My girlfriend, an Armenian American, visited Armenia this year and had a disappointing and distressing experience at Erebuni Medical Center. She was suffering from a headache, which we initially thought was related to stress, so we decided to consult a neurologist. We visited Dr. Razmik Karapetyan, who recommended an MRT of the head and shoulders, which cost 110,000 AMD. After that, he suggested an additional unnecessary test involving contrast, priced at 30,000 AMD. To our shock, he began by stating that there was a lump in her head, delivering one alarming piece of news after another without any sensitivity towards her feelings.
Later that same day, we sought a second opinion at another hospital, where we discovered that her issues were actually related to her teeth, not a lump at all. She ended up spending 70,000 AMD unnecessarily, all due to Dr. Karapetyan's recommendations and his eagerness to push for more tests, seemingly because I am an American citizen, which often translates to higher rates. It's disheartening that some local doctors, particularly Dr. Karapetyan, are willing to exploit visitors in this way. This behavior not only undermines trust, but it also discourages people from returning to Armenia. It's a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Medical care shouldn't be solely about money, yet it seems this hospital is focused on pushing for tests to maximize every AMD they can extract from tourists.