A New Chapter for Health Tourism in Dalmatia as Bagatin Clinic Opens in Split
February 22, 2019 - An important new chapter in Croatia's emerging medical tourism story, as Bagatin Clinic, one of the industry heavyweights, officially opens in Split.
Another important piece in the jigsaw is now in place.
Medical tourism in Croatia has the potential to become one of the driving forces of the country's tourism sector, and experts agree that Croatia could easily be one of the top ten global players in this lucrative industry within 10 years, a topic we have covered in depth in the past.
And while official bodies have been slow to seize the opportunity (something which is slowly changing with the new Health Spot Croatia initiative), private clinics have been forging forward and creating their own story. Zagreb, Kvarner and Istria have become established medical tourism destinations, as foreign clients realise the savings to be made with no compromise on the quality of care.
No clinic in Croatia has done more to promote Croatia's impressive health tourism story that Bagatin Clinic in Zagreb. A small family business which has mushroomed into one of the region's medical stars in a short time, with a focus on the best of everything - equipment, surgeons, marketing and customer care.
And while some businesses use strong marketing to compensate for a poor product, the Bagatin experience is even better than the impressive marketing experience.
The number one dermatology clinic in all Europe in 2018 - see the video below.
2018 Dental Implants Award for Full Mouth Reconstruction from American platform, Dental Implants Friends. And if you want to see a real-life example of how Bagatin's dental expertise literally changed an American's life, while saving tens of thousands of dollars, there is no finer example than Carl's incredible story. (see Carl below, but I really encourage you to read his story).
International Cosmetic Surgery of the Year 2017 at the International Medical Travel Journal awards.
Each year, the Bagatin surgeons are recognised among Croatia's best, with no less than 11 making the Najdoktor list in 2018.
Bagatin Clinic welcomed guests, clients, partners and the media to its gala opening last night at the luxury Dioklecijan Hotel and Residence in Split last night, as the Bagatin expansion hit the Dalmatian coast for the first time. As with the clinic in Zagreb, which is located on the 10th and 11th floor of the 4-star Hilton Double Tree Hotel, Bagatin has chosen a strong accommodation partner to offer patients a comfortable and luxurious accommodation experience while they undergo treatment.
While there are clinics in Split already, the arrival of Bagatin will put the city on the health tourism map, finally connecting the dots for the millions of tourists who visit the city each year. The potential of Bagatin to boost Split as a health tourism hot spot was not lost on local officials, and Split Tourist Board director Alijana Vuksic was among last night's attendees to welcome Bagatin to the Dalmatian capital.
Bagatin Clinic CEO Ognjen Bagatin (pictured with TCN on the right, above) is clearly excited about the opportunities the Split opening will bring, posting on LinkedIN before the opening:
"I am very happy that we have outgrown the initial phase of the whole health and medical tourism story and that concrete efforts are being made for the development of this incredibly potential branch of tourism. Not just from the private sector; the local and national community has joined us with their efforts as well. Together, with just one goal, to show Europe and the world that Zagreb and Croatia can and actually are the new European destination for medical and health tourism.On Thursday, we officially open our new branch office in Split, which will help us attract even more international clients; there is an enormous potential here and now is the right time to take advantage of it."
You can find out more about the services at the Bagatin Clinic in Split on their website, where they introduce their Split services as follows:
"Our premium 5-star service awaits you across our departments specializing in dentistry, cosmetology and aesthetic dermatology."
Planning a holiday to Split this summer and want to save a little money to pay for it? Think ahead a little about your medical and dental needs, do a little homework and planning, and your unforgettable visit to Split could also include great news for your health and your wallet.
To learn more about health tourism in Croatia, here are 25 things to know.
For the latest news, follow our dedicated Croatian health tourism page.
Zagreb, the Health Tourism Destination: Meet the Clinics - 1. Bagatin
February 13, 2019 - As Zagreb makes a concerted effort to promote its considerable medical tourism potential, a look at the leading clinics, starting with one of its superstars, Bagatin.
