Best Hospitals in Quintana Roo (Mexico) and Why

Many foreign residents of Riviera Maya are retirees who have chosen this paradise as their new home. Many have also brought with them the aches and pains of aging or a pre-existing condition that requires care. Others seem to develop these ailments over time. There are many laws that govern this aging process. The two that immediately come to mind are Murphy’s Law and the Law of Averages. Following these laws, there will come a time when a visit to the hospital is inevitable. But the main question is Which are the Hospitals in Quintana Roo?

So, when the time comes, which is the best hospital in the Riviera Maya? Well, let’s take a look!

What Are My Choices In Hospitals?

Yes, it’s true that you now live elsewhere, but don’t expect to find a St. Elsewhere! Or a Chicago Hope or even a New Amsterdam. And if you run into a doctor named Doogie or a nurse Jackie you may want to get a second opinion!

As we discussed in my previous article, Health Insurance Programs in Mexico, there are three major Hospital providers in the Riviera Maya, with a fourth in Cancun only. Hospiten, AmeriMed, and CostaMed have facilities throughout the Riviera Maya, and Hospital Galenia, and Victoria Medical in Cancun. There is also the Hospital General in Playa del Carmen, a state-run facility. Let’s start with Hospiten.

Hospiten

The Hospiten Group is an international healthcare network committed to providing the highest quality service, with more than 50 years of experience. With hospitals in five countries, they based their model on efficiency in all practices and services.

Hospiten has two hospitals in the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, and Cancun.

The Playa facility has 23 beds, 2 operating rooms, and a dedicated labor and delivery room. They have over 20 specialists on staff, from Pediatrics to Cardiology to Internal Medicine. They also provide a trauma centre and reconstructive surgeries.

Hospiten is the largest and most advanced care center in the immediate area, English is widely spoken here, and the hospital is accustomed to treating locals, tourists, expats, and foreigners.

Hospiten Cancun offers 54 beds with 2 operating rooms. A room dedicated to delivery and labor is available and features an Intensive Care Unit. Other specialties include Fetal Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging. With over 40 specialists and professionals, you can be assured your needs will be well looked after.

AmeriMed

AmeriMed is the first hospital group specializing in medical tourism and complying with North American standards of care. Their group comprises hospitals in Cancun, Cozumel, and a new Hospital in Playa del Carmen.

AmeriMed Cancun offers a wide range of routine and emergency services. Their Intensive Care and Neonatal Care units are among the best in the state. Their bilingual support and administration staff make your registration process a breeze.

Amerimed Islamed Cozumel has been equipped with state-of-the-art technology in diagnostic, resolution, and patient care. They specialize in Trauma care, around-the-clock emergency care, and a thorough put-patient care program. As AmeriMed Cozumel is on an island, they include an air ambulance service.

AmeriMed Playa del Carmen is the new hospital in town. This facility offers the usual medical services such as a 24/7 emergency unit, and check-up process for the entire family. They also provide an ICU, a coronary care unit, and full lab services.

AmeriMed Playa del Carmen also caters to surgical specialties that fit the needs of an aging expat community. Concerns such as Cardiovascular, Ophthalmic, and Oncology can be treated here with expert analysis and care.

Costamed

Costamed Grupo Medico features five locations in the Riviera Maya. From Cancun, all the way down to Tulum Costamed hospitals will keep you healthy.

The Cancun location recently opened for basic services, such as Endoscopy and Covid-19 testing. They also offer a Fibroscan treatment used for the diagnosis of cirrhosis, hepatitis, and other liver diseases.

Costamed Puerto Morales and Costamed Tulum are the only hospitals in their small municipalities, and, as such, offer a limited range of services. There are only two beds, with three more in the emergency ward. One full operating room, three ER rooms, and ambulance service. For such small facilities, they both provide a wide range of specialties, from Cardiology and Dentistry to Ophthalmology and Radiology. They also have a bilingual administration staff to help with payments and billing.

