Preparing for a medical trip requires more than the usual holiday packing. This list covers the documents, personal items, and practical supplies that patients commonly need before, during, and after an overseas procedure. Adapt it to your specific procedure — not everything on this list applies to every situation.
Documents: The Non-Negotiables
Passport and visa documentation, including copies stored separately from the originals. If your visa is electronic, keep a screenshot that is accessible without internet.
Travel insurance policy, with the policy number, emergency telephone number, and claim reference process clearly noted. Know this information before you need it.
Medical records relevant to your procedure: GP summary with current medications and allergies, any imaging or investigation results, operative reports from previous related surgeries. Translated into the local language if possible — see our guide on translating medical records at /guides/translating-medical-records.
Clinic confirmation documents: the booking confirmation, procedure quotation (itemised), pre-operative instructions provided by the clinic, the surgeon's name and contact details, and the clinic's address in the local language (useful for taxis).
Emergency contacts: a card (physical, not just on your phone) with the names and numbers of someone at home who can be reached in an emergency and who has access to a copy of your insurance details.
Your home doctor's name and contact details, for the clinic and for your own reference during follow-up.
Medications: What to Bring and What to Check
A complete list of all current medications, including dosages and timing, in both generic and brand names. Keep this list in your wallet or bag, separate from your main documents, in case your bag is lost.
A sufficient supply of all regular prescription medications to cover the trip plus a week extra. Prescriptions from your home country may not be honoured at overseas pharmacies; carry enough supply with you. Check whether any of your medications interact with common anaesthetic agents or post-operative medications — your anaesthesiologist will ask about this, and having the information readily available avoids delays.
Over-the-counter items you rely on: antihistamines, antidiarrhoeals, antacids, headache relief. These are available in most destinations but may be in unfamiliar brands or formulations.
Clothing and Physical Comfort
Loose, comfortable clothing that is easy to put on and remove is essential, particularly after procedures involving the torso, limbs, or areas that will be swollen. Button-front or zip-front tops rather than items pulled over the head. Elasticated or loose-waisted trousers rather than fitted jeans. Shoes that slip on without bending down, particularly if abdominal or lower limb surgery is planned.
For procedures involving the face, jaw, or neck: clothing with a wide or open neck. For procedures involving the chest or abdomen: nothing with tight waistbands or constricting layers.
A warm layer. Hospital and clinic environments are often air-conditioned to low temperatures. Having a cardigan, zip-up, or light jacket accessible rather than buried in a suitcase is a practical comfort consideration.
Post-Operative Supplies
Ask the clinic whether compression garments, wound dressings, or drainage management supplies will be provided or whether you need to purchase them. If you need to purchase your own, buy them before you travel or in the destination country before the procedure — not on the day of discharge when your capacity to navigate shops is limited.
Compression stockings, if recommended for your procedure. These should be prescribed or recommended by the clinic and ideally measured for fit. Generic compression socks are not a substitute for graduated medical compression stockings.
A small first aid kit for wound care: sterile dressings, medical-grade tape, saline solution for wound irrigation. Many clinics provide dressing packs on discharge; check in advance.
A travel pillow can be useful for maintaining comfortable positioning in the aircraft and in accommodation, particularly after facial, neck, or upper body procedures.
Practical Items for Recovery
A water bottle. Staying hydrated post-operatively is important both clinically and for comfort. Having a reliable, leak-proof bottle means you are not dependent on plastic cups from the clinic's bedside supply.
A phone charger and a universal travel adaptor. Your phone is your primary communication tool, translation aid, and emergency contact method — keeping it charged is a practical priority.
Entertainment for the recovery period. Convalescence involves significant inactive time. Books, downloaded films or podcasts, or other passive entertainment you can engage with while lying or sitting reduces the temptation to be more active than you should be.
A notebook or notepad for recording instructions from the clinic. In the post-operative period, concentration and memory may be temporarily impaired, particularly if you have had general anaesthesia. Writing down instructions as they are given — or having a companion do so — means you are not relying on a hazy recollection.
What Not to Pack
Leave valuable jewellery at home. You will be required to remove it before any procedure, creating a risk of loss or theft. Avoid taking more luggage than you can manage independently; after a procedure, managing heavy bags is often not feasible, and relying on a companion or clinic staff for heavy lifting adds dependency.
Avoid packing tight-fitting recovery clothing on the assumption that the stated recovery time is accurate. Swelling and bruising vary, and what fits comfortably before a procedure may be unwearable for longer than expected after. Pack conservatively for the physical reality of recovery, not for the optimistic scenario.