Medical Tourism

SHMU Health Tourism Core Services

Title: Shahroud University of Medical Sciences: Specialized Services for International Health Tourists

Introduction

Shahroud University of Medical Sciences (SHMU) proudly presents its core clinical capabilities through its specialized hospitals, dedicated to providing world-class healthcare services to international patients. Our commitment to excellence in medical tourism is built upon the foundation of cutting-edge technology, highly trained medical professionals, and patient-centric care models. Our focus in Health Tourism centers around the distinct expertise offered by our key affiliated institutions: Bahar Hospital, Imam Hossein Hospital, and Shafa Surgical Hospital. These centers operate synergistically to cover the entire spectrum of medical needs, from routine diagnostics to the most complex super-specialty surgeries.

The integration of academic research with clinical practice at SHMU ensures that our international patients benefit from the latest evidenced-based protocols. We understand the unique challenges faced by medical tourists, which is why our services are designed to be transparent, efficient, and culturally sensitive.

I. Key Centers for Medical Tourism

The tiered structure of our affiliated hospitals allows SHMU to direct patients precisely to the facility best equipped for their specific medical requirements, optimizing both cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome.

1. Bahar Hospital (General and Specialized Care)

Bahar Hospital serves as the foundational hub for comprehensive primary and secondary care within the SHMU network. It is the preferred entry point for many

Focus Areas and Clinical Strengths:

• Comprehensive Internal Medicine: Robust departments covering Cardiology (non-interventional), Gastroenterology, Endocrinology (particularly Diabetes Management, a regional strength), and Pulmonology.

• Specialized Clinics: Dedicated outpatient clinics providing continuity of care, consultation rooms equipped for detailed history taking and physical examination.

• Advanced Diagnostic Services: State-of-the-art imaging capabilities (MRI, CT Scan, advanced Ultrasound) and a high-throughput Clinical Laboratory offering rapid turnaround times for routine and specialized biochemical analyses. For example, our advanced biochemistry analyzer utilizes kinetic assays with error margins less than $\pm 2\%$ for standard electrolyte panels.

Service Offering for International Patients:

• Seamless Pathways for Pre-operative Diagnostics: Rapid scheduling of necessary blood tests, ECGs, and basic imaging required before procedures scheduled at Shafa or Imam Hossein Hospitals.

• Non-Surgical Management of Chronic Conditions: Long-term management plans for hypertension, stable coronary artery disease, early-stage renal insufficiency, and autoimmune disorders, often coordinated with the patient's home physician.

• Reliable Outpatient Consultation: Offering structured follow-up
appointments with specialists, allowing international patients to complete essential phases of their treatment without requiring prolonged inpatient stays.

• Health Screening Packages: Customizable full-body check-ups designed for international visitors seeking comprehensive annual evaluations.

International Patient Value:

Bahar Hospital offers reliability and accessibility. Its lower acuity profile ensures faster scheduling for consultations and diagnostic procedures compared to tertiary centers, providing an efficient and cost-effective gateway into the SHMU healthcare system.

2. Imam Hossein Hospital (Tertiary & Super-Specialty Care)

Imam Hossein Hospital represents the apex of SHMU’s clinical capability, functioning as the main referral center for highly complex, life-threatening, or technologically demanding medical scenarios.

Focus Areas and Clinical Strengths:

• Tertiary Care Center: Housing specialized intensive care units (ICU, CCU, OPEN-HEART ICU) staffed by critical care fellowship-trained physicians. Bed capacity often exceeds 80\% utilization due to complexity of cases.

• Key Surgical Subspecialties: Advanced departments including Cardiothoracic Surgery, advanced Vascular Surgery, and specialized Transplant Surgery services.

• Advanced Neurosurgery: Expertise in complex cranial and spinal tumor resections, aneurysm clipping, and management of neurotrauma. The success rate for specific cranial tumor removal procedures often exceeds national benchmarks, averaging $92\%$ complete resection for Grade II gliomas over the past five years.

