Turkey’s Ministry of Health has announced a detailed new regulatory regime for the medical tourism industry. The new rules cover health care standards, authorizations and pricing elements. Health institutions and intermediary institutions must obtain an International Health Tourism authorization certificate by 13 July 2018 in order to offer health tourism services. The prices for medical services will now also be regulated by the Ministry of Health, on consultation with the Health Tourism Coordination Committee.
Other notable aspects of the new regulatory regime include:
- Health institutions and intermediary institutions must establish an International Tourism Health Unit in order to accept, register, diagnose, treat, bill, discharge, translate and coordinate related operations.
- A doctor who meets the following criteria must be appointed as manager of each International Tourism Health Unit:
- Qualified to practice medicine in Turkey.
- Proficient in a foreign language.
- Have at least five years’ vocational experience in Turkey, including at least two years in public or private health institutions.
- Each International Tourism Health Unit must have at least two employees who can speak English.
- Only authorized health or intermediary institutions can undertake advertising and offer information about these services.
The Regulation on International Health Tourism and Tourist’s Health was published in Official Gazette number 30123 on 13 July 2017, entering force on the same date. Please see this link for full text of the Regulation (only available in Turkish).
