Best hospitals for treatment in Spain

Spain is a trendy country for medical tourism. Every year hundreds of thousands of people come to the homeland of flamenco to choose the most effective medical treatment. That is because it has a high level of development in the healthcare system, technical equipment of hospitals in Spain, high-quality diagnostics, and modern medical treatment.

But to organize the trip correctly, you need not only to have information about the rules of entry into the country but also to be able to choose suitable hospitals in Spain. So let's consider how to do this.

Features of the Spanish medical system

In the World Health Organization ranking, Spain ranks seventh in quality of services and the health system level. Spanish people were recognized as the healthiest nation in the world. Costs for medical treatment in Spain account for about 9% of the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The costs amount to about 2000 euros per person.

Healthcare includes private and public. At the same time, some clinics and hospitals in Spain offer private and public medical treatment.

Most of the public health in Spain remains free. Residents should only pay for part of the service security contributions fund the Spanish public health. However, each region is individually responsible for the central government's health budget.

Each administrative district has at least one public hospital equipped with the latest medical equipment, which employs highly qualified staff. In general, more than 600.000 professionals work in medical care in Spain.

The private hospitals in Spain are an opportunity to contact specialists directly and reduce the waiting time, if necessary, for research and operations. However, to use the services of private hospitals in Spain permanently, it is required to obtain medical insurance. Without such a one-time appointment with a therapist, on average, it costs 100 euros. With private insurance, you can freely choose doctors and hospitals in Spain.

Best fields of medical treatment in Spain

Spain has excellent conditions for the diagnosis of various diseases. In addition, it is a perfect place for medical tourism for multidisciplinary patients and patients with gynecological problems, particularly disorders of the reproductive system. Many patients choose hospitals in Spain to give birth to a child naturally.

Oncological centers, clinics of reproductive medicine, neurosurgery, and pediatrics are the most popular in medical tourism.

Oncology medical treatment in Spanish hospitals

Spain has high success rates in treating oncology and malignant diseases of the circulatory system. All hospitals in Spain have modern equipment for accurate diagnosis and effective therapy. Furthermore, Spanish doctors successfully introduce innovative medical treatment and combine several methods at once to achieve maximum effect.

A CyberKnife is an ultramodern procedure for destroying tumor cells. Doctors use fixed high-beam X-rays to eliminate cancer cells. During medical treatment in Spain, healthy tissues are not affected. TrueBeam irradiation is the latest method of destroying cancer cells that are difficult to access in any other way. The main advantage of this medical treatment in hospitals in Spain is that it affects cancer cells from all sides and stops their progression.

Neurosurgery medical treatment in Spain

Neurosurgery medical tourism is highly developed and solves problems related to:

• tumors, pathologies of the brain and spinal cord;
• diseases of peripheral nerves;
• epilepsy in children and adults;
• Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and other diseases.

In Barcelona clinics, minimally invasive interventions are performed on the brain and spine. In particular, 3Teslas ultrasound methods are used for brain surgery without opening the skull. Spanish doctors have made significant progress in the medical treatment of brain tumors, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases.

The Miguel Servet Center in Zaragoza performs operations on awake patients using a unique technique. As a result, the University Clinic of Navarra in Pamplona has successfully fought against epilepsy in children.

Transplantation in Spain

Spain ranks first in the world in effective organ transplant medical treatment, which has a high success rate. People come to hospitals in Spain for kidney, heart, liver, and bone marrow transplants.

Orthopedics and traumatology medical treatment in Spain

In hospitals in Spain, they successfully carry out: joint replacement (knee, elbow, shoulder, etc.), medical treatment of sports injuries, spinal pathologies, etc. Surgical interventions are minimally invasive, do not require an extended stay in a hospital, or are generally carried out on an outpatient basis.

Microsurgical operations in hospitals in Spain are used to remove herniated discs. As a result, the impaired functions of the disk are fully restored. The duration of this medical treatment in Spain is about half an hour. In the evening, the patient is already returning home. They resort to injection therapy for the medical treatment of osteoarthritis in Spain. Serum from the patient's blood with blocking substances is injected into the affected focus. The advantage of this medical treatment in Spain is the absence of contraindications, any side effects, and the rapid restoration of joint performance.

Cardiovascular medical treatment in Spain

In Spain, patients are offered detailed consultations and a full range of modern methods of medical treatment, such as, for example, coronary artery bypass grafting, radiofrequency ablation, restoration, and replacement of heart valves.