One of the joys of being a foreigner living full-time in Croatia is that there is always something new to learn. When I moved into my house in Jelsa back in 2002, a very jovial neighbour came round to say hi and give me a bottle of wine. It was seven years later that I realised that he was one of Croatia's most famous winemakers, Andro Tomic. And through Andro, and especially his excellent wines, I discovered first the Hvar and then the Croatian wine story, culminating in our dedicated Total Croatia Wine portal.
And so too, almost 15 years after living in the country, I was introduced to another world of Croatian excellence about which I knew very little.
When we announced that we were starting our Total Zagreb portal, I received a message from a chap named Ognjen Bagatin, who invited me for coffee - he had been following the Total project for years apparently. We agreed to meet in his clinic on the 10th floor of Hotel Hilton Double Tree. And so began a journey of discovery which is still ongoing a couple of years later...
Living in Croatia one gets used to surly service and disinterested serving staff, and so when you encounter top-quality service from well-trained staff, you notice it immediately. Aminess Hotels in Novigrad is a prime example, just such a happy place to stay. And so too with Bagatin Clinic. Warm, polished, professional. The equipment was all cutting edge and business was brisk, but it was not his own clinic that young Bagatin wanted to discuss - he wanted to know what I knew about medical tourism in Croatia.
Embarrassingly little, it turned out, and what he showed me truly amazed me. Croatia had a Leading Hospital of the World, internationally recognised and attracting many famous sports starts for treatment (St. Catherine Specialty Hospital). It had a leading regional eye clinic with internationally acclaimed surgeons who had performed tens of thousands of successful operations at a fraction of Western prices (Svjetlost). And it had Bagatin, which I was soon to learn was much more than a standard clinic in Zagreb. I wrote my first article on the health tourism potential of Croatia - Health Tourism is Coming Home: Why Zagreb is the Next Big Medical Tourism Destination.
The topic got my attention, and the more I investigated, the more I was amazed. Here are 25 things to know about health tourism in Croatia - pretty impressive, right?
(Others are beginning to notice)
And wherever I looked, at every turn, there was that man who introduced me to the world and possibilities of medical tourism - Ognjen Bagatin. Trade shows in Los Angeles, conferences in Moscow, he was there flying the flag for Croatia and its medical tourism industry. And while some businesses compensate for a poor product (who said Zuja?) with fantastic marketing, it seemed the Bagatin product more than matched its impressive marketing. The clinic specialised in four main areas: dermatology, plastic surgery, dentistry and cosmetic treatments. Here are just a few awards and recognitions of quality:
The best dermatology clinic in all Europe.
2018 Dental Implants Award for Full Mouth Reconstruction from American platform, Dental Implants Friends. And if you want to see a real-life example of how Bagatin's dental expertise literally changed an American's life, while saving tens of thousands of dollars, there is no finer example than Carl's incredible story. (see Carl below, but I really encourage you to read his story)
International Cosmetic Surgery of the Year 2017 at the International Medical Travel Journal awards.
Each year, the Bagatin surgeons are recognised among Croatia's best, with no less than 11 making the Najdoktor list in 2018.
In order to attract international clients, the latest equipment is essential to be competitive and to build trust for the patient. Bagatin prides itself on offering the best service possible, from initial welcome to the latest equipment.
In addition to its considerable international promotion of health tourism in Croatia, Bagatin is assisting many businesses and clinics with their professional development and communications skills via the Bagatin Academy. More than 50 quality professional trainers focus on soft skills developments in the areas of stress management, team management, communication, presentation and public speaking, top-level service, conflict management, and negotiating. Education is delivered through lectures, workshops and other training methods.
The Bagatin Academy is also a powerful networking tool, attracting as it does many of the top people from the Croatian business world, and it is a great place to organise B2B lunches and other business gatherings. The academy project has some strong official support, including the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Chamber of Physicians, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in Croatia, the Croatian Pharmacy Chamber and the Croatian Chamber of Nurses. The project is supported by Resisto Educational Houses, Janus PIM and Knowledge Map, as well as the portal Moj Posao, magazine Poduzetnik, Dental Tribune and MTV UP! energy drink.
