Exotic Turkey

Located on the Mediterranean, Turkey has, over many years, developed an unrivalled reputation for being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.  Nearly 20 million tourists traveled to Turkey in 2006, making it a top 10 travel destination in the world.  The mention of the country conjures up images of a dream like coastline, exotic shops, colossal palaces, and beautifully architected mosques.  Turkish people are known for their warm hospitality and exotic cuisines.

Istanbul is the capital city of Turkey.  This city is famous not only for its history and heritage, but also for the world class medical facilities it houses.  With the continent of Europe in close proximity, Turkey has developed a reputation for being one of the many upcoming medical tourism destinations of the world.  Apart from being inexpensive, patients opt for this destination to avoid long lines for scheduling medical procedures in other countries.  

Medical facilities

Medical training in Turkey is modeled upon the training in countries like USA and its western counterparts.  All doctors are required to go through a couple of years of internships before they receive their certifications.  Most doctors have also received training abroad and are conversant with communicative English, making it relatively easy for foreign patients to receive treatments there.  With a culture of hospitality, it is not surprising, that the medical staff usually takes the trouble to personally look after patients.  Doctors and associated staff are attentive and make the overall experience very comfortable.

Turkey’s modern hospitals are superb and this is proven by the fact that they have 16 JCI accredited hospitals.  This is by far more than any other country in the world.  Many hospitals are also ISO 9001 Certified and offer 5 star facilities.  Anadolu Medical Hospital and Istanbul Hospital are two of the largest medical centers in Turkey, andthey provide world class treatments to patients from all over the world.  These hospitals are associated respectively, with prestigious American institutes like John Hopkins and Harvard Medical Center.  John Hopkins Hospital has been ranked the number one hospital in the U.S. for the past 17 years by the U.S. News.  Many other such hospitals in Turkey are considered to have the same high standards as that of European medical facilities.  

Medical services

Favorable exchange rates have made medical treatments comparatively inexpensive in Turkey.  In some cases, the cost of treatment is almost a fourth or even a tenth of what one is expected to pay in western countries.  Turkey provides a host of medical services ranging from dental care, cosmetic surgeries to more complex treatments, like heart surgeries.  With 16 JCI accredited hospitals, Turkey has some of the top doctors for almost any procedure.  Treatments can be scheduled almost immediately and save patients the frustration of having to schedule their surgeries much in advance like in the U.K., Canada and the U.S..  Flights from Europe and North America are cheaper and shorter than flying to Asia.  This country is also a great choice for post-op relaxation, thanks to the various traditional spas and baths in the country.