You can watch and review all informative videos about the treatments recorded by Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D., Specialist of Orthopedics and Traumatology
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Welcome to Channel 16. “About Life” has started, dear viewers. Well, today once again we are hosting an esteemed person who has contributed greatly to Bursa by being an example with his business and personal life, an industrious man who is a fighter and is a connoisseur, especially in the medical sector and in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. My guest on “About Life” is Chair of Board of Directors of Private Medicabil Hospital, Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D., Specialist of Orthopedics. Dr. Bilgen, welcome to our show. You are an extremely busy person. Your time is essence, but you were kind enough to spare some of it. Thank you very much, Professor.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: I thank you for inviting me, much appreciated.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Your intense schedule goes without saying. In the meantime, your hospital investments continue to grow. I know that proceedings are ongoing for the medical center on Ankara Road. That building will become a hospital too, but let’s start “About Life” with your personal character, so that our viewers get to know you. You are an example. What would you say about Mr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen if you have to describe yourself? I would like to know. We can discuss details later.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: I would describe myself as a normal person.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): A humble person, one might say.Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: A willing worker, a man who wants to do his job decently; that’s how I learned to do business in my family. I’ll tell a story about my childhood; it will be fitting. At the time when I graduated high school and took the university admission exam, you had to pick your school. You were given 18 choices. And I listed 18 medical schools in my choice form. Getting admitted to the medical school has always been my goal. I made that decision when I was 10. Obviously, you are more ambitious around those ages. Somehow I got admitted to the medical school, and then I graduated. When I got enrolled into the faculty, I decided to become an instructor. Obviously, you do not know the details
when you are at that age; you are just a young person who recently graduated from high school. After I got enrolled, I made calculation as I was leaving the faculty, then, I turned back to building and said “I’m letting you know that I will become a Professor when I turn 38 or 40.”
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): After hearing these words, I feel sorry for the state of the current generation of young people, Professor. Your story should be an example really; you identified your goals very early. Our perspective was rather different. Unfortunately, young people of nowadays do not have goals or purposes.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Because there are so many things to distract people away from their goals. In my time, maybe, there weren’t so many distractions. So, it was much easier. When you think about it, we are all human. We make mistakes. We may sometimes take the wrong step. Our thoughts change. So, it should be on us to lead the young people. We should give them opportunities. We should maximize their options, so that they can choose what is best for them.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): In order not to distract them and to direct them towards positive goals on a vast scale…
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: There are many great young people too. The post-graduate students from my time as a university professor are specialists now. Doing this job requires great sacrifices, really.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You spend many years studying, Professor.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: You have guard duty once in every three day, you stay at hospital. You go through an education period like this for five years. To the extent that your habits and character slightly change. It would be definitely impossible doing this job without that education; you couldn’t have made so many physicians to work voluntarily. As in all aspects of life, education and communication are very important in this field.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Our medical professionals sacrifice so much of their personal lives to keep on working. But, Turkey is in a decent spot in this sense, right?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Actually, doing scientific research and practicing medicine by yourself or with your hospitals are very different things. In recent years, our contribution to scientific research and global literature, as well as our skill, frequency and ability to use alternatives have increased. So, we are now in a pretty good state in the fields of medicine and healthcare. This applies to all branches. I am an Orthopedist. This statement is universally recognized, not just for the field of Orthopedics, but for all branches of medicine.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Thank God, our physicians are trustworthy.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: There are many factors in place here. Conducting research, opening universities, increasing the number of universities are all acceptable to a certain extent. Everything evolves and develops over the course of time. Our mission is to follow these developments.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Your days in the academy have come to an end. I am curious about your professional life before MEDICABIL. Of course, you served as the head of department in Uludağ University for a long period of time. What are your thoughts on that?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: To summarize: I graduated from Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. Studying in that school and learning a part of this job from our dear Professors are the fundamental elements of all this, essentially. It is a very important and great faculty and a very significant institution. Afterwards, I served my mandatory duty in Sinop and military duty in İzmir. I started my post-graduate career in Ondokuz Mayıs University, in Samsun. Then, I moved to Bursa and continued my career here. I got my post-graduate degree from Uludağ University. That was the process. And then, I applied to become an instructor. My Professor was Prof. Dr. Öner Gedikoğlu, M.D. I owe so much to him. This is really important. Let’s call that as our great development. Because he never wanted us to end up bad; he was always trying to teach us something. We learned a lot from him. May God bless him. After I got transferred here, I was admitted to become an instructor. Then, I continued until I became a Professor. I was fortunate, and I am very content with that. It has been great.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You set your goals. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen is a genuinely valuable person, who decided to become a doctor as a 10-year old, and stayed on his path after high school and got admitted into medical school. When he got there, he did not stop; he decided to become a professor and actually did so. He is a person who can set his goals and achieve them. You’ve mentioned your professor as your role model. Have you had other mentors in your professional life? Has there been anybody you followed specifically?Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Sure, of course I’ve had other mentors. Aside from the Professor I’ve just mentioned, I went US to study in 1993. I have been working on arthroplasty and joint surgeries for 30 years. I have over 30 years of experience in this field, excluding my time as an assistant. Over the course of this period, 90% percent of my focus was on arthroplasty, commonly known as, joint and prosthesis surgeries. I have performed surgery on approximately 7 or 8 thousand patients until this day. Because, the
