Turkey updates regulations for private hospitals, including inspection exemptions

Turkey's Ministry of Health has introduced regulatory changes affecting private hospitals, primarily by redefining the periods for which accredited facilities are exempt from routine inspections. The updated "Regulation on Amendments to the Private Hospitals Regulation" was published in the Official Gazette, bringing new directives into effect.

Under the revised rules, private hospitals that achieve accreditation from the Turkish Health Services Quality and Accreditation Institute (TÜSKA) will benefit from inspection exemptions. Those receiving platinum or gold category certifications will be exempt for three years. Hospitals accredited in the silver category will receive a two-year exemption, while those in the bronze category will be exempt for one year.

Beyond inspection exemptions, the regulations introduce new requirements for private hospitals. A mandatory provision for either a portable X-ray device or an X-ray device with a minimum power of 500 mA has been established. This requirement can also be met through service procurement. Additionally, hospitals must have medical biochemistry and/or medical microbiology laboratories, though this can also be fulfilled through external service agreements.

The updated rules also increase the allowable deviation from minimum physical standards for private hospitals from 2% to 5%. Changes were made to the wording concerning physician staffing, shifting from "cooperation protocol with foundation universities" to "approved specialist training program by the Ministry." The term "primarily" regarding the assignment of physicians from private health institutions to other roles has been changed to "preferably."

A transitional provision exempts private hospitals licensed before January 30, 2025, from certain physical requirements stipulated in the regulation. This exemption applies to changes made by private hospitals as of January 30, 2025. Further amendments address the procedures for handling patients referred from private practices when the contracted hospital cannot perform the necessary intervention, allowing for special case-by-case permits from provincial health directorates.