The private medical service sector is very well developed in Turkey and many Romanians travel there in search of treatment.
“We’ve reached that point where we felt we needed to open a local office because demand for complex treatment has been rising lately, as well as to develop and strengthen the already existing ties (…),” said Anna Herkmen, director of international relations development -Eastern Europe of Acibadem.
More than 1,000 Romanians went to Acibadem last year, mostly for specialty areas like oncology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, cardiovascular surgery and in-vitro fertilization treatments.
In comparison, the AKH in Vienna (Allgemeines Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien) treated about 600 Romanians in 2011, but the number has increased since.
Turkey and Austria are the main destinations for Romanians seeking medical treatment abroad. Most patients going abroad are suffering from cancer. Meanwhile a number of oncology centers have been established in Romania and try to lure as many of the patients that would otherwise go abroad.
Acibadem will open an office with several employees, a place to keep in touch with the Romanian partners, doctors, patients and medical institutions with which the Turkish group already works, Anna Herkmen added. It plans to organize small seminars or workshops and invite physicians from Turkey periodically to see Romanian patients.
Acibadem is part of the International Healthcare Holdings (IHH) network, a joint investment of Khazanah (the strategic investment fund of the Malaysian government), Japan’s Mitsui and Turkey’s Aydinlar family. Acibadem became part of IHH in January 2012.
“There are no concrete plans to open a clinic or hospital in Romania, but Acibadem has been interested in an investment in Romania for a number of years now. We are now looking for opportunities,” Anna Herkmen said.
The opening of Acibadem’s office in Romania is putting pressure on the new investments on the healthcare market, especially those in various niches (cancer treatment, orthopedics).
The private medical service industry in Romania amounts to about half a billion euros and the top competitors are MedLife, Medicover, Regina Maria, Sanador and Gral.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)