Health tourism encompasses provision of medical services, health spa services and medical wellness services.
The provision of medical services includes diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, health care procedures and medical rehabilitation procedures.
Medical services may be provided by health institutions, health care companies and private health professionals. Health institutions and private health professionals may provide medical services only beyond the capacities contracted with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.
Norms and standards for the provision of medical services are determined by the regulation governing the performance of health activities in terms of premises, workers and medical and technical equipment in health institutions, health care companies and health professionals performing health activities in private practice. With its decision the Ministry of Health determines that a health institution, a health care company, and a private health care professional meet the norms and standards for the provision of medical services. Health institutions, health care companies and private health care professionals to whom the aforementioned decision has been issued shall be recorded by the Ministry of Health in the Register of Health Tourism. Health institutions, health care companies and private health workers registered in the Register of Health Tourism are entitled to use the health tourism trademark - logo.
The provision of
spa services includes services that use natural healing factors, along with physical medicine and rehabilitation procedures, to provide preventive health care, specialist consultation and hospital rehabilitation. Natural healing factors include parts of nature that have a beneficial effect on the preservation and improvement of health, improvement of quality of life and prevention of diseases, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation, as follows: thermal mineral waters, seawater, peloids, naphthalene and climate. Spa services are provided in health resorts and special hospitals that use natural healing factors. Health resorts and special hospitals can provide spa services only beyond the capacity contracted with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund. Norms and standards for the provision of health care in health resorts and special hospitals are determined by the regulation governing the performance of health care activities in terms of premises, workers and medical and technical equipment in these health institutions.
The healing properties of natural healing factors are determined by an authorized legal entity that has a decision of the Ministry of Health on meeting the requirements prescribed by the Ordinance on norms and standards for the provision of health services in health tourism ("Official Gazette", No.
3/2024).
Based on the findings and opinions of the authorized legal entity, the Ministry of Health determines by a decision that the health resort/special hospital meets the requirements for the provision of spa services in the thermal spa, peloid spa, thalassotherapy spa, climatic spa and naphthalene spa. Health resorts and special hospitals to which the aforementioned decision has been issued shall be recorded by the Ministry of Health in the Register of Health Tourism. Health resorts and special hospitals, which are registered in the Register of Health Tourism, have the right to use the health tourism trademark - logo.
The provision
of medical wellness includes services that, in addition to the application of preventive, medical, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as well as health care and medical rehabilitation procedures, implement targeted programmes to preserve and improve overall health and quality of life.
Medical wellness services may be provided by health institutions, health care companies, private health workers, tourist medical service, and other legal entities that, in accordance with a special regulation, perform catering activities and/or provide services in tourism. Health institutions and private health professionals may provide medical wellness services only beyond the capacities contracted with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.
Norms and standards for the provision of health care in health care institutions, health care companies, and with private health care workers, are determined by the regulation governing the performance of health care activities in terms of premises, workers and medical and technical equipment. The norms and standards that must be met by a tourist medical service are determined by the regulation governing minimum norms and standards regarding the premises, workers and medical-technical equipment for a tourist medical service.
Based on the request of a health institution, health care company, private health care professional, tourist medical service and other legal entity that, in accordance with a special regulation, performs catering activities and/or provides services in tourism, the Ministry of Health shall provide an opinion on the medical wellness programme/group of medical wellness programmes at the proposal of the Expert Committee for Medical Wellness of the Ministry of Health.
The decision on meeting the standards for the provision of medical wellness services shall be issued by the Ministry of Health on the basis of the requests of health institutions, health care companies, private health workers, tourist medical services and other legal entities that, in accordance with a special regulation, perform catering and/or provide services in tourism. Health care institutions, health care companies, private health care workers, tourist medical services and other legal entities that, in accordance with a special regulation, perform catering activities and/or provide services in tourism, to which the aforementioned decision has been issued, are recorded by the Ministry of Health in the Register of Health Tourism. Health care institutions, health care companies, private health care workers, tourist medical services and other legal entities that, in accordance with a special regulation, perform catering activities and/or provide services in tourism, which are registered in the Register of Health Tourism, are entitled to use the health tourism trademark.
