Italian surgeons in Tirana: how to check who operates

Several Tirana clinics aim at Italian patients and say that Italian surgeons work with them. That can be a real advantage, but the claim is only as good as the name behind it. This guide shows how to find out who will actually operate and how to check them.

It does not assess any surgeon. We name clinics here only for what they publish about themselves.

What do Tirana clinics say about Italian surgeons?

Some clinics publish claims about Italian surgeons that do not name the surgeons. KEIT Day Hospital, which describes itself as founded in 2011 and serving Italian patients, says it works with 20–30 or more Italian surgeons; Italpress (April 2024) reports that it calls rhinoplasty its most requested procedure. The surgeons are not named with their Italian hospital in the sources we found. Clinica DaVinci lists 17 doctors on its site, Italian, Albanian and Turkish, without stating their specialties. American Hospital’s team page includes a doctor with an Italian name among its plastic surgeons, but does not say which team member performs rhinoplasty.

These are the clinics’ own statements. They tell you what is advertised, not who will operate on you.

Why does it matter who operates?

It matters because a clinic and a surgeon are different things. A clinic’s name, reviews and equipment tell you little about the person holding the instruments. Some surgeons visit Tirana for set days and then return to their home hospital, which affects follow-up and revision. The NHS advises meeting the surgeon yourself rather than only sales staff.

Also note that some clinics are run by doctors who are not surgeons: an anaesthesiologist or a dermatologist can found a clinic that offers nose surgery. That is not wrong in itself, but it makes “who operates?” the first question.

How do you find out who will operate?

Ask in writing, and ask for these five things:

1. The full name of the surgeon who will operate on you.
2. Their specialty and where they trained.
3. Their Italian registration number (Albo) and the province.
4. Their authorisation to practise in Albania.
5. How many rhinoplasties they perform a year and how many are revisions.

Then ask the clinic to confirm that this surgeon, not a colleague, will operate on you, and what happens if they cannot. If the clinic says “an Italian surgeon will be assigned”, you do not yet know who you are booking.

How do you check an Italian surgeon?

Check the surgeon in two places, because Italian registration and authorisation to work in Albania are separate.

Check	Where	What to look for
Italian registration	FNOMCeO Albo (the national register of doctors’ orders)	The name, order and registration number match; the doctor is not suspended
Specialty	Diploma and register entry	Plastic surgery or ENT, as claimed. See plastic surgeon or ENT
Professional society	The society’s own member list	Membership claimed (for example SICPRE or AICPE) appears there
Albania	Order of Physicians confirmation; clinic’s authorisation document	Right to practise in Albania, and at that clinic
Facility	QKB business register	Active II.6 licence for the facility; see hospital or clinic

For foreign surgeons, the home register plus the authorisation to practise in Albania is what to check. In Albania, the Order of Physicians keeps the register of doctors, but we found no public online search; request written confirmation. See how to verify a surgeon for the steps.

We have not verified the registrations of the surgeons named on any clinic’s site. Do not assume a person is registered because they are listed.

What about follow-up if you live in Italy?

Follow-up depends on the surgeon’s arrangements, not on nationality. Ask:

• Does the surgeon see patients in Italy, and where? Can you book a post-operative visit there?
• If you need a revision, will the surgeon do it in Italy or in Tirana?
• How do you reach the surgeon after you leave: phone, message or video, and who answers?
• Will you receive an operative report in Italian or English to show another surgeon?

The NHS advises asking before booking what happens if complications arise, where follow-up appointments will be and how easily you could return for further surgery. In Italy the emergency number is 112.

What if the surgeon is not named?

If the surgeon is not named, treat the offer as incomplete. You can still get the information, but if a clinic will not name the surgeon, put the reason in your notes and consider another clinic. The NHS advises not to pay for a hospital or surgeon you have not seen or met. A video meeting with the named surgeon before you pay a deposit is a reasonable request. See online consultation.

What if the answer is “our team”?

“Our team” is not a name. Ask again: “I would like the name and registration number of the surgeon who will perform my operation.” Keep the reply. If the clinic cannot answer before the deposit, it will not be easier afterwards.

Next steps

Use questions to ask a clinic to send the full list, and how to verify a surgeon for the checks in detail. For the cost comparison with home, see Albania or Italy.