How to Get Heart Surgery at the SPbU Cardiac Surgery Center

Under CHI (OMS), the patient receives care covered by the mandatory health insurance program at no cost. VMP is designed for complex, costly treatments — including some open-heart operations — and is issued as a quota. Which option applies to your case is determined by a cardiac surgeon after reviewing your medical records.

In most cases the federal quota voucher is arranged by the Center. You do not need to go through a medical commission at your place of residence yourself.

In most cases, no — the Center handles this. A separate procedure applies to residents of Rostov Oblast: they need to submit the document package themselves to the Ministry of Health in Rostov-on-Don.

The statutory deadline for processing a quota is 10 days. The date you are called in for hospitalization depends on the allocated funding volumes and the number of patients who need care.

Yes. A CHI (OMS) policy is valid across Russia regardless of your region of registration, so you can choose a medical institution in another region.

A form-057/у referral is not required for treatment at the Clinic.

The referral can be issued by your treating physician or the medical commission at your place of residence. If you cannot obtain it there, it can instead be arranged at admission to the Clinic.

Send your documents to hospital@spbu.ru. You can also use the callback form on this site to share a link to your documents in cloud storage, for example Yandex Disk or Mail Cloud.

Clear scans or photos are enough at the review stage. Original documents are needed at admission; make copies in advance, since the originals will be handed over to Clinic staff for processing.

Send what you already have to hospital@spbu.ru. A physician will review the materials and let you know what is still missing to make a decision.

We review documents within 10 days. If you have not received a response after that time, call the senior administrator at +7 812 676 25 14.

Start the tests only after your exact hospitalization date has been agreed. Doing it earlier risks the results being outdated by the time you are admitted.

After your hospitalization date is agreed, a Center administrator will send the list to your email.

Each test and lab result has its own validity period. To make it easier to plan your preparation for surgery, we have prepared checklists, available on the "Preparation for hospitalization" page.

Send the results together with the rest of your documents to hospital@spbu.ru.

Incomplete preoperative preparation can be a reason for hospitalization to be declined. If you realize you will not complete the tests within the agreed timeframe, let the administrator know in advance — they will advise you on what to do.

A Center administrator will agree the date with you, taking into account your preferences and the scheduled admissions plan.

If the date does not work for you, contact the administrator as soon as possible using the contacts in the "Contacts" section. Rescheduling is discussed on a case-by-case basis.

The length of stay depends on your condition and the specifics of your treatment, so it can vary even between patients with the same diagnosis. You can get an approximate timeframe from an administrator or the consulting physician.

Bring your documents, test results, and personal items you will need in the hospital. The full checklist is in the "What to bring" section on this page.

Before hospitalization, we check your medical documents, test results, and their validity in advance. This helps make sure the treatment can be carried out safely. If you send all the requested materials on time, the risk of refusal due to incomplete preparation is minimal.

Patients from other regions can book a paid online video consultation with a specialist. Details are on the "Expert opinion online" page.

The Center does not have its own guest house. Hotel options near the Clinic are listed on the "Guest accommodation" page.

Yes. Center physicians regularly hold in-person meetings with patients in Russian regions. The current schedule is on the "Regional appointment schedule" page.

A regional physician can contact the Center through the federal telemedicine consultation system. We also work with regional Ministries of Health and specialist physicians on patient routing. Contacts and terms of cooperation are on the "Cooperation" page.

Under CHI or the quota (VMP), the patient does not pay for care included in the state healthcare guarantee program: the operation or procedure itself, anesthesia, the medications, medical devices, and tests needed during hospitalization, and accommodation and meals in the hospital. Separately payable are voluntarily chosen services and items outside this scope. These may include preoperative tests done at the Center instead of free testing at your place of residence, a service guaranteeing your choice of a specific surgeon, and items for use after discharge — for example, a post-surgical chest brace. A brace can be purchased at your place of residence or at the department; discuss the need, type, and size with your treating physician in advance. If any additional costs may apply, the administrator will inform you before you agree to a paid service.

The cost depends on the type of diagnostics, consultation, or surgery. Current indicative prices are on the "Paid treatment" page.

Yes. You can book a paid specialist appointment, including the online consultation for patients from other regions, regardless of quota arrangements.

For treatment under CHI or a quota, the operating surgeon is assigned by the Center's medical commission based on the profile and complexity of the condition, the patient's state, and the surgical team's schedule. The decision is guided by patient safety and the Heart Team's collaborative approach; the Center's clinical standards apply regardless of the funding source. If it matters to you to guarantee a specific cardiac surgeon, this is possible through the additional paid "Comprehensive Support Program." This is a separate service and does not affect your CHI or quota entitlement, which remains in full. The program's cost includes a guaranteed choice of specialist and scheduling within the department's current calendar. Terms and current pricing are on the "Choosing a surgeon" page.

Most preoperative tests can be done free of charge under CHI at your place of residence. Once your hospitalization date is agreed, you will receive the exact list and the validity periods for the results. In some cases, a Center physician may recommend repeating an echocardiogram at the Clinic on expert-grade equipment. This may be needed to confirm the diagnosis, clarify the anatomy, and safely plan the surgery if the materials provided are not sufficient. Such a recommendation is always based on clinical necessity and given on an individual basis. The administrator will let you know in advance whether this applies to you, where it can be done, and whether it will be paid.

You can pay in your personal account on the Clinic SPbGU website or in the "Clinic SPbGU" mobile app. Register or sign in, select the service you need, and proceed to payment. For an online consultation, open the "Book an appointment" section, choose a specialist and a convenient time — payment becomes available once you have booked. For some diagnostic services, the appointment is first entered by Clinic staff, after which the payment option appears in your patient record. If you run into difficulties, call the contact center: +7 (812) 676-25-25.