If you are admitted to a Turkish state hospital, one of the first questions staff will ask is "Refakatçiniz var mı?" ("Do you have a companion?"). In Türkiye a family member or friend often stays at the bedside day and night, and wards are organised around that expectation. For expats living alone in Fethiye, Muğla or Antalya, this can come as a surprise. This guide explains the refakatçi (companion) system, the rules hospitals publish, what to pack, how to get an interpreter, and what to collect at discharge, as of November 2026.
This is general information, not medical or legal advice.
Key points
- Türkiye’s Patient Rights Regulation (Hasta Hakları Yönetmeliği) says a patient may ask to have a companion, subject to the treating doctor’s approval and the hospital’s capacity.
- Ministry of Health hospitals usually allow one companion per patient; the companion receives a card from the ward nurse and must carry it.
- Some hospitals publish gender and age limits, for example no male companions on maternity and gynaecology wards, and no companions under 18.
- Companions in Turkish wards traditionally do much of the day-to-day care, while nurses focus on clinical tasks.
- The same regulation says information must be given in a way the patient understands, using an interpreter where necessary. Fethiye State Hospital has an International Patient Unit with English, Russian and German speakers.
- Rules vary by hospital, and sometimes by ward. Always ask for the written companion rules (refakatçi kuralları) on admission.
Why companions are expected
The legal basis is short. Article 40 of the Patient Rights Regulation says a companion may be requested during examination and treatment, depending on the treating physician’s approval and the facility’s facilities. Hospital policies build on this: Bozkurt State Hospital in Denizli, a Ministry of Health hospital, states that the patient’s doctor decides whether a companion is needed.
In practice, a companion is not a visitor but part of the care routine. Ministry hospitals’ rules describe companions as looking after the patient in line with the doctors’ directions, and Nazilli State Hospital’s rules say this in so many words. A study of 300 inpatients carried out at Trakya University’s Institute of Health Sciences found that companions carried the biggest burden of day-to-day care, while nurses were involved mainly in technical matters.
What nurses do and don’t do
Nurses handle the clinical side of care. The Trakya University study found nurses were rarely involved beyond technical matters, so everyday help such as eating, washing, getting to the toilet and keeping the patient company tends to fall to the companion. Companions in that study pointed to material shortages and lack of knowledge as reasons some needs went unmet.
Companions must not step into clinical work, though. Hospital rules say companions must not carry out any procedure without the knowledge of the doctors and nurses, must not touch equipment such as drips or oxygen meters, and must not change beds or disinfect rooms without staff present. If you are alone, tell the ward nurse early so the team knows you need extra help.
Companion rules: what hospitals publish
Each hospital writes its own rules, so read the version on your ward. Common points from Ministry of Health hospital pages:
- Number: "The number of companions is limited to one person," according to Bozkurt State Hospital. Nazilli and Karacasu state hospitals add that any additional companions are charged under the ministry tariff.
- Companion card (refakatçi kartı): issued by the ward nurse and worn at all times. At Nazilli it also opens ward doors and must be returned at discharge, or the discharge is not completed.
- Gender and age: Gaziantep 25 Aralık State Hospital says male companions may not stay on women’s wards. Nazilli bars men from the delivery room and gynaecology ward. Nazilli and Karacasu also say people under 18 and elderly people are not accepted as companions. Some pages go further on men; check locally.
- Meals: Nazilli and Karacasu say food for companions who stay permanently is provided by the institution within general rules. Bozkurt asks companions to show their card in the cafeteria at mealtimes.
- Rest: Nazilli and Karacasu let companions rest in the ward day rooms. Beds or reclining chairs for companions are not guaranteed in shared rooms, so ask.
- Changing companions: allowed when necessary at Nazilli, but Bozkurt asks you to inform the head nurse about frequent changes or about leaving the patient alone.
- Ward rounds: Bozkurt says companions should not stay with the patient during rounds and medical care.
- Food from outside: usually not without the doctor’s permission.
- Smoking: prohibited, with penalties under Law No. 4207.
Visiting hours
Visitors are separate from the companion, and hospitals set their own hours under Article 39 of the regulation. Examples:
- Fethiye State Hospital: visiting and companion hours are 13:30–14:30 and 19:00–20:00 on weekdays and weekends.
- Antalya City Hospital: 13:00–14:00 and 19:00–20:00 daily; intensive care units and delivery rooms have their own rules, and children should not visit adult patients.
- Nazilli State Hospital: 13:00–14:30 and 19:00–20:30.
Antalya City Hospital asks visitors not to bring outside food, fresh flowers or sit on patient beds.
What to bring
- Passport or residence permit card (Fethiye State Hospital says a passport is sufficient for foreign patients) and your insurance documents.
- A list of your current medicines and doses; patient responsibilities include giving complete information about your medicines and past illnesses.