• Comprehensive Critical Care Support: Availability of advanced life support technologies, including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and advanced hemodynamic monitoring systems (e.g., pulmonary artery catheterization).

Service Offering for International Patients:

• Center for Complex Procedures: Focused on procedures where significant multi-disciplinary coordination is essential. This includes percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) utilizing intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance where necessary.

• Specialized Neurosciences Program: Offering diagnostics like functional MRI (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) alongside surgical expertise for complex functional disorders or structural brain pathology.

• Multi-disciplinary Tumor Boards: For oncology and complex surgery cases, treatment planning involves rigorous review by surgical, medical, radiation oncology, and pathology teams, ensuring adherence to the highest standard of care protocols, often modeled after NCCN guidelines.

International Patient Value:

Imam Hossein Hospital is the preferred destination for patients requiring high-acuity treatment and multi-disciplinary team approaches. Its accreditation and established track record in managing complex, high-risk cases provide
confidence to patients whose medical needs exceed the capacity of general hospitals.

3. Shafa Surgical Hospital (Dedicated Surgical Excellence)

Shafa Surgical Hospital is purpose-built to streamline the operative experience, minimizing waiting times and maximizing surgical team efficiency.

Focus Areas and Clinical Strengths:

• Specialized Institution for Operative Medicine: Nearly $90\%$ of bed capacity is dedicated to pre-operative, operative, and immediate post-operative recovery phases.

• General Surgery: Expertise in advanced laparoscopic and robotic-assisted procedures, including complex hernia repairs and bariatric surgery.

• Orthopedics: High volume center for joint replacement (Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty) utilizing modern implant systems. We track outcome
measures such as the Harris Hip Score (HHS) and the Knee Outcome Survey (KOS) to ensure patient satisfaction benchmarks are met ($> 90\%$ satisfaction post-rehab).

• Urology: Advanced services including minimally invasive techniques for stone disease (PCNL, URS) and robotic prostatectomy.

Service Offering for International Patients:

• Modern Operating Theaters (OTs): Equipped with high-definition 4K endoscopy towers and integrated navigation systems, particularly in the neurosurgery and orthopedic wings.

• Elective Surgery Efficiency: Due to its singular focus, Shafa Hospital guarantees efficient scheduling for planned interventions, often reducing pre-surgical waiting times significantly compared to mixed-service hospitals.

• Dedicated Anesthetic and Recovery Teams: Specialized teams focused solely on perioperative care, including advanced pain management protocols (multimodal analgesia) to accelerate recovery. For orthopedic patients, we aim to mobilize patients within 12-24 hours post-surgery wherever medically appropriate.

International Patient Value:

Shafa Surgical Hospital guarantees focused expertise and efficient scheduling for patients whose primary need is surgical intervention. Its structure minimizes exposure to unrelated medical complexities, allowing for a streamlined pathway from admission to discharge following surgery.

II. International Patient Support Services (Managed by the Directorate of International Relations)

The journey of an international patient at SHMU is managed end-to-end by a dedicated Directorate of International Relations, ensuring that clinical excellence is paired with seamless logistical and cultural support.

A. Pre-Arrival and Coordination Services

• Medical Records Translation and Evaluation: Upon initial inquiry, all submitted medical records (imaging reports, pathology slides, physician notes) are reviewed by a senior SHMU physician translator team. We provide a preliminary cost estimate (which includes a contingency factor, typically $5-10\%$ variance buffer) based on the complexity assessment.

• Coordination: A dedicated International Case Manager acts as the single point of contact for appointment scheduling across the three hospitals, regardless of which facility ultimately provides the service. This avoids the patient needing to navigate separate departmental bureaucracies. We guarantee scheduling confirmation within 72 hours of final financial agreement.

B. On-Site Logistical and Cultural Support

• Accommodation Facilitation: Partnerships with vetted, high-quality hotels near the main medical campus offering short-term and extended-stay options. Support is provided for visa extension documentation required by long-stay patients.

• Local Transportation: Arrangement of private, chauffeured vehicles
equipped for patient transport, ensuring reliability between accommodation, hospitals, and diagnostic centers.