Living in a big city has definite advantages when it comes to the range of services and opportunities people search for to fulfil different areas of life, such as careers and professional development, housing, education and leisure, or cultural activities. However, one of the most important areas, which, let’s be honest, none of us want to have to consider, is the level of access to professional healthcare, in the case that we need treatment or medical support.
Being able to visit a doctor, or specialist and receive treatment or surgery for ailments, illnesses, diseases or accident and emergency situations is literally a matter of life and death. So, what are the options in Spain, and in particular, which are the best hospitals in Barcelona?
According to the Ajuntament de Barcelona, there are 58 hospitals in Barcelona, including 12 public hospitals and 46 private hospitals. There are also 53 primary healthcare centre or doctors’ surgeries, known as CAP´s, (Centre d'Atenció Primaria) for those who have access to the CatSalut public health system. In order to be assigned a GP at one of these local doctors´ surgeries or CAP´s you firstly need to enrol on the municipal residents' register (padrón), and be paying into the Social Security system. You will then receive your personal health card known as a TSI (Tarjeta sanitària individual).
If you are not registered with Social Security, you will have to take out private medical insurance that covers you while you are living in Spain. Of course, it is also common for people who actually do have coverage under the Spanish public health system to also take out private medical insurance. It may also be one of the perks given by employer as an additional benefit of a salary package. This is because it elevates the level of healthcare coverage, in terms of immediate access to specialists, a wider range of professionals available and shorter waiting times for visits and treatments, which ultimately improves the health of the benefactor.
Insurance companies offer private medical policies for individuals and families and each provider has their own network of hospitals, clinics and laboratories which can offer some services that the public system does not cover, or at a faster pace.
For example, Caser Seguros, who specialize in Expat insurance policies, offer the Médica Health Insurance – which is a policy that complements the areas of health care provided by social security with the advantages of a private medical insurance. You will have quality coverage and healthcare services for you and the whole family, including access to specialist appointments and fast diagnoses without long waiting lists.
Upon taking out a Caser Health insurance policy, you are covered within your policy to access and organize appointments with doctors, specialists, hospitals, and diagnostic centres that are registered to work with Caser Seguros insurance company. This means that you have the added security that these medical professionals, centres and hospitals have been vetted in advance and chosen by the insurance provider as a recommended supplier. In fact, not only can you receive medical care in person but also online, with access to more than 45,000 professionals and 13,000 prestigious health centres.
Obviously in today’s digital age, Caser health insurance policy holders can use their online directory to investigate the full list of health providers, by region and sub-area of the city, and also by type. You can also download a pdf of the extensive list of medical centres and hospitals in specific towns and cities, this example shows the ones in Barcelona
These include details of the Caser Salud healthcare medical team, all listed within their areas of specialism and location. Plus, as a policy holder you can always contact Caser Seguros directly to ask for advice on finding the best hospital that is nearest your home, by calling +34 91 590 96 40, 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day.
You may feel a little overwhelmed by all the options and information but, as an example, when you contract a private health insurance policy with Caser Seguros, you can choose from some of the best hospitals in Barcelona that offer a wide range of the more common treatments:
Location: Plaça d'Alfonso Comín, 5, 08023 Barcelona
www.quironsalud.es/es/red-centros
Location: Carrer de Vilana, 12, 08022 Barcelona
Location:
- HM Nou Delfos Avinguda de Vallcarca, 151, 08023 Barcelona
- HM Sant Jordi Plaça de l'Estació, 12, 08030 Barcelona
- HM Nens C. del Consell de Cent, 437, 08009 Barcelona
Location: Sabrino Arana 5, 9, 08028 Barcelona
www.quironsalud.es/dexeus-barcelona
Some of the other mentionable hospitals in Barcelona which are well known for certain specializations or considered the best in their field are:
Location: Carrer de Muntaner, 314, 08021 Barcelona
Specialisation: Eyes
Location:
- Carrer Josep Maria Lladó, 3, 08035 Barcelona
- Plaça Drets Humans, 3, 08221 Terrassa
Specialisation: Eyes
Location: Plaza Dr, Plaça de Manuel Corachán, 1, 08017 Barcelona
Specialisation: Cancer
You can see the full list and details of benefits within Caser´s health insurance policies, and it is easy to obtain a no obligation quote using the online calculator tool and depending on the preferences you choose, you will be given a quote online in less than 1 minute for each type of health insurance we offer, so you can compare and choose the best for you. You can choose from different forms of payment: annual, monthly, half-yearly and quarterly. You can also calculate the price for your whole family, as it allows you to include up to 8 people in the same policy, at a discounted price. All you need to do is add your province, gender, date of birth and stipulate the relationship of any additional family members you want to include.
Key requirements are that you are
*If you are actually in need of a health insurance policy in order to obtain the NIE, Caser offer the “Adapta + Dental” health insurance policy, which doesn’t have copayments, and you can take it out quickly and easily.
I hope this helps answer some queries you may have about healthcare and the best hospitals in Barcelona and in Spain in general. The important thing is to be proactive in taking care of your own health, not just in the way you live, by being conscious of eating the right foods, exercising and being aware of your strengths and limitations. But also, in taking action and seeking medical attention should you have any doubts or symptoms which present themselves to you. Listen to your body and don’t put off making a medical appointment if you feel that something may be wrong, it is better to be checked out early so that you can have piece of mind that any ailments can be diagnosed and treated swiftly and safely.
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If you are searching for health insurance in Spain, Caser Expat Insurance has the right policy for you!
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