Sanatorium or Spa: A KBSU expert explained the difference and discussed the benefits of vacationing in Kabardino-Balkaria

The KBSU press service continues its series on healthy summer vacations and discusses scientifically proven programs and highly effective methods of spa medicine.

We previously wrote about popular treatments and children’s health improvement. In the final part, Irina Tembotova, Deputy Director for Treatment at the Dolinsk Sanatorium and Associate Professor of the Department of General Medical Training and Medical Rehabilitation at KBSU, will explain the difference between spa treatment and spa procedures.

The key difference, according to the expert, lies in three components: purpose, legal status, and approach to procedures. Spa treatment is aimed at the treatment, prevention, or rehabilitation of a specific disease. Spa and wellness hotels focus on relaxation, overall recovery, and improving quality of life, regardless of a medical diagnosis.

«The main indicator is a medical license. Sanatoriums have one: they have doctors on staff who conduct an initial examination, make a diagnosis, and prescribe a personalized treatment program. At a spa hotel, guests choose and pay for treatments from a menu,» Tembotova explained.
The second key factor is consistency. At a sanatorium, treatments are part of a course designed specifically for the patient, while at a wellness hotel, programs are more often standardized, and the schedule of visits is left to the client’s discretion. The expert acknowledges that the line between formats is blurring due to hybrid medical spa models, where a medical license and medical supervision are combined with relaxation practices. However, when it comes to health, the demand for targeted treatment programs remains.

According to Irina Tembotova, sanatoriums are implementing clear zoning to ensure they don’t lose their medical services, dedicating separate units. Doctors also provide preventative recommendations that enhance the effectiveness of relaxation programs. Many resorts are pursuing a narrow specialization while simultaneously developing short stay programs of 3-7 days, combining medical and spa treatments.

KBR Resorts: From Soviet Legacy to Evidence-Based Medicine

Kabardino-Balkaria’s resorts are preserving their classic sanatorium infrastructure while simultaneously reimagining their Soviet legacy from the perspective of evidence-based medicine.

Tembotova notes that the republic has preserved its natural resources: iodine-bromine, nitrogen-thermal, and hydrogen sulfide mineral waters, as well as the silt mud of Lake Tambukan. These resources have remained the foundation of balneotherapy since Soviet times. They have been complemented by modern technologies, including ozone therapy, cryotherapy, and high-precision diagnostics. Many institutions in the republic have not only maintained their infrastructure but also modernized, combining traditional treatment facilities with digital services and a flexible service system. However, according to the KBSU associate professor, some Soviet approaches should be left in the past.

First and foremost, this concerns physiotherapy methods without a solid evidence base. For example, the clinical effectiveness of Minin’s blue lamp has not been proven, and standardized «template» programs, which in the USSR were prescribed to patients with a single diagnosis without taking into account individual characteristics, are also disappearing. Today, the emphasis has shifted to personalization: doctors select a treatment plan based on a specific condition, comorbidities, and the body’s response.

«The key principle now is not to reject the Soviet legacy entirely, but to critically rethink it. Doctors are adopting what has scientific justification and demonstrates results in modern conditions. Solutions that have not stood the test of time or evidence-based medicine are gradually becoming a thing of the past,» Irina Tembotova emphasized. According to the expert, this approach will allow the Kabardino-Balkaria health resort complex to remain competitive in the face of growing demand for wellness services.