In December of 2021, the Turkish Ministry of Health started to enhance inspections of legal entities that do activities in medical tourism. Within the program of developing healthcare, medical tourism services become one of the leading directions of global healthcare that developing healthcare service export and do contributions to the national economy. Unfortunately, unaccredited sole proprietorships, companies, and facilities that refer and treat patients without necessary medical tourism accreditation will be punished with imprisonment from one year to three years and will proceed judicial dine up to twenty thousand days financial payment says Turkish Health Services Department.
As known, International standardization of tourist health and medical tourism, minimum service qualifications of agencies and facilities accepted under the 30123 numbered 13.07.2017 dated supervision and regulation of Ministry of Health. In article 5(1) ‘International medical tourism activities must be operated only with the authorization, Ministry has right to stop any activities in medical tourism of unauthorized entities’. Moreover, 3359 numbered Health Service General Law, 11th article declares that besides of emergencies or conditions to continue healthcare in terms of keep tourist’s health, all entities should have medical tourism accreditation to accept international patients to provide health services and treatment on the legal basis.
The official declaration of inspection of all provincial healthcare structures, medical tourism agencies, and sole proprietorships will ensure quality and legal accreditations to provide standardized medical tourism services in Turkey.