Medical tourism

Conversation with Dr. med. Ihor Huk, Professor of Medical University of Vienna, Senior Consultant General and Vascular Surgeon of Vienna Privatklinik.

Health care is a matter of high quality of treatment and trust. That is why more and more patients from Arab countries seek help from Professor Ihor Huk. He is top specialist in Austria in the area of general, vascular and transplant surgery. Some 20 to 25 % of all patients of the Privatklinik make up foreigners. The highest quality of care coupled with the best comfort possible and attention of the staff make the Privatklinik one of the leading institutions in Austria for vascular, orthopedic and trauma surgery.

Question: It is a fact that many Arab patients prefer to be treated in Austria. What is the Privatklinik doing to accommodate this clientele? What services are you offering?

Our clinic has been treating Arab patients for over 35 years. At first, most came from the Emirates and Kuwait, but later also from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar. We have been offering an Arab patient service from the beginning. This aids patients on a language and cultural level. In the patients’ rooms we offer Arab TV channels and we have Arab newspapers and magazines and movies on DVD available

What parts of the world do your patients come from?

The largest number comes from the Gulf countries as well as from Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, other CIS countries.

How you are trying to attract more patients from the Near- and Middle East?

Do you use special advertising tactics? I and other colleagues are representing our institution at regional trade shows, for example in Dubai. There are always editorials in newspapers and magazines, but our most effective form of advertising is done by patients we have treated. We are also known by many embassies.

Is there specific cultural knowledge a doctor should have before treating an Arab patient? How about female patients?

I have learned in many years of treating Arab patients that a doctor can treat them just like any patient. If a doctor meets his patient on a person to a person basis, does not try too hard to do everything just right and even makes a small joke to soften the atmosphere, he will have no problems. I personally find Arab patients extremely pleasant and grateful, which is something I can not always say about my Austrian patients.

What type of treatment methods does your clinic specialize in? Do Arab patients have typical health problems?

Our clinic from very beginning has specialized in vascular, orthopedic and least invasive joint surgery. No wonder this type of surgery receives great response. The biggest problem our Arab patients face is arthrosis; this is often worsened by obesity and lack of exercise. This is risk factor for atherosclerosis and vascular problems

We know that Arabs like to travel with the whole family. How are relatives of patients cared for?

We do not have space to accommodate the whole family in our clinic. However, very close to us there are hotels Inter-Continental, Bristol, Radisson and other, where the families can found all the comforts possible. In this way, a patient could be treated in the clinic and his family enjoys the advantages of the big city.

In what price category does the Privatklinik fit in comparison to other medical institutions?

Our clinic is known for its high quality standards, thanks mostly to our extreme specialization. Our motto is “Advance through Specialization” and the resulting successes come with a price. Our patients can be sure to be operated by a knowledgeable and experienced surgeon. We can say that our prices are about 20 % to 30 % higher above those of public hospitals, but in line with the quality of service we provide