number of surgeries you can perform when working for a university is limited. This number may increase if you get into public sector. Every day is another battle, you know.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I’m so glad you are in Bursa. It is an honor to have you here. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, a connoisseur indeed. How did you set the goal which lead to Private Medicabil Hospital? How did you come with the idea of Private Medicabil Hospital? How did you experience that process? I would like to hear your thoughts on the hospital, Professor, from opening day to now.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Private healthcare sector had started to emerge when I made my mind. Private hospitals were starting to become affordable with private healthcare policies. At that time, my thought process to make my decision was like: I can admit more patients and I can help more people. When I was employed by the University Hospital, we could operate approximately 150 patients in a year. But right now, in the public sector, that figure is close to 600 patients in a year. Think about how many times more do you work? You produce more. You write more scientific articles. You have more opportunities to give talks. You have more opportunities to share your knowledge and skills in meetings. Obviously, it is busier compared to university hospitals. You are busy because you have so much to work on. We set a 150-year goal when we founded the hospital.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Why 150 years, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Several generations should witness and benefit from this work. Because your work should be based on a solid ground; this is the goal in the medical sector as well. Whether will it actually happen, we don’t know yet. But this is a matter of intention. You should have great intentions first and foremost.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): They say if the intention is good, the consequences will follow, Professor.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that reflects our aspirations as well. We want the people coming after us to continue creating value here. The medical sector will be there as long as humanity survives. Obviously, the change is inevitable. We set a goal like that. Our employees and colleagues, with whom we take the battlefield together, shoulder to shoulder, are aware of this goal. We all put our best effort.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter):You take firms steps further. Private Medicabil Hospital, first you, then your specialist doctors… I know you are picky. You work with genuinely successful people. You put great emphasis on education in Private Medicabil Hospital. You constantly refresh yourself in the field of education. In your circle, you are known as a person frequently reminding the importance of education. What are your thoughts on education, Professor? I mean, you
constantly put your staff through these education periods. You try to reach a point where you can help people. We recognize your effort. Education is obviously very important.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, as a country, we are not a world leader in the medical sector. There are countries that use and produce very advanced technologies; and they provide us with those technologies. These countries are led by US and include several countries in Europe. Our country has esteemed scientists in almost every branch. They contribute to some extent. But that is not all of it. We have so many colleagues who do work that has never been done before in the World. Turkey has carved a space for herself in this field. But when you are forced to watch other people succeed, you become somewhat dependent on external players. We must break this cycle, which is a goal that requires learning and having the most recent information available. Otherwise, how can we compete with others? We must be in constant contact with people from other countries who work on this field; we must read what they write. A certain process is required for us to reach a certain spot. We must raise our work to certain levels in order to ensure sustainability, which is a task that requires hard work. This allows you to do that work. Then, they present you with their work in literature. Or, you visit them to see how they work. After that, you don’t have to rediscovery everything from scratch. That’s why this field of study requires sacrifice. You must sit down and decide where to start as soon as possible, then get to work without wasting time. You must work hard and do your job decently. Eventually, while we do all of this, we should always think in our minds “how can we develop our business?” If you don’t think, you will not be able to move forward. You can only do what other are already doing. Maybe you have more skill. But this education is mandatory to create value.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): So, education must be constant in order to be successful. That’s what I understand.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: That is absolutely necessary. It is har to imagine but in the past, you could have maintained your life without educating yourself and trying the understand recent developments for 5 or 6 years once you become a specialist. But today, that kind of approach is no longer viable. Everything changes every single day and we have so many resources to study. Technology and information evolve too. What we know to be true has changed, they say “that’s how you do things now.” Although some classics remain the same, you cannot be updated if you don’t keep up. In that case, you cannot hold on to your spot.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter):So, the second important
