Patient Experience
Our 3-year-old daughter, Elif, developed a sudden, high fever and a strange rash that spread rapidly. We rushed to Acıbadem Bursa Hospital in a panic late at night. Dr. Ahmet Gülen was on call. He didn't just look at the rash; he spent 20 minutes calmly asking us about her recent activities, what she ate, and even noticed a small, nearly healed scratch on her knee we'd forgotten about. He diagnosed it as a specific bacterial infection from that minor wound, not the scary meningitis we feared. His ability to connect tiny details under pressure and his gentle way of explaining everything to us, the terrified parents, was nothing short of brilliant. He saved our night, and our daughter.
As the grandfather of a premature baby, my visits with little Kerem were always filled with anxiety. During a routine follow-up for his lung development, I, an old man with poor hearing, accompanied my son. Dr. Gülen didn't just speak to the baby's father. He turned his chair, looked me directly in the face, and spoke clearly and slowly, explaining Kerem's progress using simple analogies about 'the little engine in his chest getting stronger.' He drew a small, simple diagram on paper for me to keep. He treated my concern with as much respect as the medical data. That day, he treated two patients: my grandson and my worried heart.
My 14-year-old son, Deniz, is a competitive swimmer with persistent shoulder pain that other clinics dismissed as 'growing pains.' Dr. Gülen approached it like a detective story. He didn't just examine the shoulder; he asked about training routines, stroke techniques, and even his posture at his school desk. He coordinated a brief video call with Deniz's coach to discuss observations. The diagnosis was a subtle overuse syndrome combined with minor joint laxity. The treatment plan wasn't just rest; it was a tailored physiotherapy program and specific strengthening exercises. Dr. Gülen treated the athlete, not just the child, and got him back to the pool safely.
Little Zeynep needed a complex elective procedure for a congenital issue. The surgery itself was daunting, but what stood out was Dr. Gülen's management of the 'emotional calendar.' A week before, he showed her the operating room via a picture book he had made for kids. The day after, he did rounds not just to check vitals, but to award her a 'bravery certificate' he'd stamped himself. At the one-month follow-up, he remembered her favorite cartoon character and used it to explain her healing process. His care was a continuous, thoughtful narrative, not isolated medical events. He healed her with expertise and celebrated her recovery with genuine, personalized joy.