John Freeman, a native of the State of Nevada in the U.S., experienced a minor heart attack in November.  After an evaluation by the local physician, John was informed that he had a cardiac valve problem and that surgery was necessary.  John did not have health insurance in the U.S. and he did not want to take all of his retirement savings to spend on his operation, which was going to cost everything that he had.  It was then that John started looking at alternatives for his treatment abroad. 

Fruitful research, pleasant findings, and confident decision
John’s friend forwarded him an article about the medical tourism company WorldMedAssist that helps patients from all over the world who seek medical treatment outside of their home country.  John submitted his request and promptly received a call back from the company’s representative.  It is through his initial conversation with this company that John first became aware of Anadolu Medical Center in Turkey.  After researching the Center on its website, John was left impressed with Anadolu Medical Center’s overall level of sophistication and advancement. He then submitted an inquiry about his illness and received a prompt response back from the International Patient team.  John sent his tests and medical reports via email and after receiving his medical plan with cost summary along with resumes of the physicians, he decided that Anadolu Medical Center was where he would go for his treatment.  John shared:  “I was impressed with the appearance of Anadolu Medical Center on the web. Its website was very comforting to me.  The resumes and experience of the Anadolu Medical Center’s physicians played a significant role in my decision.  I was provided with very detailed information, which was sent to my e-mail address and all the pre-surgery preparations were made prior to my arrival. On my arrival to Turkey I was picked up from the airport and transferred to Anadolu Medical Center. I was transferred to the hospital without a single problem”.

Thorough assessment, critical discovery, and successful surgery
Once at Anadolu Medical Center, John underwent an angiography, which revealed a blockage in one of his vessels in addition to the cardiac valve problem. John was thankful that this issue was identified as well. His doctor, Prof. Dr. Sertac Cicek, Director of the Heart & Vascular Center at Anadolu Medical Center shared: “Mr. Freeman had a long history of mitral regurgitation [a leaking valve], and irregular heart beats causing heart failure. He also had a small heart attack recently. He had been complaining of shortness of breath and exercise intolerance. His heart was failing.
John was scheduled for surgery a few days after his evaluation. 

The day before his surgery Anadolu Medical Center organized a tour of Istanbul since this was John’s first time in Turkey.  The following day, Prof. Dr. Sertac Cicek and his team conducted John’s surgery which took four hours. Prof. Dr. Sertac Cicek shared:  “Surgery went very well. We repaired the degenerated and extremely spongy mitral valve using a prosthetic ring including artificial chords. Then a radiofrequency Maze procedure was performed to correct his irregular heart rhythm. We finished operation by doing a coronary bypass using his mammary artery. We controlled his valve repair by transesophageal echo during the operation showing a perfect repair”.  John spent a day in the Intensive Care Unit before moving into a regular patient room.  After John recovered, his doctor described his condition in the following way: “His mitral valve is functioning properly now. He has no mitral insufficiency or stenosis. His once arrhythmic heart now beats regularly. The bypass operation he had went well and was a complete success”.

On par with best American hospitals
John shared his thoughts about the difference between American and Turkish hospitals:  “Based on my experience, I can confidently say that there is no difference between this hospital and those in America in terms of service quality and technical infrastructure. I found the teamwork and integrated approach among Turkish physicians to be very impressive. I witnessed their professionally organized working system. Consistent and effective communication among the medical staff and their successful backgrounds really comforted me. The long distance between two countries meant that I travelled alone for this operation. However the staff’s sincere and close attention ensured that I never felt alone”.