How good are the medical centers, hospitals and health clinics in San Miguel de Allende, and how close are they?

There are three levels of medical facilities in Mexico. All three are based on the size and population of the city. Level one would be a clinic where people are cared for by nurses and general practitioners on staff. Level two would be a hospital with emergency care facilities with limited specialty medicine diagnostic equipment and only some of the specialty medicine doctors available. Level three facilities refer to hospitals with full-time medical specialists, diagnostic equipment,...

There are three levels of medical facilities in Mexico. All three are based on the size and population of the city. Level one would be a clinic where people are cared for by nurses and general practitioners on staff. Level two would be a hospital with emergency care facilities with limited specialty medicine diagnostic equipment and only some of the specialty medicine doctors available. Level three facilities refer to hospitals with full-time medical specialists, diagnostic equipment, and medical care.

 

Here in San Miguel, with a population of about 180,000 people, we have access to level two facilities --both clinics and hospitals.  What this means is that most of the doctor specialists come from Querétaro or Celaya a few days a week. Some are on call for medical emergencies. For instance, when a patient needs cancer treatment or heart tests, they have to go by car or an ambulance to Queretaro, one of the major cities that’s one hour from San Miguel.

 

 

 

When comparing the quality of healthcare here in San Miguel de Allende with the quality of healthcare in the US, we can make two distinctions. One is the actual quality of healthcare and the other has to do with comfort (and the trust that goes with it) and being able to communicate. The quality of medical services here in San Miguel is excellent. I believe that a lot of that perceived excellence has to do with the people’s level of comfort and their ability to understand Spanish.  This level of comfort & trust is a key factor in determining whether or not people like or dislike the medical services here. 

 

 

We have a lot of bilingual doctors here.  Most have studied medicine or taken medical seminars in the US. Doctors here in San Miguel and in Queretaro receive patients from all over Mexico and the world. They are that well-known. 

 

Why do some people prefer medical care in Mexico?  Doctors here are very well trained and take very good care of their patients.  They spend more time with their patients than doctors in the US & Canada. Patients can reach them on their cell phones. The local private hospitals are equipped with some of the most modern diagnostic equipment. If I were to compare the care I received in Northern California and here, I would say I prefer the care I have received here. Doctors are kind, well-trained and they listen to their patients. They also take all the time needed to review medical issues.

 

(Claudia Aguillar Chavela, MD, Medical Director of our major hospital H+ San Miguel de Allende, pictured.)

There is one private hospital in San Miguel de Allende, Hospital H+ (formerly known as Hospital De La Fe before a new company bought it). After that, another company bought it and changed its name to Clinica Tec 100. Then another company bought it in less than 2 years, and changed it to Hospital H+. It is a really nice hospital, which I have used many times. 

 

There are midwifery schools in Mexico where people can learn how to deliver babies in a more...

There is one private hospital in San Miguel de Allende, Hospital H+ (formerly known as Hospital De La Fe before a new company bought it). After that, another company bought it and changed its name to Clinica Tec 100. Then another company bought it in less than 2 years, and changed it to Hospital H+. It is a really nice hospital, which I have used many times. 

 

There are midwifery schools in Mexico where people can learn how to deliver babies in a more natural way. Caesarian section has become very common here in Mexico. In places like Monterey, it’s very easy for doctors to tell mothers that they’re going to have a C-section because the doctor is going on vacation and doesn’t want to wait for a natural birth. This is not the case in San Miguel. The midwives here in San Miguel can even deliver your baby at your own home and in a more humane way. They also have bathtubs that they use for water birth. But you can always choose to give birth in the midwife clinic. My first daughter was born in a midwife clinic in San Miguel de Allende. It was a very nice clinic and I had my midwife coaching me while I give birth. I also had a doctor who supervised the whole birth. My second daughter was born in Hospital H+. There was a midwife who was coaching me during that birth and there was a doctor who supervised everything as well. They have good service and very good doctors. The good thing about giving birth in a hospital is that in case there is an emergency, you are already there and the facilities are there in case you need it. So midwives and doctors work together here.

 

San Miguel de Allende is not known for its hospitals but if you have an emergency or if you have an illness, you can definitely get the attention that you need.

