Serkan Ünsal, MD

Serkan Ünsal, MD is an Intensive Care specialist practicing in the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit at Acibadem Taksim Hospital in İstanbul. His work is centered on the assessment, treatment, and ongoing monitoring of critically ill patients, and his clinical interests include advanced life support, palliative care, and intensive care treatment. He has more than 20 years of experience in medicine and consults in Turkish and English.

Dr. Ünsal graduated from Trakya University Faculty of Medicine in 2006. He then completed his specialty training in Anesthesiology and Reanimation at İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, finishing in 2013. He has been working with Acıbadem Healthcare Services since 2015, and his current practice is based in the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit of the hospital in İstanbul.

Clinical focus

Intensive care treatment forms the core of Dr. Ünsal’s practice. This involves the care of patients whose condition is critical or unstable and who require continuous observation, organ support, and close coordination with other medical teams. In the intensive care setting, treatment decisions are reviewed regularly as the patient’s condition changes, and the plan is adjusted accordingly. Families are typically kept informed about the patient’s status and the reasoning behind the measures being taken.

Advanced life support is part of his work with patients experiencing acute, life-threatening deterioration, where rapid assessment and structured intervention are required. Dr. Ünsal’s practice also includes palliative care, which focuses on relieving symptoms and supporting comfort and quality of life for patients with serious illness. In the intensive care unit, palliative care may run alongside active treatment, and goals of care are discussed with the patient, where possible, and with their family. The approach taken in each case depends on the individual clinical situation, and outcomes cannot be predicted in advance.

How Dr. Ünsal works with international patients

Dr. Ünsal consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. 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. Video consultation is available for international patients, which may be helpful for an initial review of records or for follow-up discussions where a physical examination is not required. Because intensive care usually involves patients who are already hospitalized, much of the communication may take place with family members, and the team can support this exchange.