Turkey’s medical tourism offers high quality facilities for medical, spas, thermal and wellness services and adds five-star hotel accommodation into the package. Turkey has become a premier choice destination for medical tourists from European countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Germany, England, Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria and recently medical tourists from Middle Eastern and Arab countries visit the country as well.
Turkey is currently seeking to join the European Union and is set to receive membership by 2014. In preparation for this, both government and private healthcare institutions are conducting strict implementation of quality, technical and medical standards. These factors are constantly monitored by independent watchdogs set by the Ministry of Health. The MOH, together with an Independent Turkish Medical Associations sets the local standards and guidelines that are followed by hospitals, healthcare facilities and medical practitioners.
The Turkish Ministry of Health owns and operates roundly 55% of Turkey’s more than 1200 hospitals. The rest are owned by universities, private companies and foreign entities. Many hospitals have local and international accreditation including the JCI (Joint Commissions International), the JACHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations), ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and affiliations with Western medical groups and facilities.
Most hospitals in Turkey have English-speaking doctors and medical staff that are certified by the Turkish Medical Association as well as being members of organizations according to their specializations, including the Turkish Dental Association, Turkish Gynecologist and Obstetric Association, Turkish Orthopedic and Traumatology Association, Turkish Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Society, Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery along with other specialized associations.
Medical Tourism in Turkey : Hospitals and Health institutes
Turkey hosts more than 30 medical facilities that are accredited by the Joint Commission International. This is the largest number for accreditation that any country has ever achieved. Some hospitals are affiliated with top US medical providers such as the Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins Medicine, amongst others.
Hospitals contributing to medical tourism in Turkey are equipped with the latest medical technologies and have board-certified staff, with over 35% of physicians trained in the Western countries.
Common Treatments received by Medical Tourists in Turkey
Turkey has been known for its excellent thermal spa resorts for generations, some of which have been in existence since the time of the Romans. In modern times, the hospitals and healthcare facilities in Turkey offer a wide spectrum of procedures and services for medical tourists, which include but are not limited to the following medical subbranches :
Plastic Surgery
Fertility and Sterility
General and Aesthetic Dentistry
Beauty Centers
Eye Health
Obesity and Bariatric Surgery
Renal Dialysis
Stem Cell Transplantations
Sleep Disorders
Psoriasis Treatment
Physiotherapy
Oxygen Therapy
Medical Treatment in Turkey : How much doe medical procedures cost ?
Cost comparisons of medical procedures in Turkey and equivalent procedures in the United Kingdom reveal the advantages bluntly:
Turkey : Haven for medical tourism ?
Located in a strategic area that borders Asia and Europe, Turkey is fast becoming a popular destination for medical tourism. Figures reveal, that more than 850,000 medical tourists from Europe and the Middle East arrived in 2011, representing a 40% increase from 2010.
A 2007 study on health tourism, the British rated Turkey as one of the top three destinations for medical tourism, with India and Hungary sharing the top spot for medical tourists.