Experts emphasize that 'Alicante is health' Cluster is a leading reference in Europe
Nearly 80 people, mostly expatriates living on Spain's Costa Blanca, have attended the 1st International Conference on Healthcare, that has been held at the Cultural Centre “Virgen del Carmen” of Torrevieja, with the collaboration of the local Town Hall and Mapfre Insurance Company. The Program focused on the analysis and the experience of Mediterranean Health Care and the services it offers, an overview of the Spanish health care system (public and private), how foreign citizens can acess medical and social care services and their rights on this regard, and obtaining private health insurance coverage. The experts who participated in the workshop highlighted that “Alicante is health” Cluster is already a leading reference in Europe.
The President of the Association of Mediterranean Health Care, Alberto Gimenez Artés, presented the objectives of the project of the so-called Cluster “Alicante is health”. In his opinion, criteria should be established to help foreign residents access to quality health care, as there are more than 128.000 citizens from other countries living in the province of Alicante. Gimenez stressed that in the last ten years, the Spanish health system has gone from seventh to third place in the world rankings.
Sandra Ruiz Salinas, Mediterranean Health Care Manager, explained in detail about Alicante is health Cluster, consisting of seven presitigiosos private hospitals and health care centres in the province of Alicante, and expressed the satisfaction of the Association by the results achieved at this point. "The Costa Blanca has become one of the main destination of healthcare services in southern Europe", she said.
Sandra Ruiz presented the members of the round table who after a brief presentation answered questions from the audience gathered at the Cultural Center of Torrevieja on the Spanish Health Care Services and Mediterranean Health Care from the point of view of quality, health and social services accessibility of foreign nationals and their rights to basic health care provision and agreements with medical insurance companies.
Ruben Davó, MD and Specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery mentioned that doctors in Spain receive an "excellent" education and added that the Spanish public and private health care system are one of the best in the world, along with the Japanese and Swiss. Dr. Davó also noted in his speech that medical treatments in Spain are between 30 and 60% more economical than in other European Union countries.
Counselor Antonio Palau Duarte of Ayela Law Firm from Alicante, informed about the status of foreigners in Spain since last April, because the current situation is similar with respect to the EU health legislation, where the universality of the public health care system has restrictions. Palao explained that all foreign nationals who stay in Spain for more than three months are required to apply for a residence permit in the municipality in which they reside and are obliged to register to be added to the Central Register of Foreign Nationals at a Foreigners Office to gain a personal health care number and card.
Alfonso Arjona Olivares, responsible for Mapre-Orihuela Costa, explained to the attendees the different models of private medical insurance, which, in his opinion, are affordable and avoid patients to wait several weeks or months to receive treatment by specialists as a result of the waiting lists for public health care.
Dr. Oliver Pack, Family Medicine Specialist, highlighted the possibilities the province of Alicante has to offer to the development of Alicante is health Cluster, mainly due to its infrastructure, the airport, the mild climate and, above all, the quality of the facilities and the well-known reputation of the medical professionals working at the different medical private centres within Mediterranean Health Care.
Mediterranean Health Care is a non-profit association of seven prestigious and republe private hospitals and health care centeres on the Costa Blanca in Spain. It has become the main destination of healthcare services in Southern Europe. MHC gathers more than 1.300 medical professionals, has 27 operating theaters and 508 hospitals bedsand all the medical services with pioneering methods of diagnoses, treatment and recuperation.
All our member centres (Casaverde, Hospital Clínica Benidorm, Hospital Clínica Vistahermosa, Hospital Internacional Medimar, Instituto Davó Vissum, SHA Wellness Clinic y VISSUM) hold ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certificates that attest to the high quality of our infrastructure, technology and patient care procedures. The Mediterranean Health Care network of member hospitals and clinic covers all existing medical specialties.
