You may have heard about the excellent health care service of Costa Rica, but what does that mean for travelers? Which hospitals should you visit in the emergency? This article will guide you to find the best medical hospitals in Costa Rica.
Best Hospitals for foreigners and ex-pats in Costa Rica
Costa Rica- the trending beach town, where you will get enamored by the beautiful beaches, sunsets-scenic beauty, a wide array of activities, and favorable cost of living. And all of these have made this place one of the favorite vacation spots for foreigners and ex-pats. From Young to older, people who land in Costa Rica are eager to participate in different activities- looking forward to spending quality time by the beach at an affordable price.
But are you planning to stay in the land of “Pura Vida” for a while, or do you want to stay for a longer duration- be that as it may, it is necessary to be prepared for everything in case something goes wrong? Because at the time of an unexpected emergency or even scheduling a routine appointment, accessing the country’s medical system should be your first priority.
Well, it’s natural to wonder about the cost, whether the healthcare is standard enough, or what kind of treatment you will get as an ex-pat or a traveler. Here is a complete guide for you regarding the best hospitals, their services, and the ambulance services as well.
So, let’s get started, shall we?
Private Hospitals in Costa Rica
Costa Rica provides one of the best healthcare services in Central America- both in public and private sectors, and both continuously strive to stay updated with contemporary medicines.
Over the past sixty years, Costa Rica’s Social Security system, CCCS- or also called ‘la CAJA’ has established over 250 clinics and 29 public hospitals in there, which cover all the major populated areas of this country.
If you personally prefer visiting private hospitals and live on the West side of the city center, Hospital CIMA is one to visit for your medical requirements. Hospital CIMA is a part of a group of several international Hospitals based in Texas and is popular among English-speaking people. In San Jose, Hotel Clinica Biblica is also popular among English-speaking staff. Whereas, Hospital la Catolica in the Guadalupe suburb is famous for its advanced treatment, friendliness, and good behavior of the teams. You can easily catch a taxi or a car from the center of the capital to get there.
Here are some details about these hospitals
Address- San Jose, San Rafael, Costa Rica
Phone- +506 2208 1000
Address- San Jose, Avenida 14, Calle 1 Y Central, Costa Rica
WhatsApp- +506 8529 2100
Phone- +506 2522 1000
Address- San Antonio de Guadalupe Goicoechea, Costa Rica
phone- +506 2247 3000
Public Hospitals in Costa Rica
While most of the private hospitals of Costa Rica are in the San José area, there are plenty of public hospitals as well. These public hospitals are equally spread all over the country. Here we have presented some of the best public hospitals for ex-pats and visitors. Even though, as a traveler, private hospitals may be your first choice to visit, but it’s worth having knowledge about the public hospital system as well.
Limón Province Hospitals
Address- In front of the ICE’s main offices
Limón, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2758 2222
Address- Av 7, Limón
Guápiles, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2710 6801
Puntarenas Province Hospitals
Address- From the main entrance to Ciudad Neily 2 kilometers road to Paso Canoas, adjacent to the gas station
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2785 9600
Golfito Hospital Manuel Mora Valverde
Address- 14, Puntarenas Province
Golfito, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2775 7800
Hospital Monseñor Víctor Manuel Sanabria Martínez
Address- 31, Provincia de Puntarenas
El Roble, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2630 8000
Alajuela Province Hospitals
Address- Radial Francisco J. Orlich
Alajuela Province, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2436 1001
Address- 141, Barrio San Roque
Provincia de Alajuela, Cd Quesada, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2401 1200
Hospital Carlos Luis Valverde Vega
Address- 3GVJ+424, Provincia de Alajuela
San Ramón, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2456 9700
Cartago Province Hospitals
Address: C. 2, Provincia de Cartago
Cartago, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2550 1999
Address: 10, Cartago Province
Turrialba, Costa Rica
Phone: +506 2558 1300
Guanacaste Province Hospitals
Address: Santa Lucía, Guanacaste Province
Nicoya, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2685 5066
Hospital Enrique Baltodano Briceño – Liberia
Address: 918, Moracia, Provincia de Guanacaste
Liberia, 50101, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2690 9700
Heredia Province Hospitals
San Vicente de Paúl Hospital (Hospital de Heredia)
Address: 700 m. sur del Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero
Heredia, Costa Rica
Phone: + 506 2562 8100
Do all hospitals in Costa Rica offer better health services?
After the civil war, the country decided to put an end to the military and instead wanted to invest and focus on the country’s healthcare facility. Since then, many people have opted for Costa Rica to get the best treatments. It is true that Costa Rica offers well-regarded healthcare facilities, but sadly there are only a few of them.
There may be no access to private hospitals in remote areas or tourist places. But if you are in dire need of medical care or looking for a routine check-up, then it’s worth investigating about the public sector. Don’t think of it as bad instead, you can save a great deal of money, time, and hassle not only on the medical expenses but your travel expenses will get managed too. One fact is, any travel which needs emergency medical evaluation is billed right away to the patient and later transported them to a private facility.
Is there any difference between the Public and Private hospital systems in Costa Rica?
The public healthcare system, or CAJA, runs the public hospital system of Costa Rica, which is why it can offer strong medical services. However, the hospital setting and environment are a bit chaotic, and non-Spanish speaker may find it challenging to navigate the system, but overall it’s not bad.
On the other hand, Private system hospitals are designed to cater to people with the treatment they experience at the “back home.” English-speaking people no longer need to worry about language barriers.