To learn more about the Bagatin Academy and its upcoming events, visit the official academy website.
As one would expect for such a successful business, Bagatin Clinic has also been recognised as a business as well as its healthcare. In 2015, Deloitte named it the fastest-growing small and medium-sized business in Croatia.
And it continues to grow...
In January, 2019, Bagatin opened its doors in Dalmatia with its first clinic in Split. You can learn more about the Split clinic here, but I defy you to find a clinic with a better view to accompany the high standard of service. The Split opening is excellent news for tourists who are contemplating combining some medical procedures with their holiday, with the savings really adding up. The arrival of Bagatin in Split is just one more piece in the jigsaw of establishing the Croatian medical tourism story.
To learn more about Bagatin, visit the official website.
To learn more about medical tourism in Croatia, follow our dedicated page.
Bagatin Clinic is Open for Business in Split!
January 21, 2019 - We’re starting the new year with some big news - and we think you’ll like it. Remember when we announced that the best dermatology clinic in Europe and leading medical tourism ambassadors the Bagatin Clinic would soon be opening their doors in the heart of Dalmatia? Well, today is the big day, and the Bagatin Clinic has realized one of their biggest projects - they are now open for business in the Dalmatian Capital of Split!
Namely, from Monday, January 21, 2019, the Bagatin Clinic’s arms are open to a new clientele. The people of Dalmatia now have the chance to embrace the famed clinic’s business tradition and culture they have nurtured for years, and delight in their knowledge, skills, and innovations at a new location in the Dioklecijan Hotel & Residence, within the Split House of Health.
Bagatin’s superior 5-star service will shine in departments specializing in dentistry, cosmetology and aesthetic dermatology. Their status as the best dermatological clinic in Europe in 2018 ensures the best possible approach, the expertise of their staff and state-of-the-art technological equipment for all skin changes, but also in erasing signs of aging with the help of the best anti-aging treatments, with an emphasis on injectables.
The Bagatin Clinic prides themselves in boasting nothing but the highest quality of service together with state-of-the-art technology which is implemented in all treatments and procedures. You can find the latest technology in their dental offices with specific treatments available within the Laser center. The Bagatin surgical department will begin by offering smaller surgical procedures and examinations, though they will soon expand their range of our services.
Meet the Bagatin Split team:
Doctor Zlatko Kljajić is a specialist in otorhinolaryngology, a subspecialist in audiology and an expert in different methods of facial rejuvenation. In the last few years, he has continued his education in the field of aesthetic medicine, too. Kljajić is the author of several published scientific papers in both Croatian and international magazines, and he has recently received a quality acknowledgment for 2018 according to the portal najdoktor.com. With his expertise and irresistible charm, he perfectly complements the Bagatin team.
Doctor of dental medicine, Nastja Asanović, is an expert for aesthetic and functional solutions in prosthetics. After obtaining her postgraduate specialist degree in the field of dental implantology, she received further training by attending various symposiums and congresses. In her work, special attention is devoted to the individual approach to each patient in her desire to give them a perfect smile.
Matea Jakić is a certified cosmetologist for body and facial treatments. Through numerous education programs, she has gained certificates in the fields of cosmetology, derma-cosmetics and non-invasive medical methods and has completed the Reviderm Academy which focuses on a comprehensive approach to facial skin care. She is most looking forward to everyday communication with the patients and the results achieved to the satisfaction of each patient.
Katarina Kalebić is the Head of the Bagatin Clinic in Split. Kalebić boasts a Master’s Degree in Economics and vast experience in working with foreign investors. She has participated in establishing and managing a renowned dental clinic where she perfected her leadership and organizational skills.
Karmen Radić will be the first friendly face to greet you at the Bagatin Clinic. Karmen’s warm welcome will ensure the most enjoyable experience at the Clinic - and we promise her smile and reliability will make each of your appointments seamless.