issue is to stay updated through education. Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospitals are frequently preferred by the patients. Your hospital has become a recognized institution as soon as it was founded. What are your thoughts on that, Professor? The patients have started to prefer your hospital, primarily your field of specialty.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The reason for that is the recognition we get from being employed by Uludağ University.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You’ve gathered so many great accolades.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Naturally! It is good to say “maybe.” It wouldn’t have been possible, otherwise. Let’s consider this: When we were students there, Uludağ University provided us with so many opportunities. It educated us, admitted us as instructors and professors. In return, we studied hard. But, that institution, and it’s resources has enabled us to reach this point. If you ask me “when you look back, what have you done for Uludağ University?”, my answer would be: That institution have done so many things for your, you should pay them back. What we have done there? We, along with our colleagues in Uludağ University, did everything we could to make that institution one of the best and well-known university hospitals in the field of orthopedics. There are 7 main branches in this field. If we look at our colleagues in the university, all of us have been at some point in our careers, served in association administration. In Turkey’s orthopedy field, these associations are “Arthroplasty Association”, “Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association”, and “Hand Surgery Association.” All of this was our destiny. We served for these associations to represent Uludağ University. I, personally, served as the Chair of Arthroplasty Association for 3 years. Before that, I served as the Secretary General of Arthroplasty Association for 6 years total, in 3 separate terms with 2-year intervals. We are all in this together from the beginning.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You have a different road map through which you help patients and support Turkey’s development in this profession with constant training and learning. In this sense, you maintain a business and professional life that should be genuinely made an example of. I’m glad that you are in Bursa; Bursa is very lucky to have you.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We strive to work hard and educate others to the best of our abilities.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): But Professor, I have a sense that you are perfectionist.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that may be dangerous sometimes.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I have that too. When you are like that, you tire yourself out. Maybe, you meant issue is to stay updated through education. Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospitals are frequently preferred by the patients. Your hospital has become a recognized institution as soon as it was founded. What are your thoughts on that, Professor? The patients have started to prefer your hospital, primarily your field of specialty.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The reason for that is the recognition we get from being employed by Uludağ University.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You’ve gathered so many great accolades.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Naturally! It is good to say “maybe.” It wouldn’t have been possible, otherwise. Let’s consider this: When we were students there, Uludağ University provided us with so many opportunities. It educated us, admitted us as instructors and professors. In return, we studied hard. But, that institution, and it’s resources has enabled us to reach this point. If you ask me “when you look back, what have you done for Uludağ University?”, my answer would be: That institution have done so many things for your, you should pay them back. What we have done there? We, along with our colleagues in Uludağ University, did everything we could to make that institution one of the best and well-known university hospitals in the field of orthopedics. There are 7 main branches in this field. If we look at our colleagues in the university, all of us have been at some point in our careers, served in association administration. In Turkey’s orthopedy field, these associations are “Arthroplasty Association”, “Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association”, and “Hand Surgery Association.” All of this was our destiny. We served for these associations to represent Uludağ University. I, personally, served as the Chair of Arthroplasty Association for 3 years. Before that, I served as the Secretary General of Arthroplasty Association for 6 years total, in 3 separate terms with 2-year intervals. We are all in this together from the beginning.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You have a different road map through which you help patients and support Turkey’s development in this profession with constant training and learning. In this sense, you maintain a business and professional life that should be genuinely made an example of. I’m glad that you are in Bursa; Bursa is very lucky to have you.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We strive to work hard and educate others to the best of our abilities.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): But Professor, I have a sense that you are perfectionist.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that may be dangerous sometimes.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I have that too. When you are like that, you tire yourself out. Maybe, you meant
issue is to stay updated through education. Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospitals are frequently preferred by the patients. Your hospital has become a recognized institution as soon as it was founded. What are your thoughts on that, Professor? The patients have started to prefer your hospital, primarily your field of specialty.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The reason for that is the recognition we get from being employed by Uludağ University.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You’ve gathered so many great accolades.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Naturally! It is good to say “maybe.” It wouldn’t have been possible, otherwise. Let’s consider this: When we were students there, Uludağ University provided us with so many opportunities. It educated us, admitted us as instructors and professors. In return, we studied hard. But, that institution, and it’s resources has enabled us to reach this point. If you ask me “when you look back, what have you done for Uludağ University?”, my answer would be: That institution have done so many things for your, you should pay them back. What we have done there? We, along with our colleagues in Uludağ University, did everything we could to make that institution one of the best and well-known university hospitals in the field of orthopedics. There are 7 main branches in this field. If we look at our colleagues in the university, all of us have been at some point in our careers, served in association administration. In Turkey’s orthopedy field, these associations are “Arthroplasty Association”, “Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association”, and “Hand Surgery Association.” All of this was our destiny. We served for these associations to represent Uludağ University. I, personally, served as the Chair of Arthroplasty Association for 3 years. Before that, I served as the Secretary General of Arthroplasty Association for 6 years total, in 3 separate terms with 2-year intervals. We are all in this together from the beginning.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You have a different road map through which you help patients and support Turkey’s development in this profession with constant training and learning. In this sense, you maintain a business and professional life that should be genuinely made an example of. I’m glad that you are in Bursa; Bursa is very lucky to have you.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We strive to work hard and educate others to the best of our abilities.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): But Professor, I have a sense that you are perfectionist.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that may be dangerous sometimes.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I have that too. When you are like that, you tire yourself out. Maybe, you meant
