In its simplest form, the term medical tourism refers to the freedom to travel in order to receive medical treatment.
Medical tourism exists because it provides patients with the much needed equality, and an opportunity to access better health care for less. It is a demand driven industry that fixes some of the challenges caused by broken health systems which we all encounter at some stage of our lives.
We have put together a high quality, research based destination analysis about the pros and cons of medical tourism in Turkey. What are the highlights of medical tourism in Turkey? What are Turkish surgeons best at? What type of treatments offer the highest price/performance ratio? What is the best strategy to follow when choosing your medical clinic in Turkey?
As we answer all of these questions, you will have a better understanding about what medical tourism can offer you, and more importantly, if it’s for you.
What Is Medical Tourism and How Does It Work?
Medical tourism is a healthcare excursion in which the patient travels to another country to receive a higher quality medical and/or cosmetic attention while paying a lesser amount, compared to their country of residence.
Depending on the type of procedure, a medical tourist may also combine their trip with vacation time in a single trip. But even if they don’t, it still falls under medical tourism due to their main travel purpose.
Medical tourism includes any type of medical or cosmetic intervention from a breast augmentation to fancy hollywood smile makeover, as long as the patient travels to another country for it.
In a simplified way, the process starts like this: Once the patient has decided on their destination, they contact the medical facility and set up an online appointment for assessment and details.
It is similar to planning a regular trip but when you travel for medical or dental work, you should pack your medical history along with your travel essentials. In an ideal scenario, you get your treatment from the hands of skilled doctors and fly back home feeling your best.
When Did Medical Tourism Get Popular In Turkey?
Turkey did not suddenly emerge as a trademark medical tourism destination. There were decades and layers of skill-building, and medical infrastructure behind the scenes.
In the past, traveling to Cuba for lung cancer treatment or to India to get a kidney transplant were the only examples of medical tourism. Things have since changed a lot.
Medical tourism today offers arbitrage opportunities for all of what it did back then and much more.
Turkey’s recognition as an important player in medical tourism has a long standing history. The country was one of the first and most successful in correcting eyesight when the first generation of lasik operations started in the early 2000s.
For as low as US$ 700, people in Turkey were among the first in the globe to get both eyes corrected with this new method and technology. The success of lasik surgeries in Turkey back then, soon became very desirable by the rest of the world. The country started receiving an influx of medical tourists. With more airlines and more flights available, the ease of travel contributed to fast and affordable access to treatments that used to be for the privileged.
In the years to follow, Turkish Airlines became the top carrier that has the largest number of direct flights between Istanbul and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Turkey’s lasik success continued with dental work, cosmetic surgeries, and hair transplants.
What Are The Reasons Why Turkey Has Become The Leader Of Medical Tourism?
First and foremost, Turkey’s leadership is backed by statistics and medical tourism market trends reports.
The Medical Tourism environment in Turkey is fueled by a variety of compelling factors, including top-notch healthcare services offered at affordable rates, its strategic location near Europe and the Middle East, and a vibrant cultural and historical landscape that draws tourists who seek both medical care and an enriching, welcoming travel experience.
The country offers an extensive array of medical services, ranging from cosmetic procedures to advanced treatments in areas such as fertility, making it an attractive destination for those in need of specialized care.
Here’s why the country is considered as the gold standard in certain medical treatments:
Demand
The state of the thriving medical tourism in Turkey and the growing number of private clinics come as a direct result of rising global demand. The country draws people wishing to enhance their natural appearance and it’s all based on the trust, rapport, and results Turkey has been cultivating for decades.
Top Quality Medical School and Facilities
Turkey has made significant investments in developing highly skilled medical professionals, with students in their final year often surpassing the expertise of many seasoned doctors worldwide. Many of these talented professionals go on to become expert surgeons, driving the success and rapid growth of the country’s medical tourism industry.
Highest Quality Care
Turkey is home to exceptional medical professionals and well-equipped clinics. The country specializes in blending world-class healthcare with its renowned Turkish hospitality, delivering a seamless and welcoming experience for medical tourists. The compassion of Turkish nurses and doctors cannot be bought with money, and it is an important component of healthcare.
Value Proposition
The affordability of medical treatments in Turkey is sure to delight your wallet. While not the sole driving factor, the value patients get for their money certainly adds to the country’s appeal as a leading destination for medical tourism. Despite its accumulated expertise, Turkey has opted not to raise the prices of cosmetic surgeries, maintaining its competitive edge and accessibility for international patients.
The All-inclusive Concept
You may not be aware that all-inclusive hotels aren’t the only service in tourism offered by Turkey. The country is highly organized among its networks and offers all that you need as a medical tourist in a single, thought through package.
Accessibility
Istanbul is one of the most accessible cities in the world with the highest number of direct flights operated by Turkish Airlines among other carriers.
People naturally find it convenient and easy to jump on a flight, knowing that all details from transfers to accommodation will be taken care of. This is important since 100% of visitors would like to know the final cost of their treatment and Turkish clinics seem to have found the perfect solution to prevent surprise bills. It is remarkable how patient-centric the whole sector in Turkey is.
Based on all of these solid reasons, Turkey is a leader in the medical tourism arena with top-tier care, high value proposition, and an unmatched level of patient care.
What Are The Most Common Medical Procedures in Turkey?
The country is equally successful and in demand in all of the medical procedures listed below. Some think that Turkey mostly does hair transplants but this is because hair transplant patients are easy to spot at the airport whereas dental work or liposuction patients’ appearance won’t scream about an aesthetic procedure.
