Welcome to the Future: International Health Tourism Takes Off
Health Tourism Regulations Strengthened with Integration of HEALTHTÜRKİYE Portal
In a move to streamline the health tourism sector, all health facilities and intermediary institutions will now operate in conjunction with the HEALTHTÜRKİYE Portal. This integration will allow for all services within the realm of Health Tourism to be easily accessible and monitored through the portal, enabling patients to track the services they receive.
One major change is the requirement for complication insurance for surgical procedures conducted in operating room environments within the scope of health tourism. This measure aims to ensure the safety and well-being of patients seeking surgical interventions.
USHAŞ, the Health Services Support Administration, will provide support to health facilities and intermediary institutions engaged in health tourism activities on international platforms. Each health tourist will be assigned a responsible personnel to oversee and follow up on the services provided by health facilities and intermediary institutions.
Furthermore, health facilities will now have the opportunity to offer remote health services through the HEALTHTÜRKİYE Portal. Intermediary institutions will be granted an authorization certificate, with USHAŞ overseeing the monitoring of services provided within this framework.
In order to maintain international standards, health facilities will be required to obtain accreditation and certificates from the Turkish Accreditation Commission (TÜSKA). The International Health Tourism Authorization Certificate, based on the Performance Criteria of HEALTHTÜRKİYE, will not be transferable.
Continuous evaluation of health facilities and intermediary institutions will be conducted based on patient complaint rates and satisfaction surveys. Additionally, websites with foreign language options will be created, and personnel within international health tourism units must be knowledgeable and certified.
Intermediary institutions will now be mandated to offer call services in at least two foreign languages, operating 24/7. Health Tourism Certificates must adhere to regulation requirements within six months, with complication insurance in place by the end of 2025, and accreditation and certificates obtained by the end of 2026. These regulations aim to strengthen the quality and safety of health services provided within the health tourism sector.
