Home › Forums › Costa Rica Living Forum › How expensive is Hospital CIMA?
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August 2, 2010 at 8:11 pm #159854costaricafincaParticipant
My husband had surgery at the Hospital Clínica La Catolica at the end of March and we were very happy with both the surgeon and the care he received. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the surgeon stayed many hours in his room to make sure everything was well.
I don’t he could have had better care, anywhere.August 2, 2010 at 8:24 pm #1598552bncrMemberUnforseen circumstances… Hmm – sounds like my friend who had the collapsed lung – they said “because” the surgery took so long that the anesthesiologist was unprepared..
I wonder who cuased the unforseen circumstances and why were they “unforseen” anyways. Aren’t doctors supposed to be prepaired for the unforseen, at least the ones with experience are.
August 2, 2010 at 8:40 pm #159856costaricafincaParticipantNo, the problem wasn’t with the doctors, but a reaction by my husband.
And I [i]knew [/i]you would respond ….:roll:August 2, 2010 at 11:09 pm #159857DavidCMurrayParticipant2BNCR, you wrote, “This cultures lies and steals more than any other culture . . .”.
Ever been to the United States? It’s due north of here.
August 3, 2010 at 1:22 am #159858bstckmnMemberOK. I need to respond on several levels here. First, I owe David some slack and gratitude for indulging an old yuppie post of mine in which I bitched about the lack of cornmeal here for pizza peels. Thanks David for being so helpful. Second and to the point, the issue of health care for yourself or loved ones here is dear to all of us.
As a kid, I was a U.S. Coast Guard brat so I used the
U.S. Navy or U.S.P.H.S. Marine Hospital System for free and good medical care for the first 23 years of my life. I lived. Centralized government-based medical care works.
In Costa Rica, there are many competing goals and possibilities. The father of my Costa Rican wife had a terrible motor cycle accident about 8 years ago. He was reduced to the media comfortable characterization of being in a vegetative state. Hospital Calderon took care of him with great professionalism and dignity until he died last year.
When I visited him with my spouse, it reminded me of the conditions at the Marine Hospital in San Francisco California. Good but not elegant.
With respect to health care generally in Costa Rica, my impression is that more Costa Ricans get good health care that is probably better than anywhere else in Central America if not North America if you count the numbers.
Even more to the point about my own care here. I have my body under the care of the 16th most highly rated hospital in the United States (University of Washington Hospital in Seattle, Washington). What I want from hospitals in Costa Rica is to help me get through the at least 6 months a year I live here with some health quality as well as any emergency services that me may be necessary.
Right now I am tilting toward Clinica Biblica although I live in Escazu. Thanks 2BNCR for your candor and responsiveness. I hear you.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]2BNCR, you wrote, “This cultures lies and steals more than any other culture . . .”.
Ever been to the United States? It’s due north of here.[/quote]
August 3, 2010 at 5:02 pm #1598592bncrMemberAh Finca, you were baiting me eh???? Well I know we have butted heads before, but is there anything more important than health? I see people all the time doting on the care here. Now, the care is not what I am contesting. It’s the surgeon’s ability and the support professionals. If they have not studied in the US then they simply do not have the highest education and gone through the most rigorous requirements.
David, the day to day lying, cheating and stealing that goes on here and may I say is culturally acceptable is nowhere near that of the US. Now, if you are talking about grand larceny and the huge amounts of money that are stolen in the US by politicians and banking professionals, etc, then that’s a different story – and not applicable to my point at all.
I sighted that regarding the propensity for Tico to cheat there way through school/ I just had a vet here cripple my daughter’s first cat because she didn’t know how to give an injection properly. Do you know how much training you have to be licensed to give an injection in the US?
Here you go into a pharmacy and unlicensed people give injections all the time.
See my point?
If you want the best the US is where its at.
Does anybody disagree with that?
For me and my health – I want the best. Period. So if it’s a significant procedure I am going back to the states.
All you others can tell yourselves all the stories you want about the “top notch doctors” but to me top notch is top notch and very few here are not top notch – in my never to be humble opinion.
August 3, 2010 at 5:42 pm #159860costaricafincaParticipant[b]2BNCR [/b], I wasn’t ‘baiting you’ but realized you were very sure of your objections, so would expect you to comment on my response and that was fine.
And my no means, do I believe that all health care here is equal. I see what our workers family, to ‘name one’, and how inept surgeries on two family members has called for repeat surgeries to fix the original one, which CAJA will not do.
The surgeon I mentioned has had further training in the USA and in Europe and is the Chief Urologist, of a CAJA hospital in town and performs surgery at La Catolica.
