Elif Gülek, MD

Elif Gülek, MD is an anesthesiologist who works in the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit at Acibadem Atasehir Hospital in İstanbul. Her subspecialty is intensive care, and her clinical interests include palliative care, intensive care treatment, and advanced life support. She has been part of Acıbadem Healthcare Services since 2005.

Dr. Gülek attended Erenköy Kız High School from 1982 to 1988 and graduated from İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 1996. She then completed her specialization at the İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation in 2004. Before her specialist training, she worked as a general practitioner at Özel Uzmanlar Medical Center from 1996 to 1998 and at Kadıköy Belediyesi KASDAV from 1998 to 1999. Between 2004 and 2005 she worked as an anesthesiology and intensive care physician at Özel Üsküdar Yunus Emre Hospital.

Clinical focus

Dr. Gülek’s work centers on the care of patients who need anesthesia and intensive care support. Intensive care treatment involves the monitoring and management of patients whose condition requires close observation and organ support, often after major surgery or during a critical illness. Advanced life support refers to the structured measures used to stabilize patients whose breathing or circulation is compromised. In these settings, treatment decisions are made on the basis of the individual patient’s clinical status and are reviewed regularly as the situation develops.

She also has a clinical interest in palliative care, which focuses on the relief of symptoms and on supportive treatment for patients with serious or advanced illness. Palliative care is planned in coordination with the other physicians involved in a patient’s care and is adapted to the patient’s needs and wishes. Whether a given approach is appropriate depends on the individual case and is determined after clinical assessment.

How Dr. Gülek works with international patients

Dr. Gülek speaks Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. The Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory and pathology results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination, and a discussion of the options. Video consultations are available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation before traveling, although some decisions may require an in-person assessment.