Treatment abroad: Estonia 

Estonia, a burgeoning destination for medical tourism, offers cutting-edge healthcare services in fields such as fertility treatments, cosmetic surgery, and rehabilitation, all set against the backdrop of its picturesque landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

Quality of care,low prices and easy travel makeEstonia a popular health care destination foranyone seeking private surgery and treatment abroad.

Why choose Estonia for treatment

Estonia joined the European Union in the spring of 2004 and like its Baltic neighbours is steadily emerging as a young, fresh and inspiring country to visit – especially for the medical tourist who can experience high quality orthopaedic surgery and save a substantial sum of money in the process. With talented surgeons, excellent facilities and interesting sight-seeing opportunities Estonia is a definite consideration for affordable surgery abroad.

Those looking for some relaxation and pampering can enjoy the Day Spas in Tallinn and with time to spare before or after surgery some of the county’s highlights include a visit to the resort of Haapsalu; which is all narrow streets and wooden houses, curative mud and warm healing waters, and/or a trip to one of the untouched islands like Saaremaa to enjoy some peace and quiet and to inhale plenty of fresh unpolluted air.

The city of Tartu, in its south central position, is Estonia’s second largest city and where doctors and surgeons study medicine. The university is very prestigious and the quality of medical care in Estonia is considered to be excellent. Many of the board certified and experienced orthopaedic surgeons and doctors further their training abroad so they are fluent in several languages and the private hospitals in Estonia are equipped with the latest technology and equipment, adhering to strict EC regulations.

Surgery and consultations are reasonably priced: A hip or knee operation will cost around €5,600 in Estonia and the bill for a total knee replacement will be €6,400. Patients requiring all types of orthopedic operations will be treated at the largest private orthopaedic and joint replacement clinic in Estonia; theHospital of Orthopaedics.

Estonian is the official language of Estonia, with Russian, English, Finnish and German also spoken. Estonia has a maritime climate with wet, moderate winters. In Tallinn the winters are fairly cold, spring cool, with a fairly warm summer and a long, rainy autumn. Sometimes Tallinn boasts temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius although the average temperature in July is around 16 to 17 degrees Celsius and in February the average is around minus 4 degrees Celsius.

Reasons to choose Estonia

A young, fresh and inspiring country to visit

High quality orthopaedic surgery centre

Sixty to seventy percent savings on treatments

Hospitals equipped with the latest technology

Spectacular countryside with over 1,000 lakes

Low cost flights from across Europe

Surgery in Estonia : Doctor accreditation and qualifications

Doctors study at the Faculty of Medicine within the prestigiousUniversity of Tartu, to gain a “Diplom arstite aduse oppekava lbimise kohta” (Diploma in the medical science curriculum). Specialists should hold a Residenturi lputunnistus eriarstiabi erialal from the university. The medical degree takes around six years, and graduates undertake a further five years to specialise in their particular field, such as orthopaedic surgery.

The medical regulatory authority in Estonia is the Sotsiall Ministeerium (Ministry of Social Affairs) located at Gonsiori 29, 15027 Tallinn. Tel +372 626 9301. The Estonian Ministry oversees the health care system andtheEstonian Medical Association(EsMA) located atPepleri 32, 51010 Tartu, tel 372 7 420 429works under the Ministry’s supervision.Specialist associations exist for doctors to belong to such as the Association of Estonian Surgeons, the Estonian Society of Orthopaedics, the Estonian Society of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, the Estonian Society of Anthroscopy and Sports Traumatology, the Estonian branch of theInternational Traumatologists Society(the AOAA Aulmni), the Latvian Society of Traumatology and Orthopaedics or the International Society of Anthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports.

Every doctor, surgeon, hospital or a practice must adhere to regulations of the Estonian Medical Association which works under the Estonian Ministry and each doctor, surgeon, hospital or practice must be certified and licensed and compliant with European regulations.

Travel and accommodation

Tallinna Lennujaam,Tallinn’s International Airport, is located 4 km from the city centre (Lennujaama 2, Tallinn 11101) and is a modern airport with excellent facilities. Getting to and from Tallinna Lennujaam is straightforward. A public bus (number 2) departs from in front of departure hall to the city centre (and port) every 20 minutes from 7am until midnight. Tickets can be purchased from the driver. In the city centre you can catch the airport bus on Laikmaa Street (between the Tallink Hotel and the large Viru Centre next to the Sokos Hotel Viru). Ataxistand is also located in front of the airport with both Linna Taxis and Tulika Taxis. There are also airports at Kuressaare, Krdla and Parnu.

Domestic flights are available with the taxi airline,Avies, which flies from Tallinn toKuressaareandKrdla.

Getting there by rail, road and ferry

Estonia has good connections to Scandinavia and continental Europe so if you’re not keen on flying then getting to Estonia via rail, coach and ferry are viable alternatives. You can also travel to Estonia bytrainplus ferry via Copenhagen (Denmark) and Stockholm (Sweden), or byEurostar trainand connecting trains to Rostock (Germany) then hop on a ferry direct to Tallinn. See their website for journey information or call Rail Europe on 08708 371371 for advice about prices and routes. Tallinn has excellent, affordable ferry connections to Helsinki and Stockholm withTallink(Stockholm to Tallinn, Helinksi to Tallinn) but the journey time is lengthy, around 16 hours, andSuperfast Ferriesserve Rostock (northern Germany) to Tallinn.

