Where is Health Tourism Done?
Health Tourism is carried out in hospitals, institutions and organizations that comply with Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. Many countries of the world are creating facilities suitable for JCI accreditation with their investments in the field of health tourism. Many hospitals, institutions and organizations in Turkey that comply with JCI accreditation provide services in the field of health tourism. Health tourism is especially carried out in Istanbul, and in the cities of Izmir, Antalya, Ankara Aydın, Afyon, Bursa, Çanakkale, Kütahya, Manisa and Denizli. While medical tourism is carried out in some of these cities, thermal health tourism and health tourism for the elderly and disabled are carried out in some of them. We can examine the hospital institutions and organizations providing services in the field of health tourism in Turkey on a provincial basis.
Where is Istanbul Health Tourism Done?
Health tourism in Istanbul is mostly done in the medical health tourism category. Service is provided in hospitals equipped with advanced technology and specialist physicians. German Hospital, Acıbadem Hospital, Istanbul Hospital, Medicana Hospital, American Hospital, Hisar Intercontinental Hospital, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Yeditepe University Hospital, Medical Park Hospitals, Neuropsychiatry Hospital NP Istanbul, Sema Hospital provide medical health services, health tourism services for the elderly and disabled. are hospitals. Thermal health services are also offered in Istanbul Tuzla thermal springs.
Where is Ankara Health Tourism Done?
Although health tourism services are intense in Istanbul, there are also many health tourism institutions in the capital Ankara. There are 29 accredited hospitals, including Medicine Park Hospital, Ankara Güven Hospital and Anıt Hospital. Some of them are private hospitals, some are university and public hospitals. In addition, thermal health tourism is carried out in three thermal springs in Ankara.
Where is Izmir Health Tourism Done?
It is planned that 14 public hospitals, 3 university hospitals and 11 private hospitals in Izmir, one of the developing cities in the field of health tourism, will be made suitable for JCI accreditations and opened to health tourism. In addition, just as health tourism in Istanbul is developed in the field of medical health tourism, it is planned to develop Izmir in wellness and spa health tourism.
Where is Antalya Health Tourism done?
One of the most developing cities in the field of health tourism in Turkey is Antalya. There are 29 private hospitals, 28 public hospitals and 3 Training and Research Hospitals in Antalya. It is planned to open these hospitals to health tourism and turn the city into a center. Especially with its natural beauties and beaches, developments are being made in elderly health tourism and thermal health tourism.
Where is Thermal Health Tourism Done?
In the field of health tourism, promising thermal health tourism studies in Turkey continue in cities with many natural resources. Afyonkarahisar is the country's most developed city in thermal tourism. Ömer-Gecek Thermal Tourism Center, Sandıklı Hüdai Thermal Tourism Center, İhsaniye Gazlıgöl Thermal Spring, Bolvadin Heybeli Thermal Spring are the institutions that provide health tourism services. There are also institutions providing thermal health tourism services in the cities of Kayseri, Denizli, Yalova, Bursa, Malatya, Kocaeli, Ankara, Izmir, Aydın and Antalya.
Health Tourism Law
Health tourism law is a subject that can be addressed in terms of foreigners law, criminal law, administrative law, commercial law, law of obligations and legal disciplines. People should benefit from health services provided internationally by knowing their legal rights. There are legal regulations on international health tourism and the protection of tourist health. Legal disputes that may arise between the health tourist and the institution providing health services or the physician and the intermediary institution are examined within the framework of private international law.
For example, if the country from which health services are received is Turkey, within the scope of health tourism, the case is carried out within the framework of Turkey's legal rules, but the transaction is carried out within the framework of international private law rules. Health tourists may file a lawsuit for compensation against the hospital, physician and intermediary institution due to situations that violate the general rules of conduct (tort) or violate the contract. The compensation case is examined and decided within the framework of the relevant country's law and international private law rules.
Health Tourism Law in Turkey
Health tourism law is carried out in Turkey in accordance with the rules of "International Medical Law". In addition, since health tourism is a commercial issue, "International Commercial Law" rules are also used. A health tourist who comes to Turkey to benefit from health services from a foreign country can file a lawsuit against the hospital, physician, intermediary institution or even the Ministry of Health on the grounds that their legal responsibilities have not been fulfilled. The case filed is examined and decided within the framework of Turkish legal laws and international private law rules.
Since health tourism in Turkey started to show great development as of 2010, health tourism law was developed in parallel. Foreign nationals who come to Turkey to benefit from health services or who fall ill unplanned while on holiday in Turkey may file a legal, administrative and criminal lawsuit if they encounter unfair medical practices. The case is conducted and decided within the scope of the Regulation on International Health Tourism and Tourist Health in force in Turkey.
Health Tourism Legal Regulations in Turkey
Legislation, directives and regulations prepared within the scope of health tourism law have been published. Within the scope of the 11th Development Plan covering the years 2019-2023, it was decided to develop health tourism and move it to a more active position. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Ministry of Family and Social Affairs will carry out a coordinated study. The legal regulations prepared for health tourism in Turkey are as follows:
It is the implementation of the directive on "health tourism and tourist health", which came into force with the approval of the minister dated 23.07.2013 and numbered 25541.
The regulation on "international health tourism and tourist health", which came into force after being published in the Official Gazette dated 13.07.2013 and numbered 30123, will be valid.
Decree Law No. 663 on the organization and duties of the Ministry of Health and the organizations affiliated to the Ministry is essential.
With the private hospitals regulation, which came into force after being published in the Official Gazette dated 27.03.2002 and numbered 24708, the services that private institutions and organizations must provide within the scope of tourist health have been determined.
You Are Invited to Turkey for Health Tourism
Health tourism is a rapidly rising trend in the world and in our country in recent years and is a very important type of alternative tourism.
Health tourism:
It is the act of traveling to a country other than one's country of residence for treatment purposes, for any reason, in order to regain one's health. Those who go for treatment purposes are called health tourists.
Health tourism should not be considered as a type of tourism that only goes to hospitals for treatment.
Although any type of tourism that offers a healthy life should be considered health tourism, health tourism is evaluated under 3 main headings.
1. Medical Tourism (treatment and surgery in hospitals, etc.)
2. Thermal Tourism (services such as rehabilitation and recreation in Thermal Facilities)
3. Elderly and Disabled Tourism (long-term stays with social activities in a geriatric treatment center or plateaus)
