When you get sick abroad: Where to go and what to expect

[travguy]

When you get sick abroad: Where to go and what to expect

Hi Folks:

Posting this in the Europe Forum but also applies elsewhere. Moderator can feel free to suggest if this should be posted elsewhere or limit comments to Europe, SA, Asia, etc per the appropriate Forum.

One thing that always seems to be missing in postings are specifics of what to do if health trouble arises. Afterall, many of us are a bit older. 
Was in Barcelona recently and got sick. LOL. While at Boyberry I saw a flyer for what seemed like a gay health service: Barcelona Checkpoint, Comte Borrell 164-166, 08015 BCN https://www.bcncheckpoint.com/  and not too far away, just north of Boyberry by a few blocks. When I got there around noon I was told to head elsewhere to a neighborhood / regional hospital clinic. Checkpoint also said they usually see people a few days after you call them or drop in. 
Centro Médico Manso  Certificados Médicos en Barcelona
https://www.centromedicomanso.com/  corner of Manso and Calabria, near Poble Sec Metro and about 4 blocks south of Rocafort Metro.  C/ Calàbria, 17 Entlo. 5ª, BARCELONA Telfs. +34 678 310 109 / +34 93 424 03 37 | SIN CITA PREVIA   Webpage notes they were closed from 4 to 24 August ? 2025. Webpage mentions medical certificates, but Manso was available for a variety of issues. Just be prepared to wait. You start on the ground floor where someone sorts you out. My Catala is non existent, Spanish is poor, so the nice lady and I spoke in French. I then went to another floor. Since I had never been a patient before, they had to do all the expected entry documentation. Only issue was that my Airbnb address was temporary as I expected to leave the next day. But they could not process paperwork without a local address. LOL. I was told that I might have to pay over 100 Euros. If you have a health card from another EU country, the service might be free or low cost. Not sure about UK. I was then told which waiting area to hang out in and was seen about an hour or so later. A curmudgeon like doctor saw me along with 2 nurses at different times. Once sorted out, I went back to the registration desk, pulled out my credit card and paid just under $200. I was at C M Manso from about 1230-1600 hours. The meds prescribed were under $10 each at the nearby pharmacy. I was ok to leave Barcelona the next day. They had my signed permission to use email for any further contact as needed, as I was told I would not be able to contact the doctor or nurses directly. 
I thought the service was good overall, but not sure I trust the test results. Oh well.

The sheet I got from Checkpoint mentioned 5 other hospital / clinic places as well. They all seemed to be part of Consulta d'ITS. Antencio Primaria Barcelona Ciutat - Institut Catala de la Salut. All 6 centers names started with - Centre CAP, then Manso, Numancia, Casa Antic, Luis Saye (Raval Nord), El Clot, and the 6th was Centre CAP Passeig de Sant Joan.

Apologies, as I do not speak Catala and there are many typos in the cut and pastes below, none of the accent marks carried over and some became typos.

Fora de l'horaride les consultes  d'lTS, tamb6 us poden  atendre,  els 365 dies de l'any, les 24 hores  del dia,
als Centre  d'Urgdncies d'Atenci6 Primdria:
CUAP  Manso  - Ci Manso, 19, planta  baixa.  08015 Barcelona.
CUAP Sant  Marti- C/ Fluvid 211Planta Bbixa,  08020  Barcelona

Centre CAP Manso
Adrega:  C/ Manso '19, planta 5a
08015  Barcelona
Teldfon  93 554 28 89
Hoiari de la Consulta:'
Dimecres  idijous de 15 a 20 h

Centre  CAP Numdncia
Adrega:  C/ Numdncia  23, planta baixa
08029  Barcelona
Teldfon  93 495 58 86
Horari de la Consulta:
Dimarts  15 a 20 h

Centre  CAP Casc Antic
Adreqa:  C/ Rec Comtal  24, planta  1a
08003  Barcelona
'  Teldfon  93 310 14 21
Horari de la Consulta:
' Dimecres  15 a 20 h

Centre  CAP Lluis Say6 (Raval  Nord)
Adrega:  C/ Torres  i Amat 8, planta 1a
08001  Barcelona
Teldfon  93 301 27 05
Horari de la Consulta:
Dimarts  de 15 a 20h

Centre'GAP ElClot
Adrega:  C/ Concili  de Trento 25,
Planta  Baixa 08018  Barcelona
Teldfon  93 303 73 01
Horari de la Consulta:
Dilluns de 15 a 17.30h

Centre  GAP Passeig  de Sant Joan
Adrega:  C/ Ali-Bei 18-20, Consuita 1,
08010  Barcelona
Teldfon  93 265 01 17
Horari de la Consulta:
Dilluns de 15 a 20h

As for other places, in Brazil, there are many public clinics and hospitals. When in Parati / Paraty many years ago I needed stitches due to a deep glass cut on my foot while at the beach. I got through very quickly and they were very nice. No charge! There are both public and private places in all major cities in Brazil. You pay more but can get faster service for non-urgent matters privately, usually. Even at some private clinics the wait for a specialist might be weeks. At pharmacies many meds are over the counter, but many antibiotics require a prescription (I think in PT it is pronounced similar to receipt / recetta in English) from a local Brazilian doctor. Some meds can only be dispensed at public clinics and are not available at local pharmacies. Strangely, the local pharmacists seem absolutely clueless about any med not available at their pharmacy, even if it can be obtained at a public clinic. And yes, some require a public clinic doctor visit first. Waiting times could be days to weeks for the appointment and an hour or so waiting in the clinic for the doctor. If you are about to run out of your meds, make any needed appointment well in advance and it is sometimes best to go to the clinic area that covers your needs at the local public hospital or clinic and pursue matters there. For reasons unknown to me, they seem to prioritize some polite foreigners who know some PT. I have never been charged for seeing the doctor or even for the meds dispensed at a public clinic. When I had to see an ophthalmologist, eye doctor, I was seen quickly, proper testing was performed, and I was reassured that I did not have an acute retinal tear. Cost was about $160.00. Physical therapy in Brazil was of a high quality and seemed to be a mix chiropractic and PT by the person I went to in Copa years ago. I think the cost was $40 per session. Very satisfied with quality of care overall.

Poland - again, years ago. I had kidney stones. Went to 3 places (starting with one mentioned in my guidebook - pre internet era), per referrals from one to another. After second place did not have a urologist available that day, I ended up at a large hospital. Service and care were excellent. Fastest labs I have ever experienced. Wait time for the doctor was under an hour. Doctor was trained in Germany and the ultrasound machine looked brand new. I do not think it was a clinic day. Never heard of the meds, but an excruciating day later I passed the bad boy stone. My only minimal cost was for the meds. Zero cost for the 2 prior clinic stops and no cost for the doctor, labs, and ultrasound at the large hospital. I thought the care in Poland was excellent.

In the US and Canada you can wait days to weeks for non-acute care and longer waits for specialists. In general, more treatment options are available in the US, but at higher costs and co-pays. In Canada care starts with your primary care provider who can make a referral for a specialist. Care plans / costs vary widely in Canada based upon your Province and if you have a private insurance supplement. In the US you can go directly to a specialist without primary care doctor referral in some plans, but not others. For non-US residents or those without insurance that will be accepted in the US healthcare costs will be very high. In Canada, healthcare costs for non-residents will be less than the US but still high.

Please feel free to add your experiences and suggestions.