issue is to stay updated through education. Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospitals are frequently preferred by the patients. Your hospital has become a recognized institution as soon as it was founded. What are your thoughts on that, Professor? The patients have started to prefer your hospital, primarily your field of specialty.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The reason for that is the recognition we get from being employed by Uludağ University.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You’ve gathered so many great accolades.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Naturally! It is good to say “maybe.” It wouldn’t have been possible, otherwise. Let’s consider this: When we were students there, Uludağ University provided us with so many opportunities. It educated us, admitted us as instructors and professors. In return, we studied hard. But, that institution, and it’s resources has enabled us to reach this point. If you ask me “when you look back, what have you done for Uludağ University?”, my answer would be: That institution have done so many things for your, you should pay them back. What we have done there? We, along with our colleagues in Uludağ University, did everything we could to make that institution one of the best and well-known university hospitals in the field of orthopedics. There are 7 main branches in this field. If we look at our colleagues in the university, all of us have been at some point in our careers, served in association administration. In Turkey’s orthopedy field, these associations are “Arthroplasty Association”, “Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association”, and “Hand Surgery Association.” All of this was our destiny. We served for these associations to represent Uludağ University. I, personally, served as the Chair of Arthroplasty Association for 3 years. Before that, I served as the Secretary General of Arthroplasty Association for 6 years total, in 3 separate terms with 2-year intervals. We are all in this together from the beginning.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You have a different road map through which you help patients and support Turkey’s development in this profession with constant training and learning. In this sense, you maintain a business and professional life that should be genuinely made an example of. I’m glad that you are in Bursa; Bursa is very lucky to have you.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We strive to work hard and educate others to the best of our abilities.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): But Professor, I have a sense that you are perfectionist.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that may be dangerous sometimes.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I have that too. When you are like that, you tire yourself out. Maybe, you meant
issue is to stay updated through education. Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospitals are frequently preferred by the patients. Your hospital has become a recognized institution as soon as it was founded. What are your thoughts on that, Professor? The patients have started to prefer your hospital, primarily your field of specialty.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The reason for that is the recognition we get from being employed by Uludağ University.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You’ve gathered so many great accolades.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Naturally! It is good to say “maybe.” It wouldn’t have been possible, otherwise. Let’s consider this: When we were students there, Uludağ University provided us with so many opportunities. It educated us, admitted us as instructors and professors. In return, we studied hard. But, that institution, and it’s resources has enabled us to reach this point. If you ask me “when you look back, what have you done for Uludağ University?”, my answer would be: That institution have done so many things for your, you should pay them back. What we have done there? We, along with our colleagues in Uludağ University, did everything we could to make that institution one of the best and well-known university hospitals in the field of orthopedics. There are 7 main branches in this field. If we look at our colleagues in the university, all of us have been at some point in our careers, served in association administration. In Turkey’s orthopedy field, these associations are “Arthroplasty Association”, “Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association”, and “Hand Surgery Association.” All of this was our destiny. We served for these associations to represent Uludağ University. I, personally, served as the Chair of Arthroplasty Association for 3 years. Before that, I served as the Secretary General of Arthroplasty Association for 6 years total, in 3 separate terms with 2-year intervals. We are all in this together from the beginning.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You have a different road map through which you help patients and support Turkey’s development in this profession with constant training and learning. In this sense, you maintain a business and professional life that should be genuinely made an example of. I’m glad that you are in Bursa; Bursa is very lucky to have you.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We strive to work hard and educate others to the best of our abilities.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): But Professor, I have a sense that you are perfectionist.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that may be dangerous sometimes.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I have that too. When you are like that, you tire yourself out. Maybe, you meant
to say that.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: I don’t get tired. Normally, one does not get tired by performing operations. Other surgeons do not get tired as well. Because, performing a surgery is a different kind of beast. Your body does not allow you to get tired. Within the scope of your hormonal balance, your body does not allow you to say “ugh, I am tired, I am exhausted!”
