Staff WriterImportant: This checklist is educational and planning-focused. It is not medical, legal, or insurance advice. Use it to prepare questions for clinicians, insurers, and visa/immigration resources.
How to use this checklist
Step 1 • Build your care profile
List conditions, monitoring needs, and the specialists you require.
Create your Medication + Supplies Tracker (next section).
Step 2 • Screen destinations
Use the Destination Screening section to rule out unsafe “maybes.”
Only shortlist places that pass medication, access, and emergency readiness.
Section 1: My Care Profile (fill-in)
Conditions to manage:
Key specialists needed:
Monitoring needed (labs/imaging):
Devices/supplies used (CPAP, CGM, oxygen, mobility aids):
Appointment cadence (ideal): Primary care every months; Specialists every months
Top 2 risk points (what cannot break): 1) 2)
Tip: Your “Top 2 risk points” should drive your country shortlisting (not scenery, trend lists, or low rent alone).
Section 2: Medication + Supplies Tracker (table)
Use generic names and include acceptable substitutes (from your clinician). Brands vary by country.
| Medication (Generic) + Dose/Form | Purpose | Missed Dose Risk (High/Med/Low) | Acceptable Substitutes | Storage (Cold Chain?) | Supplies Needed / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Section 3: Destination Screening Checklist (use for every country/city)
A) Legal stay + care access
Can I legally reside there long enough to establish ongoing care (not just visit)?
Primary care: realistic time to become an established patient (weeks/months)?
Specialist access: referral required or self-referral?
Wait time for my key specialist(s):
Labs/imaging access near where I would live (not only the capital city).
B) Medication security (non-negotiable)
My essential meds are available locally by generic name.
I confirmed refill rules (30/60/90-day fills, early refills, local prescriber required).
If I use injectables/biologics/insulin: cold-chain handling is reliable.
My medical devices/supplies are available (test strips, sensors, needles, CPAP parts).
If any meds are controlled: prescribing rules are clear and realistic for non-citizens.
C) Coverage + costs (plan for the “bad month”)
Coverage pathway is clear (public eligibility timing vs private requirements).
Private insurance (if needed) covers pre-existing conditions and outpatient chronic care.
I estimated my “bad month” cost (specialists + labs + meds + urgent care). Total:
Out-of-pocket risk is acceptable (caps/copays/hospital exposure understood).
D) Emergency readiness (Two-Hospital Rule)
Ambulance reliability is acceptable in the neighborhood/region I would live.
Preferred hospital identified:
Backup hospital identified:
Estimated travel time from home to preferred hospital:
E) Ongoing support infrastructure
Routine labs are easy to access locally (timely, affordable, reliable).
Imaging access is realistic (CT/MRI/ultrasound as needed).
Rehab/PT services exist nearby if mobility declines.
Mental health services/med management is available if needed.
Durable medical equipment access (CPAP supplies, oxygen, mobility aids).
Section 4: Records + Documentation Pack (before you travel)
One-page clinical summary (diagnoses, meds, allergies, key history).
Last 12–24 months: key specialist notes and treatment plan.
Recent labs and imaging reports (with dates).
Immunization history.
Copies stored in 3 places: printed + cloud + phone.
Translation needs identified (if required) and acceptable formats confirmed.
Section 5: Timeline Action Plan (checkboxes)
Before you shortlist
Medication Master List complete (generic names + substitutes).
Worst-month budget number set:
Top 2 risk points identified (what cannot break).
Shortlist only destinations that pass medication security + emergency readiness.
30–60 days before you move
Confirm meds at 2 pharmacies (availability + refill rules).
Confirm specialist pathway (referrals, wait times, costs).
Choose a neighborhood using the Two-Hospital Rule.
Emergency plan built: numbers, hospitals, transport plan.
First 30 days after arrival
Establish primary care (appointment on calendar).
First specialist appointment scheduled (even if weeks out).
Refill rhythm confirmed (pharmacy + prescriber + timing).
Preferred and backup hospitals saved in phone maps.
First 90 days
Baseline labs and preventive care completed.
Flare-up plan written (what to do, where to go, who to call).
Local support identified (friend/neighbor/community contact).
Back-up plan for travel, stock-outs, and urgent needs in place.
Section 6: Belonging + Cultural Safety Prompts (for Black women)
These prompts help you assess lived reality and day-to-day respect without sensationalizing anything.
Black women report being listened to and taken seriously in clinical settings.
Dermatology/hair/skin support is accessible for health-related needs.
I can comfortably access housing, pharmacies, and care without frequent bias incidents.
I can be “ordinary” here (not hyper-visible, not isolated, not constantly on guard).
Section 7: My Emergency Card (fill-in)
Print this section and keep one copy in your wallet and one in your home.
Name:
Conditions:
Allergies:
Medications:
Emergency contact: Phone:
Preferred hospital:
Backup hospital:
Local emergency number:
Insurance/coverage notes: