2025 Updated Information: This article has been updated to show you the most up to date and relevant information in 2025. With so many advancements being made in treatments that are popular for medical tourists, it’s important to get the newest details!
Over recent years, there have been too many horror stories of medical tourists travelling to Turkey and having something go wrong with their procedure. This is something which could be easily avoided had these medical tourists taken the right steps during their research to the best clinic for their needs. Learning how to choose the best clinic in Turkey for you and your procedure of choice is more important than ever. In this article, how to pick a reputable clinic, different types of accreditation, and things to look out for and avoid will be covered in more detail. Keep reading below to find out more.
Table of Contents
Why Turkey for Medical Tourism
Over recent years, Turkey has become a medical tourism hotspot. There are many reasons for this, some of which include:
- The affordable price of high quality treatments
- The modern clinics/hospitals
- The ease of access globally as the country sits in between Europe and Asia
- How widely English is spoken
- The opportunity to combine your treatment with a holiday
As a result of all of these factors, visitors to Turkey’s for medical tourism has more than doubled in the last 5 years and is expected to double again in the upcoming 5-10 years.
So, everything on paper sounds perfect right? You might be wondering then what is the issue and where do all of these negative stories come from? Well, unfortunately with the growth the industry has experienced, some bad actors have emerged looking to make money quickly. A lot of these bad actors generally lure in patients with lower than average prices, which should in reality raise alarm bells with potential patients. In a country where prices for treatments are already significantly lower than their western counterparts, it is generally not the best idea to go for the cheapest price – at least not without doing proper research. It is easily possible to avoid the risk of a treatment going wrong, you just need to know what signs to look out for and how to carry out proper research to find the best clinic in Turkey for you. In the sections below, you will learn how to identify these signs and carry out proper research before making a decision.
Defining Your Needs
Before beginning to do research on the best clinic for you, it is very important to define what you are looking for and your needs from the treatment you’re interested in. Of course, at the very top of this list should be that your procedure goes as planned. However, when we talk about defining your needs, we mean more than just the procedure going to plan. Defining your needs involves deciding on things such as:
- Do you want to go to a larger hospital or a specialised clinic?
- Will your treatment require overnight stay in the hospital/clinic or will you be able to stay in a hotel/airbnb?
- Do you want to book a package treatment with everything included or plan various parts of the trip yourself (such as flights, hotel and transport)?
- What is your maximum budget?
- What are the minimum qualifications/accreditations you will accept?
- Where you would like to get your treatment done (beach vs city vs other touristic destinations)?
- How much time do you want to spend in the destination?
Once all of these questions and any others you may think of have been answered, you will have defined your needs. As this can be a lot to consider, take time to define your needs before researching the best clinic for you. It will make the whole process a lot easier if you write down your thoughts so they become clear as you begin the research process.
Clinic Accreditation and Certifications
After having defined all of your needs, the next most important thing to look out for is clinic accreditation and certifications. Accreditation for clinics and hospitals refers to a voluntary process they go through to be verified by an external body to meet certain standards and qualities. This is an extremely important topic to have some knowledge about as it is not recommended to choose any clinic without the correct accreditation and certifications. All of the negative press which comes as a result of medical tourism comes from unaccredited and uncertified clinics. These are the ones in general who offer the too good to be true low prices and with good reason. To help find the best clinic in Turkey for you, see the different types of accreditations and certifications below:
- JCI – Joint Commission International: The gold standard of all accreditation, the JCI certificate is the highest achievable. Clinics/hospitals have to go through a lot of work to get it and it is a globally recognised accreditation.
- GHA – Global Healthcare Accreditation: The Global Healthcare Accreditation is a accreditation body who works with all different types of service providers in the medical tourism industry. They are also widely recognised globally and are a great accreditation provider.
- ISQua – International Society for Quality in Health Care Inc: ISQua promote quality and safety in health care through international co-operation and collaboration. They also work with a large range of service providers to provide them with accreditation.
- Clinics/Hospitals Accredited by the Turkish Health Tourism Department: As medical tourism is a major contributor to Turkey’s overall economy, the government takes the safety and quality of treatments provided by clinics/hospitals to patients very seriously. For that reason, the Turkish government also accredits clinics and licenses them as being able to accept medical tourists. For any treatment in Turkey, ensure the clinic is on this list.
Now that you understand more about the various types of accreditation available to hospitals and clinics, you may be wondering – “how can I know if the clinic I’m interested is accredited?” There are 2 ways to verify this:
- Clinics/hospitals usually display their accreditation quite clearly on their website. Take a look and you should be able to find it easily, if you can’t, the chances are the clinic isn’t certified.
- If you do see the seal or emblem of a certain accreditation being displayed on a clinic/hospital’s website, you can verify this by going to the accreditation associations website and searching for the clinic (e.g. go to the JCI’s website or visit the GHA’s site)
Researching Your Clinic and Doctor
Now that you’ve defined your needs and learned about the different types of accreditation, the next thing to do is start researching the clinics and doctor and you’re interested in. To do this, you will need to start visiting different websites online and begin comparing their offerings and prices. During this phase of the research process, it’s important to identify the various types of service providers in the healthcare space. Generally, you will have 3 different types of providers in the space:
- Hospitals/Clinics
- Hospitals/Clinics refer to the direct providers of the service. You will book your treatment directly with them and actually be receiving your procedure in their facilities. There are no middle men involved in the process.
- Pros: The advantages of dealing directly with the clinics/hospitals is that you can easily see if they’re accredited, you know there aren’t additional costs involved from another company taking a cut and what you book is what you get.
- Cons: The disadvantages of booking directly with a hospital/clinic is that it can be hard to compare lots of different ones. You will have to visit a lot of websites, click through a lot of different offerings and some might not offer exactly what you’re looking for.
- Medical Tourism Agencies
- Medical tourism agencies refer to businesses who work with a number of clinics and usually provide everything related to the entire treatment process to you. They don’t actually carry out procedures but help facilitate the booking between you and a clinic they work with.
- Pros: Can be easier to find and navigate. They offer the full service for you so you don’t have to worry about organising each part of the process.
- Cons: A lot of medical tourism agencies don’t list the clinics they work with on their site. While they might state that they work with a large number of clinics on their site, in reality they only have a few clinics they work with and they will send you to the one that gives them the highest commission on your booking – this is especially true in Turkey.
- Comparison Sites
- Comparison sites are a platform where they list large numbers of clinics on their site. You can see a lot of different procedure providers on one website.
- Pros: Comparison sites don’t have a personal interest in sending you to a specific hospital/clinic over another. Their listings show ratings, services provided, a price range and can be easy to compare a lot of different options in a short period of time.
- Cons: Comparison sites can at times be overwhelming to use since there is so much choice. These companies are happy to list as many clinics as they can so they can offer as much choice as possible – sometimes at the cost of not having certified clinics on board.
Now that you understand the different players involved in the industry, you can have a better idea of what might be going on that isn’t openly discussed on their sites. With that taken into consideration, some other key factors to keep in mind while researching your clinic and doctor include:
- How long has the clinic/hospital been operating and is this clearly stated on the relevant site.
- What kind of qualifications and experience do the doctors at this clinic have and is this highlighted clearly.
- Does the provider speak English or provide a translator who will be there with you for the entire procedure if English isn’t widely spoken.
- How modern are the procedure techniques and equipment used at the facility.
The key thing to look out for regardless of what service provider you opt to choose is whether they fulfill the needs you’ve defined earlier. If an offer seems too good to be true, generally it is and there are some hidden things which aren’t being disclosed about the service. Make sure that the cheapest option isn’t your only priority as the consequences of getting a treatment you aren’t happy with in the long term will be more expensive than choosing a better option in the first place.
Asking the Right Questions Ahead of Time
When you finally decide on a list of potential hospitals/clinics you’re happy with, the next step of the process is booking an assessment appointment. You definitely should try to speak to multiple clinics before making a final choice and come prepared to these appointments with the right questions. Some key questions to ask include:
- Will the procedure/treatment be carried out by the doctor you are speaking to or by another doctor?
- Will the clinic/hospital be able to speak to you in English throughout the process?
- What are your qualifications and certifications?
- How much experience do you have performing this specific procedure?
- What kind of after-care support does the clinic/hospital provide, even if you won’t be in the country?
