Hospiten Sur is utter pants!

[Macbook]

Is the service at Hospiten Sur pathetic or is it just me ?

We have been attending regular appointments as an outpatient using private health insurance for the last 7 months and it gets more of a joke everytime we go.

Most of the time they don't recognise the insurance, even when its all pre authorised by their administrators and my insurance.

On one occasion we had to wait over two hours for our appointment..

another time we arrived and was told we didn't even have an appointment booked !.. even after we showed the lady our appointment card !

This week my partner was left waiting over an hour for her appointment, then when she enquired about the delay was told to wait as the doctor was out on an emergency ! She went home as it was 6.30 pm...then at 8.30 pm the hospital called and said the doctor will see you now !! Her appointment was scheduled for 5.30 pm.


Another time we had to go as my partner needed an injection, we waited as normal then the doctor wrote down the name of the medicine and told us to go to the pharmacy, buy it... then if 'WE' wanted, go to A and E and they could inject it for her!!!

All i can say is that the whole process of dealing with the hospital has been poor. Some of the worst customer service i have seen on the island.

The worst part of it though, is that nobody there seems to give two hoots...like its normal.

You just have to laugh !

They can shove their hospital up their backsides in future...I'm off back to Quiron.

[primrose]

I have just had Cataracts removed from both eyes at Hospiten Sur and didn't have them done as a private patient I was sent there from Candelaria as there was a long waiting list at that Hospital, and they were fantastic, from the Receptionists to the Surgeon they couldn't have been nicer,I was never kept waiting every appointment was on time and both operations were done at the time they gave me, and the after care was superb.

[chifleta]

I have just had Cataracts removed from both eyes at Hospiten Sur and didn't have them done as a private patient I was sent there from Candelaria as there was a long waiting list at that Hospital, and they were fantastic, from the Receptionists to the Surgeon they couldn't have been nicer,I was never kept waiting every appointment was on time and both operations were done at the time they gave me, and the after care was superb.

which goes to show, you can't beat the Seguridad Social here ;)

[rosemary]

I think it is very hit and miss at this Hospiten Sur. Some say it's great others say horrendous treatment. From what I can gather if you have an operation ad a stay at the Hospitan then you get good treatment. But AandE and normal day appointments can be utterly demoralising and frustrating.
The fact is plain. They really do not have proper management or resources to deal with the enormous expat community they serve. They are in some instances an absolute disgrace to the medical profession.
Moral of this story? Avoid if at all possible. Go elsewhere.

[Ricman]

Rosemary is absolutely correct.
My personal experience has been awful. When attending for their pre arranged appointments I spent on average 2 hours every time before seeing the Doctor. For one fairly routine Xray they had 6 attempts in well over an hour.
It got beyond frustrating & I spoke to an English lady at the hospital who " helped " non Spanish speaking patients about these delays. She went bonkers & threw a hissy fit & told me I did not know what I was talking about as the longest anyone ever waited was 15 to 20 minutes, hhmm but I was there.
However one of my friends needed urgent medical attention & was given superb treatment enabling a quick & full recovery.
And I have spoken to others who have also had great treatment there.
So it does seem like a lottery which is no good if you get them on the bad day.
On that basis I opted to have the required operation in Santa Cruz where I was treated like royalty with nothing too much trouble.

[9PLUS]

As for appointment they are time you should be there from, they are not a guaranteed time to be seen especially in a hospital where emergencies and the most needy go first. That's their protocol.

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I concur with Ricman if you can get to the north the hospital is more than A1

[essexeddie]

Perhaps things will improve when the new hospital is eventually built

[garlicbread]

Perhaps things will improve when the new social health hospital is eventually built

They might, but then they are part of the strong private hospital lobby who DO NOT want the new hospital to be finished.

I am glad I'm on the social health service. I needed surgery and the social health service chose for the operation to be done at Hospiten Sur. Frankly after that experience, I wouldn't put my dog in there. Totally inefficient and poor after care. Compared to the University hospital of Candelaria in Santa Cruz they are not even in the same league, care provided to my wife before, during and after treatment for cancer has been superb.

[slodgedad]

Perhaps things will improve when the new hospital is eventually built

I don't think many of our members will still be alive by then.

[irishmusico]

They might, but then they are part of the strong private hospital lobby who DO NOT want the new hospital to be finished.


Really? I would be interested to find out more about that.

[essexeddie]

I don't think many of our members will still be alive by then.

Lol, you may well be right.
By the sounds of it I may be better off getting the first plane home to the UK.

[delderek]

Several years ago my wife broke her hip in Tenerife, and had a hip replacement in Hospiten Sur. First class treatment in a first class hospital. On returning home local hospital commented, "excellent surgical procedure" So whatever others say. In my experience it cannot be faulted. (It was on private insurance)

[essexeddie]

Looks like its good and bad, bit of a lottery

[Ricman]

My point exactly. So for something quite important like surgery under general anaesthetic ( maybe on a Friday ?? ) if I have a choice & despite the inconvenience, until or unless they get their act together, I am out.

[casabonny]

Absolute rubbish hospital.i have in the past had to use A and E ( as an emergency and then as in patient) and had the worst treatment ever.This happened on two separate occasions.
I see Dra. Farthman( dermatologist)as an outpatient and cannot fault her or her time keeping BUT if I ever needed in patient treatment I would find out what other hospitals she worked in .
In my personal opinion avoid it like the plague either as social or private .

[amanda]

Absolute rubbish hospital.i have in the past had to use A and E ( as an emergency and then as in patient) and had the worst treatment ever.This happened on two separate occasions.
I see Dra. Farthman( dermatologist)as an outpatient and cannot fault her or her time keeping BUT if I ever needed in patient treatment I would find out what other hospitals she worked in .
In my personal opinion avoid it like the plague either as social or private .

