What does health tourism certificate bring to Serbia? - In the first year, a total of EUR 200 m profit expected

Foreigners leave Serbia full of impressions for good food or a beautiful nature, but there are those who come home satisfied with new look. Health tourism has been developing in our country for the last few years, but dentists and specialists in reconstructive surgery have most of work. The reason for arrival of foreigners, apart from professional staff, is prices that are two to three times lower than in the countries from which patients come. The Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Tourism, recognized this potential and began to award certificates for medical tourism to dental offices and clinics for plastic surgery.

The first certificates were awarded in June this year to private health institutions which fulfilled condition for participation in the Health Tourism Development and Promotion Project in Serbia. The call for participation in this project by the Ministry of Health was published last year and is continuously open, and 130 health institutions have applied so far, 60 of which have received certificates.

State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Meho Mahmutovic said for eKapija that these certificates given by the state are a kind of recommendation to patients abroad that they will get quality and efficient, not only cheaper, service, which is an important first step for development of this type of tourism.

- We have modest expectations for the first year. The forecasts are that we will accommodate 100,000 tourists and earn 200 m euros. We already went to the Moscow and Berlin fair in order to promote potentials of health tourism.

Our advantage compared to other countries is, Mahmutovic says, the fact that "the state guarantees for quality service".

The state secretary announced that all clinics that received certificate will be presented at the website of the ministry from autumn. In addition to this presentation, the Ministry will present at all world events a collective offer of all certified institutions.

9 plastic surgery clinics from Belgrade received certificate

The first healthcare institutions that received the certificate have already been inspected by the Ministry of Health and registered in the Business Registers Agency or the Commercial Court.
There were several specific conditions that they had to fulfill.

The criteria were: to have a doctor of medicine - a specialist with at least five years of work experience, with a license of the competent chamber, a dental doctor with at least five years of work experience and a license, a post-terminal for payment by payment cards, a harmonized price list with the recommended price list of the Ministry of Health. Then, aesthetically acceptable appearance of approach, the and work space was necessary, which was confirmed by the opinion of the commission determined by the Work Group for development and promotion of medical tourism of the Ministry of Health, as well as having proper website in line with regulations that govern Advertising in the field of health. The condition for the Clinic of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was that it is a member of the national association - SRBPRAS, and for dentistry to have an employed assistant for work - that is, a dental technician, and that dental health institution has been registered for the last five years.

- We had to determine price range so that there would not be non-existent competition and tourists would know exactly what to expect. If someone did not meet conditions, the commission gave some time to correct it – Mahmutovic explains.

Comission comprised of employees of the Ministry of Health and representatives of professional associations - Dental Chamber of Serbia and Association for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery of Serbia was checking if institutions fulfilled conditions.

- Many dental institutions did not have an electronic payment method, it seems that this condition was not met by most of them - he adds.

The Association for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery of Serbia for eKapija says that the clinics in this sector did not have difficulties in fulfilling conditions and expect even greater response. So far, only 9 clinics for plastic surgery have received a certificate and they are all from Belgrade, our collocutor added.

What does one get with certificate?

Within this action, healthcare institutions and private practices which meet criteria will be promoted at all presentations of our country abroad, in cooperation with the Ministry of trade, tourism and telecommunications, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Tourist Organization of Serbia, the National Association of Travel Agencies of Serbia (YUTA) Insurance companies and everyone else who can contribute to medical tourism development in our country.

- We want to move all of them, because if an institution has many patients, it can talk to the hotel alone, unify its offer where it would also offer accommodation. We expect hotels to create one organization and make a package of offers – Mahmutovic explains in an interview for eKapija.

Experiences from the world

According to State Secretary Mahmutovic, it is estimated that 203 million Europeans go on a trip for health reasons annually and spend about 115 billion euros. Today, 5% of all international journeys refer to medical tourism. In the structure of the current medical tourism trade, majority goes to dentistry - 40%, then to orthopedics, cardiology, cardiac surgery and neurosurgery - 42%, and to aesthetic surgery 15%.

Key factor in selecting a destination, besides price, is certainly standard of medical services, high expertise and hospitality of the hospital, as well as attractiveness of the site in a tourist sense.

Sanja Sojic

Ministarstvo zdravlja Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

Udruženje za plastičnu, rekonstruktivnu i estetsku hirurgiju Srbije

Privredna komora Srbije

Turistička organizacija Srbije Beograd

PU YUTA Beograd

PKS

TOS

YUTA

SRBPRAS

Meho Mahmutović

stomatologija

plastična hirurgija

estetska hirurgija

rekonstruktivna hirurgija

zdravstveni turizam

medicinski turizam

sertifikat za zdravstveni turizam

sertifikati za zdravstveni turizam

Sajam turizma u Moskvi

Sajam turizma u Berlinu

sertifikovanje zdravstvenog turizma

stomatološke ordinacije