 

There is another hospital here called Hospital General, which is the public hospital. They also provide very good service to both locals and non-locals. However, since it is a public hospital, they are a little bit crowded. So if you have money, it is better to go to Hospital H+.

 

There is a new hospital being built here in San Miguel de Allende called Mac Clinic. It’s going to be another private hospital. This hospital is known to provide good quality health care and service in other cities so we are glad that they are coming to San Miguel. I have lived in other parts of Mexico but I still felt comfortable giving birth to my kids here in San Miguel.

 

One of my daughters had an accident where she fell and cut her lip. We took her to the ER of Clinica Tec 100 (now Hospital H+), and they took really good care of her. They called a local plastic surgeon from here in San Miguel and he stitched my daughter’s lip. There was another doctor and a nurse who were there to attend to my daughter. The whole thing was paid for by my insurance. My daughter turned out okay and she doesn’t have a scar after the procedure.  

 

( Hospital H+, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)

The private hospital in San Miguel de Allende is very good. It used to go by the name Hospital De La Fe to Clinca Tec 100 and is now known as H+ San Miguel de Allende.

 

My husband was involved in a very serious auto accident last June and was taken to our local hospital. He had a cardiologist, a neurologist, and every kind of specialist attending him you could imagine. He was three days in intensive care and then ten days in the hospital. I...

The private hospital in San Miguel de Allende is very good. It used to go by the name Hospital De La Fe to Clinca Tec 100 and is now known as H+ San Miguel de Allende.

 

My husband was involved in a very serious auto accident last June and was taken to our local hospital. He had a cardiologist, a neurologist, and every kind of specialist attending him you could imagine. He was three days in intensive care and then ten days in the hospital. I don’t think the care could have been any better than what we would have received in the States. I completely have faith in the healthcare here.

 

If we had a serious illness that we knew about in advance, we would go to San Javier, a hospital in Guadalajara. San Javier has a doctor who won a Nobel Prize in medicine. They are very advanced, even though it's a small private hospital, with only seventy beds. Each room is a suite. Your family stays with you. You have twenty-four hour room service. It’s practically like going to a resort.

 

I had a five and a half hour brain surgery there two years ago which turned out absolutely fine. My husband and I had heart stents put in there. It is an excellent facility, better than any hospital I go to in the United States, for example, St John's or UCLA in Los Angeles. The quality of the medical care, the doctors, the facility, and the equipment  they have in San Javier Hospital is absolutely top notch.

 

The time it takes to drive to San Javier in Guadalajara from San Miguel de Allende is three and a half to four hours, depending on how many times you get lost in Guadalajara traffic.  Our personal doctor is Dr. Robert Maxwell, who speaks English and was trained both in Mexico and the USA.

 

(Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Mexico, pictured.)

There is a hospital here in San Miguel de Allende called Tec 100, which was recently purchased by a hospital in Queretaro (a city with a population of almost 2 million people less than 90 minutes driving from San Miguel de Allende) . They have made a lot of improvements there. If you have a trauma, you can rely on getting to Tec 100 and they will stabilize you. If it is serious then they will send you over to Queretaro or to Mexico City. If your case is something that is really...

There is a hospital here in San Miguel de Allende called Tec 100, which was recently purchased by a hospital in Queretaro (a city with a population of almost 2 million people less than 90 minutes driving from San Miguel de Allende) . They have made a lot of improvements there. If you have a trauma, you can rely on getting to Tec 100 and they will stabilize you. If it is serious then they will send you over to Queretaro or to Mexico City. If your case is something that is really serious, you will be flown immediately to the States. In general, medical care here in San Miguel de Allende is good. 

 

There is a cardiologist here in San Miguel de Allende that people go to and they keep his number handy. He is a great doctor. Some people have a Medevac Plan. I have a friend who broke a hip who got sent to a great hospital in New York City. It took her only less than a day to get there and she got treated and everything went great. So some people do have Medevac as backup because you will never know. Personally, I do not have any health issues that I need to worry about. However, at a certain point in life we have to start thinking about our health. My in laws are in their 70s so it is something that we have discussed since they also live here.