Special attention in cardiology hospitals in Spain is paid to pediatric cardiology. The range of services covers corrective and palliative cardiac medical treatment in Spain from infancy to adolescence. Minimally invasive methods allow heart surgery with minimal trauma for young patients.

The field of pediatric cardiac surgery provides for the medical treatment of heart failure and the implantation of pacemakers/defibrillators in case of cardiac arrhythmias.

Diagnosis in Spain

Diagnosis in hospitals in Spain is carried out by passing tests and the method of visualization of all organs. Radiology, radiography, endoscopy, mammography, ultrasound, and CT are used for visual diagnostics in hospitals in Spain. A distinctive feature of the Spanish examination should be called the speed of diagnosis and high accuracy of the results. After the check-up, you immediately get the results. Then, the therapist prescribes the course of medical treatment in Spain.

All hospitals in Spain are equipped with modern equipment and comfortable wards for patients to rest. In addition, European doctors know how to provide high-quality medical tourism services and the most high-tech assistance.

The examination does not provide for mandatory follow-up medical treatment in Spain. Instead, it can be completed during a business trip or rest at the resort in just 8 hours, get the results on the same day and then consult a doctor at any time.

Complete check-up in hospitals in Spain provides:

• consultation with a therapist, cardiologist, and gastroenterologist;
• ultrasound of various organs;
• high-precision blood and urine analysis;
• dentist medical tourism;
• spirometry and ENT consultation;
• X-ray of respiratory organs;
• tomography and other types of examinations.

Check-up in Spain is the primary type of medical tourism, for which hundreds of thousands of foreigners come annually. Check-up allows you to identify the most common diseases in the early stages and begin immediate medical treatment in Spain.

Suppose your body is constantly exposed to stress, a sedentary lifestyle, low motor activity, and harmful habits. In that case, a medical examination should be carried out annually.

The average cost of medical treatment in Spain

Prices for medical tourism services vary depending on the level of the clinic. For example, medical treatment in Spain will cost more in Barcelona than in Valencia or Madrid. The reason for this is the higher level of medicine in Catalonia and the concentration of world-renowned centers here.

The hospitals in Spain can make the final price of medical treatment only after a complete examination, allowing you to develop an individual approach to the impact of a particular disease. In addition, many patients will need rehabilitation, which must be added to the invoice amount.

Medical tourism in Spain and popular destinations

The uniqueness of Spain also lies in the fact that you can improve your health here in excellent natural areas. For these purposes, you can search for hospitals in Tarragona, Marbella, or on the island of Tenerife. In addition, Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia have recognized modern hospitals in Spain.

Barcelona

The recognized center of medical tourism in Spain is Barcelona. World-famous hospitals:

• Centro Medico Teknon. It is the flagship of Spanish medicine and medical tourism. JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation confirms that the clinic adheres to high-quality service standards. The territory of the center occupies about 60 thousand square meters. 3D printing of the elements of the bone system is carried out here. Neuronavigation is actively used, allowing for excellent results during operations, the DaVinci robot, and the latest developments in the field of radiosurgery medical treatment – TrueBeam, Novalis, Tx. The clinic has many achievements. For example, in 2011, the center doctors reduced the stomach by endoscopy (without incision). In addition, the Oncology Center, created with the participation of the dean of Harvard University, a world-renowned doctor Jose Baselga, deserves special attention. Today, the oncological center successfully applies all methods of breast reconstruction: auto-tissue, prosthetics, and composite restoration.
• Sant Joan de Deu – Children's clinic in Barcelona. This center is a leader in the medical treatment of children and adolescents. The hospital is a full-fledged independent pediatric unit at the University of Barcelona. Here they treat oncology (retinoblastoma, leukemia, neuroblastoma), neurology (dystonia, epilepsy), cardiology, orthopedics (scoliosis, complex implants, arthrogryposis), urology (congenital kidney dysfunction, disorders of the urinary system). About 20% of the patients arriving here for medical treatment are foreigners.
• Quiron. The leading direction of the clinic is oncology medical tourism, which is widely known thanks to the Baselga Institute of Oncology, which is part of it.

In Barcelona and its surroundings, there are the oldest thermal resorts in Spain: Caldes de Montbuy and La Garriga. Their healing waters were highly valued during the Roman Empire for treating skin and joint diseases.

Valencia

Spain's third most populous city and an important Mediterranean port city. At the same time, Valencia is one of the centers of medical tourism in Spain due to the combination of high quality and variety of medical treatment offered and the unique local climate that promotes rapid rehabilitation of patients.

