Weight loss surgery in Türkiye, could it be done better?

Another headline about weight loss surgery in Türkiye has made the news. It’s the kind of story that gets shared quickly, sparks concern, and leaves a lot of unanswered questions behind.

But once the noise settles, there’s a more useful question worth asking.

If New Zealanders are already travelling to Türkiye for weight loss surgery, could the journey be designed better from the start?

That’s the question Oceanscape Group was built around.

Working with the system, not against it

Here is something people might not expect.

I have reached out many times to weight loss surgeons and clinics in New Zealand to try and work with them, not against them. Because the reality is simple.

People will explore overseas surgery anyway.

Pretending it is not happening does not protect anyone.

Guiding people toward a safe, supported, well-structured pathway does.

The key things that actually make the difference

Before opinions take over, let’s ground this in what really matters:

• Structured preparation before anyone boards a plane

• Experienced surgeons working within accredited hospitals

• On-the-ground support in Türkiye

• Clear post-operative planning before returning home

• One connected team accountable across both countries

  
  

When these pieces are in place, the experience looks very different.

Let’s start with the facts, and be precise about standards

Türkiye has one of the highest numbers of JCI-accredited hospitals in the world, with over 50 facilities accredited by Joint Commission International, the globally recognised gold standard for healthcare quality and patient safety. JCI accreditation is independent, rigorous, and ongoing.

It is verification, not marketing.

In addition:

• Complication insurance is compulsory for international health tourism patients in Türkiye

• Our Bariatric surgeon, Dr Alper Öztürk is SRC-accredited and operates out of a TEMOS-certified hospital, meaning the hospital has independently verified systems specifically designed for the safe care of international patients, including discharge planning and continuity of care. I literally can pick up the phone and message or call him...of course if he's not performing surgery.

• Türkiye uses leading bariatric technology and advanced surgical techniques

All of this information is publicly available, if you know where to look.

So when the conversation turns to standards, it is worth being precise.

Türkiye’s accredited clinical infrastructure is real.

Built from travel expertise, not medical titles

I’m not a doctor.

My background is in travel.

I work alongside surgeons, hospitals, and medical professionals, but my expertise sits in logistics, coordination, systems, and pretty much being nosey and asking loads of questions, especially when health is involved.

I live in Türkiye. I understand how things work here. And very early on, I could see that many medical travel journeys weren’t failing because of poor surgery, but because the travel and support around the surgery wasn’t designed properly.

So instead of commenting from the sidelines, I built a better way.

We don’t do this for Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook

You won’t find us chasing trends or selling surgery through social media hype.

In fact, I probably should get a TikTok just to keep people aware, but we’re far too busy doing what actually matters.

Our work happens behind the scenes.

In planning calls. In preparation checklists. In coordination with surgeons like Dr Alper Öztürk.

In making sure people know exactly what happens before and after surgery.

Bariatric surgery is life-changing.

It deserves structure, not shortcuts.

A bariatric pathway built on systems

Our weight loss surgery programme in Türkiye focuses on doing the fundamentals well:

• Clear preparation before travel

• Surgery coordinated with experienced, accredited surgeons in certified hospitals

• On-the-ground support in Türkiye so people are not navigating recovery alone

• Clear post-operative planning before anyone flies home

Good systems don’t eliminate risk.

But they absolutely reduce unnecessary risk.

Why Oceanscape is structured differently

This is also why Oceanscape has gone further than most facilitators.

We have established a registered Turkish company and have applied for our International Health Tourism Authorisation and medical tourism licence. All New Zealand owned so we get what our people need.

Not because it is easy, but because it matters.

It means:

• Operating within Türkiye’s Ministry of Health framework

• Being accountable on the ground, not just offshore

• Designing pathways that align with both international patient standards and local regulatory requirements

  
  

Medical travel should be structured, regulated, and transparent. Not informal. Not transactional.

So what’s actually newsworthy?

Not the headline.

What’s newsworthy is the people whose journeys are calm, supported, and properly planned.

The ones who know who is responsible at every stage. The ones who return home with clarity, not confusion.

Weight loss surgery in Türkiye can be done well when the journey is designed properly.

So maybe the better question is not should people go?

It is could it be done better?

We believe it can.

And that’s what we’re building at Oceanscape Group.