Dental work:
From high-tech fillings to teeth whitening, implants, and Hollywood smile, ultra-modern dental clinics in Turkey provide exquisite results for a reasonable cost. Most Europeans have their dentist in Turkey, especially those who regularly come to soak up the sun for vacation. In case it never occurred to you to book a dental appointment during your visit to Turkey, we drop the hint here.
Hair Transplant:
Turkey’s dominance in providing the best value in high quality hair transplants is backed by industry reports and patient feedback. Individuals from all over the world frequent clinics in Istanbul to change their lives forever.
Breast augmentation and breast lift:
A practical necessity rather than a trend, both breast augmentation and breast lift surgeries are among the most performed in Turkey with half of the patients traveling from abroad.
Liposuction:
Liposuction is another very popular procedure performed in Turkey. It provides patients with a much more balanced weight regimen, and Turkish surgeons deliver exceptional results.
Eyelid surgery:
Defined eyes are timeless and eyelid surgeries are among the most requested in Turkey as a simple intervention against gravity.
Rhinoplasty:
Skill and artistry are some of the strengths of Turkish surgeons. When it comes to reshaping the nose, their talent is unmatched with natural results and satisfied patients.
What Types Of Medical Tourism Packages Are Available In Turkey?
Like in most travel packages, you’ll see that reputable clinics in Turkey can get your foot in the door for a fraction of what you would pay if you book everything separately.
When you add the cost of your desired surgery, car rental, accommodation, translation services, pre-surgery consultations, post-surgery medications, and other expenses together, opting for an all-inclusive package just makes sense.
In most cases, when you decide on an all-in package offered by a trusted provider, from the moment you arrive at Istanbul airport to the moment of your departure, everything is taken care of.
What Other Countries Compete With Turkey?
The conscious medical tourist travels to where they are treated best in every way. Due to vast geographical and cultural differences and different levels of expertise, it would be wrong to put all countries listed below in the same basket.
Since the aim here is to help patients make an informed decision, let’s touch base on some of the close competitors of Turkey when it comes to providing excellence in medical tourism.
Thailand
Pros: Ease of travel if you live in SEA, Australia, or New Zealand. Somewhat experienced in cosmetic surgeries.
Cons: Cosmetic surgeries cost way more expensive than in Turkey. There’s a high risk of infection due to the hot and humid climate.
Mexico
Pros: Close proximity and frequent flights for those residing in the US or Canada. The level of expertise stands behind Turkey but beyond most other nations.
Cons: Make sure you understand Latino beauty standards and if they match your idea of an enhanced appearance.
India
Pros: If you like the charm of this beautiful country, spicy food, and a little chaos, India is for you. There are some clinics that stand out from the rest but it’s a vast ocean out there so make sure to do proper research about your chosen facility.
Cons: Far from Europe and the Americas. High risk of climate related infection and mosquito born diseases. Poor sanitation in daily life.
Colombia
Pros: Ease of travel for those residing in Central and South America. Good level of expertise in cosmetic surgeries.
Cons: Similar to Mexico, Colombians have their own perception of beauty so make sure to communicate your expectations to the dot.
Korea
Pros: The Korean beauty industry has suddenly taken the world by storm. There are certain specialty operations that are performed successfully in Korea and others that aren’t that much of the country’s highlights.
Cons: Far from Europe and the Americas. Flights are costly and so are accommodation, food, and living expenses in general.
Is Medical Tourism Safe?
Medical tourism, like regular tourism, is perfectly safe when you make the right choices about the clinic, health professionals and the right destination.
Reasoning, researching and checking credentials help international patients to take the right decision for a seamless journey.
The clinic you chose must tick all the boxes in terms of accessibility, affordability, success rates, patient care, reviews, credibility, and evidence of previous satisfied patients.
What are the potential disadvantages of medical tourism?
The patient’s duty is to find a trusted agent or clinic to provide them with their desired procedure in the highest quality and value. It is up to the patient to make sure that there’s no room for malpractice, by doing throughout research. While the cost of any given medical or aesthetic procedure in Turkey is less than that of Europe and USA, incredible deals should be avoided.
In summary, the following are the natural disadvantages of medical tourism;
How To Pick The Medical Tourism Company?
This can be explained in 3 simple words: Do Your Research.
Also, following these simple rules helps patients to make better decisions:
What Are The Best Medical Tourism Companies In Turkey?
Let’s start with the definition of a medical tourism company. There are numerous commission based brokers who work in connection with certain aesthetic clinics. Some of these brokers may be licensed professionals with an actual registered business so they will fall into the category of a medical tourism company.
The second category are the medical clinics. In Turkey, top clinics work with a selected network of stakeholders and talent. They are highly organized in offering comprehensive packages directly to their patients.
Patients traveling from abroad should ideally manage their risk by avoiding adventure from the very beginning.
For the informed medical traveler, one of the most reputed clinics in Istanbul is Heva Clinic. The skilled, licensed, and internationally recognized surgeons at HEVA offer the best available medical care and guaranteed results.
Among the specialty aesthetic treatments Heva Clinic offers are hair transplants, dentistry, breast lift, rhinoplasty, and liposuction. Medical tourism activities of the clinic are registered and audited by the Ministry of Tourism as well as the Ministry of Health. This means that Heva Clinic is in possession of the necessary licenses and experience to plan your journey.
Heva Clinic’s number one principle is transparency and the clinic offers a complementary online consultation to answer the questions of international patients.
