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MODEL COUNTRY IN TURKISH HEALTH SYSTEM
Turkey has become one of the exemplary countries in the world with its health revolution over the last 20 years. In the face of the coronavirus epidemic, Turkey is the most successful example of being a strong and social state with the strength of its health infrastructure and superstructure, as well as the health services offered largely free of charge that allow it to leave developed countries.
As the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) becomes a pandemic, the main issue of all states for several months has become the fight against the epidemic, and each country is focused on its own national struggle. But in this struggle, the whole world is watching how even the economically developed states of the world pose a failed test and how they are actually resistant to sudden shocks such as epidemics. In particular, problems such as the lack of lower and superstructure, equipment and production of the health systems of the United States and some European countries, which have not been able to implement comprehensive health reform for many years, as well as the inability of the lower social classes to access health services in an economic sense, arise.
At the moment, Turkey, with its qualitative and quantitative breakthrough in the health system over the past 18 years, stands out as one of the most prepared, adequate and successful countries in terms of fighting this shock. Especially in sub-and superstructure, equipment, medicines, doctors and the health system in many areas, such as the number of the staff yet brought to the top level from the emergence of the epidemic; pandemic and strategy with great success in pre and post measures, Turkey, and fighting the epidemic in the context of both the health system has become a model country.
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TURKEY’S HEALTH REVOLUTION
Although many quiet revolutions took place during the 18-year period of the AK Party in Turkey, the transformation experienced especially in the health system stands out as one of the most successful areas. The fact that the health system, including hospitals, has been divided into different health insurance systems such as SSK, Pension Fund and Bağ-Kur, and the difficulties in accessing paid or free health and medicine are sufficient to show the status of the inherited health system. But above all, the queues of appointments and medicines that flood the streets in the morning darkness, even for the most basic medical services such as examinations and Emergency Services, show that the system is incapable of serving the public at the most basic level and humanely.
The health system in Turkey, which was clogged 18 years ago and was at the point of collapse, experienced a great revolution in this process and became a system that is seen as a model in the world. Moreover, the necessary investments and additions are still ongoing to ensure that this revolution and high-level service are sustainable. At this point, especially Social Security and major health insurance system under the umbrella of an end to the separation of collection service, private hospitals, private health care system addition important to society, such as the creation of conditions that can be met by average steps facilitated by access to health services. Again, an unimaginable revolution has taken place in many developed countries, such as the fact that almost the entire society has received largely free health care insurance under General Health Insurance. In addition, about 1.5 million people are currently provided with free home care and health care.
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BASIC INDICATORS OF TURKISH HEALTH SYSTEM
On the other hand, in terms of sub-and superstructure and Human Resources, a great breakthrough has been realized in Turkey in the 18-year period. The number of hospitals, which are the main indicators in the health system, increased by 31.3 percent, the number of beds by 45.3 percent, the number of intensive care beds by 706.4 percent, the number of single rooms by 427.1 percent, the number of doctors by 75.4 percent, the number of nurses and midwives by 123.6 percent and the total number of medical personnel by 240.7 percent. At this point, especially considering that the population of Turkey has increased by 27.9 percent in this process, it is seen that there has been a growth much higher than the population growth rate in all these areas. This, in turn, is the biggest indicator that the system improves more than meets the needs of the population in all areas.
In addition to this success in quantitative terms, the health system has also undergone a revolution in qualitative terms. When the figures were examined, one single room fell to 3,483 people in 2002, while this number was 833 in 2020. The number of intensive care beds fell to 29,782 people in 2002, while this number was 2,79 in 2020. The number of inhabitants decreased by 201 people, from 717 to 516. But in addition to all this, the most important development in a qualitative sense was the ratio of the number of single rooms to the total number of beds, which rose from 11.5 percent in 2002 to 41.7 percent in 2020. This, in turn, shows that in this process, the quality of Health Services has been greatly increased, while quantitative increases have been achieved in terms of sub-and superstructure.
The construction works of Başakşehir Ikitelli City Hospital, which has a closed construction area of about 1 million square meters and a capacity of 2 thousand 682 beds, are continuing at the latest speed.
