Prototype of the German healthcare system was implemented into the clinical practice as early as 1880s. Nowadays it is the oldest in Europe and the most efficient system for medical services providing.
Prototype of the German healthcare system was implemented into the clinical practice as early as 1880s. Nowadays it is the oldest in Europe and the most efficient system for medical services providing. It operates under the both public and private principles, making possible admitting patients regardless their citizenship.
Most often patients choose travelling abroad in search of less costly treatment, unavailable in their native country techniques and drugs, urgent specialized medical help. Germany is a sought-after destination among medical tourists, as the country offers good cost-to-quality ratio and integrative treatment schemes.
Structure of the German healthcare system
The total number of healthcare institutions in Germany reaches 2100. These are large university hospitals, academic or municipal clinics and private praxes. Such structure allows providing cost effective, well-timed and highly specialized care. In addition, the German Red Cross and churches run a number of non-profit hospitals.
Hospitals of all levels have transparent individual statistics that reflects the number of diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures, number of correct diagnoses and beneficial treatment outcomes, risks of complications, etc. Patients choose where to receive medical treatment in accordance with this data.
Independent ratings compare joint professional results of different healthcare facilities. For instance, the magazine FOCUS publishes its trustworthy rating annually. The following hospitals are regularly present on the leading lines:
- The Charite University Hospital.
- The University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
- The University Hospital Frankfurt am Main.
- The Academic Hospital Neuperlach Munich.
- The University Hospital RWTH Aachen.
Quality of the healthcare services in Germany
Germany takes the third place in the world in terms of life expectancy, and qualitative healthcare services contribute to this essentially. According to the reliable data of the International medical travel journal, over 245,000 patients from 177 countries visited Germany for diagnosis making, surgery or drug treatment in 2017. This number is steadily growing due to the following reasons:
- Sufficient financing and constant development of the healthcare sector. Up to 11% of the country’s GDP are invested in the medicine.
- Strict requirements to the quality of medical education. Practicing doctors continually upgrade their skills and keep up with the update scientific knowledge.
- Most hospitals have state-of-art equipment for minimally invasive interventions, robotic procedures, neuronavigation, radiosurgery, etc.
- German pharmaceutical market offers innovative drugs immediately after their approval, without any delay or limitations.
- Prices for the medical procedures are regulated at the state level, by the German Diagnosis Related Groups (G-DRG) tariffs.
Arrangement of treatment for the international patients
Naturally, international patients do not have German state health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherun, GKV). That is why they need to go through few additional stages while applying for the medical help in the leading German hospitals. These includes receiving invitation for treatment from the hospital administrative staff, translating medical reports, taking care about the expenses, finding an interpreter, arranging the journey, etc.
If it is the first time that you want to undergo the medical treatment in Germany, it will be more comfortable and safer for you to use services of Booking Health. Booking Health is the certified medical tourism operator (certificate ISO 9001:2015) that offers full-pack service for medical travelers.
Should you leave the request with medical and contact information on the Booking Health official website, an experienced medical advisor or coordinator will contact you the same day. You will receive an advice on choosing the most appropriate hospital, get acquainted with your doctor and the preliminary medical program, and will be carefully guided through all steps of the journey planning. Specialists of Booking Health will support you 24/7, taking care about all issues.