Germany’s Key Destinations for Medical Travel

Last week, Olaf Haase, director of marketing and clinical affairs and a member of the Board of Premier Healthcare Germany, a medical travel consultant and facilitator based in Hamburg, discussed the importance of medical travel in Germany (see article). Here, Haase tells Travel Market Report about some of Germany’s key medical travel destinations.

Hamburg

Hamburg is shaping up to becoming the number one medical destination in Germany, said Haase.

The “Free and Hanseatic City” of Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest metropolis with one of Europe’s biggest ports. Since the Middle Ages, Hamburg has been an important commercial center, part of an inter-city-trade-network called The Hanse. (This is where Lufthansa got its name). Special privileges regarding commerce, taxes and politics guaranteed its wealth and independence, he said.

“Even today Hamburg boasts high living standards, a cosmopolitan lifestyle, and magnificent architecture,” said Haase. “The newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost recently published a study that gave Hamburg the highest ranking in terms of quality of life in Germany. Criteria of the studies included, cleanliness, cultural activities, sports, traffic and transportation, education, gastronomy, and foremost: medical care.”

For people who need to entrust a specialist with their health, Hamburg is the first class choice in Germany, he noted. The city offers some of highest standards of medical care thanks to a network of over 50 hospitals some of them of high international renown.

Asklepios Kliniken, Germany’s leading private hospital group alone, operates 10 Hospitals in Hamburg. “The University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf is considered one of the most modern public hospitals in Europe, and the Endo-Klink it the prime destination in Europe for any type of orthopedic surgery,” he said.

“Patients in Hamburg also profit from an active healthcare industry; innovative medical technology and pharmaceutical companies work hand in hand with the city’s hospital to give patients access to the latest medical developments.

Numerous international patients are treated each day in the city’s hospitals, and international doctors and scientists from around the world come here for training,” Haase added.

Munich

Historically, Munich has promoted itself as a medical destination, said Haase. “It boasts a selection of high quality hospitals and surgeons within the city but also in the surrounding areas close to picturesque lakes at the foot of the Alps. The airport is the second largest in Germany after Frankfurt with numerous international flights on many carriers on a daily basis. This makes it ideal for the medical traveler.” 

Haase pointed out that the Airport Clinic within the Terminal building can even provide medical care and diagnostics for smaller interventions without the patient having to leave the security area or going through immigration.  He also noted that Munich is often chosen as a destination around Oktoberfest, “if one can get a flight.”

Frankfurt

Frankfurt is another prime medical travel destination, he said. “With the one of the largest airports in Europe and many superb hospitals both in the city or just 20 minutes by taxi in the city’s outskirts, it is an ideal destination for an executive medial check up as well as confirmation of diagnosis and second opinions.”

“One can fly in and out in a day, have the diagnosis confirmed or revised, with medical treatment plans to follow up at home or in Germany, if desired. While some may argue that Frankfurt is not so attractive from a touristic standpoint (it is a financial center), there are hospitals around the airport that offer superb and advanced medical care.”

Berlin & Cologne

Berlin is also worth mentioning as a medical travel destination, he said. “It is probably the epitome of German history – ideal for combining medical travel with sightseeing, if possible. Berlin is very culturally diverse, and the international traveler will notice that life in Berlin can be very colorful.”

The Cologne area has many specialist hospitals, noted Haase. “Set close to the Rhine River, it is worth a visit. The Airport Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn provide easy international and domestic connections.”

For more information, email olaf@premier-healthcare.eu; or phone, +49 163 286 9344. Or visit www.premier-healthcare.eu.

Next week: Haase answers some more in-depth questions about medical travel to Germany.