• Hospital Quiron Valencia. The private clinic is part of the famous Quiron group of private hospitals in Spain (King Juan Carlos of Spain is being treated at the Quiron Hospital in Madrid). It was built in the capital of the Valencian Community in the 30s of the last century. Currently, it is one of the 20 best hospitals in Spain. The main areas of medical tourism that brought fame to this center are orthopedic surgery, traumatology, cardiac medical treatment, and digestive tract surgery. In addition, it is in this hospital that the players of the Valencia basketball club undergo examinations.
• Hospital Casa de Salud. The history of that hospital goes back to the 19th century. In 1895, a well-known doctor, Manuel Candela, commissioned the construction of an Institute of Gynecology in the city, which became the prototype of the modern Hospital Casa de Salud. In 1914, the hospital passed to the Catholic Church. In 2006, the hospital agreed with the Catholic University of Valencia. Since then, it has been called a university hospital (such hospitals in Spain are considered the best because they use the latest achievements of university laboratories and allow practicing and training of future doctors and nurses).

Madrid

It offers patients comprehensive diagnostics, highly effective medical treatment in Spain, and a full-fledged rehabilitation course.

• University Clinic “Quiron Madrid”. The hospital offers a full range of medical tourism services. The equipment meets modern international standards of medicine. The center's specialists undertake even the most complex operations (on the brain, spinal cord, heart, etc.).
• Tambre Medical Center. Specialists of this private clinic possess modern methods of diagnosing and treating infertility, both female and male. The equipment allows them to carry out all medical treatments with maximum efficiency. Artificial insemination and cryopreservation of fertilized eggs are carried out in the clinic. In addition, the medical center has access to a sperm bank and donor eggs. Furthermore, the clinic has an andrological laboratory. They also provide a preimplantation genetic diagnosis service.
• Barragan Clinic. The main specialization of the hospital is plastic surgery, dentistry, and aesthetic medical tourism. All surgical interventions are safe and have no side effects.

Everything you need to know for medical treatment in Spanish hospitals

Citizens of some countries require a visa for medical treatment in Spain. However, a visa is unnecessary if the person concerned has a residence permit or long-term visa issued by the Schengen area.

Citizens of the states members of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland can visit Spain for medical tourism with a national identity card.

Third-country nationals can enter Spain if they have the necessary documentation, including, where appropriate, a visa, and if they have sufficient financial resources (90 euros per person per day).

Doctors and tests

You will usually be referred for tests at the first meeting with a doctor, regardless of whether you have done them before. If you have any necessary documents, they will need to be translated into Spanish in advance. A Spanish doctor can confirm or make a diagnosis only based on the results of his examination.

Accompanying person

The rules of entry for the accompanying person correspond to the rules for the patient. Therefore, the invitation from the hospitals in Spain must contain information about the accompanying person.

You need to book a hotel or a place in the patient's room for an accompanying person. In hospitals in Spain, it is possible to accommodate relatives in the patient's room on a separate bed.

The accompanying person can go on a city tour with a guide or pass a check-up in 3-4 hours.

Flight and accommodation

All hospitals in Spain have a transfer service, so the patient does not look for a taxi alone. Before departure, you will receive a photo of where you will be expected. The driver will take you to the hotel or clinic.

What to take with you

• Collect all medical documents and examination discs.
• Personal documents for entry: a passport, an invitation from the hospitals in Spain, and a hotel reservation.
• Necessary medications and medical devices. That is essential for people who always need an inhaler with them or do not interrupt taking pills before the doctor prescribes a new medical treatment regimen.

Why you should trust professionals

AiroMedical offers a comprehensive service for medical treatment in Spain. Our specialists will advise you on all issues, including the cost of specific procedures, help you choose a clinic and a doctor, and prepare all the necessary documents for visa processing and medical tourism in Spain. In addition, we will provide you with apartments to stay during the medical treatment in Spain. You can leave a request on our website or call the phone numbers listed for a consultation.

We will take over the entire organization of medical tourism:

• choice of a clinic and a specialized doctor;
• conclusion of a contract for medical treatment directly with the clinic;
• booking tickets and hotel;
• appointment for a consultation, diagnosis, and medical treatment in Spain;
• preparation of necessary documentation and professional translation;
• getting a "second opinion" from a specialist.

In conclusion

Spanish medicine is currently at the top of the ranking in Europe. Thanks to affordable prices and a high level of service, the country is the most popular destination for medical tourism. There are unique attractions and natural areas. So, you can spend the medical treatment in Spain with double benefits.

FAQ