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You are dealing with human life at that moment, right Professor? That is a human being in question.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: You cannot operate for hours. I mean, you can when necessary. If conditions require you to do so, you will do it and everything will be fine.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): How long has your longest operation took, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Sometimes in surgeries, things do not go as expected and those situations are very tough. You may see surgeries that take 8 or 9 hours, not so often though. Sometimes, we talk about between us like “I was very quick. I did it so fast.” I am telling this right now because I just thought about it. Such proclamations should not be prestigious. Because all procedures must be conducted with due diligence and each step takes time. All steps are vital. Each move should be carefully considered beforehand or the benefit of both surgeons and patients. Obviously, operation time is very important. But sometimes the patient’s condition may be critical. And it requires you to act quickly. You should be able to do so as well.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I know that you treat patients from other countries from time to time as well. Is it Azerbaijan or Saudi Arabia? You must have some great memories about this. Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: With this hospital, we serve patients from other countries within the scope of medical tourism. Also, when people from other countries ask, “Could we visit your hospital?” after they listen us in our conventions. Of course, we invite them over. If they follow us for a month or two, we will start engaging those people too. Sometimes they invite us over, they ask, “Could you come over to perform this operation?” In that case, we pack up and go.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): For example, where did you go, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Mostly I went to Saudi Arabia. I conducted a surgery in a military hospital in Riyadh. I’ve conducted surgeries in Baku, in Tripoli, in Libya (at that time there were no conflicts), in Benghazi, in Erbil, in Baghdad and Karbala. They invite us over, so we go.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): So, you are saying that
issue is to stay updated through education. Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospitals are frequently preferred by the patients. Your hospital has become a recognized institution as soon as it was founded. What are your thoughts on that, Professor? The patients have started to prefer your hospital, primarily your field of specialty.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The reason for that is the recognition we get from being employed by Uludağ University.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You’ve gathered so many great accolades.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Naturally! It is good to say “maybe.” It wouldn’t have been possible, otherwise. Let’s consider this: When we were students there, Uludağ University provided us with so many opportunities. It educated us, admitted us as instructors and professors. In return, we studied hard. But, that institution, and it’s resources has enabled us to reach this point. If you ask me “when you look back, what have you done for Uludağ University?”, my answer would be: That institution have done so many things for your, you should pay them back. What we have done there? We, along with our colleagues in Uludağ University, did everything we could to make that institution one of the best and well-known university hospitals in the field of orthopedics. There are 7 main branches in this field. If we look at our colleagues in the university, all of us have been at some point in our careers, served in association administration. In Turkey’s orthopedy field, these associations are “Arthroplasty Association”, “Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association”, and “Hand Surgery Association.” All of this was our destiny. We served for these associations to represent Uludağ University. I, personally, served as the Chair of Arthroplasty Association for 3 years. Before that, I served as the Secretary General of Arthroplasty Association for 6 years total, in 3 separate terms with 2-year intervals. We are all in this together from the beginning.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You have a different road map through which you help patients and support Turkey’s development in this profession with constant training and learning. In this sense, you maintain a business and professional life that should be genuinely made an example of. I’m glad that you are in Bursa; Bursa is very lucky to have you.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We strive to work hard and educate others to the best of our abilities.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): But Professor, I have a sense that you are perfectionist.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Well, that may be dangerous sometimes.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I have that too. When you are like that, you tire yourself out. Maybe, you meant to say that.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: I don’t get tired. Normally, one does not get tired by performing operations. Other surgeons do not get tired as well. Because, performing a surgery is a different kind of beast. Your body does not allow you to get tired. Within the scope of your hormonal balance, your body does not allow you to say “ugh, I am tired, I am exhausted!”
