The Medical Tourism / Overseas Medical Referral (OMR) programme supports approved Nauruan patients to access specialised medical treatment overseas when this care is not available within Nauru.

Delivered through a close partnership between the Government of Nauru and the Nauru Medical Centre (NMC), the OMR programme ensures that patients referred overseas are supported to receive high-quality care in a safe, coordinated, and timely manner, while maintaining continuity with their local healthcare team.

About the Programme

The Medical Tourism/OMR programme provides structured coordination and clinical oversight throughout the overseas referral process, including:

•  Coordinating overseas medical referrals for patients who require diagnostic services or treatment beyond the current clinical scope of NMC, such as advanced surgery, oncology, cardiology, and critical care.

•  Identifying suitable accredited international hospitals and specialist providers, and matching patients to facilities that meet their clinical needs, cultural considerations, and follow-up requirements.

•  Supporting NMC clinicians with specialist advice, clinical documentation, and referral coordination to ensure referrals are clinically appropriate, well-prepared, and managed efficiently.

Patient Journey Support

Recognising that overseas treatment can be a challenging experience for patients and families, the programme provides practical and clinical support across the patient journey:

•  Coordinating appointment scheduling, admission arrangements, and pre-arrival clinical communication between NMC and receiving hospitals to ensure continuity of care.

•  Assisting with travel-related arrangements, including flight coordination, medical escort planning where required, and providing guidance on visas and accommodation options.

•  Maintaining communication between overseas treating teams and NMC to support safe post-treatment follow-up, rehabilitation, and medicines management once patients return to Nauru.

Quality, Safety, and Governance

The Medical Tourism / Overseas Medical Referral programme operates within a strong governance framework to ensure patient safety, equity, and sustainability:

•  Referrals are guided by defined clinical criteria and national health policies to support fair, transparent, and cost-effective decision-making.

•  Partner hospitals are selected based on specialist capability, accreditation status, and experience in caring for international patients, with a clear focus on patient safety and clinical outcomes.

•  Ongoing case review, data collection, and quality improvement activities contribute to strengthening Nauru’s health system and reducing avoidable overseas referrals over time.

Department Doctors