For eleven years Costamed Playa del Carmen has been serving the city, with the only non-stop ambulance service 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. This hospital has 10 beds with three more ER beds, and two in intensive care. They also feature dedicated surgery and delivery rooms, a laboratory, and X-Ray services with 24-hour on-site technicians.

This facility has modern equipment to identify, analyze and diagnose a wide array of symptoms. From MRI’s to ventilators and oxygenation equipment Costamed Playa del Carmen will ensure your health and welfare are well cared for. If there’s an ailment you can get, this well-equipped specialty hospital can treat you for it!

Costamed got its start in 1998 with the Centro Medico de Cozumel. This facility has been the recipient of many international medical accreditations, some of which are the Canadian Healthcare Council and the Mexican Council on Medical Tourism.

Costamed Cozumel Hospital features 19 beds, three ER beds, surgery and delivery rooms, and many others including a Regenerative Medicine Unit. It contains all the services and specialties that her sister hospitals do, and is recognized as a leader in international tourism medicine.

Hospital Galenia

The Galenia Hospital in Cancun has a focus on Medical Tourism and teaching. Medical students in their last years of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nutrition can apply for an Undergraduate Medical Internship.

Concerning Medical Tourism, Hospital Galenia offers first-class facilities, high-tech equipment, and well-trained physicians, all resulting in efficient and compassionate care.

This ground-breaking facility is the first High Specialty Hospital in southeast Mexico. With advanced state-of-the-art equipment and technology, and well-trained accredited medical specialists, they are recognized as a leader in medical education and training.

Hospital Galenia is home to many specialty clinics, including oncology, stem-cell treatments, and a hernia treatment center. Add to that a Hyperbaric chamber, Reproductive and Gynecology treatments, and non-invasive, non-radiation treatment for prostate cancer, this hospital is well prepared to treat any and all patients.

Although the Hospital Galenia accepts insurance claims, ensure your policy allows for admission here. The cost of all the state-of-the-art technology and equipment is not cheap!

Victoria Medical Cancun

Victoria Medical Cancun is an exclusive facility, and as the Centre for Medical Specialties, they are considered one of the best hospitals in the region. With thirty-five years of experience, they offer care over a plethora of medical issues.

Their intensive therapy unit contains modern equipment and is staffed by highly trained professionals. Similarly, the specialized maternity floor with its neonatal intensive therapy service focuses on the special attention required by the mother and baby.

Victoria Medical Cancun accepts all credit cards and insurance policies. However, dependent on your policy, a deposit may be required at admission.

General Hospital of Playa del Carmen

The state-run Hospital General de Playa del Carmen caters to the local populace through the IMSS, which we discussed in our last article, Health Insurance Programs in Mexico(see here), the public sector health insurance.

The level of care here is mostly first-level, as you would find in almost any clinic back home. There are general specialists on staff in just as many “ologies” as the private facilities, but again, the care, although thorough and competent, is basic. Long waits and up-front fees are the norms here.

Conclusion

This article is written in conjunction with the previously published “Health Insurance Programs in Mexico”. All these hospitals will gladly accept insurance plans, and most will assist in the preparation and filing of a claim. Be prepared, however, that in some cases a deposit may still be required.

Should you be covered by IMSS, or not have coverage at all, you will need to pay for services in full before any treatment. This could be very expensive, and negatively affect any recuperation or recovery.

We conducted an informal social media poll on hospital experiences and received a balanced cross-section of reviews. Each of the hospital groups received both positive and negative comments, but the edge seemed to go to Hospiten. I read many other reviews and they too were balanced. It is difficult to say which stands out, as everyone has different expectations, different circumstances, and different tolerances!

The title of this article is which is the Best Hospital and Why, but our observations and opinions should not be offered as fact. In this article, we showed your options of the Best Hospitals in the Riviera Maya, but we leave the “Why” up to you. We welcome and invite you to add your story to this one, good or bad. Perhaps, once compiled, we will have a legitimate winner, with the title of Best Hospital in the Riviera Maya!