Is the Treatment in Germany Deservedly Popular?

It is no more surprising to hear from you friends that they have had a medical trip abroad. People choose to undergo treatment in another country in the search of unavailable in their own city equipment, unique techniques, or innovative medicines. Other possible benefit is privacy (no one will ever know about your disease, unless you decide to tell about it) and high level of comfort.

According to the Report on World Tourism Economy Trends 2019, provided by the authoritative organization World Tourism Cities Federation, Germany ranks third in the list of the most popular among the patients countries. First places are occupied by the USA and China that are less attractive for European people.

German healthcare system offers comprehensive prophylactic examination (check-ups), individualized treatment, rehabilitation programs for adults and children. In addition, German doctors are ready to admit patients with complex diagnostic cases and rare disorders. A number of specialized competence centers are functioning on the basis of German hospitals, for instance National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg and Neuroscience Research Center in Charite University Hospital, Berlin.

Process of treatment in Germany

Medical program in any German clinic always starts from the detailed examination. Clarification of the diagnosis with high-tech equipment and laboratory reagents can completely change the initial diagnosis or planned treatment. For instance, tests can reveal less advanced stage of the ischemic heart disease that does not require stenting and may be treated by conservative means. Or vice versa, PET-CT may reveal more advanced cancer stage that requires additional metastases removing.

Examination is performed in 1-2 days, without long waiting periods. Based on the actual health information, treatment is planned and performed. There is great diversity of the therapeutic techniques, but all of them are aimed at maximal safety and comfort for patients. German healthcare is famous for minimally invasive surgical interventions and painless postoperative period.

The treatment program is followed by obligatory rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is a process of coming back to usual everyday life and learning to live with the disease consequences (if there are any). Being initiated at the healthcare facility, rehabilitation program continues at home. In addition, patients receive detailed recommendations on relapses prevention. These include lifestyle modification (e.g. avoiding tobacco products and alcohol), special eating habits, physical activity, drugs and vitamins intake, etc.

Cost of treatment

When planning the treatment budget, you should always check your insurance policy. Certain insurance companies include receiving medical treatment in Germany in the list of allowed procedures. When the situation is urgent (you actually did not plan to undergo the therapy abroad but need to do this for health reasons), you should check if you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), a kind of the traveler's insurance. Owners of the EHIC can receive free or partially compensated healthcare services.

In other cases you will have to pay the full price in the final calculation by yourself. Costs will vary greatly depending on the hospital and required intervention. For example, price for the platinum coils embolization in brain cavernoma in the University Hospital Saarland, Homburg is 16,300 € while in the Charite University Hospital, Berlin it reaches 33,300 €. Conservative therapy is always cheaper than the invasive intervention. For example, medicamentous treatment of hip osteoarthritis starts from 1,075 € and the joint replacement (endoprosthesis) “ from 8,300 €.

Choosing the best price / quality of treatment ratio may be tricky if you have no relevant experience. You may start exploring this question and spend heaps of time, or entrust the solution of this issue to the professionals “ certified medical tourism operator Booking Health.

Arrangement of treatment abroad

Aim of Booking Health is providing each patient with necessary medical services in the most appropriate hospital for the affordable price. The company arranges treatment abroad in a number of countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Israel, Thailand, Poland, South Korea, etc. Special attention is paid to treatment in Germany, as this country offers the most favorable treatment and rehabilitation results, attractive prices and high comfort of staying.

Booking Health professionals accompany a patient during the whole treatment process. First, doctors carefully investigate available medical reports, check patient's complaints and discuss possible options. Then they offer one or few hospitals that best meet established treatment goals.

After final agreement on the hospital and treating physician, the precise appointment date is booked. A patient should get ready in advance “ issue visa (administration of the clinic will sent the invitation for treatment, if necessary), take care about the passport expiry date, choose the most suitable way to travel (e.g. by plane, car, etc.). Qualified interpreters of Booking Health will translate all valuable medical reports into German, in order to avoid repetition of examinations.

Patient's personal coordinator will take care about booking tickets and accommodation, transfer from the airport, interpreter services. Medical specialists of Booking Health will independently monitor the process of treatment and give advice. Financial specialists of Booking Health will control all the expenses, avoiding additional fees and overpricing. Should you leave the request on the Booking Health website, the process of treatment abroad will become easy and comfortable.