We have two hospitals in the city of Granada and they are pretty good when it comes to dealing with emergency cases, but if the case is something complicated, they will send you over to the hospital in Managua, which is 35 minutes away from Granada. But generally, everyone goes to the hospitals in Granada. They have the same system and they will take care of you. Our hospitals are pretty standard in a sense that they can give you medication and do some surgeries. The hospitals here might not be the same as the hospitals in the US, but the doctors here are up to US standards.
If you are an expat and you come to Granada, you might expect a very modern, upscale hospital. You will not find that here in Granada. We have a lot of expats here in Granada who are over 70 years old and when they have a problem, I’ve seen ambulances assist and take them to hospitals right away. We have both public and private hospitals here in Granada.
You can tell the difference between public and private hospitals here. The obvious differences would of course be the cost and the ambiance of the hospital itself. Private hospitals are cleaner and are well maintained. The doctors in private hospitals pay more attention to patients in terms of always talking to them and making sure that you are okay.
That is actually another thing about the doctors here in Nicaragua. They are not like the doctors in other countries. Here, you can actually get the phone number of your doctor and call them anytime. If you need a doctor to visit you, they do it. You just have to call them and they can give you a home visit.
For a modest amount of money, you can get good medical service from doctors here in Nicaragua. This is one of the reasons why many people of other countries come to Nicaragua for medical attention. The price they pay here for the same medical services is way cheaper than how much they would spend in their home countries.
The Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas in Managua has a special medical program for expats who are living here in Nicaragua. You just have to pay an annual fee and you can go to the hospital anytime and make sure you are fine. I think it is only about US $700 per for basic coverage. The cost for surgeries here are a lot lower than the cost in the US. The doctors are bilingual so you will not feel lost and the doctors will make you feel comfortable.
The hospitals here are decent but they are not like the ones in the US. However, that does not mean that the doctors are not good and that these hospitals don't have the standard equipment needed in taking care of patients.
If you have an emergency in Granada, and you need an ambulance and someone to take you to the hospital right away, that is not a problem here in Granada. Only if your case is too complicated, then they will stabilize you and take you to the Cocibolca hospital in Managua. There is also another hospital in Masaya City, which is 15 minutes away. You are pretty close to everything if you are in Granada.