Everything about medical tourism in Tel Aviv

Israel’s medical system, its doctors and medical personnel are world renowned. Because of this and the lower costs, it’s one of the fastest growing health tourism destinations in the world.

Israel isn’t just the “Start-Up Nation”, it is also a major medical tourism destination for people from around the globe looking for first class, cutting edge medical treatments at a fraction of the cost they would have to pay at home.

And, as befitting its status as Israel’s major city, Tel Aviv offers medical tourists almost every conceivable treatment from Israel’s and the world’s leading doctors assisted by highly trained and dedicated health care professional and carried out in the most advanced facilities available. Add to this, accommodation at hotels specializing in caring for medical tourists and their families or companions, a city full of life and you have a prescription (pun intended) for excellent medical care in perfect surroundings.

Choosing a medical facility

As Israel’s major city and the center of Israeli medicine, Tel Aviv boasts some of the finest medical facilities in the country and the world. With expert, highly trained and experienced doctors and nurses, medical technicians and support staff, the medical tourist has a choice of facilities to choose from.
But what should you be looking for? To be honest, there is no one, overall answer to this question. To a large degree it depends on the treatment you need and the services and specialties of the various medical centers.
As a lay person, deciding which hospital or clinic is the right one for you is a complex decision, involving many different criteria: which facilities deal with your condition? Are the medical team experienced in the procedures you need? Do the doctors, nurses and other team members speak your language? How long is the waiting list? What about after care treatment and check-ups? Finally, and by no means least, hotel accommodation that caters to your unique needs and those of your companions.

• We recommend starting the process by consulting your doctor. They will be able to advise you as to the essential things you need to know regarding your treatment and may be able to recommend a facility in Tel Aviv. If not, consult with your insurance company who may have a list of recommended hospitals and clinics in Tel Aviv and may even be willing to help you with the arrangements.

• Once you have a short list, visit their web site and see what they offer, not only in terms of treatment but also associated issues such as translation of medical documents, interpretation services when speaking with doctors and other medical staff. What facilities do they provide for private patients? Does the hospital have its own hotel accommodation (many do) so that your companions can stay close by and you can even enjoy a few days’ vacation before or after the treatment?

• Look for reliable posts about the clinics, what do other people have to say about them? Contact the Israeli Ministry of Health and ask them for a list of clinics and hospitals authorized to provide medical services or if they have a “Black List”?

• Contact the clinic or hospital by telephone or email and ask them specific questions regarding your treatment and stay. The answers they provide will be another indication of the quality of service. Calling over the phone, make sure to speak with somebody who speaks your language. If nobody is available, arrange to call back at another time. Again, this will be an indication of the facility’s ability to provide you service in your language so that you will understand everything said and explained to you.

• Make sure to find out how long before your procedure you have to “check in”, what tests you need to have before coming, what documentation must you bring with you (medical records etc.) and if these documents need to be translated into Hebrew. Also ask about recuperation time following the procedure or treatment and if this entails remaining in hospital or being an out-patient.

• Cost – in the end this could be the make or break consideration. So be sure to find out exactly what the cost of your treatment includes. Does it include special medications? Physical therapy, special dietary needs, immediate after care treatment?

Don’t be put off by what may seem to be a very complex decision. After all, when it’s your health on the line, you have you be certain that the decision you take is the best one possible. But if you really need a helping hand, consult a reputable health tourism agency. They’ll know all there is to know about the medical facilities, what needs to be done to arrange the treatments and will even do everything for you – booking flights, arranging hospitalization and hotel accommodation, even a tour schedule if you want.

One thing you can be certain of, the medical treatments available in Israel and especially in Tel Aviv are some of the best in the world. Whether you need extensive dental work, IVF treatments, orthopedic procedures, aesthetic or plastic surgery, corrective surgery are even specialized cancer treatments, you’ll find the hospital or clinic in Tel Aviv that will set you back on the road to a healthy life.