how do medical visits work here? in English?

[mienke]

hi there,

I'm not well and would love to go see a doctor, not sure where to start though. Can anyone explain how the health system here works?

Someone mentioned there was a big difference between the private and public hospital system, but how does it work with the docters?

A normal GP would be great, anyone found a good one that I can communicate in English broken spanish with? What do dr visits generally cost?

thank you,

 

[mienke]

It is quite urgent,

I would appreciate any help or advice.
Else I figure I might go straight to the hospital in recoletta, see if I can find a docter there?

thanks!

 

[lejohnson]

If you're in Recoleta, just go to Hospital Aleman, you will have to pay a fee and then they give you a number and you wait to be called. You can request a doctor who speaks English as well. I have done this numerous times at Hospital Aleman and it's fairly simple.

Go in through the front doors (on the left side) that are off Pueyrredon and the desk you have to pay at should be on the right.
Stand in line, tell them what's wrong (so they know what kind of doctor you need) and that you want an English-speaking doctor.
Then wait for your number to be called and go to the room indicated.

Hope you get better soon!

 

[El chabon]

Depends if you have health insurance or not

Private: you need to pay up front
Public: you dont need to wait but might get stuck waiting for hours. Public hospitals vary in quality and depending on what your problem is you can get better help in some hospitals

In general terms hospital Fernandez in Palermo is pretty good

 

[JoeGillis]

Mienke, you can go to emergency at Hospital Italiano, which is located at Peron 4230. This is a private hospital but accepts any walk-in patient, especially at emergency. I've had a medical plan with this hospital for over 7 years. The service and attention are, most often, exemplary. Also, many of the doctors speak English. If you are ill, go NOW.

 

[JoeGillis]

Mienke, I just saw lejohnson's post about Hospital Aleman. Follow his advice. It's also a good hospital and closer to you.

 

[mienke]

thank you!

on my way.

 

[va2ba]

Public hospitals are not nearly up to the level as private hospitals in terms of available equipment or in terms of the quality of the doctors there. You would be much better off going to a private hospital, and there is a chance that you will be able to ask for a doctor who speaks English.

Most doctors have to learn a second language in medical school, so there are actually quite a few doctors who have a decent level of English.

 

[mienke]

hi everybody,

went to hospital Fernandez, not bad, just a really long wait, unsure where to go etc.
Finally saw a docter, in a kind of waiting room with loads of chairs, connected to the passage without a door, there she asked what was wrong, told her (all in Spanish she wrote out a prescription for antibiotics.. and *bye

didn't even have me sit down, check or test anything. Do they generally hand prescriptions out so freely?

I got the meds, but think I might do a trip down to the german hospital tomorrow just to check everything out.

My opinion? Public hospital was not bad, just very very very inefficient, and kind of strange to foreigner I suppose.

---------

thank you for all the advice

 

[Crema Americana]

A 30 second lookover and walking out with a prescription is pretty standard from my experience as well. I went to private hospitals and didn't have to wait nearly as long though, except once when I went on a Saturday night and it was very busy... all the doctor did was touch my neck, asked if it hurt, and then handed me a prescription for pain killers. I usually leave with the feeling that I should have explained more or they should have asked more questions... It doesn't seem very thorough, and I suppose it's not, but most of the time you walk out with what you need. It's quick emergency care, after all.

If you're not feeling better or still have doubts, maybe make an appointment with a doctor at a clinic (so you have more time to chat) or try the other hospital if you need to be seen fast.