Treatment in the Czech Republic: everything a medical tourist needs to know

The level of medical services in the Czech Republic is so high that residents of the country do not need the help of foreign doctors. The country leads in Europe in the number of joint replacement surgeries performed. The Czech Republic has developed networks of clinics that provide patients not only with modern treatment, but also with professional rehabilitation in all medical areas. In this article we will look at all the advantages of treatment in the Czech Republic and the features of service for medical tourists.

At the time of writing this article, in August 2021, the European Commission decided on the mutual recognition of digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued to residents of Ukraine and the EU. The certificate can be obtained in the Diia application for those citizens who have completed the full course of vaccination. The Ukrainian digital COVID certificate allows patients to undergo treatment in clinics in EU countries, including the Czech Republic.

The most developed medical areas in the Czech Republic

Treatment and rehabilitation of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system in children and adults is one of the most developed areas in the Czech Republic. Thanks to the extensive clinical experience of doctors and the reasonable cost of endoprostheses, the Czech Republic is a leader in Europe in performing joint replacement surgeries. In addition, the effectiveness of scoliosis treatment in this country is more than 85%. For comparison, in Israel and Germany this figure does not exceed 70%.

Thanks to robotic technologies, any operations using the Da Vinci robot and laparoscopic interventions are available in clinics in the Czech Republic. Many years of experience of doctors working with such equipment allows surgeons to carry out low-traumatic treatment of pathologies of any complexity. This approach is widely used to remove benign and malignant tumors. Modern methods of surgical treatment of oncological diseases in combination with modern therapy make the Czech Republic the most attractive for medical tourists from the CIS.

There are medical centers in the Czech Republic that provide surgical treatment for obesity. Highly qualified doctors and reasonable prices for procedures have brought this medical service to a high level. Patients with excess weight and associated pathologies can undergo a comprehensive examination and treatment in accordance with international standards. Bariatric specialists in the Czech Republic take on even the most complex cases.

Among the wide range of surgical interventions, plastic surgery also occupies a special place. Plastic surgery specialists perform all types of operations to correct appearance: mammoplasty (breast reduction or enlargement), rhinoplasty (apnea treatment, changing the shape of the nose) and a number of other procedures.

Popular clinics in the Czech Republic

Motol University Hospital, Prague

One of the most popular medical institutions in the Czech Republic is the Motol University Hospital. This is the largest medical complex in the Czech Republic. The technical equipment of the hospital allows employees to conduct scientific research, testing and introduce new technologies for diagnosing and treating patients.

Foreign patients most often choose Motol clinic for the following areas:

• Neurosurgery;
• Oncology;
• Orthopedics.

Interesting facts about the Motol clinic:

• The success rate of cancer treatment is 78%. This is the highest figure in the Czech Republic.
• The success rate of neurosurgical operations is 89%. Every year more than 1,500 surgical interventions are performed here for children and adults.
• After orthopedic surgery, patients undergo physical therapy and rehabilitation. The department cooperates with the sports medicine center.
• Prices in the hospital are 50% lower than in similar multidisciplinary clinics in Austria and Germany.

St. Zdislava Hospital, Velke Mezirici

The St. Zdislava Clinic is one of the largest centers in Europe that specializes in robotic and complex orthopedic surgery.

The hospital leads in the number of robotic operations in the Czech Republic. Every year, more than 1,000 interventions are performed at the St. Zdislava Hospital using the Da Vinci robot. Of these, about 500 are for prostate removal and 350 for stomach reduction.

Medical tourists most often turn to specialists at St. Zdislava Hospital for the following questions:

• Bariatrics and obesity treatment;
• Endoprosthetics (joint replacement);
• Robotic prostatectomy (prostate cancer surgery).

Interesting facts about St. Zdislava Hospital:

• Doctors at the clinic use endoprostheses from global brands Jonson&Jonson, Mathys, Zimmer and Biomed. Doctors select an implant during surgery, taking into account the anatomical features of the patient.
• After robotic removal of the prostate, 95 out of 100 patients retain urinary function and erection.
• The cost of operations in the clinic is lower than in hospitals in Germany and Spain with a similar quality of service.
• The clinic provides patients with a full range of services: meeting at the airport, diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation, ward accommodation, individual meals. There are no additional costs after arrival. Payment is made at the clinic cash desk before hospitalization in cash or by credit card.

Malvazinky Hospital, Prague

The Malvazinky Rehabilitation Clinic is a highly specialized medical center that performs orthopedic surgeries and rehabilitation. Every year, more than 1,200 patients come to Malvazinky for knee and hip replacements. The clinic offers a package of services, which includes not only diagnosis and treatment, but also individual rehabilitation.

Most often, patients at the Malvazinky Hospital contact the clinic for the following questions:

• Surgical treatment of scoliosis;
• Joint replacement;
• Correction of flat feet;
• Rehabilitation for people with musculoskeletal pathologies.