Disagree with you earlier this year had to go to the green hospital in the aand e nothing but respect for them they were busy though, lots of drunk brits beeing sick and verbally abusive they have a lot to deal with

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I found the hospital great service am on the seguridad social, have nothing but praise, amazing behind the scenes, with the drunken brits being verbally abusive, and throwing up

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I found the hospital great service am on the seguridad social, have nothing but praise, amazing behind the scenes, with the drunken brits being verbally abusive, and throwing up

[casabonny]

Disagree with you earlier this year had to go to the green hospital in the aand e nothing but respect for them they were busy though, lots of drunk brits beeing sick and verbally abusive they have a lot to deal with

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -

I found the hospital great service am on the seguridad social, have nothing but praise, amazing behind the scenes, with the drunken brits being verbally abusive, and throwing up

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -

I found the hospital great service am on the seguridad social, have nothing but praise, amazing behind the scenes, with the drunken brits being verbally abusive, and throwing up
I think it might be useful to have a poll to see what people think and see how well Hospiten fares? Come on mods what do you think?

Its not just my personal experiences that I base my comments on but also those of close and very close friends.

[golf birdie]

I think it might be useful to have a poll to see what people think and see how well Hospiten fares? Come on mods what do you think?

Its not just my personal experiences that I base my comments on but also those of close and very close friends.

I know many Spanish and British who refuse to use this hospital if at all possible. I just look at it like a huge ATM where they try and draw as much money out of people as possible.

[Medanoman]

I know many Spanish and British who refuse to use this hospital if at all possible. I just look at it like a huge ATM where they try and draw as much money out of people as possible.


very true... it was 1200 euros a day before treatment in the intensive care ward they were billing to the NHS when my old uncle had the misfortune to fall ill here. He knew the risks and came out here without holiday insurance. His advanced age and pre existing condition's made insurance impossible.

But when he did fall very ill , i went straight past hospiten and took him to the Mojon up the hill. No drunks, and no paperwork issues. ( Hospiten can give people heart attacks just with the stress they provoke when you turn up at the door.) they would insist on my uncles credit card before i insisted that the e111 was all they needed. When someone needs treatment you can do without those arguments. So i learnt to go straight to the Mojon. No paper work hassle in comparison. and normally very little going on in accident and emergency there.

After being stabilized , and after being monitored he was sent down in an ambulance to hospiten, but the bull**** was averted. He spent 3 months slowly getting better and fit enough for an air ambulance, he dreamed of getting back home.

So , after much soul searching and advice from doctors the family paid 18000 Pounds for an air ambulance to take him home.

Now the local hospital was told of this plight and warned he was arriving...may as well not have bothered..after landing at heathrow , and being transported in private ambulance he hung around in a corridor for 8 hours before a doctor finally saw him. After a 2 second look at the paperwork, and the diagnostic translations the NHS doctor wanted to send him home.

After much fighting with inlaws he was admitted, but since it was a weekend in england it was far from plain sailing...

3 days later he entered coma and then eventually died.

I know some people can sometimes just let go when its their time, but in this case it seemed that the care back in the UK was abismal. Hospiten kept him alive enough to complain about being there. as soon as the NHS got him he was a goner it seemed.

Normally, cases such as his get transferred out of Hospiten and end up in Candilaria. Luckly i was able to pull strings to keep him down south. His visiting family members would not have coped with the trip to Candilaria everyday, and neither could he really.

You have to remember its a private business first. But you can get around that nasty side doing as i did. Go to the Mojon first.

[Tom & Sharon]

My treatment wasn't bad as such, but I was very aware that they were trying to milk me for insurance because I was English. I was fine in there, but only because I understand the system, knew where I was and what was going on. The doctor spoke to me in English, but once I was transferred to a ward, it was all Spanish. Not daunting for me, but as a holidaymaker? Very much so I would think! You'd just agree to, or sign anything they put in front of you. After 2 days I was transferred to Candelaria at the request of the social security. The care in Candelaria was excellent.

When I was first admitted to A&E at Hospiten there was an old English lady in there I felt very sorry for. She was about 80, and had fallen down an escalator. She had a very badly cut leg which needed dressing, but otherwise seemed OK. She was however very upset and agitated, because her husband was outside. She told me she had been waiting for 4 hrs, and that her husband had dementia. They of course wouldn't let him in with her, and she said he was outside on his own, and wouldn't know where he was.

The staff didn't give a monkeys! I felt so sorry for her.....

[essexeddie]

All seems a bit of a worry, best not get sick

[essexeddie]

The Nuri furniture shop under San Marino apts in Los Cris is now a large health centre plus a dentist. it even has its own ambulance in the car park.
Bit of completion I think.

[slodgedad]

I know it is obvious to most but healthcare costs loads (Just check American cover)

In Britain we have been spoiled( even though everyone complains) as health care is expected to be free.

Unfortunately people get their nose out of joint when 'foreign' places actually make rules and charge.

The richest country in the world allow their own citizens to die because theyhave no money and then have the gall to denounce the medical help elsewhere

[essexeddie]

I think what gets up our nose more are health tourists.

[Greg]

I don't think many of our members will still be alive by then.

Not if they get treated at Hospiten first they won't!

[junglejim]

I know it is obvious to most but healthcare costs loads (Just check American cover)

In Britain we have been spoiled( even though everyone complains) as health care is expected to be free.

Unfortunately people get their nose out of joint when 'foreign' places actually make rules and charge.

The richest country in the world allow their own citizens to die because theyhave no money and then have the gall to denounce the medical help elsewhere

Hardly free Slodgie when you pay over 10% National Insurance , but it's certainly a better deal than USA and the likes where poorer people have little or no cover - I know which system I prefer !