HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN TURKEY

Turkey’s healthcare services are both extensive and of top-notch quality. Individuals covered by private or general healthcare insurance can avail themselves of healthcare services in Turkey, contingent upon the extent of their insurance coverage. Uninsured individuals are required to bear the cost of healthcare services. The Turkish healthcare system encompasses emergency health services as well as primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare centers.

Emergency Healthcare Services

Emergency healthcare services encompass the provision of health services in cases of accidents, injuries, or sudden critical health issues.

Ambulance Services: In case of an emergency, you can request medical assistance by dialling 112. When contacting 112, it is necessary to furnish information such as the location, the cause of the emergency, and the number of patients or injured individuals. Emergency 112 authorities may ask for additional details to ensure the delivery of appropriate healthcare services, emphasizing the importance of providing accurate information.

Hospital Emergency Services: Hospital emergency departments provide round-the-clock services. These healthcare services should be utilized exclusively in emergencies, as they offer initial medical interventions and reception services.

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary healthcare services are delivered through family health centres and voluntary health centres. These facilities provide outpatient diagnostic treatment, immunisation services to combat infectious diseases and epidemics, gynaecological and reproductive health services, as well as general health services for infants, children, and adolescents.

Secondary Health Facilities: 

Secondary healthcare facilities encompass state hospitals (excluding university and research hospitals), branch hospitals, oral and dental health centres, private hospitals, and medical centres.

Tertiary Health Facilities:

Tertiary healthcare facilities include university and research hospitals, branch hospitals, and university hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health.

In addition to emergency health services, these healthcare facilities offer:

• Ambulatory diagnosis and treatment services.
• Inpatient treatment services.
• Surgical operations.
• Psychiatric services.
• Oral and dental health services.

You can get an appointment with public hospitals by calling 182 or visiting www.hastanerandevu.gov.tr. Getting an appointment reduces your waiting time in hospitals and increases the quality of service you’ll receive. However, university hospitals and private hospitals are not included in the appointment system.

Health Insurance System 

We strongly recommend that you acquire health insurance during your stay in Turkey to efficiently access the healthcare system. With private health insurance, you can access healthcare services based on the coverage outlined in your insurance policy. Various insurance companies offer private health insurance policies with differing coverages and prices. It is advisable to consult with insurance agencies and conduct thorough market research to choose the best insurance policy that suits your needs.

The Provincial Directorates of Social Security in Turkey provide general health insurance, regulated by a public authority. General health insurance requires a one-year residency. However, foreign nationals studying in Turkey can obtain a policy upon request within three months of their initial registration, bypassing the one-year residency requirement. To initiate general health insurance and ensure access to government-provided healthcare services, you can apply to the Provincial Directorates of Social Security with the listed documents below:

• Residence permit document. 
• The original document or a copy of the letter indicates the social security status of your health insurance in your home country, which can be obtained from the social security organization or labor attaché office in the relevant foreign country. 
• Commitment (request) form. 

Scope of the General Health Insurance 

Upon registration in the general health insurance system, you, your spouse, and your children under 18 are eligible to access healthcare services. Additionally, children under the age of 20 attending high school (or an equivalent institution) or undergoing apprenticeship training and vocational training in businesses can benefit from healthcare services.

Children under the age of 25, attending higher education and remaining unmarried, or those who are disabled and unmarried, as well as your dependent parents relying on you for subsistence, may also avail themselves of healthcare services.

General health insurance will be terminated under the following conditions:

• If your residency permit expires.
• You get insured employment in another country. 
• Inclusion in another coverage of general health insurance.
• Death or disappearance.

The Turkish hospital system is described above in general terms. In addition, foreigners of different statuses can benefit from healthcare services under certain conditions. Ask IDEAL Estates to learn the differences in these situations.

Insurance policies for those who are abroad and under General Health Insurance are not covered by Turkey. However, specific insurance policies covered by reciprocal social security agreements signed with 28 countries may apply in Turkey.

For further information, visit the SGK Website.

Pharmacies and Buying Medication 

If your physician considers it necessary for you to take medication, they may prescribe it for you. You can procure your prescribed medicines from a pharmacy. Usually, most pharmacies operate between 9:00 and 19:00. However, each area assigns a pharmacy for night duty, which is available from 19:00 to 09:00. The windows of other pharmacies display the address and telephone details of the pharmacy on night duty in your locality, and this information is published in local newspapers and on the Internet.

If you have private health insurance, you pay for the physician and medication costs at first. Your expenditures are refunded when you present the invoices and prescriptions to the insurance company.