 

When you make a decision to live in a place like San Miguel de Allende that is away from immediate medical care, you should know that you are taking a risk and that it is a risk you are willing to take. However, if something happens, the medical professionals here can stabilize you. If you have a heart attack, you will get stabilized and then sent to get further treatment in the US or to Mexico City. Healthcare here is good and if you find yourself in an accident or if you had a heart attack and died, you were going to die anyway. Would there be an opportunity that you might be able to get one of those chest pumps? Is that more readily available in the States? Sure. Does that mean we might live longer if we were in the US and something like that happened? Yes. Am I willing to make that sacrifice? Yes.

 

There is a Red Cross here in San Miguel and they are pretty responsive. We have a 911 service so you can call from anywhere to 911 and they will come to you quickly.

 

(Graphic for Clínica Tec 100 San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)

People used to go to Queretaro (the next larger city to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away by car) to get good quality health care but now more and more hospitals are opening up here in San Miguel de Allende because of the demographics. A lot of people come to San Miguel at a certain age and as you know, the older you get, the more you need doctors. They are opening a new hospital near Liverpool, which is a new shopping center in San Miguel. That is supposed to be a high-end...

People used to go to Queretaro (the next larger city to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away by car) to get good quality health care but now more and more hospitals are opening up here in San Miguel de Allende because of the demographics. A lot of people come to San Miguel at a certain age and as you know, the older you get, the more you need doctors. They are opening a new hospital near Liverpool, which is a new shopping center in San Miguel. That is supposed to be a high-end hospital. We are yet to see it but that is the news. 

 

There is a hospital in San Miguel de Allende called Tec 100. It used to be under different management and it used to be very bad but they have now improved everything. A lot of doctors are also moving to San Miguel so it’s definitely just a matter of time before we have very good health facilities here.

 

In comparison to the hospitals in the US, I feel like everybody in the US is on a schedule and you only have 5 to 10 minutes to talk to your doctor. Here in Mexico, you can spend a long time talking to your doctor and you can ask him or her any question you have. Healthcare here is more personalized. They listen more to you and they give you more time, which is sometimes better than just being hurried up at the doctor’s office during consultations. In that sense, hospitals here are better than in the US. However, still comparing with the US, the facilities over there are better compared to what have here in San Miguel. 

 

CHOMP is a community hospital in Monterey, California and is one of the nicest hospitals that I have been to. If you go to San Luis Potosi (about two hours away by car) or to Queretaro, you will find very nice hospitals there. Hospitals in Queretaro as comparable to the high-end hospitals in the US.

 

We have absolutely wonderful doctors in Mexico, especially in Queretaro. Doctors are also coming more and more to San Miguel. People used to go to Queretaro for healthcare but healthcare options now expanded here in San Miguel so it is no longer limited. We have more doctors here now.

 

(Pictured: Hospital in Queretaro, Mexico.)

Lakeside Medical Group (LMG), provides full coverage for your medical needs while travelling or living in Mexico. With our medical group of primary care physicians and extensive network of specialists we offer comprehensive medical care covered by your insurer. We handle all the billing between providers and insurance agencies directly, with a $100 peso copayment the only cost to you. There are no membership fees or additional insurance premium payments.

We own and operate...

Lakeside Medical Group (LMG), provides full coverage for your medical needs while travelling or living in Mexico. With our medical group of primary care physicians and extensive network of specialists we offer comprehensive medical care covered by your insurer. We handle all the billing between providers and insurance agencies directly, with a $100 peso copayment the only cost to you. There are no membership fees or additional insurance premium payments.

We own and operate our own facilities in Mexico, as well as provide our team of independent specialists, hospitals, laboratories, diagnostic centers, out-patient facilities and pharmacies in Ajijic-Chapala-Guadalajara and Banderas Bay regions.

These are a few of the many American insurances we accept: Aetna, AARP Medicare Supplement Plans and AARP Medicare Complete, CIGNA, United Health Care, Humana, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Protex, IMG, CMN Global, WEA, Most Medicare Advantage Plans, QHM, Blusky, Mondial, Multiplan/PHCS, Allianz, Best Doctors, QHM, Aetna, Compass Rose Health Plan, ChoiceCare, Coventry, GHI-EMPIRE, GEHA, Health Smart Benefit Solution, Mail Handlers IMG, Select Choice, Tricare, WellPoint Health Network, HealthSmart, Health Net and many others.