HOSPITALS IN SPAIN

Hospitals are generally very good, with an efficient and fairly rapid service. All Spanish cities and large towns have at least one hospital (hospital) or a clinic (clínica) and many of them are excellent modern establishments with highly trained staff and they have the latest high-tech equipment. To find your nearest hospital you should search the Yellow Pages under hospitales . At your local social security office you can also get a list of local hospitals and health centres that are treating social security patients.

Spanish hospitals are indicated by a white 'H' on a blue background, the international hospital sign, so that you will see them when you are walking to your new home town in Spain.

In Spain there are many different categories of hospitals and clinics, including both public hospitals (hospitales de la seguridad social) and private hospitals (hospitals privados) and also day hospitals that are performing specialist tests and minor surgery.

If you need medical assistance in a Spanish hospital you will always have to present your social security card or, if you are not covered by Spanish social security you will have to provide evidence of your health insurance or the ability to pay, except in the case of emergency as they will of course provide the necessary medical treatment in any urgent case. If your private insurance company doesn't have an arrangement with a Spanish hospital to pay bills direct, you will have to pay the bill yourself (credit cards are usually accepted) or seek assurance from your insurance company that they will pay the bill. The hospital might also ask for identification, as this is routine everywhere in Spain . Either your passport or your residence card will be sufficient.

If you have to stay in a Spanish hospital and do not speak Spanish, you will probably find that at least some doctors or nurses can speak Spanish or other European languages and if not they will do their best to help you. In any case, if you do not speak Spanish very well or even not at all, it would be wise to take a dictionary with you to be able to express your needs.

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