- Your own toiletries, towel, slippers, comfortable clothes, phone charger and a long cable.
- Cutlery, a cup and a water bottle, in case these are not provided.
- A blanket or shawl and earplugs for the companion, who may sleep on a chair.
- A notebook with key Turkish phrases. Our Turkish learning guide lists courses that help.
Interpreters and International Patient Units
Article 18 of the Patient Rights Regulation says information is given in a way the patient can understand, using an interpreter where necessary. Fethiye State Hospital’s International Patient Unit says it provides interpreter services across all departments, helps with registration and admissions, and liaises with insurance companies. Its staff list English, Russian and German. Ask at reception on the ground floor of the outpatient building. Other large hospitals in Muğla and Antalya have similar units; ask at reception.
State or private hospital?
Private hospitals work differently. Acıbadem’s international patient guide says one adult companion can usually stay overnight in a single room on a recliner, sofa bed or chair, that shared rooms may limit companions, and that ICU overnight stays are generally not possible. Companion meals may or may not be included. See our state vs private hospitals guide.
Insurance matters too. Whether your stay is covered by SGK (the state social security scheme) or private insurance, and whether a private hospital charges extra fees, depends on your status. Our health insurance explainer covers this. Planned admissions usually begin with an outpatient appointment through MHRS; see our MHRS booking guide.
Discharge: epikriz, reports and prescriptions
At discharge, ask for a printed discharge summary (epikriz) and copies of key results, especially if you see doctors abroad. Article 16 of the regulation gives patients the right to examine their file and obtain a copy, directly or through a representative.
Prescriptions and reports also appear on e-Nabız, the Ministry of Health’s personal health record. Its user guide says the "Raporlarım" screen shows all reports written by your doctor and "Reçetelerim" lists prescriptions by date, alongside information on hospital stays. If you need a medication report (ilaç raporu) for long-term medicines, ask before you leave.
Complaints and useful numbers
- 112: the single emergency number for ambulance, fire and police.
- Patient Rights Unit (Hasta Hakları Birimi): the first stop inside the hospital. Fethiye State Hospital’s is on the ground floor opposite the blood collection unit, tel. +90 252 613 22 89.
- Alo 184 (SABİM): the Ministry of Health’s communication centre for requests, suggestions and complaints, still described as active in January 2025.
- CİMER (cimer.gov.tr): the Presidency’s general public complaints portal.
Article 42 of the regulation gives patients and their relatives the right to make applications and complaints, and to sue, if their rights are violated.
FAQ
Q: Do I have to have a companion in a Turkish state hospital? A: Not legally. The regulation lets a patient ask for one, and the doctor decides whether it is needed. But wards often rely on companions for basic care, so tell the nurse if you are alone.
Q: Can my husband stay with me on a women’s ward? A: Often not. Several state hospitals do not allow male companions on women’s, maternity or gynaecology wards. Rules vary by hospital.
Q: Do companions get food? A: At some hospitals, such as Nazilli and Karacasu, meals for companions who stay permanently are provided. Others vary, so ask on admission.
Q: How many people can stay overnight? A: Usually one companion. Extra companions may be charged under the ministry tariff.
Q: Is there an English-speaking service? A: Fethiye State Hospital’s International Patient Unit offers interpreters in English, Russian and German. The regulation says interpreters should be used where necessary.
Q: How do I complain? A: Start with the hospital’s Patient Rights Unit. You can also call Alo 184 or use CİMER.
Sources
- Hasta Hakları Yönetmeliği, Resmî Gazete 1 August 1998 (T.C. Adalet Bakanlığı)
- Hasta Rehberi (Fethiye Devlet Hastanesi)
- Uluslararası Hasta Birimi (Fethiye Devlet Hastanesi)
- Hasta Hakları Birimi (Fethiye Devlet Hastanesi)
- Visiting Hours and Rules (Antalya Şehir Hastanesi)
- Our Accompanying Policy & Accompanying Person Policy (Bozkurt Devlet Hastanesi)
- Accompaniment Policy and Accompanying Rules (Nazilli Devlet Hastanesi)
- Our Patient Companion Policy and Regulations (Karacasu İlçe Devlet Hastanesi)
- Visitor and Accompanying Laws (Gaziantep 25 Aralık Devlet Hastanesi)
- Hastanede yatan hasta refakatçilerinin hemşirelik bakımına katılma durumunun belirlenmesi (Trakya Üniversitesi)
- e-Nabız iOS kullanım kılavuzu (T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı)
- Overnight companion rules in Turkish hospital rooms (Acıbadem International)
- ALO 184 nedir? ALO 184 SABİM hakkında bilgiler (NTV)
- Sağlık Bakanlığı şikayet ve muayene itiraz yolları (2026) (Av. Bilal Alyar)
- Tüm acil çağrılar 112’de toplanıyor (Habertürk)
Photo: Dosseman / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
