With more Romanians choosing to go abroad for various medical procedures rather than using hospitals at home, several foreign clinics and hospitals are seeing increasing revenues from Romanian patients. After AKH hospital in Vienna becoming increasingly popular, a Turkish group is also benefiting from the influx of Romanian patients. The private Turkish medical operator Acibadem had over 1,000 Romanian patients last year, who spent some EUR 3 million in its hospitals and clinics in Turkey.

This year, in the first five months, 400 Romanians went to the Turkish group's hospitals. Apart from Romanians, the other foreigners who go to Acibadem clinics and hospitals are from Iraq and Azerbaijan. Acibadem's oncology and neurosurgery specialisms are particularly sought after, claims the company. It is part of the network Inter­na­tional Healthcare Holdings, and has a mix of investors from Malaysia, Japan and Turkey.

Meanwhile, the Romanian medical system is facing a drop in doctors, with many young local doctors choosing to work abroad for higher salaries, while private medical chains continue expanding across Romania, to the detriment of the state – owned medical system.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Acibadem on Facebook)