Travel Medicine

Preparing For International Travel

Going to Brazil? Jamaica? Japan? South Africa? Australia? Whether you are vacationing, working, volunteering, or living abroad, you should be prepared for possible illnesses and diseases that occur in other regions or countries.

At SSM Health, our travel medicine specialists can help you learn how to avoid certain risk factors, how to best manage any pre-existing conditions, and what precautions need to be taken before you begin your journey. Talk to your primary care provider to learn more or contact an travel medicine specialist today. 

Who Should Receive Travel Medicine Services

People who benefit from our travel medicine services include:

• All international travelers
• Cruise and adventure travelers
• Peace Corps members
• Disaster relief volunteers and staff
• Foreign-born nationals
• Missionaries and missions volunteers
• Students and school travel groups
• Military and reserve personnel
• Expectant women and children
• People with disabilities or health conditions, who plan to travel

Travel Medicine Services

Travel medicine is more than just immunizations, although it is the place to go for those necessary shots. Our expert travel medicine staff advise on travel health concerns, so you know what to expect during your trip.

At your appointment, you'll also receive the most current destination-specific recommendations from multiple resources, including updates about disease outbreak information, CDC guidelines and US State Department travel advisories. Our services include:

• Pre-trip health and safety counseling
• Country-specific information regarding disease risk and travel advisories/warnings
• Vaccinations
  • Hepatitis A & B
  • Typhoid
  • Yellow Fever
  • Meningococcal
  • Rabies
  • Japanese B Encephalitis
  • Influenza
  • Routine immunizations
• Travel-related prescriptions
  • Malaria Prophylaxis
  • Travelers' Diarrhea
  • Altitude Illness
  • Motion Sickness
• Safety information for disaster relief volunteers deployed overseas or to affected regions in the United States
• Post-trip health evaluations

Plan Ahead for Appointments

Some immunizations require several weeks prior to travel for full effectiveness, so try to make an appointment six to eight weeks before you leave. If you've missed that timeline, it's still a good idea to make an appointment before your trip.

• Bring your immunization records to the appointment, if available.
• Bring your trip itinerary with you if possible, so that we can make the most appropriate recommendations.

The consultation visit usually lasts 30-60 minutes depending on the number and types of vaccines that a patient receives.