society for Tropical Medicine (ISTM) at www.istm.org.

"If you are going to major cities for a week or two, or less, there are few things you have to worry about," says Dr. Joseph Chan, president of the Center for Travel Medicine, an affiliate of Miami Beach's Mount Sinai Medical Center. However, Chan says doctors routinely recommend hepatitis A, tentanus and flu shots for travelers to Latin America. Since flu generally moves from north to south, your U.S. winter flu shot will cover the following summer's visits to Latin America.

If you are planning side trips, Chan urges consultation with a travel specialist. You may need malaria protection outside metropolitan areas, particularly in the jungles of Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. If Brazil is on the itinerary, Chan advises that you may need a yellow fever vaccination even if you do not venture into the Amazon region where the disease occurs.

No matter where you go in the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America, guard against mosquitoes. "Dengue fever is an urban illness, so you can get it in cities," Chan says. "Unfortunately, the only protection is to avoid getting mosquito bites."

Again, the best solution is prevention and proper planning so your business trip can be a healthy and profitable one for you, your business partners and your company.