Travelling around the country

Car rental companies are located at the airport and in the main cities. Estonia has an extensive network of roads but not many highways. That said, driving in Estonia is an attractive possibility since the government’s development of scenic tourist routes to neighbouring countries. If you have some extra time to travel consider the ‘Via Baltica’ which runs south-west from the capital of Tallin through Parnu to Riga, Latvia, or the ‘Via Estonia’ which runs south-east from Tallin to the Russian border or the ‘Via Hansa’ highway which parallels the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland and leads to Narva and St. Petersburg. Driving is on the right. For more tips and information about driving in Estonia seeAuto Europe’s guide and to contact them in Estonia dial 001 207 842 2000.

Train travel in Estonia is not developed but there are some trains from Tallinn to Tartu and other Estonian cities and some international connections for example to Moscow and beyond.GoRailis the international train company,Edelaraudteethe inter-city, and Elektrikraraudteethe local electric trains. Travelling by bus is a better option with regular and cheap connections around the country.

Public transport in Tallinn

The public transport system in Tallinn is good with a choice of buses, trolleys and trams. You can either buy tickets beforehand or from the driver as soon as you embark, however if you buy the tickets in advance you will save money. If you plan to be in Tallinn for a few days then better value still is the 10 ticket deal. The Tallinn public transport also offers one hour or two hour tickets and two hour tickets and one day or three day passes, available only from newsstands.

Taxi stands are located at major intersections and in front of bigger hotels, or you can hail one in the street. The price is determined by the taxi operator and not all taxis charge the same so ensure you clarify the exact fare in advance, a price list is posted on the right side rear door. A more fun and eco-friendly alternative to getting about the centre of Tallinn in the warmer months (March to October) is the ‘Velotaxi’, a bicycle styled taxi (like a Rickshaw).

Accommodation

Around Estonia you will find a wide choice of accommodation from hotels, guest houses, apartments and Bed and Breakfasts. The currency in Estonia is the Euro (it changed from the Estonian Kroon in 2011 when Estonia joined the EuroZone).

About Estonia

Estonia is situated in northern Europe on the Baltic Sea and is the smallest and the most northerly of the Baltics with Latvia in the north, Lithuania in the south and Russia and Belarus to the east.

Estonia may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of a trip abroad, but perhaps it should be. A country the size of the Netherlands, with just one tenth of the population, Estonia has mile after mile of wide open spaces and wilderness, fringed with stunning, ancient cities and glorious coastal resorts.

Although it is the smallest of the three Baltic states, as far as natural beauty goes Estonia is a top contender, boasting, among other things, a cluster of islands in the Baltic Sea, a plethora of lakes – a thousand if you’re counting, with Lake Peipsi one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe, as well as the highest point in the Baltics – Suur Munamgi is 318 metres above sea level. Add to that the longest stretch of coastline in the Baltics, miles of white sandy beaches to stroll along and plenty of quaint, historical towns and picturesque fishing villages to explore.

Over half of Estonia is forest, giving it a uniquely diverse flora and fauna, including bears, lynx, deer, elk and wolves just like most of Europe used to be. In fact, Estonia often donates species to help other countries to repopulate their own ancient forests. With so few people and so many trees, Estonia has some of the cleanest air in Europe, which can make your break there feel particularly invigorating.

Perhaps that’s why Estonia has such a strong health based culture, with over 40 different spas and five heath resort towns to choose from. The national tourist website promotes the idea of healthy holidays, and there’s nowhere better to take a feel-good break.

Despite long years of occupation by the Soviets, Estonian culture is much more Nordic influenced, with Finland just a short ferry ride away across the Baltic Sea. Scandinavia with a twist, Estonia embraces the lifestyle and laid back approach of its near neighbours, including the strange sport of wife carrying!

More than a third of the 1.3m population lives in the capital city of Tallinn, a medieval city which has a stunning old town juxtaposed with the soaring skyscrapers of its business district. European Capital of Culture in 2011, Tallinn has something for everyone, from narrow streets and traditional shops to modern malls and a vibrant nightlife.

The city, considered one of the most romantic cities in Europe, boasts the Medieval Old Town, (part of the UNESCO World Heritage list) where 11th to 15th century buildings abound. History enthusiasts will enjoy seeing some of the Soviet legacy, like the old KGB Headquarters where intense interrogation once took place, the Soviet Soldier monument – a symbol of the country’s former occupation, or a stroll around the Museum of Occupation and of Fight for Freedom.

Another popular city is Parnu in the South West, which comes alive in the summer months with an array of beach parties and music festivals that create a real celebration of summer. It seems like all of Estonia heads to Parnu at some point in the summer, creating a lively party vibe for all to enjoy.

Of course, if you prefer things a little quieter, you can always head inland to those endless forests, where you can hike and bike to your heart’s content without seeing another soul all day.

The national tourist office describes the country as ‘positively surprising’ and it’s hard to argue with that claim. Estonia is nothing like you would expect a former Soviet republic to be at all.