Before you could visit Germany, be it as a normal tourist or medical tourist, you have to first find out if you need a visa or not. As it's part of the European Union, citizens from its neighboring countries don't need a visa to go to and even stay here. That goes with other countries that don't require the necessary documents as well. Now, for those outside of the EU and that do require a visa to go here, medical tourists ought to apply for a Schengen Medical Visa. It will be valid for three months but can be extended depending on the period of treatment.
Once you've gotten to Germany, there still remains one question: can you access its healthcare system? If you're a citizen or resident, you can! Since the country operates on a universal public healthcare system, all citizens and residents of the country get to gain access to it. But if you're just a visitor, you're not given this privilege. But that doesn't mean you can't avail of the country's health services neither. You can still get private/travel insurance in order to get better rates at accessing Germany's hospitals, doctors, emergency services, and the like. While they can be pricey, they'll still help you save a lot more.
As already mentioned, Germany has a good number of hospitals and clinics that provide quality healthcare to those who can avail of them. This is part of the reason why the country has since become quite a fine medical tourism destination. Among those sanctioned by the state, the Asklepios Hospital Barmbek is a great example. Its first-class oncology department has made it one of the finest cancer treatment facilities in the world. Similarly, the Helios Berlin Buch is also a go-to hospital for cancer patients, particularly for the little ones. Here, they've mastered how to best treat children with the life-threatening illness.
Beyond its hospitals, Germany is also quite known for its medicine. The country produces top-notch drugs, many of which have proven effective in combatting various illnesses and diseases. A huge proponent of this is because the country makes and manufactures its own medicine. They don't rely on outside foreign entities, many of which have questionable origins themselves. But rather, they make their own drugs at home, many of which are up to par with the standards provided by the EU. So not only are they homemade (to a degree), but they're also safe and high-quality.
It's no secret that Germany has one of the more expensive healthcare systems in the world. You'd have to pay a considerable amount in order to get quality healthcare here. But, at the very least, what you'll pay here would be the same as what locals would pay. So whether you get private insurance or get to access its public healthcare system, you'd still be paying the same amount for your services. And overall, healthcare in Germany would still get you to save at least 30 to 10% of your money as compared to other first-world countries.
What exactly do most of the patients who travel here for medical tourism go for? Well, Germany has become quite a popular destination for cancer patients. When hospitals and institutions in their respective home countries aren't able to treat them effectively anymore, Germany is one of the countries often suggested that they visit. The oncology departments in the many institutions here are truly top-notch. If there's something wrong with the heart, German medical professionals are also great at cardiac surgeries. They have a high success rate when it comes to operations and surgeries of the heart.
More than their health services, Germany has also become a huge hotbed of scientific research. And this, in turn, helps the former to better improve their quality. Various institutions in the country as just as devoted to medical scientific studies as they are in actually treating patients. In fact, simultaneously doing so helps them innovate their ways of healing and curing the sick. Which is why many people have come to trust Germany with their own health. Patients don't mind participating in many of the country's researches themselves because they know they'd be contributing a lot in many advancements in the medical field.
If Germany isn't a country on your list of medical tourism destinations, it should be! In fact, it should top or be close to the top of the list. The country leads in providing quality care as well as many innovations that can aid in giving better treatment to patients.
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