Treatment in Turkey during the coronavirus pandemic: everything foreign patients need to know

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkey remains a priority destination for medical tourism. The country’s clinics are open to international patients, the cost of diagnostics and treatment is about 30% lower than in European hospitals. These are well-known facts, but we, like millions of other patients, became interested in how Turkish hospitals work during a pandemic. How safe is it now to undergo medical treatment abroad or is it better to delay travel until more favorable times? In this article, we will look at topical issues about treatment in Turkey using the example of one of the most popular clinics.

First-hand information

Those who directly communicate with patients and foreign doctors can objectively assess the current situation with Turkish medical tourism. Therefore, the coordinating doctors of MedTour went to Turkey to personally sort out all the issues.

Konstantin: «We have received an official proposal from the Liv Istinye clinic – to get to know the hospital itself and its internal processes. In general, I have long wanted to know what stages in reality patients go through upon arrival at the clinic. Is there a queue for doctors? How long does it take to diagnose? Is it real that any procedures, both diagnostic and treatment, can be done in one building? How do coordinators and translators work at the clinic? What equipment is presented there and much more.

Immediately a short disclaimer: 2 days before traveling to Turkey, you must arrange a HES code on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Health.

I think it is worth starting from the beginning: upon arrival, the clinic’s car was already waiting for us. The hospital provides transfers free of charge (as well as the services of translator / coordinator). In reality, these costs are already included in the cost of treatment, but it is still 1,5 times cheaper than in South Korea, Germany or Israel.

Upon arrival at the clinic, we were escorted to the international department (all foreign patients undergo this procedure to register in the clinic system). If the patients arrive at the hospital immediately from the airport, they can leave suitcases and other personal belongings there, and without wasting time go to a consultation with a doctor. It’s comfortable. Thanks to this approach, you can prepare for the diagnosis the next day, more accurately understand the tactics of treatment and future material costs.»

What is your impression of the clinic and meeting Liv’s staff?

Igor: «We were pleasantly surprised by the professionalism and coordination of the clinic’s work. The mechanism for processing calls, transmitting them to doctors and preparing programs for patients works like a Swiss clock. We also got acquainted with what the patient’s path looks like from the moment of arrival at the Istanbul airport until the end of the treatment. I can confidently say that by sending our patients to Liv Istinye, I will not worry about the quality of service and medical help.

Each coordinator of the clinic is fluent in at least two foreign languages ​​and provides support for each patient in all matters.»

How safe do you think it is now to fly to Turkey for treatment? Are clinics (for example, Liv Istinye) able to provide patients with protection from coronavirus infection?

Konstantin: «The process of anti-coronavirus measures begins long before arriving at the clinic. All passengers traveling to Turkey must have one of three documents: a certificate of full vaccination (the second dose must be received 14 days before the trip), a negative PCR test for covid (an antigen test is also suitable for a flight, but during hospitalization, you will still need to do PCR), or a certificate of recovery from coronavirus infection (it is valid for six months). Thus, the border is open for those who have either acquired immunity, or 100% have not been diagnosed with infection.

In all clinics and hotels in Turkey disinfectants and antiseptics are installed at every step. Almost all doors are automatic. All surfaces are regularly cleaned with special solutions. Yes, Turkey in general, and Liv Istinye clinic in particular, provide full protection. Igor and I returned home completely healthy and in a good mood.»

What surprised you at the Liv Istinye clinic?

Igor: «I was impressed by the novelty of this clinic. The hospital was built in 2016, but everything looks perfect: the renovation of the premises, the latest equipment is everywhere, chambers with a high level of comfort, an excellent dining room… There are escalators between floors, which is very convenient for visitors and medical staff.

I was surprised by the teamwork coordination. The clinic quickly processes requests from patients and all information is promptly sent to the doctors. This is a great advantage, since in many other foreign hospitals, coordinators at their discretion can assign patients, and in Liv Istinye doctors personally familiarize themselves with all requests. Thus, foreign patients quickly receive a response from the clinic and an online consultation of the specialist they need.

I got a positive impression from talking to doctors. We met such outstanding specialists as Baran Yilmaz (neurosurgeon) and Tahsin Ozatli (oncologist). They answered all our questions and showed a high level of competence.

We were invited to the operating room to see how the neurosurgical operation was going. The team of doctors very efficiently performed the surgical treatment of herniated discs through the anterior approach (which is a unique approach). The whole procedure took 1 hour, which is incredibly fast for such an operation.»

About Liv Istinye clinic in Istanbul

Liv Hospital is a large network of multidisciplinary clinics in Turkey. Liv Istinye is one of the affiliates of this network.

Liv is an acronym for «Leading International Vision», which reflects the progressive vision of the clinic in matters of medicine and patient care at a high level.

Liv Istinier is a university hospital. The clinic combines the experience and modern equipment of the Liv Hospital medical center and the research activities of the university. Thanks to this, the hospital’s specialists take on the most difficult cases and treat those patients who have been abandoned by doctors in their home country.

Liv’s Istinye doctors specialize in providing the following types of medical care:

• Treatment of all types of cancer;
• Neurosurgical operations of any complexity;
• Liver and kidney transplantation in adults and children;
• DBS (deep brain stimulation) and other modern methods of therapy for neurological pathologies.

At Liv Istinye University Hospital patients have access to the most innovative therapy options and cutting-edge surgical technologies. Liv’s doctors have access to all cancer therapy drugs used by Europe’s leading oncologists. Surgeons perform laparoscopic operations so that patients recover and return to normal life much faster.

The main advantage of Liv Istinye University Hospital is a personal approach to each patient. MedTour coordinators were able to make sure that the clinic has everything to provide medical care to patients with various pathologies. With state-of-the-art diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical equipment Liv’s doctors can cope with any disease. At the same time, the necessary measures have been implemented in Liv to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

MedTour coordinators visiting Liv Istinye

Conclusions on the safety and feasibility of treatment in Turkey during a pandemic

Traveling to Istanbul in November 2021 gives a very clear picture that Turkey provides safety for medical tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees of the airport, transfer services, clinics and other institutions follow all WHO recommendations regarding safety and quarantine measures. Despite the fact that the country was not closed to tourism, it has one of the lowest rates of coronavirus infection in the world.

The Turkish government has been funding the development of medicine in its country for decades. Therefore, public and private hospitals are not inferior in the quality of medical care to clinics in Israel, the United States and Europe.

A visit by MedTour coordinators to Liv Istinye Hospital is a valuable experience that gives an idea of ​​how the patient goes from the moment of contacting the company, arriving in the country, and until the completion of treatment.

Key benefits of seeking medical care in Turkey through MedTour include:

• The coordinators quickly receive a response from the international department of Turkish clinics. Therefore, the patient can find out all the questions of interest on his problem in the shortest possible time.
• The coordinating doctors of MedTour learned all the details about the internal processes of Turkish clinics, which makes their online consultations more professional and understandable for patients.
• Visiting clinics is safe even during a pandemic. In Turkey as a whole, as in Liv Hospital itself, all standards for ensuring the safety of doctors and patients are strictly adhered to.
• The opportunity to receive a wide range of medical services on the territory of one medical complex. Patients can undergo full diagnostics, surgical and medical treatment without moving to other clinics and laboratories.

If you want to undergo diagnostics and treatment in a Turkish hospital, leave a request on the MedTour website. The coordinating doctor will answer you as soon as possible and help to choose a doctor and a hospital.