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You are dealing with human life at that moment, right Professor? That is a human being in question.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: You cannot operate for hours. I mean, you can when necessary. If conditions require you to do so, you will do it and everything will be fine.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): How long has your longest operation took, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Sometimes in surgeries, things do not go as expected and those situations are very tough. You may see surgeries that take 8 or 9 hours, not so often though. Sometimes, we talk about between us like “I was very quick. I did it so fast.” I am telling this right now because I just thought about it. Such proclamations should not be prestigious. Because all procedures must be conducted with due diligence and each step takes time. All steps are vital. Each move should be carefully considered beforehand or the benefit of both surgeons and patients. Obviously, operation time is very important. But sometimes the patient’s condition may be critical. And it requires you to act quickly. You should be able to do so as well.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I know that you treat patients from other countries from time to time as well. Is it Azerbaijan or Saudi Arabia? You must have some great memories about this. Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: With this hospital, we serve patients from other countries within the scope of medical tourism. Also, when people from other countries ask, “Could we visit your hospital?” after they listen us in our conventions. Of course, we invite them over. If they follow us for a month or two, we will start engaging those people too. Sometimes they invite us over, they ask, “Could you come over to perform this operation?” In that case, we pack up and go.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): For example, where did you go, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Mostly I went to Saudi Arabia. I conducted a surgery in a military hospital in Riyadh. I’ve conducted surgeries in Baku, in Tripoli, in Libya (at that time there were no conflicts), in Benghazi, in Erbil, in Baghdad and Karbala. They invite us over, so we go.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): So, you are saying that some people who follows you and wants to be educated by you, among those are medicine students and doctors. This is a very nice thing, Professor. How often do they visit you? How are our students in this regard?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: I would like to address the issue related to our specialists, firstly about those who come abroad. Around 80 people until now wanted to come from abroad, watch us, have a view from the outside to the surgery. We explained those processes to them in detail. They usually are specialists, doctors or assistants who are on their last year as assistants. They come and stay. They stay in a hotel. We provide their needs, and lecture them. As you’ve said earlier; it came into our minds. We also lecture them about these. That’s another way of learning; repetition. You repeat thing that didn’t managed to set into your mind and you learn by that. This is known by the teachers. You also learn by instructing. When I went to America, I was asking a lot of questions. “Why you’ve done this?” “How do you do this?” The lecturers would turn to me and say “Why are you asking these questions?” Well, our country wasn’t much developed at the time, especially in my field. I went to Ranawat in New York, in “Hospital for Special Surgery”. Thanks to him, I invited him over nearly 15 times, and he showed up every time. He participated in our meetings. He is, as far as I know, is the best and the most important arthroplasty surgeon living. Now he is 85 years old, he stopped conducting surgeries when he was 83. May God bless him. He likes Turkey, as he likes to tutor me. Of course, he is going to everywhere. In meetings about arthroplasty, people always giving examples about him. He is always referred by many people and it is a quite nice thing. Originally, he is an Indian. He is a great person. Thanks to him, his efforts in Turkey made us learn a lot.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): In your perspective, what brings him all those achievements?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: He is a very hard-working person. Whenever he comes here, he always asks: “Find yourself a seat. What did you learn from this meeting?” I’m a professor, but he’s a professor, too. He’s my professor in the end. “Come, what did you learn?” he always asks. Whenever we’ve gone to a meeting, he would ask me “Come.” And I’d respond; “Yes, Professor?” “What you’ve learnt about the meeting, say at least three things.” You’d be surprised and try to tell him. That’s who he is like. That’s why he is so hardworking. He is a person who always does his job while thinking. This is really important. He does his job with imagining. This is a really important issue and something that I believe completely that everyone should strive this. Again, when I invite him over, one of his questions is this: “What is your 5-year plan?” You’d tell him about it. “I’ll do this” you’d say to him. He says
afterwards “Let’s change it a little bit, like this”. I learnt a lot from him since 1993.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): This kind of special people are really rare to find. You are lucky in this regard. Also, being really hardworking and challenging is your self-identity.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: It needs to be done. Our country needs this. We, as a country, suffered a lot at the time, health-wise. Do you remember? A lot of people have gone abroad to have treatments. To America and such. You don’t hear about these nowadays, do you?
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): No, we don’t.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: So, that era is over now. In this frame of the health tourism, people come to us. I engage in 2-3 surgeries monthly of the patients who come from abroad. They are coming to us, not Europe or America.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): That means, because of doctors like you, Turkey earned respect among the patients.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Exactly. There are so many valuable scientists in here. Those are our friends! I obviously know better of those who are my colleagues, those who are in my own field. But these people exist in every field. My advice for those who newly starts this journey, who wants to make something in this field; please follow them. We need to watch them. How come these people do these works? How it went like this? Obviously, we have problems inside the country. We have an economic crisis. We have things going on in politics. Besides, we have an ongoing conflict. But our job, obviously as citizens; to think about it, maybe we’ll be sad and we’ll do what we can do. But, if we are in the medical industry, we have to do it right. We need to watch and take examples.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter):Professor, I am also observing this, would you agree with it? We don’t have a strong plan. We don’t work organized. Maybe we do, but in every field, I can observe this. We are disorganized and do not work within a plan or a project.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: You are right. But, we are saying this in order to work like this. But, we have to consider the effects of the environmental factors to these people. As a point of view of a doctor, your colleague shouldn’t say “What can I bring to my home tonight? Will I be relaxed or not? Can I afford that book?” These needs to go away immediately.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): We need to feel free.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: When we think about the circumstances of operating room and hospital, the circumstances we call the support personnel, our nurses and the medical industry in a hospital, we have to think these as a chain. From
