Foreign Patients
For patients from ABROAD or Non-Greek-speaking Greek citizens
The Centre of Excellence Thyroid & Parathyroid Surgery has welcomed, all these years, a large number of patients annually from all reaches of Greece, from the beloved Cyprus, from neighbouring countries (Albania, Romania, FYROM, a.o.), as well as many Greeks of the Diaspora from all over the World.
The absolute specialisation in thyroid & parathyroid,
The performance of operations with the world’s newest innovations,
The rapid recovery that the modern minimally invasive surgery allows for,
The international “Center of Excellence” certification that guarantees a safe operation,
The communication in the mother tongue for Greeks of the Diaspora & Cypriot friends,
The contracts with most of the large insurance organisations,
The particularly affordable price, for all those in Greece that are uninsured,
The capability for quick scheduling, avoiding long waiting lists,
The staffing of the medical team with associates who speak Russian, Romanian, a.o.,
The capability of informing and cooperating post-operatively with foreign Endocrinologists
The possibility of combining an operation with a visit to relatives in Athens, as well as a tourist visit to the capital and the Greek islands
… are just some of the elements that have contributed and contribute daily to the serving our patients from all over the World.
Our joy is particular, as is our gratitude for the trust of the people that travelled many thousands of kilometres in order to undergo therapeutic treatment at our hands.
It is a great honour for us, our recognition as one of the select Centres for Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery in Southern Europe.
Everyone who is interested may come in contact with us for his medical issue; he can get information regarding his stay or any other subject by contacting us, with the characteristic “DR KARVOUNIS”
Secretariat:: karvounis@endocrinesurgeon.gr or tel +30 210 777 1077
For patients from the Northern Americas: Giannopoulou Gina 6948488317
For Russian-speaking patients: Saridou Maria 6976554179, Ignatiades Theodoros 6977417372
For Romanian-speaking patients: Kelgiorgi Dionysia 6973048790, Mpantilas Alexandros 6975067595
For Bulgarian-speaking patients: Fragk. Oikonomou 6974 597 400, Kadiyska Nikolina 6977463128, Zelaskova Margarita 6998007424
For Albanian-speaking patients: ΜARIETTA BIBA 6984212564
For German-speaking patients: Kalodimidou Asimina 6980130103
The procedure for a Thyroidectomy/parathyroidectomy operation has been simplified to such an extent, so that it can be performed successfully to people travelling from afar, trusting our Centre. This procedure constitutes, in organisational terms, for our associates a routine procedure , which in its turn – in a friendly environment – aims at approaching each patient as a separate case, in a responsible and scientifically sound manner, without even the slightest inconvenience.
1. An initial surgical assessment is carried out after a detailed communication over the telephone between the patient and the Physician and check of the results of the examinations sent via Fax/Courier/E-mail and/or the mediation of a family member in Athens, authorised by the patient.
2. Based on the medical history and laboratory data of the patient, pre-operative instructions are given and our Secretariat organises the carrying out of the standard pre-operative check, taking into account the time of the patient’s arrival in Athens.
3. At the time of his admission, the patient must
-
- Have fasted (not even water) from midnight of the day before surgery.
- Have taken all his medication or even have discontinued some of them, according to his doctor’s orders.
- Have with him his passport and/or the contract number of his private insurance, if such exists.
- Bring with him all of his relevant to his ailment medical tests (all those that he may have possibly already shown or sent to the Physician during the initial medical assessment)
4. Hospitalisation lasts for 24 hours or less, during which the patient eats freely, walks, speaks, feels no pain and has no drainage tubes.
5. On the following day, come the doctor’s visit and the discharge, during which post-operative instructions and treatment are given, as well as a complete list of telephone numbers for direct contact with the Registrars, the Secretariat and with Mr Karvounis personally.
6. Depending on the findings of the operation and the data of each patient, the necessary post-operative length of stay of the patient in Athens is discussed. Guidelines are also given regarding what should the reaction of the patient to specific symptoms during the first days be, irrespective of the geographical location that he finds himself in.
7. THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THE FOREIGN PATIENTS can spend the time of the first post-operative days, while adhering to their doctor’s suggestions and without any particular restrictions, on tourist activities, in Attica or beyond. This way, it is common in our Centre that many foreign patients combine the surgical treatment of their thyroidopathy with a pleasant stay and tour in Greece, and all this in a trip of a few days!
8. Finally, the patient’s attending Endocrinologist, after being informed through a Medical Note and the Histological Report, will determine the future medication and treatment.
9. In consultation with the Surgeon, depending on the peculiarities of each patient, a post-operative communication and monitoring model is determined, as well as the need or not of a close-up medical re-examination of the patient in the future.
* The usual pre-operative check contains:
- Blood test, Blood sugar, Urea, Creatinine, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Rhesus blood group, Blood test for clotting time (PT, aPTT, INR)
- Chest X-ray (basic)
- Cardiovascular examination (with electrocardiogram)
- ENT examination (vocal cord movement examination)