Interesting facts about Malvazinky Hospital:

• The success rate of endoprosthetics operations is 95%.
• Professional athletes from the Czech Republic undergo treatment and rehabilitation at the clinic.
• The hospital is equipped with rehabilitation pools and a fitness center to restore musculoskeletal functions. In the occupational therapy department, specialists help patients regain fine motor skills and restore cognitive functions. Additionally, a speech therapist and psychotherapist work with patients.

Forme Clinic, Prague

Forme Clinic is a premium, highly specialized medical facility. The hospital’s doctors specialize in performing plastic surgery to correct appearance. Patients from the USA and Western Europe often come to the Forme Clinic.

The most popular services in Forme Clinic:

• Rhinoplasty (nose correction);
• Blepharoplasty (changes in eye shape);
• Breast augmentation;
• Abdominoplasty (abdominal correction);
• Brazilian butt lift (BBL).

Interesting facts about the Forme clinic:

• Doctors perform unique combined operations – several procedures are performed on the patient at the same time. This allows patients to improve their appearance in one operation and saves time.
• Surgeons increase breast size using silicone implants, the patient’s own fat tissue, or a combination of these 2 methods.
• The clinic’s specialists not only perform liposuction of the body, but also, if the patient wishes, they can reduce the volume in certain areas of the face (cheeks, chin, neck).
• Prices for services are based on the all inclusive principle. Aesthetic procedure, anesthesia, accommodation, meals, post-operative care and transfer are included in the price.

What are the advantages of treatment in the Czech Republic for foreigners?

The Czech Republic is one of the countries with a high level of medical service. Most Czech hospitals have their own international departments. This allows foreign patients to arrange a meeting with a doctor in a timely manner and begin treatment immediately.

Medicine in the Czech Republic has received worldwide recognition because it meets all standards. According to the International Medical Tourism Journal (IMTJ), the country took an honorable 16th place in the ranking of the best destinations (a total of 46 countries in the ranking) for the period 2020-2021. Clinics in the Czech Republic are on a par with first-class European and American medical institutions.

Unlike hospitals in the CIS countries, surgical departments of clinics in the Czech Republic are equipped with the latest generation equipment. Doctors have long-term clinical experience working with robotic systems. Using this technique, they perform operations to remove tumors, intervertebral hernias, cysts and individual segments of affected organs.

Based on reviews from medical tourists, the following advantages can be identified:

• Treatment in the Czech Republic can be cheaper than at your place of residence. This is due to the fact that procedures that are just beginning to be carried out in the CIS are already routine in Czech hospitals. Therefore, prices in clinics in the Czech Republic will be significantly lower. This is also true for new drugs that have not yet been registered in the CIS. It is safer and cheaper to buy innovative medicines abroad.
• Treatment approaches. For example, a patient is prescribed radiotherapy for oncology. The latest generation installations in the Czech Republic allow doctors to carry out irradiation with an accuracy of 0.5 mm within 10-15 minutes. Side effects are minimal. For comparison, the error of radiotherapy on old installations, which are used in oncology centers in the CIS, is several centimeters, and the session lasts about 60 minutes. As a result, the patient experiences side effects.
• Availability of new treatment methods. Patients often choose treatment in the Czech Republic because they cannot receive quality medical care at their place of residence. Hospitals in the Czech Republic use modern treatment protocols that cannot be implemented within medical institutions in the CIS.
• Comprehensive solutions for treatment and rehabilitation. Thanks to natural resources and the developed area of medical and preventive sanatoriums, patients can go through all stages of treatment – from diagnosis to rehabilitation after treatment. This is especially true for patients with cardiovascular pathologies, joint diseases, obesity and cancer diagnoses.

To learn more about sanatorium treatment and rehabilitation in the Czech Republic, leave a request on the MedTour website. The coordinating doctor will help you choose an institution where you can undergo rehabilitation according to the profile of the disease.

Cost of medical services in Czech clinics

By EU standards, funding for government institutions is small, but the equipment of hospitals and the quality of medical services are significantly higher than in hospitals in the CIS. Prices for treatment in the Czech Republic are moderate, since the cost of working for doctors in this country is relatively low.

The formation of the final cost will be influenced by the entire range of diagnostic measures and treatment methods. If the patient requires rehabilitation, the length of stay in the clinic increases, as does the payment for the range of services.

Examples of the cost of medical procedures in clinics in the Czech Republic:

• Hip replacement – from €8,000;
• Arthroscopy – from €4,000;
• Breast augmentation surgery – from €3,500;
• Liposuction – from €1,500;
• Eyelid blepharoplasty – from €700.

What allows the patient to save money?

The availability of medical services is combined with the absence of unnecessary prescriptions of drugs, which significantly reduces the cost of treatment.

No additional costs for a translator are required. An extract with the results of treatment is given to the patient in Czech and Russian.

Conditions for entry into the Czech Republic for Ukrainian patients and other citizens of CIS countries

Previously (since February 5, 2021), the rule was in force: all foreigners arriving in the Czech Republic from CIS countries must spend 5 days in quarantine. After five days of isolation, foreigners take a PCR test.

To find out the current conditions for medical tourists who want to come to the Czech Republic for treatment, leave a message on the MedTour website. The coordinating doctor will inform you of all the requirements that must be met upon arrival in the country.