The Bagatin Clinic strives for continuous education, professional training and investment in their growth and development, which places their team of doctors and medical staff among the very best. Better yet, Bagatin's reputation of providing the best medical care received its latest endorsement last month when 11 of their doctors were declared the best in 2018 by the portal najdoktor.com.
Chosen by the patients themselves, Bagatin’s best includes:
Dermatologists:
Jolanda Kanižaj-Rajković, dr.med. and Snježana Kramarić, dr.med.
Surgeon:
Josip Lovrić, dr.med., surgeon
Maxillofacial surgeon:
Tomica Bagatin, dr.med., plastic surgeon of head and neck
Oral surgeon:
Krešimir Doblanović dr.med.dent.
Otorhinolaryngologist:
Zlatko Kljajić, dr.med.
Plastic surgeon:
Dinko Bagatin, dr.med., plastic and reconstructive surgeon
Dentist:
Ivan Sertić, dr.med.dent., Marin Radić, dr.med.dent te Majda Plišić, dr.med.dent
Specialist in dental prosthetics:
Mirna Munitić, dr.med.dent
“We are especially pleased with the recognition coming from our patients. Only then you can be sure you are doing the best you can and that someone recognizes your efforts. All of my colleagues and I always strive to provide our patients with the best possible care and dedicate them our undivided attention before, during and after their stay at the Clinic. This acknowledgment is an additional motive for the future and for keeping the gold standard we have set,” said Tomica Bagatin.
Doctor Dinko Bagatin added: “What is most important for us is the feeling of long-term trust we share with our patients, and this acknowledgment is precisely an indicator of that. I am particularly pleased that this tradition continues for several years now and we certainly plan to keep this continuity. Congratulations to all of my colleagues on this acknowledgment and I thank our dear patients from the bottom of my heart!”
The new Bagatin Clinic is located within the Dioklecijan Hotel & Residence, a luxurious hotel with a rooftop pool and a spectacular panoramic view of the city, sea and the islands. Located at Kranjčevićeva 45/1 in Split’s Gripe district, the new Clinic is just a 15-minute walk from the city center, Diocletian’s Palace and attractive beaches. The Hotel & Residence has 52 comfortable and spacious rooms with balconies where Bagatin’s clients and patients can stay while visiting Split.
If you’re interested in booking a treatment in the new Split location, you can contact Bagatin via e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone +385 1 4610 225, or via the chat on www.poliklinikabagatin.hr.
Or, visit the new Bagatin Clinic from today, January 21st!
Medical Tourism Ambassadors Bagatin Clinic to Open Doors in Split
The City of Split and all of Dalmatia will receive a major boost in quality health tourism as the Bagatin Clinic plans to open its doors in the Dalmatian capital.
Croatian Medical Tourism Meets Ilan Geva Branding Experience at Bagatin
November 6, 2018 - These are exciting times for the Croatian medical tourism industry, and while there seems to be little interest from the State authorities, the leading private clinics in the Croatian medical tourism industry are pushing forward, engaging the help of leading world experts in health travel to help them grow.
Life running Total Croatia News is full of diversity, and no two days are the same. Given the growing reach of TCN these days (now the number-one-searched website in the world for news about Croatia), we tend to cover an increasing number of diverse topics. As digital nomads, the chance to work remotely gives us more freedom to cover all aspects of life in Croatia. And so while the weekend was spent picking olives in the family field and reporting on the natural way of life in Dalmatia, Monday morning brought me to Zagreb for a niche seminar organised by the Croatian medical tourism industry.
As followers of TCN will note, the potential of the Croatian medical tourism industry is one of my big discoveries in recent years. Here, in a country which welcomes 18 million tourists a year and whose GDP includes 20% from tourism, Croatia has a world-class tourism product which is hardly being marketed at all by its tourism gurus. Examples of the world-class Croatian medical tourism product lie, for example, in Mayo Clinic's co-founded pharmacogenetic OneOme project choosing St Catherine Specialty Hospital as its European partner for its ground-breaking RightMed test; no less than three Zagreb clinics named in the top six in Europe for dermatology, including Bagatin Clinic in first place; and Eye Clinic Svjetlost winning 'Best Live Surgery Award" at the "ophthalmology Oscars" in Milan, where a team of four expert surgeons performed 5 complicated eye surgeries in 60 minutes at the world's largest video surgeon congress, VideoCatarattaRefrattiva. If you are interested in learning more about Croatian medical tourism, here are 25 things to know.
