Patient Experience
I was visiting Istanbul from Germany when I developed severe, unexplained abdominal pain. As an elderly traveler with limited Turkish, I was terrified. Dr. Ahmet Kurt at Acibadem Altunizade was my lifeline. He conducted the examination with remarkable patience, using clear, simple English and diagrams to explain every step. He suspected a rare medication interaction complicating a mild gastritis, which local clinics had missed. His holistic approach—reviewing my full German medical history, coordinating with the hospital's international patient services, and his calm, grandfatherly demeanor—turned a potential crisis into a manageable situation. He didn't just treat the symptom; he treated my fear.
Our 8-year-old son, Leo, has a complex autoimmune condition that requires meticulous monitoring. Most internists focus on adults, but Dr. Kurt has a magical way with children. During our follow-up visit, he didn't just talk to us; he knelt down to Leo's level, showed him the stethoscope's 'spaceship sounds,' and turned the consultation into a game about 'helping his body's superheroes.' He explained the new treatment protocol to us with incredible depth, using a whiteboard to map out the immune response. His ability to blend world-class internal medicine expertise with genuine pediatric empathy is something we've never encountered before. Leo now asks when we get to see 'the doctor who tells stories about my cells.'
This wasn't a routine checkup. I'm a 45-year-old software engineer, and for months, I'd been battling extreme fatigue, brain fog, and intermittent heart palpitations. Multiple doctors dismissed it as stress. Dr. Kurt approached it like a detective solving a complex puzzle. He ordered a very specific set of tests based on a subtle clue in my sleep patterns I'd mentioned offhand. He diagnosed me with a form of dysautonomia following a mild, unnoticed viral infection. The review was a masterclass in systemic thinking—he connected dots across neurology, cardiology, and immunology within his internal medicine framework. His detailed, almost algorithmic explanation gave me not just a diagnosis, but a clear, manageable path forward for the first time in a year.
Following a complicated laparoscopic surgery for an intestinal issue at another hospital, my recovery stalled with persistent fever and confusion. Readmitted to Acibadem Altunizade as an emergency case under Dr. Kurt, he immediately identified a post-surgical metabolic imbalance and a brewing infection that others had overlooked. His approach was swift, decisive, and deeply collaborative. He personally liaised with the surgeons, the microbiologist, and the nutritionist, orchestrating my care like a conductor. What stood out was his 10 PM bedside visit, not just to check vitals, but to explain the 'why' behind every new medication, calming my family's anxiety. He managed a critical, multi-system post-operative crisis with a blend of sharp intellect and profound humanity that truly saved the course of my recovery.