- A detailed walkthrough of the procedure and recovery timelines
- What payment methods are accepted (be wary of clinics who will only take cash or push you to pay with cash as you then have no proof of treatment)
- If you go for a package – what services are included
It is very important to get everything in writing so you have proof should something not go to plan. Additionally, if you do finally decide to go ahead with a clinic/hospital, make sure you get a receipt.
By asking these questions, you’re making sure to cover all bases and see if there are any red flags raised by the doctor. It is also for this reason we recommend you seek a second opinion and speak to several different healthcare providers so you can compare different choices.
Conclusion
Choosing the best clinic in Turkey can be a straightforward process if you know what to look out for. It’s vital to compare different options, not only be interested in the cheapest providers and carry out your research before making a final decision. While there is no single best clinic in Turkey, this will depend on your choices and interests. There are a lot of very credible healthcare providers who offer a great service, just make sure to look into their qualifications and ask the right questions ahead of time.
If you need any help with making the decision, feel free to contact us. We are not associated with any clinics and are here to provide you unbiased information for free. If you are interested in learning more about hair transplants, check out our blog page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- Why is Turkey a popular destination for medical tourism?
- Turkey offers affordable, high-quality treatments, modern facilities, easy accessibility, English-speaking staff, and the opportunity to combine treatment with a vacation.
- Are all medical tourism experiences in Turkey positive?
- While many are, some negative experiences occur due to patients choosing unaccredited clinics offering unrealistically low prices. Proper research is crucial.
- How can I avoid negative experiences with medical tourism in Turkey?
- Thoroughly research clinics, verify accreditations, ask detailed questions, and avoid clinics with suspiciously low prices.
- What are the key factors to consider when choosing a medical clinic in Turkey?
- Accreditation, doctor qualifications, experience, facility modernity, aftercare, and clear communication are essential.
- What does “accreditation” mean in the context of medical clinics?
- Accreditation is a voluntary process where an external body verifies that a clinic meets specific quality and safety standards.
- What are some reputable accreditation organizations for medical clinics in Turkey?
- Joint Commission International (JCI), Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA), International Society for Quality in Health Care Inc (ISQua), and the Turkish Health Tourism Department.
- How can I verify a clinic’s accreditation?
- Check the clinic’s website for accreditation seals and verify them on the accrediting organization’s website.
- Should I choose a large hospital or a specialized clinic?
- This depends on your needs. Consider the complexity of your procedure and your preference for a larger or more specialized setting.
- What are the differences between booking with a hospital/clinic directly, a medical tourism agency, or a comparison site?
- Directly: More control, but requires more research.
- Agency: Convenient, but may have limited clinic choices and commission-driven recommendations.
- Comparison Site: Wide selection, but requires careful vetting of listed clinics.
- How important is the doctors qualifications?
- Extremely important. You must verify the doctors qualifications, and experience.
- What questions should I ask during my initial consultation?
- Ask about the doctor’s qualifications, experience, procedure details, aftercare, payment methods, and potential risks.
- Should I get everything in writing?
- Yes, absolutely. Get all agreements, procedure details, and payment information in writing.
- What should I do if a clinic only accepts cash payments?
- Be very cautious. Cash-only payments offer no proof of transaction and can be a red flag.
- How do I define my needs before choosing a clinic?
- Consider your budget, desired location, accommodation preferences, travel time, and required level of care. Write down your answers.
- Should I seek a second opinion?
- Yes, it’s highly recommended to get a second opinion from another qualified medical professional.
- What should I do about aftercare once I return to my home country?
- Make sure that this is discussed with the clinic before having the procedure. Also, make sure that your local doctor is aware of the procedure you have had, so that they can help with aftercare.
- How can I ensure transparent pricing?
- Obtain a detailed breakdown of all costs, including the procedure, anesthesia, hospital stay, medications, and follow-up care.
- Should I book a package treatment or plan my trip independently?
- This depends on your preferences and budget. Packages offer convenience, while independent planning allows for more customization.
- What are some red flags to watch out for when researching clinics?
- Unrealistically low prices, lack of accreditation, pushy sales tactics, and reluctance to provide detailed information.
- What should I do if a clinic pressures me to make a hasty decision?
- Do not proceed. Reputable clinics will allow you to take your time and make an informed decision.