Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Information and Services in Turkey Section => Health & Healthcare => Topic started by: Scunner on May 21, 2013, 19:29:02 PM

Title: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Scunner on May 21, 2013, 19:29:02 PM
I'm posting this on behalf of CBF member Heather Davies, who has today gone through the new procedure for joining the SGK healthcare service - process as changed from 1st May:

As promised, an update on my attempt to join the SGK under the new rules that were implemented on May the 1st this year.

As requested by the Tourism Department at the Devlet on Friday, I returned today along with two other married couples from Ovacik who had also been informed last Friday to return to the Devlet on Tuesday 21st May at 8am.
We are the first five people ever, to be processed for the Medical required by the SGK under the new ruling.

Stop one, was to be entered into the System of the Devlet, this was done by the two translators in the Tourism Office. For this, we were required to produce our Residency booklets and telephone number.

Stop two, was to a further Office to register to see the Required panel of Doctors. At this stage we were asked to produce four passport size photographs and a photo copy of either, our residency books or passport.
As we hadn't been told these items would be required we consequently didn't have them.
By this time it was 9am. The translator told us that if we could be back at the hospital by 10am with the our documentation our Medical application could still be possessed that day, if not we would have to return on Thursday as the health checks are only carried out on Tuesday and Thursday's.

Stop three and four - the two couples from Ovacik had come to the hospital by car so I was able to hitch a lift into Fethiye and we had our photographs taken and our documents photo-copied and were back at the Hospital by 10am.
We produced our documents at the Office and were registered on the system to see the panel of Doctors.

Stop five, to the cashiers desk to pay the fee to see the panel of Doctors, we were each charged 111TL 50 Kurus.

Stop six, off we went to the Office of the general doctor who ordered us to have blood tests, a urine sample, ECG's and Chest X-rays. We didn't actually see this doctor, one of the translators went into his office with our paperwork and came out with the forms for each of us.

Stop seven, back to the cashier to pay for the tests; when one of our party enquired why we couldn't pay for everything in one hit, he was told that the system was set up on a pay as you go basis so this wasn't an option.
As we were all having exactly the same tests we were somewhat bemused to be paying slightly different charges - I paid 46TL 20 Kurus, one couple slightly more and the other couple slightly less.

Stop eight, It was then upstairs to join a very long queue to register for the various tests that were required. All the Brits queued nicely, as we do, while a lot of the locals formed queues of their own, which in effect meant shoving in.
The guy on the desk was extremely diplomatic and served one regular queue goer and then one queue jumper, there by avoiding a riot

Stop nine, blood tests.
Stop ten,urine sample.
Stop eleven, ECG

Stop twelve, Orthopaedics; We were asked if we had ever suffered from any chronic illness - the answer being no, the form was once again stamped.

Stop thirteen the Surgeons Office which was closed.

Stop fourteen, to Neurology who stamped our forms without asking any questions but asked us to come back later as their computer system was down and we needed to be entered into the data base.

Stop fifteen, off to psychiatry which was closed.

Stop sixteen, Eye test which consisted of reading a few quite largish letters off a screen.

Stop seventeen, back to neurology where we were asked if we suffered from any eye, ear nose throat or hearing problems. The answer being no, our forms were stamped.
The doctors have lunch from twelve until one so we were told to return at one thirty to continue the rest of our tests.

Stop eighteen, post lunch to see the surgeon, he asked had we had any abdominal operations to which everyone replied no and our forms were stamped.

Stop nineteen, back to Psychiatry, we were asked our age and if we had ever been treated for any psychiatric conditions. The answer was an all round no and our form, was once again stamped.

Stop twenty was to see the "Internal" specialist which provoked much hilarity amongst us women and bottom clenching amongst the men in the end it was just a rubber stamp job thankfully!......

Stop twenty one, was back to the registration office with our forms to show that they had been appropriately stamped by all of the doctors. Our photographs stuck in a large ledger along with our details and we were asked to wait outside the office. After about ten minutes the translator came out and called the older of the two married couples into the office to receive their seal of approval. They were then free to register at the office to join the SGK.