In this success, the most important strategy that allows the AK Party power to increase quantity and quality together has been to increase the quality of the presence, and the newly provided services have been brought into the system at a high level in the sense of quality. At this point, the most important breakthrough was the city hospitals, especially in order to maintain and increase the recovery rates achieved. It is aimed to provide all health services under a comprehensive and single roof in city hospitals, which is a new pillar of the Health Transformation Program carried out by the AK Party since 2002, and to provide the highest level of service in terms of quality. So far, 13 city hospitals, three of which have been opened in Istanbul, Bursa, Ankara, Eskisehir, Manisa, Elazig, Kayseri, Adana, Isparta, Mersin and Yozgat, have started to serve partially or completely. The contribution of city hospitals with a total capacity of 16 thousand 99 beds, including a very large single room with city hospitals, which will soon start to serve completely, to the health system draws attention as the most important step in the rise of the health system to the next level. In addition, 8 city hospitals, which are planned to be partially or completely opened this year, are expected to increase the capacity to over 20 thousand.
On the other hand, the increase in international standards and qualitative services introduced by city hospitals has also made a significant contribution to the fight against the coronavirus epidemic. At this point, city hospitals have made a big difference in fighting the epidemic, especially in terms of isolation facilities, test speed and capacity, single rooms and the number of intensive care beds. So; As explained by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, the number of intensive care beds falling to 100 thousand people in Turkey is 40, while this figure is 34.7 in the United States, 29.2 in Germany, 12.5 in Italy, 11.6 in France, 10.6 in South Korea, 9.7 in Spain, 7.3 in Japan and 6.6 in the UK. This has led to a large contribution to the opportunities offered by city hospitals, and the number and rates of deaths due to coronavirus are lower even in some countries, which have been shown as an example in the fight against the epidemic..
As a result, Turkey has become one of the exemplary countries in the world with its health revolution in the last 20 years. Especially given the health systems shaken all over the world by the Coronavirus outbreak, the power of Turkey’s health infrastructure and superstructure, as well as the health services offered largely free of charge that allow it to leave developed countries, reveal the most successful example of being a strong and social state with the health system.
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Turkey's world-renowned organ transplant specialist. Dr. Demirbaş has 104 international publications and 102 national publications.
Physician's Resume:
Born on August 7, 1963 in Çorum, Prof. Dr. Alper Demirbaş has been continuing his work as the President of MedicalPark Antalya Hospital Organ Transplantation Center since 2008.
Prof. who performed the first tissue incompatible kidney transplant in Turkey, the first blood type incompatible kidney transplant, the first kidney-pancreas transplant program and the first cadaveric donor and live donor liver transplant in Antalya. Dr. As of August 2016, Alper Demirbaş has performed 4900 kidney transplants, 500 liver transplants and 95 pancreas transplants.
In addition to being the chairman of 6 national congresses, he has also been an invited speaker at 12 international and 65 national scientific congresses. Dr. Alper Demirbaş was married and the father of 1 girl and 1 boy.
Awards:
Eczacibasi Medical Award of 2002, Akdeniz University Service Award of 2005, Izder Medical Man of the Year Award of 2006, BÖHAK Medical Man of the Year Award of 2007, Sabah Mediterranean Newspaper Scientist of the Year Award of 2007, ANTIKAD Scientist of the Year Award of 2009, Social Ethics Association Award of 2010, Işık University Medical Man of the Year Award of 2015, VTV Antalya's Brand Value Award of 2015.
Certificates:
Doctor of Medicine Degree Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Ankara, General Surgeon Ministry of Health Turkey EKFMG (0-477-343-8), University of Miami School of Medicine Member of Multiple Organ Transplant, ASTS Multiorgan Transplant Scholarship. Lecturer at Kyoto University. Lecturer at University of Essen, Research assistant at the University of Cambridge .
Professional Members:
American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Transplantation Society Nominated, Middle East and Southern Africa Council Transplantation Society 2007, International Liver Transplantation Association, Turkish Transplantation Association, Turkish Society of Surgery, Turkish Hepatobiliary Surgery Association.
Disclaimer:
Our website contents consist of articles approved by our Web and Medical Editorial Board with the contributions of our physicians. Our contents are prepared only for informational purposes for public benefit. Be sure to consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.