MEDICAL TOURISM IN UKRAINE
Medical Tourism In Ukraine
Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other. Joseph Addison
Recently, Ukraine has become one of the popular centres of medical tourism. Statistics show that about 50 thousand foreigners visit Ukrainian clinics annually.
The most popular medical directions for European tourists are:
ophthalmology;
dentistry;
reproductive medicine;
resort therapy.
Let’s see how Ukraine attracts foreign medical tourists.
Why Ukraine?
The main advantage of Ukrainian medicine for foreign tourists is low prices. Of course, Ukrainian clinics are inferior to German or Israeli ones in technology.
However, following the same treatment guidelines and providing the same level of service, they have significantly lower prices. Let’s consider some examples:
MRI (depending on the part of the body) costs $110-700 in German clinics and $60-150 in Ukrainian ones;
cataract surgery costs $400-700 in Turkish clinics and $80-150 in Ukrainian ones;
tooth restoration costs $50-120 in Czech clinics and $20-40 in Ukrainian ones.
Many private Ukrainian clinics are focused on servicing foreign patients. Doctors in such clinics speak English and other European languages, which eliminates the language barrier.
How not to make a mistake when choosing a tour
Despite the achievements of individual private clinics in the quality of medical care, the general level of medicine in Ukraine still lags behind European and American counterparts.
Therefore, when choosing a clinic for treatment, it is important to choose the one that meets international standards.
Today, we all can obtain medical tourism services by contacting an agency. To get quality treatment at a good price, you need to consider several factors.
1. Specify what services include a medical tour. Keep in mind that in addition to medical expenses, your trip budget will include:
airfare;
the cost of living in a hotel or renting an apartment;
food costs;
expenses for telephone communications and the Internet;
other contingencies.
In most cases, the medical package includes all expenses except food and personal expenses. However, the exact information will be indicated in the contract. Read it carefully.
INSIGHT: To reduce costs, you can arrange accommodation for yourself. Use the housing search sites (such as Airbnb or Booking) and find the hotel or apartment that fits you the most.
2. Consider doctor liability insurance. Insurance will protect you from the possibility of a medical error and other unforeseen circumstances. Considering the insurance, you should pay particular attention to the following facts:
what policy does the clinic pursue regarding compensation in the case of a medical error? In Ukraine, medical error insurance for doctors is not mandatory. So, if this kind of insurance is a common practice in the clinic, it is a clear advantage;
what is the amount of compensation in case of medical error?
Of course, all insurance details must be specified in the contract.
INSIGHT: I would recommend you take out an electronic certificate of insurance or scan the paper one. If need be, you will always have it at your fingertips until the end of the treatment period.
3. Find out if the clinic is accredited. You can find information on the websites of organizations that are involved in the accreditation of medical institutions. Among such organizations the most credible are:
Joint Commission International (JCI);
International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua);
European Society For Quality In Healthcare (ESQH).
If the clinic is accredited in one of these organizations, this indicates the quality of its medical services. However, in Ukraine, many clinics follow international medical guidelines but are not members of international medical organizations.
INSIGHT: I would recommend studying the “About Us” section of the clinic website. Here you can find information about the accreditation of the clinic in Ukraine as well as individual medical services you need.
If you don’t find any information about the clinic on the Internet, it should be a room for doubt.
Usually, agencies give clients several clinics to choose from. Choose one that meets quality standards.
4. Choose the right doctor. When choosing a doctor, take an interest in the following information:
his diploma and the University where he has got a degree;
certificates;
membership in Ukrainian and international medical organizations.
You can find information about doctors on the clinic website.
INSIGHT: If the doctor does not speak foreign languages, I would recommend you translate all medical documents, including a preliminary diagnosis, prescribed course of treatment, doctor’s recommendations, etc.
MEDICAL TOURISM IN UKRAINE | HEALTHCARE DENTAL WELLNESS TREATMENT
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