The other married couple had some blood discrepancies and were asked to come back the following day for further testing.
I was asked to go the cashiers desk and pay 6TL so that I could go to see the chest specialist with my X- Ray.

The doctor explained, through the interpreter, that it looked like I had a problem with my left lung but to be sure I needed to return the following day for chest scans.

I asked the doctor did it look to be a serious problem ( the big C always immediately springs to mind of course) he said no, he didn't think so but I needed the scan to make sure. Having never smoked in my life I was racking my brains to what the problem might be.
The only thing I have been able to come up with is, that four years ago in the tropics, I picked up a form of pneumonia called Microplasma; I was extremely ill with it and the cough was violent and went on for around six months. Maybe it's left some scaring or permanent damage to my lung?.....Tomorrow will tell I guess.

Stop twenty two, back to the cashier to pay 55TL for the scans.

Stop twenty three, upstairs to make an appointment for the scans for the following day. I came away with an appointment for one thirty on Wednesday the 22nd and a prescription to collect from the pharmacy for a dye to be injected into my arm. Cost 95TL

That's it so far, I will report back tomorrow with an update. Given that this was the first time this procedure has been carried out it didn't go too badly although the day was long - eight hours of hanging about. The interpreters did a good job and I'm sure the system will improve over time.

At the moment we are just being slotted into the normal Tuesday and Thursday Health Clinics that the Turkish people attend, usually when they are applying for certain kinds of jobs and a clean bill of health is required.
It might be that over time the SGK will refine what they think is appropriate for the testing of foreigners to join the Turkish Health system.

Given that, until last Friday, the Devlet were unaware of the new SGK ruling, I think they did their best today
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: nichola on May 21, 2013, 20:52:32 PM
Thanks for sharing your day Heather - hope all is revealed to be OK tomorrow   :)
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Jim Fraser on May 21, 2013, 21:18:42 PM
Thanks Heather/Scunner - very usefull info.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: joannasal on May 22, 2013, 06:00:10 AM
It is very useful to know - thanks

However, what I find a bit ridiculous is that thiis is apparently the medical check for SGK, yet regarding previous illnesses, psychiatric illness etc, the individual is asked a question, they answer and the doctors simply accept the answer and stamp the form! No one is really going to admit to being a total psycho or to having had a chronic illness for years are they? It (sadly) seems a bit of a joke and a very long and exhausting day for the person undergoing these 'tests'!
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: retiredandlovingit on May 22, 2013, 06:22:59 AM
I was one of the people who were in yesterdays group applying for SGK  and I thought it all a rather expensive farse to be honest.The only real tests were ECG and blood samples everything else were just a standard question and then rubber stamped. I  had a slightly raised calcium level which was then attributed to a tablet I take, so I can now take my paperwork to SGK office and apply,   keeping my fingers crossed I am accepted.  Hubby has to go back for Glucose test this morning and if all is well we will go and register this afternoon. Will let you know how it goes.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: usedbustickets on May 22, 2013, 09:14:40 AM
Thanks for the good information.  Hopefully things will improve in the next couple of months when we will need to go through this nonsense!!  Look forward to any updates or others experiences with the new process.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: nichola on May 22, 2013, 11:13:54 AM
I wonder if this should be a sticky as its a new procedure and people can add their varying experiences all in one place.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Scunner on May 22, 2013, 12:21:03 PM
It now is  :)
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: quackers on May 22, 2013, 16:49:56 PM
I would regıster together retıredandlovınıt saves confusıon later.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: jackstee on May 22, 2013, 17:18:06 PM
But, what happens if your a resident and your visa is cancelled after you have been out of the country for 6 months in one year. ( Mainly for those of us still working ((or trying to, that is )) LOL
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: stoop on May 22, 2013, 17:33:59 PM
Great info for those who want to apply.

