Özlem Özkalaycı, MD

Özlem Özkalaycı, MD is an anesthesiologist at Acibadem Maslak Hospital in İstanbul, where she works within the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit. Her clinical work covers anesthesiology, perioperative management and reanimation. With more than 17 years in medicine, she is involved in the anesthesia-related care of patients undergoing surgical and other procedures that require anesthesia, from the assessment before a procedure through to the recovery period.

Dr. Özkalaycı graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 2009. She then completed her specialty training at Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, in 2015. In 2023 she joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services, where she continues her work in anesthesiology and reanimation at the Maslak location.

Clinical focus

Dr. Özkalaycı’s practice centers on anesthesiology. This includes evaluating a patient’s medical history and current condition before a procedure, planning an anesthetic approach that takes existing health problems and medications into account, administering and monitoring anesthesia during the procedure, and following the patient in the early recovery phase. Anesthesia planning is individual and depends on the type of procedure, the patient’s overall health and the findings of the pre-anesthetic assessment; the final approach is decided together with the surgical team and discussed with the patient beforehand.

Perioperative management is a second area of her work. It refers to the coordinated care a patient receives before, during and after a procedure, with attention to factors such as pain control, fluid balance and the monitoring of vital functions. Her third area, reanimation, concerns the support and stabilization of patients whose vital functions are compromised or at risk, for example during or after a procedure. In all of these areas the aim is careful preparation, close monitoring and clear communication with the patient and the treating team.

How Dr. Özkalaycı works with international patients

Dr. Özkalaycı speaks Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who need support in another language. Before a visit, 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. For anesthesia-related questions this usually includes a review of previous anesthetic experiences, current medications and allergies. Video consultations are available for international patients, which can be helpful for discussing a planned procedure or clarifying anesthesia-related questions before travel. Any anesthetic plan is confirmed only after an in-person assessment, and the information given during a consultation is intended to help the patient understand the process rather than to replace that assessment.