Clinic, operator see rise in NZ medical tourism to Turkey

RNZ News

a day ago

At least five New Zealand groups offer assisted medical package deals to Turkey and they all started within the last two years.
Photo:
123RF
Istanbul may almost be on the other side of the world, but that is not stopping rising numbers of New Zealanders heading there for medical and dental treatment.
Even when you include flights and accomodation, bariatric surgery in Turkey is significantly cheaper than getting it done privately in New Zealand.
There are at least five New Zealand groups offering assisted medical package deals to Turkey and they all started within the last two years.
One of them is Oceanscape group, run by Moana McCrae. Originally from Rotorua, she has lived in Bodrum on the Turkish coast for the past five years.
She said
New Zealand was increasingly seen as a fertile market
.
"In recent weeks we were approached by a hospital purely because we dealt with the New Zealand market," she told
First Up
.
"They had seen some other hospitals doing the same and from what they're told,
New Zealanders have higher obesity rates
, [among] the worst in the world.
"As well as that, our waiting list is huge, costs, affordability, accessibility, all of that, basically makes for them New Zealand an attractive market"
The Vera clinic is a Turkish facility that offers hair transplants, cosmetic surgery and dental treatment.
Marketing director Umut Öztürk says they've had a 650 percent rise in New Zealand patients this year, with the vast majority coming for dental work.
He says cost is the number one reason people from other countries travel for dental work: "The same treatment for dental in their country is at least 10 times more than Turkey."
While that does not quite apply to New Zealand, our dental costs are significantly higher. A single dental implant in Turkey costs around NZ$600 to $2000, depending on materials used. In Auckland, you are looking at approximately $5000 to $8000.
Vera clinic's huge rise in Kiwi clients is no accident. It has advertised on a New Zealand news website and has collaborated with two Māori influencers.
Turkey is not the only location experiencing a surge in medical tourism.
Raywyn Short is travelling from Paeroa to Mumbai next month for a double knee replacement.
"My knees are really sore. I can't stand for any real length of time. I can't do the things with my little great-grandson that I used to," she said.
She is expecting to pay around NZ$20,000 for her surgery. She was quoted $31,000 to have one knee done privately here, and she was not prepared to go on the public waiting list.
"I'm going to be 75 in February and the way that the health system here is I'd probably be around about 77 before I even got anything done here. I'm becoming more and more incapitated and inactive."
Raywyn's husband died of cancer when she was in her 50s. She had to leave her job to care for him, and when she returned to the workforce, could no longer pay for health insurance.
Raywyn chose India after reading about Claire Olsen, a Kiwi nurse who had a double hip replacement in Mumbai earlier this year
Like Claire, Raywyn's surgery and travel is being arranged by Jackie Brown, who runs Bums, Tums and Gums.
Brown, a travel industry veteran started the company in 2014 after getting a facelift in Thailand.
The majority of her trips have been to Thailand and Mexico, but India is taking off. She has been impressed by the standard of care and the variety of treatments on offer.
"They had dental there, they have everything. I mean they literally have everything from transplants to heart valve treatment, spinal fusion. They have everything."
But medical tourism is
not without risks
.
According to UK media reports, between 2019 and March 2024, 28 Britons died due to complications from surgery in Turkey.
Just last week, a British man died after undergoing treatment at a hair transplant clinic in the Istanbul suburb of Besiktas.
There have been no reports of New Zealand fatalities. But last year, 10 Turkish hospitals, including one where Kiwis were having weight-loss surgery, were shut after a corruption investigation following the deaths of 10 babies.
McCrae's Oceanscape group did not work with that hospital. She said being based in Turkey allowed her to carefully choose which providers she used.
"We vet all surgeons. I actually have my own medical consultant who will provide the background of many of the surgeons as well. Then there's different portals or ways to find that information if you know where to look that are credible, like JCI accreditation."
Turkish Clinics and hospitals catering to foreign clients must be certified by the Turkish ministry of health.
McCrae encouraged anyone considering treatment overseas to check qualifications thoroughly, and to have a video consultation with the surgeon.
Robin Whyman of the New Zealand Dental Association.
Photo:
Supplied
Robin Whyman of the New Zealand dental association urged people to look locally first.
"People should talk to a dentist in New Zealand and find out what is actually involved in having the care done here," he said.
"There are always options and there a lot of protections that come with having care undertaken in New Zealand. With a New Zealand practitioner, you know, obviously the registration side of that, but also the protections of things like the Health and Disability Commission and ACC around, particularly things like treatment injury."
But he acknowledged people were struggling with the cost of dental care in New Zealand.
"It's one of the things the Dental Association is talking about on a wide basis and talking about with New Zealand health system funders and others about how can we make dentistry more accessible. So of course we're concerned about that, but we're also concerned that what looks to be an upfront cost may not be the real cost of having dentistry done overseas."
For many Kiwis, it is still a risk they are willing to take.
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