I[i] always[/i] suggest to anyone contemplating moving here and if they mention that they intend to use only CAJA, that they consider using private facilities for a serious complaint and use the CAJA for minor problems. Or when time is not an issue.
They must be sure to allow for the financial aspect if what they need is either not available or they must wait a year or more for treatment. For some cancers which require ongoing treatment CAJA may be adaquate but this depends on what area you are living in and which type of cancer you have.
Again, CAJA in an emergency situation can be excellent, and I have had to make use of it, so I was glad it was available to me.August 3, 2010 at 8:49 pm #159861DavidCMurrayParticipantOkay, 2BNCR, I think I get it now.
You wrote, “David, the day to day lying, cheating and stealing that goes on here and may I say is culturally acceptable is nowhere near that of the US. Now, if you are talking about grand larceny and the huge amounts of money that are stolen in the US by politicians and banking professionals, etc, then that’s a different story – and not applicable to my point at all.”
So what you’re saying is that any theft in which the amount stolen doesn’t end in seven whole numbers is unacceptable, but any amount over that is tolerable, right? I wonder which one does the community more damage?
Oh, and by the way, have you ever bought a car? Now if you want outright lying, cheating and stealing, there’s no one who can hold a candle to a U.S. car dealer. I was there for a while.
August 4, 2010 at 12:59 am #159862grb1063MemberThe care we received was much more personal than in the states. You never feel rushed during doctor apointments and you always see the doctor, rarely ever a nurse. My wife had C-Section and during the procedure, the doctor discovered a cyst the size of a grapefruit that was completely missed in the states, even with numerous $600+ ultrasounds. If he knew about it ahead of time, they could have been prepared to remove it. When we returned to the US, my wife’sOb/Gyn said that our CR doctor did excellent work.
August 4, 2010 at 1:34 am #159863AndrewKeymasterI had an ultrasound done last week at Hospital CIMA – 43,000 colones which is about US$83 and a rather delicious lady “ultrasonidista” ??
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comPS. I am not pregnant!
August 4, 2010 at 11:50 am #159864*LotusMember[quote=”Scott”]I had an ultrasound done last week at Hospital CIMA – 43,000 colones which is about US$83 and a rather delicious lady “ultrasonidista” ??
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaERica.comPS. I am not pregnant![/quote]
I had an ultrasound done at CIMA as well…I think we had the same doctor 😀
August 4, 2010 at 1:56 pm #159865bstckmnMemberCan David say the same thing about the “colonoscopista”?
[quote=”Scott”]I had an ultrasound done last week at Hospital CIMA – 43,000 colones which is about US$83 and a rather delicious lady “ultrasonidista” ??
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comPS. I am not pregnant![/quote]
August 4, 2010 at 2:27 pm #159866DavidCMurrayParticipant[quote=”bstckmn”]Can David say the same thing about the “colonoscopista”?[/quote]
Hmmm . . . I’m not sure just what you’re asking but I’ll try to guess.
A [i]colonoscopia[/i] isn’t an ultrasound procedure, so no, I didn’t have the same cutsie ultrasound tech who took care of Scott. My procedures were attended by a male anesthesiologist and a male gastroenterologist. Neither was my type.
Nor did my colonoscopies cost c43,000. They were in the range of $600US for everything, front door to back.
Does that answer your question?
Oh! And, like Scott, I am also not pregnant.
August 4, 2010 at 3:01 pm #1598672bncrMemberScott the Brit,
Oh my God you cad (I am liking you more all the time)! We were under the impression that you were spoken for. Maybe Costa Rica is the happiest place on earth afterall, a place where you can be married… and happy!
Unfortunatly for the gringo sucker who is going to pay me a pension I am ….
August 4, 2010 at 3:03 pm #159868bstckmnMember[quote=”DavidCMurray”][quote=”bstckmn”]Can David say the same thing about the “colonoscopista”?[/quote]
In a world that has become way too serious, it is nice to see that good humor is alive and well in Costa Rica.
Hmmm . . . I’m not sure just what you’re asking but I’ll try to guess.
A [i]colonoscopia[/i] isn’t an ultrasound procedure, so no, I didn’t have the same cutsie ultrasound tech who took care of Scott. My procedures were attended by a male anesthesiologist and a male gastroenterologist. Neither was my type.
Nor did my colonoscopies cost c43,000. They were in the range of $600US for everything, front door to back.
Does that answer your question?
Oh! And, like Scott, I am also not pregnant.[/quote]
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