I recently interviewed one of the big speakers on the global health travel circuit, and his global perspective of the potential of the Croatian medical tourism industry was one more piece in the jigsaw for this correspondent. You can read the thoughts of Dr. Prem Jagyasi here.
The leaders in the Croatian medical tourism industry are undoubtedly Bagatin Clinic and St Catherine Specialty Hospital, whose efforts on the international stage have done much to put Croatia on the health tourism map worldwide, and the potential for growth in this sector is enormous, an obvious area for Croatia to expand its stated aim to become a 12-month destination.
And yet...
Croatian Medical Tourism: Are the Tourism Chiefs Interested at All?
Yesterday's Croatian medical tourism seminar in Zagreb was organised by Bagatin Clinic, bringing together the key elements in the industry for a workshop with health travel branding guru, Ilan Geva. I was delighted to be invited to cover the event. It is one thing writing about the potential of a sector of Croatian tourism, but it is quite another to get an open and honest appraisal of Croatia's potential from one of the world authorities.
Despite being invited, not one person from the Ministry of Tourism attended.
Despite being invited, not one person from the Croatian National Tourist Board attended.
This lack of attendance was in stark contrast to another conference I attended recently - Days of Croatian Tourism on Hvar - where I would be surprised if anyone from thise two State bodies did NOT attend. Two days of fun travelling down to a beautiful island is a lot more appealing than a 5-minute drive to help build Croatia's future.
In a room full of the top players in the Croatian medical travel industry, with perhaps the world's leading guru on health tourism branding leading a niche seminar on how Croatia should brand its health tourism, a niche tourism sector where Croatia has the potential to be a top 10 global player bringing billions to the economy. And not one representative from the Ministry of Tourism or Croatian National Tourist Board could attend. I am sure that the justification will be that there was an office to open in Shanghai and the World Travel Market in London, but with all the people employed, was there really nobody who could have come?
It should be noted that there were two officials there - the Deputy Director of the Zagreb Tourist Board and an Assistant Minister of Health who, to his credit, lasted almost the whole day and not just the usual 15-minute photo op at the opening, as is usually the casewith politicians the world over.
Geva put his engaged audience through its paces, and it was an excellent exercise for those attending to look at the strengths and weaknesses of their own brand, as well as how Croatia should looking to build its national health tourism brand. Geva said that there are about 100 countries in the world which practice medical tourism, a number he thinks will be reduced to 50 by 2050. Of these, Gera believes there will be a 'Premier League' of about 20 countries offering quality health tourism, and Croatia could be in that elite league, even in the top 10, which is the stated goal of Bagatin Clinic CEO, Ognjen Bagatin.
"But you need to all come together to build that strategy."
Perhaps someone can pass the message on to the Ministry of Tourism and Croatian National Tourist Board.
Croatian Medical Tourism: Can We All Work Together?
While branding was the topic of the day, it was the other things that Geva talked about that interested me even more. Which country, for example, does medical tourism best, and what are the best practices?
"Malaysia, they are brilliant. And they have one point of entry - the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council - a dedicated department in the Ministry of Health."
There is another health conference in Croatia later this week, where Ilan Geva is also a keynote speaker - the Crkvenica International Health Conference, organised by the Kvarner Health Cluster.
Among the other key speakers (more than 18 international speakers in all)? Sherene Azli, CEO of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (watch her conference welcome video here).
In case someone at the Ministry of Tourism of Croatian National Tourist Board thought listening to the boss of the best-run medical tourism industry in the world might be useful.
The energy at yesterday's seminar was extremely positive, with some great brainstorming and idea swapping.
"The role of the politicians is to make the legislation easier, find a budget for health tourism, and then get out of the way," said Gera, who first got involved in the Croatian medical tourism industry ten years ago with a clinic in Rovinj.
