Six concrete steps — public registers, accreditation databases, review platforms and government safety notices — that take a clinic from "looks fine" to "I trust them".
Researching a clinic abroad does not require expertise. It requires a system. Spend an hour following these six steps and you will have a much clearer view than 95% of patients.
A clinic name is a brand. A surgeon is a person whose qualifications and history you can verify on a public register. Your first question to any clinic should be: who will perform my procedure, and what is their full name?
Most countries publish a searchable register of licensed doctors. In Turkey it is the Health Ministry register. In Hungary it is the Medical Chamber. If the named surgeon isn't there, your search ends.
JCI, ISO 9001 and national hospital accreditations have public databases. A clinic that claims accreditations should provide certificates on request.
Trustpilot, Google reviews and patient forums all carry more weight than testimonials on the clinic's own marketing pages. Look for patterns in the negative reviews, not the positive ones.
gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice publishes country-specific notices. For some destinations there are explicit warnings about cosmetic surgery — read them.
Itemised. In your home currency. With cancellation terms. If a clinic will not provide one, you have your answer.
Looking for actionable steps?
Browse checklistsIndependent, free, and written for UK patients. Use them before you pay a deposit.