PITTSBURGH - Zabok, Croatia - UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Croatia has entered a partnership with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), marking an important step in expanding access to modern, high-quality oncology care in the Republic of Croatia. The partnership was commemorated at a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony in Zabok, Croatia on Jan. 7.
Through this agreement, people can now access medical services at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, located within the General Hospital Zabok and the Croatian Veterans' Hospital. Following a decision by the HZZO Management Board, UPMC will perform 600 stereotactic surgical procedures and 1,500 PET-CT scans in 2026 through referral programs. Stereotactic procedures are crucial for highly precise tumor treatment, especially for tumors in hard-to-reach locations, often reducing the number of required therapy sessions and enabling earlier cancer detection.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Croatia is part of UPMC, a non-profit hospital network within one of the largest and most respected health care systems in the United States, headquartered in Pittsburgh. From the outset, the significance of this project has been recognized by General Hospital Zabok and the Croatian Veterans' Hospital, Krapina-Zagorje County, the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the relevant ministry and regulatory institutions.
"Collaboration between UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Croatia and General Hospital Zabok represents a major advancement for oncology patients in Krapina-Zagorje County, across Croatia, and the wider region," said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rajko Fureš, M.D., deputy director of General Hospital Zabok and the Croatian Veterans' Hospital. "This partnership opens a new chapter in improving cancer diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, utilizing modern therapeutic and diagnostic approaches that will contribute to better treatment outcomes. It underscores the importance of linking the Croatian and U.S. health care systems, creating a new standard of quality in oncology care."
Beth Wild, president of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, emphasized that UPMC's core mission is to provide patients with world-class oncology care. "From the very beginning, our goal in coming to Croatia has been to provide patients with access to advanced therapies enabling faster, more precise and personalized cancer care," said Wild. "These technologies allow treatment to start earlier and to be tailored to the individual needs of each patient. This is just the beginning of our long-term commitment to research, innovation and close collaboration with Croatian public hospitals, physicians, scientists and partners to achieve our vision of delivering top-tier, life-saving oncology care to patients in Croatia and the wider region."
Prefect (governor) of Krapina-Zagorje County, Željko Kolar, extended gratitude for the UPMC-HZZO partnership. "Nearly six years ago, we spoke of a dream: to bring one of the world's leading health care institutions, UPMC, to Croatia," said Kolar. "Today, Zabok now has a world-class cancer center with state-of-the-art diagnostics and medical equipment. Through this agreement with HZZO, patients in Krapina-Zagorje County can receive care closer to home without traveling to other counties, and I believe the center will significantly contribute to oncology care for patients across Croatia in the future."
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok, part of UPMC International, is equipped with the most advanced Varian TrueBeam system for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), allowing extremely precise treatment of difficult-to-reach tumors while maximizing protection of healthy tissue. Thanks to this technology, long-term treatment protocols have often been replaced with just a few sessions, or even a single treatment, without compromising efficacy or safety.
This investment has also been supported by numerous patient associations, Croatian veterans and volunteer organizations. Nives Moric, president of the P.I.N.K. Life Association, expressed satisfaction with the signing of the agreement between HZZO and the UPMC Center in Zabok, noting the importance of providing services closer to patients' homes.
In addition to advanced therapeutic capabilities, the center has key diagnostic tools such as PET-CT imaging, enabling accurate disease assessment, treatment planning and monitoring of therapy outcomes. Opened in March 2025 as the sixth UPMC Hillman location in Europe and part of a global network of nearly 80 locations in the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center global network, the Croatia center brings modern oncology care to Krapina-Zagorje County and regions where such services were previously unavailable, offering a full range of services, including radiation and medical oncology, as well as PET-CT diagnostics.
Wild closed the ceremony stating, "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with our Croatian partners to create a healthier future - where access to life-saving cancer care is no longer a challenge, but a promise fulfilled for all."
