Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) → Click here
FAQ
Below please find our patients’ most frequently asked questions. If you have further questions and our answers are not helping you, please do not hesitate to contact the Helios International Office (HIO) at any time. Thank you.
Please send your request for treatment with a description of your problem and your complaints to this address: info@helios-international.com
We only accept requests in written form.
Please note that you cannot book your appointment by phone.
No. HIO is part of the Helios Hospital Group and not a private company. All employees of HIO are employed by Helios. They get a fixed salary independent of the number of patients under their care and no commission.
HIO handles all organizational tasks for patients coming from abroad for treatment in Germany: preparation of cost estimates, coordination of appointments, assistance with visa formalities, transfer from the airport, accommodation and care of patients, providing a list of nearby accommodation for accompanying persons, cost control during treatment, translation of medical reports and settlement of treatment costs.
All documents must be sent to HIO in either English or German. We recommend that records are translated at home to avoid any delays.
No. It is the patient’s responsibility to provide documents in either English or German.
We are giving our best to process all inquiries within 48 hours. To ensure this tight timeframe, HIO requires all relevant medical documents (not older than 3 months, in English or German). Should we need more time to deal with an inquiry, we would notify you accordingly. After having received your inquiry, we are checking whether all necessary information is present. Should we need further information from your side, we will contact you again. Should the inquiry be thorough enough, we will then forward it to the responsible specialist for feedback. Once we receive the specialist’s feedback, we will provide you with a cost estimate accordingly.
Please check this before coming to the hospital. You can contact the Helios International Office regarding your insurance policy via email: info@helios-international.com
Providing you with a cost estimate is free of charge. All our cost estimates are calculated based on your medical documents and include the following costs:
* Please note that the accommodation of an accompanying person in the patient’s room depends on the capacity of each hospital.
Due to the fact that we can only give you a rough estimate, it may always happen that the sum of the final bill may be different from the cost estimate we have provided you with. You will receive a final bill, listing all accrued costs, after your discharge.
The invoice for general inpatient treatment in the Helios hospital is based on the following guidelines:
Inpatient treatment is calculated by a case-based lump sum (base rate) and so called DRGs (Diagnosis Related Groups). DRGs are assigned based on ICD (International Classification of Diseases) diagnoses, procedures, age, gender, discharge status and possible complications or comorbidities.
Every particular DRG is matched with an appropriate relative cost weight. The base rate (determined value of a reference performed) is expressed in Euro. The relative cost weight is assigned to it and multiplied by the base rate, which is demonstrating the costs for treatment for this particular illness.
Furthermore, there will be different additional charges. These are legally determined and/or agreed upon with the hospital. Every single estimate of costs is based on the available data/present knowledge and is covering the treatment without complications. Thus, due to unexpected complications, the estimated costs can differ substantially.
These are services which you can obtain in addition to general hospital services.
They are as follows:
Please note that these services cause additional fees.
This fee includes treatment by a head physician or physician of your choice. Please note that if you choose head physician treatment, it refers to all head physicians involved in your medical treatment. For example, if you need surgery, this will not only include the head surgeon, but also the chief physicians of involved departments such as radiology, anesthesia and laboratory medicine. In case the head physician will not be available, his direct deputy will represent and carry out the treatment as well as the surgery.
Receipt of the money is a condition for HIO to send the visa invitation letter, but also for the respective embassies to issue the visa. The expected duration of treatment determines the validity of the visa. The hospital is responsible for ensuring that patients enter the country only for treatment and promptly leave the country once they have completed their treatment.
Patients coming to Germany from abroad for medical treatment are obliged to pay the treatment costs in advance as a deposit. Furthermore it is important to save the question of costs for a hospital group with more than 100 clinics all over Germany.
Unfortunately, no. Helios requires a full payment, in advance, prior to any international patient receiving services or treatment.
Unfortunately, no. You will have to book all flights and accommodation on your own. Nevertheless, we can provide you with a list of hotels and apartments close to your Helios Hospital.
Yes. Please let HIO know in advance if you need an interpreter for your visit.
Yes. If your actual charges are below the amount you paid in advance, you will receive a refund.
Nevertheless, we would like to clearly point out that the money which was not needed for treatment can only be refunded to the account from which the payment was carried out. A refund to another account can only take place when you provide us with a letter of authorization verifying the identity of the original depositor. This regulation applies in connection to the Money Laundering Act.
In addition to their normal duties, our doctors may have to deal with unexpected emergency patients which can occasionally lead to longer waiting times.
