Medical tourism in Germany: how to go for treatment?
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Annually 250.000 foreign patients receive treatment in Germany. We will tell you why people choose German clinics and how to go for treatment if you have made such a decision.
Content
- Why is Germany better for medical tourism?
- Medical directions for treatment in Germany
- Prices for diagnostics and treatment in Germany
- How to go for treatment in Germany?
- Main problems
Why is Germany better for medical tourism?
Germany is one of the leading countries in the field of medical tourism. After Switzerland, this country ranks second in the world’s rating of healthcare costs in proportion to GDP. Enormous funds are invested in the clinics’ development, purchase of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, and medical trials.
The main reasons people visit Germany for treatment are:
German standards. Diagnostics and treatment are carried out strictly according to international protocols and not to the doctor's preferences. Only high-quality drugs produced for the European countries are used in the clinics.
Robotic surgery. Robotic devices controlled by doctors are used in many German clinics. They perform more reliable operations with thin incisions and minimal blood loss. The risk of complications after such interventions is much lower. High-quality devices for laparoscopic surgery and robotic catheters for treating cardiac arrhythmias are used here.
Innovative methods. Many university hospitals in Germany are engaged in research activities. All innovations are quite quickly implemented into the medical practice. For example, linear accelerators are used in German cancer centers to destroy tumors. In contrast to radiation therapy, this type of treatment practically does not damage the healthy tissues. It became possible to purify the ejaculate of HIV-positive men. After this procedure, spermatozoa can be used for in-vitro fertilization.
"Medication Error Law" was adopted in Germany a few years ago. According to it, every patient, including foreign ones, has the following rights:
- Choose a doctor and a medical institution
- Receive a second opinion on the recommended therapy program
- Use the most modern and effective methods of therapeutic influence
- Non-disclosure of information concerning one's health
- To receive the full information about one’s treatment
Booking Health – Medical Tourism in Germany
Medical directions for treatment in Germany
Most often people visit Germany to receive treatment in the following medical directions:
- Oncology. There are more than 43 oncological centers in this country. Over three hundred types of malignant tumors are treated here. Only modern methods are applied in Germany. Drugs for targeted therapy are prescribed. Unlike standard chemotherapy, they practically do not influence the healthy cells. Immunotherapy is being introduced. It stimulates the defensive functions of the body against cancer. The percentage of cancer curability in Germany is high. The average recovery rate for male patients is 61%, and for female patients is 66%.
- Cardiosurgery. Annually, over 120.000 cardiac surgical interventions are performed in Germany. They are carried out by the most sparing methods. In the case of aortocoronary shunting, the surgeon makes a cut four times smaller than the standard one. This reduces the recovery period and the risk of complications. Replacement of heart valves is carried out without any incisions in the thorax. Special catheters are used for this technique. They are inserted through a puncture in the femoral artery.
- Neurosurgery. People often treat spinal disc herniation in Germany. The success of such operations exceeds 90%. German neurosurgeons delicately remove tumors of the central nervous system. Many operations are performed endoscopically, without trepanation of the skull. Some tumors can be removed through the nose. Neurosurgical operations are carried out under the control of the neuronavigation system, which increases their accuracy.
- Orthopedics. A great number of joint replacement surgeries are performed in German clinics. They are performed through incisions two times smaller than the standard ones. This shortens the early period of rehabilitation because the wound heals faster. Endoprostheses are implanted with the help of robotic systems. More than 11.000 specialists work in orthopedics and sports medicine in German clinics.
Prices for diagnostics and treatment in Germany
The costs for medical services in Germany are equal for Germans citizens and residents of other countries. The prepayment is required in German clinics before the diagnostics and the therapy start. The necessary amount of money has to be fully transferred to the clinic's account. If a certain sum of money remains after the examination and the course of therapy, it will be returned to the patient.
Approximate prices for services:
| Medical service | Average price |
|---|---|
| Consultation with an oncologist | 800 € |
| Chemotherapy (e.g. of testicular seminoma) | 11,040 € |
| Chemoembolization (e.g. in liver cancer) | 47,100 € |
| Prostate cancer treatment with Lutetium-177 PSMA | 22,000 € |
| Stem cells transplantation (e.g. in diabetes mellitus) | 23,000 € |
| Neurorehabilitation phace C | 1 190€ per day |
How to go for treatment in Germany?
If you want to visit Germany for the examination, treatment or rehabilitation, you need to consider the following issues:
1. Choose a healthcare institution.
For this purpose, you can use the services of Booking Health. We offer the possibility of treatment in the best medical institutions of the country. We have direct contracts with all clinics. It allows you to see the real, actual costs of medical services. You will get a discount if you book a treatment with the help of Booking Health.
2. Make a payment.
After choosing a treatment program, you need to pay for it. For this purpose, you transfer the funds as a deposit to the clinic where you will be treated.
3. Tickets, visa, accommodation.
It is necessary to book air tickets. Also, you need to issue a visa. If the patient goes for treatment alone, he does not need to worry about the accommodation because he will live in the ward of a medical institution. An accompanying person may be with him for an additional fee. If needed, you can book a hotel room. The company Booking Health employees will help you solve any organizational issues. We will book tickets, help you with the visa and choose a suitable hotel. We will also pick you up at the German airport and take you to a medical institution by car.
Main problems
Those patients, who independently organize a trip for the treatment, most often face the following problems:
- There is no answer from the Head physician when they send a request to the clinic
- They need to wait for the treatment too long
- The language barrier makes communication difficult
- Low-quality translation of the medical records makes it invalid
- There is no opportunity to choose a doctor
- The additional services in the clinic are too expensive
The company Booking Health solves all these problems. We will arrange the treatment in any clinic you choose as soon as possible. If you want, you can independently choose a doctor. We will translate your medical documentation into German, and an interpreter in Germany will accompany you. We will solve any organizational issues, and you will not have to pay for additional services of German clinics. Thanks to the company Booking Health, you save up to 50% of the diagnostic and treatment program costs.
Choose treatment abroad, and you will for sure get the best results!
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
IMTJ - International Medical Travel Journal
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