Once all the Croatia-specific niches were taken into account, the key message came down to one thing:
"You need to work together."
"And so, with all this great energy and ideas," I asked, to nobody in particular, "what are the next steps? How do we get together to move this forward?"
How indeed, if we can't get some of the most important stakeholders to even come and listen to world experts who are trying to help.
It will be interesting to see who shows up in Crikvenica.
To learn more about Croatian medical tourism, follow our dedicated health tourism section.
Ilan Geva Helping Croatian Health Tourism: Bagatin Workshop, Crikvenica Conference
October 29, 2018 - The Croatian medical tourism story continues with one of the leading global health travel experts Ilan Geva visiting Zagreb and Crikvenica next week.
I am quite new to the Croatian medical tourism scene, despite having covered tourism in Croatia for a number of years, and the more I investigate, the more excited about the possibilities. I will confess that it was a surprise to find the level of excellence on offer in a number of medical fields when I did my initial research for Health Tourism is Coming Home: Why Zagreb is the Next Health Tourism Hot Spot.
The one big difference between health tourism and mainstream tourism in Croatia is that the majority of players are in the private sector, and as such, tend to be more driven and progressive. After just a few months of watching the Croatian health tourism sector from distance, I am a little breathless after years of the slow pace of progress of tourism in Croatia.
Next week is another big week for the industry, with the Crikvenica International Health Conference the main event, which will have several keynote speakers, including medical travel expert, Ilan Geva, who will be combining his trip with an invitation-only workshop in Zagreb hosted by one of the pioneers of medical tourism in Croatia, Bagatin Clinic.
Ilan Geva is a global Medical Travel expert, specializing in branding and consumer behavior who provides consulting, teaching, training and help in practicing and implementing all brand touchpoints. He develops and creates Brand platforms including brand vision, brand strategy & brand personality, using strategic business solutions for multinational, national and regional entities. His work has won over 100 industry awards around the world. Ilan assisted health ministries, medical tourism councils, destinations, hospitals clinics and doctors. Ilan Geva is a global Medical Travel expert, specializing in branding and consumer behavior who provides consulting, teaching, training and help in practicing and implementing all brand touchpoints. He develops and creates Brand platforms including brand vision, brand strategy & brand personality, using strategic business solutions for multinational, national and regional entities. His work has won over 100 industry awards around the world. Ilan assisted health ministries, medical tourism councils, destinations, hospitals clinics and doctors.
After his workshop at Bagatin Clinic in Zagreb, Ilan Geva will be heading to the Crikvenica on the Adriatic coast as a keynote speaker at the Crikvenica International Health Tourism Conference on November 8-9, with a presentation title: “How to use TRUST in building the brand of your country, hospital, and people” For more information on Ilan Geva and the rest of the conference in Crikvenica, visit the official conference website.
To follow the latest in the Croatian medical tourism story, follow the dedicated TCN medical tourism channel.
Why Zagreb is a Top Dental Tourism Destination: Mirna Munitić, DMD, Specialist in Prosthodontics
October 20, 2018 - Croatia's medical tourism industry is making inroads into the global market, a winning mix of excellent treatment, low costs and a great holiday destination. Here's why.
“If Croatia Puts Aside Politics and Ego, It Will Speed Up Its Growth”
Ognjen Bagatin on how to stop the emigration and bring diaspora back to the homeland.
5 Cool Croatian 2018 Achievements So Far, And It is Only April!
April 25, 2018 - Best known perhaps as one of Europe's top tourism destinations, Croatia is punching above its weight on the global stage in many different ways, and 2018 has begun with a wave of creativity.
Bagatin Named Best Dermatology Clinic in Europe 2018, 3 of Top 6 from Zagreb, Croatia
April 7, 2018 - A huge boost for Croatia's emerging health tourism industry as three Zagreb clinics take first, third and sixth place in the list of best English-speaking dermatology clinics in Europe 2018, as compiled by Global Clinic Rating.
