Being on holiday or living abroad should be a positive experience. But when you suddenly become ill, have an accident or need urgent medical attention, knowing what to do can make a stressful situation much easier.<\/p>\n
If you are on the Costa Blanca and need medical care, you may have questions that you would not normally have at home:<\/p>\n
Should I call an ambulance? Where should I go? Can I go to a private hospital? Will I be able to communicate with the medical team?<\/strong><\/p>\n This guide explains what to do if you need urgent medical assistance on the Costa Blanca and how to access healthcare when you need it most.<\/p>\n Is it a medical emergency?<\/strong><\/p>\n If someone is seriously injured, unconscious, having difficulty breathing, experiencing severe chest pain, suffering a major accident or is in a situation where their life may be at risk, call 112 immediately<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 112 is the emergency telephone number in Spain and is free of charge.<\/p>\n If the situation is urgent but does not appear to be life-threatening, you can seek medical assessment at an Emergency Department.<\/p>\n If you are unsure about the seriousness of the situation, it is always better to seek professional medical advice rather than trying to assess it yourself.<\/p>\n Where should I go if I need urgent medical attention?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you need immediate medical assessment but do not require an emergency ambulance, you can go directly to an Emergency Department.<\/p>\n On the Costa Blanca, HCB Hospitales provides emergency care for both residents and international visitors.<\/p>\n HCB Benidorm and HCB D\u00e9nia have Emergency Departments open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 112<\/strong>.<\/p>\n What happens when you arrive at the Emergency Department?<\/strong><\/p>\n When you arrive, a healthcare professional will carry out an initial assessment known as triage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Triage determines how urgently you need to be seen according to the seriousness of your condition.<\/p>\n This means that patients are not necessarily treated in the order in which they arrive. Someone who arrives after you may be seen first if their condition requires more immediate attention.<\/p>\n Once you have been assessed, the medical team will determine the appropriate tests, treatment or further care you may need.<\/p>\n What if I don’t speak Spanish?<\/strong><\/p>\n For many international visitors, language is one of the biggest concerns when they need medical care abroad.<\/p>\n You should never delay seeking urgent medical attention because you are worried about communicating in Spanish.<\/p>\n HCB Hospitales has a healthcare model specifically adapted to international patients, with multilingual medical, healthcare, administrative and interpreting support.<\/p>\n Language assistance is also available for patients attending Emergency Departments.<\/p>\n Our aim is simple: to make sure you can understand what is happening and communicate with the healthcare team when you need medical attention.<\/strong><\/p>\n What if I am staying in a hotel or holiday apartment?<\/strong><\/p>\n Not every urgent medical situation requires you to travel to a hospital.<\/p>\n Depending on your symptoms and circumstances, medical assistance may sometimes be provided at your accommodation.<\/p>\n HCB Benidorm also offers a 24-hour home emergency medical service<\/strong>, providing medical assistance at your accommodation when appropriate.<\/p>\n This can be particularly useful for tourists, older travellers, families with children or people who have difficulty travelling to a medical centre.<\/p>\n If you are unsure whether you need a home visit or should go to an Emergency Department, seek medical advice.<\/p>\n Emergency care for international patients<\/strong><\/p>\n The Costa Blanca is home to a large international community and welcomes visitors from all over Europe and beyond.<\/p>\n For an international patient, needing medical attention in another country can be stressful enough without having to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system or language barrier at the same time.<\/p>\n At HCB Hospitales, international patients are an important part of our healthcare model. Our teams are experienced in caring for patients from different countries and can provide multilingual support throughout their healthcare journey.<\/p>\n Because when you need medical attention, being far from home should not mean being alone.<\/strong><\/p>\n Need urgent medical attention?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are on the Costa Blanca and need urgent medical care, HCB Benidorm and HCB D\u00e9nia have Emergency Departments available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n