Health Care in Cuenca
NEW
– ECUADOR
MEDICAL
TOURISM
NEW
– QUINOA IN ECUADOR
Blood pressure update
Hospital del Rio in Cuenca
Hola everyone,
May
2010
We
believe that health care in
Ecuador is of the highest standard. But this Newsletter will cover
Cuenca where
we live as expats.
Recently we had the pleasure of being given a five hour tour of the new
Hospital del Rio. In this Newsletter I will only just touch on the
features and
benefits of this hospital as there is so much to cover that I will be
dedicating a whole Newsletter to it very soon. So stay tuned!!
So
let’s start with what it is like to go and see a General
Practitioner. Your appointment may well go on for an hour, depending on
what your requirements are. There is no clock watching and the time you
are in with the GP is your time. The fee for this can range from
$20-30.
In the
circumstance that you may need to be referred onto a Specialist then
you will usually see them on the same day. None of this go home and
call to make an appointment, which you hope and pray will be the same
week or at least the same month, even if you feel like you are dying
and beg them to have an earlier appointment. Then by the time you go
for the appointment you have to think exactly what was it I am here for
again. Ok so you weren’t dying. Now please don’t
take offence to some of my comments if you are in the medical
profession………….but I am
sure the majority of readers know exactly what I mean.
Unfortunately our system, and I
am talking about Australia, hand balls us to the next person and hopes
that they will deal with it and that you won’t come back and
bother them.
Not
here. You are treated as a valuable part of society. You are after all
a human being in need. We have had first hand experience and know
others that also have had the same experience. The service has been
absolutely fantastic. In some cases there was a language barrier, but
they soon fixed that by getting someone to translate for us. Nothing
was too much of a problem. The fee for a Specialist visit is around
$30-$40.
Private
room in Hospital del Rio
Minor procedures are also inexpensive and the larger operations
dramatically
cheaper compared to prices at home. There are a few expats who we know
of that
have had quite critical operations here in Cuenca and have praised the
standard
of treatment that they received
This
is the new intensive care ward
in Hospital del Rio
Just the other day I had several blood tests done. The price for the
tests was
$30. The results were then emailed to the Doctor by the end of the
afternoon.
He rang and advised that I could come back so that he could give me the
results. I returned the next morning for another visit and at the end
of this
session was told that there was no charge. Now that would not happen
back home
at all. I have now witnessed this several times for myself and for
John. There
are many English speaking Practitioners here in Cuenca as many study
abroad and
then come home to practice. You will always find that everyone is very
helpful
indeed.
Alternative health care is very acceptable and most General
Practitioners are
very much in favor of using natural medicines along with
pharmaceuticals.
Here we don’t have the regulations like the USA FDA or for us
in Australia the
TGA.
Dental
procedures are
also very good and inexpensive compared to what we are used to. You can
check
out more re Dental HERE
Francisco
Heredias Dental practice in Cuenca. While you
are in the chair you can enjoy the view of the Cajas (National Park).
All the medical facilities that we have visited have been super clean
and
extremely modern.
Above
is the building where Francisco Heredia has is rooms. This building
houses many
different Consultants for all your needs.
Health Insurance in Ecuador is very cheap compared to western
countries. One company
in South America will pay up to 80% of your Doctor’s visit
and 60% on
medication costs and the pay 100% hospitalization. In many cases you
can ask
for extra cover for other procedures.
Below
are
several South American, Ecuador and international Health Insurance
sites.
Please make sure you read them to find out how they can suit your
needs.
Some
expats like us do not have
insurance cover. At present we have paid for everything as required.
But in the
future and definitely before the age of 65 respectively we shall
inquire
further into getting our own Health Insurance policies. That's about
all I have
for you at present and if any of you who are reading this and already
live here
in Cuenca please feel free to share your experience with us.
To
read our own
experience with John’s hospital visit last year Click Here
Chao for now
Dixie
http://www.squaremouth.com/
http://www.worldtrips.com/index.asp
http://www.panamericanlife.com/about/ecuador.aspx
http://www.saludsa.com/
http://www.humana.com.ec/
http://www.bupa.com
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