Your Guide to Hospitals in Russia for Expats
Are you considering moving to Russia? Whether you’re planning a long-term relocation for work or study or a shorter visit to explore this vast and culturally rich country, ensuring access to reliable healthcare is essential. The healthcare landscape can differ from what you’re accustomed to, and navigating the system can present unique challenges, especially in a country as large and diverse as Russia. From understanding how public versus private hospitals operate to knowing what to do in an emergency, securing access to quality care should be a priority for every expat.
In this guide, we’ll cover the essential details you need to know about hospitals in Russia, from the types of medical facilities available to how you can best prepare for your healthcare needs abroad. Whether you’re staying in Moscow, St. Petersburg, or a more remote region, having the correct information can make all the difference in navigating Russia’s healthcare system confidently.
How Many Hospitals Are in Russia?
Russia is a country with many hospitals. In just Moscow, there are well over 100 hospitals. As of 2018, there were 5.3 thousand hospitals in Russia.
The numbers from 2010 until 2018 show a marked decrease during that timeframe. There was a total net loss of 1,000 hospitals in less than a decade.
List of the Best Hospitals in Russia
Best Hospitals in Moscow
Adventist Health Center (Adventistsky Tsentr Zdorov’ya)
Prospect 60
Letiya Oktyabrya 21-A
Moscow 117036
Russia
Tel : + 7 95 126 7906
Fax: + 7 95 126 8767
American Hospital of Moscow
26/6 pr. Mira
(1, Grokholsky Pereulok)
Moscow 129090
Russia
Tel: + 7 95 933 7700
Fax: + 7 95 933 7701
European Center of Dentistry
Moscow, Bolshaya Ochakovskaya street, 5
Tel: +7 495 123-85-09
European Medical Center
Spiridonevsky Per. 5
Moscow 103104
Russia
Tel: + 7 95 933 6655
Fax: + 7 95 933 6650
Medincentre
4th Dobrininsky Lane
House 4
Moscow 117049
Russia
Tel: + 7 95 236 3116/237 3964
Fax: + 7 95 237 8475
ZAO International Medical Clinic
Polyclinic No. 1, 10th Floor
31 Grokholsky Pereulok
Moscow 129010
Russia
Tel: + 7 95 937 5760
Fax: + 7 95 280 8677
Hospitals in St. Petersburg
American Medical Clinic
78 Moika Embankment
St. Petersburg 190000
Russia
Tel: + 7 812 140 2090
Fax: + 7 812 310 4664
Andros Clinic
36A Lenin Street, 1st floor
St. Petersburg 197136
Russia
Tel: + 7 812 235 1487
Fax: + 7 812 235 6988
Euromed Clinic
Suvorovskiy prospekt 60
St. Petersburg 193124
Russia
Tel: + 7 812 327 0301
Fax: + 7 812 274 9320
Hospital #122
4 Prospekt Kultury
St. Petersburg 194291 Russia
Tel: + 7 812 558 0508
Fax: + 7 812 559 8993
Nevamed
14 Ismailovsky Prospekt
St. Petersburg 198058
Russia
Tel: + 7 812 110 1882
Fax: + 7 812 110 1092
The International Clinic Griffin House
19/21 Dostoevskogo Street
St. Petersburg 121014
Russia
Tel: + 7 812 320 3870
Fax: + 7 812 320 3871
Hospitals in Other Parts of Russia
Canadian Medical Center
Suite 402 Venetzia Hotel
Nizhnevartovsk 626440 Tyumen Region
Russia
Tel: + 7 3466 65 39 86
International SOS Clinic Yuuzhno
Militseyskaya Ulitsa, 7/1
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast
693001Sakhalin
Russia
Tel: + 7 8 4242 727 550
Fax: + 7 8 4242 473 650
An Overview of the Russian Healthcare System
Russia offers treatment options at various levels of government and across different regions. Here’s a breakdown of how you can access medical treatment in Russia:
- At the municipal level, there are Health Posts that offer basic outpatient care for non-emergency situations, such as vaccinations and routine check-ups.
- Also, at the municipal level, there are Health Centers that specialize in maternity care and offer routine surgery.
- At the regional level, Urban Polyclinics offer a wider array of services, including follow-up care for complex conditions. Some of the larger polyclinics will have in-house specialists, for example, oncologists and cardiologists.
- Almost exclusively in large cities are Specialized Medical Hospitals that offer a full range of medical services and are also open 24 hours a day.
This last point about the 24-hour opening is quite important, as many healthcare facilities in Russia operate during normal business hours or are closed at night.
Needing immediate medical care ‘off-hours’ can prove challenging or expensive. Many private facilities also observe closing hours or charge high premiums for after-hours care.
Is Healthcare in Russia Free?
Like so many countries, Russia’s healthcare system is based on insurance. And like many European countries, Russia offers its citizens what is meant to be universal healthcare.
However, to access free public healthcare, Russian residents are required to pay through their employment. The Russian Federation has guaranteed free healthcare for all its citizens since ratifying its Constitution in 1996.
But in actuality, many people in the population are not covered. In some rural areas, the majority of people have no coverage or access to quality healthcare.
Russia’s Public Hospital System
Just as there are areas of the country where the population does not have access to quality healthcare, the same is true within the public sector. Overall, Western visitors are likely to find the Russian healthcare system, particularly the public one, to be substandard.
Challenges faced within the public hospital system, particularly for foreigners, include food shortages, a lack of English-speaking staff, extremely long wait times, underfunding, inadequate equipment and facilities, or even a complete lack of equipment.
So, if the question is, ‘Are hospitals in Russia good?’ for the average Western expat discussing the public hospital system, the answer is most likely going to be no.
Russia’s Private Hospitals
The popular choice for expats and visitors to Russia is private hospitals. These often offer English-speaking doctors and staff.
The medical treatment available at some of Russia’s private hospitals is of a very high standard. These hospitals can often be quite expensive.
Treatment in Russia’s private hospitals can be costly by Western medical standards. That is why it is crucial to have the right insurance that provides you with coverage. Another important point about the private hospital system is that clinics and hospitals are the only options within the private system.
There are no private surgeries or practices that offer complex procedures. Rather, doctors, even though it is a private system, must operate within an accredited hospital or clinic.
Before traveling to Russia, it is vital to have quality health insurance.
What Expats Need to Know About Accessing Russia’s Hospital System
Once again, access is based on whether the system is public or private. Those using the public hospital system will either have to show proof of coverage through employment or pay upfront.
For those with state-sponsored insurance, there will be no costs. However, it is necessary to show proof of insurance from the start to avoid admitting fees.
Public hospitals will treat emergency situations but then bill afterward, as well as for any follow-up treatment, both inpatient or outpatient. For all non-emergency services, payment is always expected up front.
Those accessing the private hospital system should expect to pay up front. Even with private insurance, many private facilities require payment up front.
To avoid this, it is essential to select both private insurance and a hospital that has an existing arrangement with the insurance company to bill directly.
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