Turkey has established itself as a medical tourism powerhouse, but what is the treatment in Turkey and what medical treatments does Turkey offer that have made it such a force among European and Arab countries?
Turkey is undeniably a medical tourism country in the Middle East. Turkey has invested a huge amount of money in the industry and not only that, but it has also made many facilitating reforms in the visa waiver department. This includes the special medical visa, which gives a 25 percent discount on Turkish Airlines tickets, as well as many other discount cases in hospitals and hotels throughout the country.
In conjunction with each other, these measures and investments have made Turkey not only the strongest medical tourist country in its region but also one of the most flourishing medical tourism destinations in the world.
After all this, investments, regulations, and cash discounts are not the only factors that have led Turkey to the top of the medical tourism pyramid. The puzzle and importance also lie in the global medical procedures that Turkish doctors excel at. We will discuss here the best medical treatments in Turkey, which have led to international fame in this industry within the country.
Best Treatments in Turkey Ophthalmology
As of 2020, Turkey performs a high volume of eye surgeries compared to any other country in the world. A disproportionately large number of these eye surgeries are performed for medical tourists and many foreign tourists. All of this is due to Turkey's success in eye operations, which is directly related to the surgeon's personal experience, as eye surgery is considered one of the most difficult and complex surgeries among all available medical branches.
Therefore, the Turkish experience in ophthalmology and its surgery is a unique selling point in the medical tourism sector; a sale that requires at least a generation of educational time and investment to acquire and rare resignation in the world. Eye surgery, in particular, is one of the most successful and marketable areas of Turkish medical tourism and is also the most popular.
Another factor that has made the country a hub for international patients to receive eye surgery is the incredibly low cost of ophthalmic treatments compared to other countries.
For example, the cost of LASIK surgery mentioned above ranges between $1,200 and $1,600 in Turkey, while it costs nearly ten times that in Europe and the United States. All of this, with the availability of a complementary relationship between high quality and low costs, makes Turkey one of the best destinations for eye patients and their surgery.
Cardiovascular Treatments
In the 1970s, if you were a Turkish citizen with heart or coronary artery issues, there was no center in Turkey for treating these types of diseases. Your best option was to seek treatment in Greece or another European country.
However, today, all that has changed. Not only are all heart patients within Turkey treated in medical centers throughout the country, but these treatments now serve as a major medical selling point for Turkey in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and around the world.
While Turkey is generally a very affordable country for medical tourism, it is a hidden treasure for heart and cardiovascular patients. As the medical tourism industry within Turkey grows, the rates for a wide range of treatments have become much lower compared to Europe and the United States.
This is particularly true in the field of heart and cardiovascular treatments, where Turkey is cheaper than competitors such as Europe and the United States.
For example, a standard angiography procedure costs $13,000 in Singapore, $11,000 in India, and $10,000 in Thailand; while Turkey performs the exact same procedure for just $5,000. Istanbul, in particular, is one of the most sought-after centers for heart and vascular treatments throughout Eurasia, with Levent Hospital and Memorial Şişli Hospital being particularly renowned for their precision in treatment and both ranking among the top 30 heart hospitals in the world.
Hair Transplantation at Plaza Clinic
Hair transplantation is also a popular treatment in Turkey. At this point in time, when talking about Turkey, the topic of hair transplantation inevitably comes up. Turkey is not only considered the world capital of hair transplantation, but it almost monopolizes the medical tourism market for hair transplant procedures and is considered one of the best treatments in Turkey. There are several advantages to seeking hair transplant services in Turkey.
Turkey performs hair transplant procedures at a cost 2-3 times lower than in European countries and even cheaper compared to some of its Asian competitors (such as South Korea and Thailand), and about 15 times less than the United States.
According to the latest data, the approximate cost of a hair transplant in Turkey is $1,600; while it costs $3,600 in South Korea, $3,900 in Thailand, and between $4,000 and $9,000 in Europe. In the United States, the price can go up to $15,000.
Turkish clinics often guarantee a significantly high success rate, often providing procedures with a 98% success rate.
Therefore, Turkey is an important center for this type of operation, for several reasons including the high success rate, the availability of specialized and experienced doctors, the cost compared to other countries, and the fact that it is also a very beautiful tourist country.