I just cringed a bit when I saw the words 'internal' and 'rubber' in the same sentence!
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Heather Davis on May 23, 2013, 12:27:16 PM
A quick update on my post of last Tuesday of my experience of the Medical now involved for ex-pats wishing to join SGK.
Having picked up a possible lung problem from my X-Ray, I was asked to return the following day for an MRI scan. Everything ran smoothly and to time. unfortunately I had a reaction to the mildly radioactive dye that is injected to create a magnetic field with the scanner. This is not necessarily common but Also not unheard of - I certainly felt very rough for the rest of the day.

The result of the scan will be ready tomorrow but there will but there is no doctor available to read them. the specialist panel of doctors reconvene next Tuesday, so I will be seen along with my results on Tuesday morning.

I have heard that the couple who had some queries about their blood results have since been retested and their form rubber stamped for approval for them to join the SGK. What I don't yet know, is if any preconditions will be excluded from their application. Hopefully they will come on to the forum and tell you what happened.

More from me, as and when, next week!.....Fingers crossed
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: busybee on May 23, 2013, 21:10:48 PM
We have only been on the SGK for 2months, Mick never wanted to join and and we had to pay 2,174 fine. If we had to go thru the 23 steps, we definately wouldnt be on the scheme, as patience is not Micks strong point. By the time we got to the phychiarists dept he would have needed counselling and we wouldnt have been accepted  lol.  Hope ur results come back good.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: retiredandlovingit on May 24, 2013, 06:41:17 AM
Yesterday we finally got our paperwork returned to us after much waiting around yet again at the Develet.[ over 2 hours]  Anyway we believe the paperwork is all passed, ,   signed sealed and were off to to deliver it to SGK office this morning.Wish us luck.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: nichola on May 24, 2013, 06:53:44 AM
wishing you lots of luck   :)  :-*
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Kevin Sowten on May 24, 2013, 08:01:12 AM
What was the total cost of the new process please ?
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: retiredandlovingit on May 24, 2013, 17:10:56 PM
Yipeeeeeee.  We finally are on SGK , Tuesday we go to bank to pay and then were all sorted. Today we went to office with all relevant paperwork but they could not find our address on there system , so went and got that done and bobs your uncle. The cost of the health checks for 2 people has been approx. 350tl. Then it cost 100 tl for translation of marriage lines,plus backdated payments of 10 months.Its quite a costly business ,but at least we have peace of mind now . It has been quite a stressful experience as you don't know what is going on at the hospital, and you don't know if they will put you on the scheme until  lthe very last minute. Hopefully they will get there act together   in the future as they get more used to dealing with these new checks.
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Kevin Sowten on May 24, 2013, 20:08:04 PM
Pioneers of the new process !!!!!!
Thanks for all the feedback   :)  :)  :)
Title: Re: 3 Steps to Heaven - but 23 steps to SGK
Post by: Heather Davis on June 03, 2013, 17:59:09 PM
Sorry this promised update on my attempt to join the SGK is rather late. In the middle of everything I had to have a broken wisdom tooth removed which was quite traumatic!......Stitches out tomorrow!....

Anyway, I was eventually accepted on to the Health Programme but it was far from a straightforward procedure. After counting up the amount of hours, it eventually took me, it was twenty seven!.....
Granted, there were complications like needing to have an MRI Scan but it was a time consuming and lengthy process, most of it consisting of hanging about.

The MRI Scan proved my theory that the abnormality that was thrown up in the chest X-Ray on my left lung, was in fact scarring due to a bout of pneumonia four years earlier and not deemed to be a problem
However, it also picked up an aneurysm on the Aortic Artery and I am to see A Cardiologist at the Devlet tomorrow to find out exactly where it is, Heart, Chest, Stomach?....I currently don't know the size or severity of the aneurysm
As I've been allowed to join the SGK I'm banking on the aneurysm being small and only needing yearly monitoring. I'm sure had it been about to blow I would have been whipped into Hospital and my Credit Card demanded toot sweet