doctors to nurses, other colleagues, our friends at the registration desks, room cleaners, assistants; all of them needs to be well. This is a must. If not, you can’t reach your goal. Therefore, everyone in here needs to have strong goals. But also, we have to ask the questions to ourselves: “What can we do? How can we get better?” As “we”, I mean; this needs to be done by our bureaucrats, politicians, public administrators. We’re humans after all. Immediately we feel negative. Sometimes we can procrastinate. I’m self-criticizing myself for being enabled to ask “I’ve done everything for you. Why don’t you do your job?”. We have to do this also. You keep on work non-stop, but nothing happens; so what’s the point? Alright, let’s work, but the number of productive people around you would be less. So, we need to improve on these environmental factors.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Perhaps, at the beginning of these troubled times in the economy, failure to execute these conditions is very effective in all fields, maybe a little in politics. What do you think about that, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We have troubles. Changes are made and policies are enforced unintentionally, involuntarily or without going into detail. Of course, we shouldn’t blame just the public authorities. It is necessary to see this from our perspective. There are a lot of things that needs a lot of unnecessary tests. These are huge problems, and we need to solve them.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): We talked about the slow pace of the bureaucracy. The government system has been changed recently. Is this change totally inured? Actually, no. Merely a step taken. I hope that it’s beneficial for Turkey.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: In our fields’ perspective, environments that enables the proper work should be provided, opportunities should be provided. Now, all of the fields have an issue.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You are discussing the concept of “Lean Hospital”. You really care about this subject and have been discussing over it for years. What do you try to explain by saying “lean”? What I understand about it is this; everything is clear as the day, no unnecessary drug use, no different treatments. Whatever cures the patient, you implement it directly. Hygiene is a top priority and everything is simple.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: What I meant about “lean” is this: It is essential to establish a logic and working order that will prioritize the physical conditions of the hospital, the safety of its employees, patients and their relatives. This is the foundation of the work. There must be a safety. In this safety, there are wrong medicines, wrong surgeries, unnecessary
surgeries, everything. It’s a system that starts with this and prevents waste of doing these works, eliminates everything that is unnecessary, and develops the logic of “don’t do this if it doesn’t help”. But, we need to implement this system in every level; it applies to everyone, from the doctors to the nurses. You have to imagine what you are going to do beforehand. Whatever you are doing, you have to imagine in advance. When you imagine and apply it, you will imagine, especially in the surgeries you do, especially in the interventions you do, and then you will realize it. Imagining shortens the duration of your work, reduces the error time and allows you to do the right job. It enables you to do acceptable, affordable and the most prolific type of work. Within this frame of logic, we, as MEDICABIL Hospital, discuss this concept with each of our employees as “Please don’t forget this concept. Let’s work like this. Please, do this as that.” We hold meetings and assemblies. People participate in those internationally. They come from abroad for those, so we rearrange it annually. Thus, it became a qualification that enhances the brand. A lot of hospitals work within the “Lean Hospital” model, but we are the first ones in Turkey. Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): What kind of feedback do you get from your industry to the model of “Lean Hospital”, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: They actually participate. Our friends come from other hospitals and participate in our movement. Thanks to Mr. Özcan, our Health Manager; he really supports us in this matter. He already aims that this model should be adopted by the whole industry. In this context, Mr. Özcan has made a lot of contribution to us.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Also, our Provincial Director of Health is a successful person and in fact, he is a great asset for Bursa. He has been serving as the Director for years.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: He really is. May God give him strength.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Sunucu): He contributed a lot about organ donations. I’ve recently read an article about your hospital. Can you tell us about that process?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: The number has risen to four recently. It’s a good thing, the organ donation. We’ve had a patient who recently died. The patients’ relatives should be persuaded for this. If this can be completed with the consent of them, a lot of people can have an opportunity, it is really important. My nephew was suffering from his kidney, and a transfer has been made. I’ve lived through this situation; both as a doctor or as a relative. You really bring them back to life.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): The society needs to be conscious and Bursa is very successful in this sense.
