Incirlik families tour Adana hospitals

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sara Csurilla
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Overseas assignments can create a lot of questions and concerns, especially for those traveling to countries they have never been to before or are traveling abroad for the first time.

The 39th Medical Group recently initiated a program for personnel assigned here to address any concerns or questions they may have about the health care they can expect to receive when referred to the local community for medical treatment.

For the first time, the 39th MDG hosted a familiarization tour of two hospitals in Adana, Turkey Aug. 13.  Both hospitals are available to use when patients are referred off base for care.

"We currently don't have an in-patient facility in this med group so we send the folks downtown if they need any in-patient care or emergency care," said Lt. Col. Lisa Moore, 39th Medical Support Squadron commander.  "By going downtown these folks were able to see the hospitals we use are quite nice and it provides a little bit of comfort.  We're very excited to be able to organize this trip downtown for members from Incirlik."

The first hospital visited was Acibadem. Located approximately 10 miles from the base, Acibadem opened in February of 2009 and is one of the leading hosipitals in Turkey with 24 medical facilities across the country.

"Our facilities are extremely up-to-date and our physicians and doctors are educated and qualified just as doctors in America," said Dr. Filiz Arabaci, check-up doctor.

The tour group visited the emergency room, patient rooms, common areas throughout the hospital and the neonatal facilities. They were also introduced to a Turkish translator for English speaking patients who is available to Incirlik patients 24 hours a day.

Dr. Arabaci said the hospital can accommodate a significant number of patients in need of medical care.

"We have more than 100 patient rooms for expecting mothers, surgery patients or any other medical care," said Dr. Arabaci. "We also have a 24-hour emergency room where we average about 30 patients a day."

After visiting Acibadem, the group of 17 traveled approximately 30 minutes across town to visit the second hospital, BSK Metropark.  Metropark hospital has been opened for a little over a year and has a Joint Commission International Accreditation, a world renowned accreditation Acibadem will have very soon, said Dr. Arabaci.

The group took a similar tour of the Metropark hospital and met with Dr. Tarik Zafer Nursal, Associate Professor of General Surgery and Mertopark's Medical Director, to learn more information about the hospital and ask any questions they may have had.

"I thought it was a very good tour because it decreased some of the fears that happen when you think of when you're going to get medical care in Turkey," said Jean Butts, wife of Col. Anthony Butts, 39th Air Base Wing vice commander. "The facilities were very nice. They were very sanitary. They really put a lot of attention into making the patient and families feel comfortable, and that's just very reassuring."

The medical group is planning to conduct the tours quarterly for Incirlik members who want to familiarize themselves with the medical care available to them.

For information how to join one of these tour groups contact Master Sgt. Danielle Dunnivant at 676-7213.