Clinic vs hospital for knee pain in Burgos

[ebrandt]

My husband has injured his knee. We are taking the bus from Granon, where we are, to Burgos in the morning. I was thinking we would just look for a medical clinic near our hotel. But in reading old threads, I see a number of people recommending University Hospitals in Burgos. I’d love some advice about where to go direct to the hospital and/or info on a good orthopedic clinic. L

 

[mspath]

My husband has injured his knee. We are taking the bus from Granon, where we are, to Burgos in the morning. I was thinking we would just look for a medical clinic near our hotel. But in reading old threads, I see a number of people recommending University Hospitals in Burgos. I’d love some advice about where to go direct to the hospital and/or info on a good orthopedic clinic. L

ebrandt,
Sorry to read of your husband's problem. If you Goggle the words Burgos orthopedic you will see a few possibilities. Good luck to both of you.

 

[lt56ny]

I hope you have medical insurance. If not I would check to see what prices may be in both a clinic and the hospital before making a decision.

 

[ebrandt]

So, here’s my feedback. Our hotel recommended going to Hospital Recoletas. We did. The emergency room fee was 150€. The two doctors were 130€ including the x-ray that they gave us a CD of. I think that’s incredibly inexpensive. Tom is on Medicare and our supplement plan covers a small amount of international health care. We also have travel insurance that should cover whatever the supplement plan doesn’t. And we got all of this done in 2 hours. I will refrain from making a political statement about US health care.

 

[lt56ny]

So, here’s my feedback. Our hotel recommended going to Hospital Recoletas. We did. The emergency room fee was 150€. The two doctors were 130€ including the x-ray that they gave us a CD of. I think that’s incredibly inexpensive. Tom is on Medicare and our supplement plan covers a small amount of international health care. We also have travel insurance that should cover whatever the supplement plan doesn’t. And we got all of this done in 2 hours. I will refrain from making a political statement about US health care.

I agree with refraining about American health care and insurance. I can tell you I too am on Medicare but I live in Mexico and have very good health insurance here for a fraction of the price. I buy additional insurance from Mapfre which is a Spanish Insurance Company that operates here in Mexico. I pay about $250US for their top travel insurance plan. I have never needed the top plan but you never know. The $75 or so extra dollars to me is worth it. In 2019 I had bronchial spasms on a winter camino and I had to go to clinics on 3 different occasions. I also had to by a few inhalers and medication at the pharmacy. Last year I was misdiagnosed before I left for my VDLP camino with a stomach ailment and in Spain went to 3 clinics before I ended up in the main hospital in Merida where the doctor told me I am staying until he got to the bottom of everything. 6 hours and many tests later he figured it out and within a few days I was back to my old self.
Each clinic and hospital I went to I just presented my Mapfre policy (2 pages) and my passport and I when finished I walked out the door. I never paid a penny. I kept my pharmacy receipts and presented them to my agent when I returned to Mexico and in about 6 weeks my credit card was credited with the full amount of money I paid at the pharmacies.
Maybe you can get Mapfre for your next camino. I know prices may vary depending on the country you reside in. It is not your nationality it is where your permanent residence is.

 

[ebrandt]

I’ll look into it. I have gotten a good policy through World Nomads. In the US it is underwritten by Nationwide. We have made a couple small claims on past trips with no issues including getting travel costs refunded when we had to cancel our April 2020 planned Camino because of the pandemic.

 

[Keith H]

Spain’s medical system is rated as one of the best in the world and I’m glad it’s worked out for you. It’s one of the reasons I’m retiring there even though the NZ system is quite good.

How’s your husband doing? Everything turn out ok?

 

[ebrandt]

We are on hold, resting til Saturday and then walking without a pack and shorter stages.

 

[Keith H]

We are on hold, resting til Saturday and then walking without a pack and shorter stages.

Sounds like a good compromise.

In practice we would often recommend some kind of compression for the knee. Often we’d use knee sleeves that weight lifters might use. Just to take some of the pressure off and to give another layer of elasticity so the injured area can rest.

Good luck to you both and buen camino!