Considering that the people were directed even in Friday sermons, the Provincial Health Directorate struggled a lot and achieved great successes in Europe.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Yes. Mr. Özcan made a lot of contributions.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter):Professor, I’d like to talk about JCI. Private Medicabil Hospital seems like the only hospital that obtained this certificate in Turkey. Of course, you also tell this, too.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We’retrying. It’s an international quality standard certificate. Actually, it’s something very valuable. Those are things that we already know about, but we don’t want to do them. We don’t know how, but have these dumb moments sometimes. At normal terms, everyone should obtain these certificates. Everyone already knows about this. But due to either laziness or unawareness, or something else; you can drift away from these things as long as you stay away from the innovation.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): What can bring this certificate to your hospital, Professor?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: It brings a lot.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter):You are telling us that patients comes to your hospital from around the world, and also they are choosing your hospital because of this certificate, is that correct?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Of course it is. Look, we are discussing this a lot. We openly talk about it in our meetings. Please assess this as a “no-fault-system” for the medical faults that can be avoided. In USA, a report says that every year, 352 thousand people die due to these. This is a serious number. If we look for this in our country; there are over 1500 hospitals in our country. Every day, a person dies due to this problem, do the math. Nearly 300-400 thousand people is suffering from this. If 2 people die on a daily basis, can you imagine the consequences? Even in USA they try to minimize it. Another report shows that, still in the same context, they lowered this number from 352 thousand to 161 thousand in 2019. They lowered this number almost in half, they accomplished it. Avoidable medical faults can be attributed to lack of education, and to wrong medication practices. Like, in a surgery, the patient has had a lot of bleeding due to inadvertency, or due to wrong anesthetic substance, uncontrolled medications etc. You can count a lot of things. Therefore, these events lead us to lose the patient due to the inability of intervening on time. It’s the most important thing.Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): This certificate is very important in this sense. Now, Professor, there have been some changes in the regulations of private hospitals recently. How do you evaluate this issue? Whether health investments, intensive care, number
of beds or facilities granted to private hospitals in Turkey … In this sense, there has to be something that you can say.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Let be clear: Let’s compare the costs of a patient, who should be operated in category A today in a private hospital with patient operated by another hospital. As I say “costs”, we are comparing the costs with the public hospitals. If you try to compare, the costs are almost in half. I hope that someone listens this, so they can pay attention. I really…
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You mean, the private hospitals really take the hit here.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: There should be a support. The calculations are there. We can always calculate this. We can sit face to face, and calculate which surgery costs how much. Let’s see what is going on in the public hospitals. Let’s see what happens in there, and we can get the results. Among the patients on whom I conduct a surgery, those patients’ hospitalization period is 1.6 day per patient.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): My mother has had a surgery recently in the Private Medicabil Hospital. We expected that the surgery would be serious. She was suffering from COPD, also she had diabetes and other problems. I thought to myself that my mother would be hospitalized for 3-5 days. But she was discharged within one day, and she was really well.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: How nice to hear this. Look, this is important in relation to costs and loss of the workforce… We have an advantage. Nobody in abroad, in Europe, really look after their patient like us. Patient’s relatives, siblings, children do not accompany them. We need to use these factors precisely. Ultimately, it’s a cost, and you need to reduce it. You need to treat the patient well in order to discharge the patient as early as you can. While you treat the patient well, you need to use convenient medication, you need to do everything properly and you shouldn’t do any excessive procedures. There shouldn’t be any excessive blood loss. All of these are costs, and you need to make some savings. If you do these properly, how can others benefit from that? Let me you give an example: You have a hospital with a hundred bed, or maybe a thousand bed. What is your average hospitalization period in a hospital with a thousand beds? Let’s say it is 2 days. You make everything properly, but it’s two days. But on the other hand, if the hospitalization period in another hospital is 4 or 5 days, and if you are a hospital with a thousand beds when you discharge patients every 2 days, you suddenly have 2000 beds. If you have 100 beds, now it’s 200. Because, you have quickly treated the patient and discharged them early. Therefore, the usage limit of the beds has increased. So, let’s say in
Turkey, hospitals have 200 thousand beds in total, maybe 225 thousand. What happens when we treat the patients well with people that are educated with the updated information, and discharge the patients early? Would it be 200 thousand? Add it up another 100 thousand beds, and let’s treat them in 3 days. Automatically, you have 300 thousand beds while doing practically nothing.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): Yes, the problem would be solved, as the bed count would be increased…
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: We build new hospitals. I’m not against it, it’s a good thing. Hospitals should be built, but we need to look after them. That’s the simple logic.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I believe that this simple logic should be practiced in all industries.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: It actually is being practiced at the moment. This came from the industrial sector.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I think about my own industry, and I’d like to listen your suggestions in the near future. Actually, we’ve chatted in a lot of topics. We have a lot different topics to talk about, but unfortunately our time is limited. Certainly you are a busy man. I’d like you to tell some about Bursa. How do you see this city? How is the landscape in Bursa? What can you tell us about it?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Bursa is one of the most beautiful cities in Turkey. Maybe we can say that Bursa is the most beautiful city, because we’re living in it. Therefore, it needs to be ruled as it deserves. Obviously, with great power comes great responsibility. Our intendants are dealing with great challenges. They obviously are solving social problems. With their utmost best, of course. For example, the transportation system has been relieved nowadays; it was much more crowded back then. In some mornings, in some evenings begins a crowded traffic. Naturally, immigration also affects this. But it’s natural. So, Bursa; hopefully we’ll be even better.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): So, we’ll be ruled lean, do you agree?
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: I agree. Our Mayor, may God bless him, we follow his work closely. He works pretty well; things are going good.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): I’d like to thank you, Mr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, for joining us in “About Life”.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: You’re welcome, thanks for having me.
Pınar Yeniyiğit (Presenter): You shared your success and life secrets. I wish you success. I’m so glad you are in Bursa. It is an honor to have you here
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Bilgen, M.D.: Thank you, much appreciated.
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