Finding medical help in ENGLISH in Burgos

[Janesathome]

Hi, I need to seek medical help for abdominal/pelvic pain and swelling that has just arisen (fast!), a few days post Camino. I see by this forum that I should bring cash in addition to my medical insurance info. Trouble is, I speak no Spanish and need to communicate! Any suggestions for where to go I am on my own in Burgos
And - bad time to find out the Vodafone SIM card I bought in Porto doesn’t work in Spain.

 

[VNwalking]

I'd be astonished if no-one here replies with concrete ideas. But if not - and in the meantime, you could seek out the advice of the folks in the tourist office near the cathedral - or the hospitalera at your albergue.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

If you have travel insurance, check to see if they provide translation services available by phone.

 

[Robo]

I would go to a local Health Centre anyway. (Centro de Salud)
Don't worry about language issues.
Medical staff are used to Pilgrims from all over the World.

We were treated by a Doctor in one Estella, who just brought up Google translate on her PC
She typed, and turned the screen to me for me to type!

A Physio we visited.......my phone didn't have cell coverage, so no 'translate app'
Pointing and gestures got us there amid lots of smiles and laughter

Don't worry, you'll manage.

I see 4 or 5 Centro de Salud listed in Burgos.
A couple are open till 8:30 or 9pm.
Maybe ask at your accommodation for directions to the closest.

 

[amancio]

You need to go to Urgencias in a Burgos hospital, bring you pilgrim credentials too, in big hospitals you will find somebody Who speaks English

 

[chinacat]

If you go to the emergency department in Burgos Hospital, you won’t have any trouble being a non-Spanish speaker.

When we went, any announcement (for us) on the loudspeaker was made in English, so we knew where to go.

This continued in the xray department.

We were really impressed by the whole experience.
I can’t imagine that a non-English-speaking patient would receive the same help with language difficulties in the UK.

Fingers crossed for you

 

[GaryPeacock]

Hi, I need to seek medical help for abdominal/pelvic pain and swelling that has just arisen (fast!), a few days post Camino. I see by this forum that I should bring cash in addition to my medical insurance info. Trouble is, I speak no Spanish and need to communicate! Any suggestions for where to go I am on my own in Burgos
And - bad time to find out the Vodafone SIM card I bought in Porto doesn’t work in Spain.

 

[GaryPeacock]

Last year I attended a private hospital in Burgos purely because it was the nearest. It's located further than the Cathedral and the square and on for about another 1km. Its on the map of Burgos, more or less down from the Castle.
The receptionist I had spoke English as did one of the doctors. I was seen, had a xray, saw the consultant, got a prescription and was away in 2 hours. Downside is I had to pay and claim back on my insurance

 

[simply B]

From personal experience...

Get to the University of Burgos "Urgencia" (ER).

You will have no troubles with the language barrier.

Bring Pilg Passport and your national passport. It is unlikely that they will have a bill of services prepared by the time you are discharged and will send the bill to your home address. It is cumbersome but do-able and the expense is likely small.

Do alert your travel insurer as soon as possible so that they can start a claim.

Best of luck and Buen Camino!

B

 

[CdnDreamer]

Your Vodafone SIM card should work in Spain. But you may have to allow "roaming" on your phone. When I got my SIM card in Porto this year I told them I was headed to Spain and they set my phone up with roaming. I was able to make calls and use data the whole time I was in Spain.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

And Spanish medical care is world class.

 

[trecile]

Downside is I had to pay and claim back on my insurance

When I went to a private hospital in A Coruña this year I considered it a plus that I was able to pay on the spot and then claim back on my insurance. Last year I went to the public hospital in Santiago to rule out a stress fracture. They had no facility to take payment at time of service. I received my bill several months later for 361€, payable only by wire transfer. My insurance did pay most of the hospital bill, but not the extra $30 I had to pay for wire transfer.


I had a great experience at the HM Modelo Hospital in A Coruña. They have an English speaking liason who accompanied me through every step - x-rays, stitches, and contacted my travel insurance to get a case started. I was able to pay my bill by credit card on the spot, and had an itemized bill making it easy to file my claim with my insurance company immediately upon returning home.
When I got my stitches removed I went to their sister hospital, HM Rosaleda in Santiago with the same type of service.

 

[simply B]

And Spanish medical care is world class.

Preach it, rev, it most certainly is!

While I found the need for a visit to the facility disconcerting, the whole experience remains a warm memory of an otherwise difficult Camino!

B

 

[domigee]

Hi, I need to seek medical help for abdominal/pelvic pain and swelling that has just arisen (fast!), a few days post Camino. I see by this forum that I should bring cash in addition to my medical insurance info. Trouble is, I speak no Spanish and need to communicate! Any suggestions for where to go I am on my own in Burgos
And - bad time to find out the Vodafone SIM card I bought in Porto doesn’t work in Spain.

i hope you got to the hospital and are ok. (Only seen this).
For anyone else who may need it, in my experience, Spanish hospitals actually provide English translators
Let us know how you are. All the best.

 

[chinacat]

Get to the University of Burgos "Urgencia" (ER).

That’s the one!

I do hope the OP has received medical attention today ...

 

[AlexanderAZ]

i hope you got to the hospital and are ok. (Only seen this).
For anyone else who may need it, in my experience, Spanish hospitals actually provide English translators
Let us know how you are. All the best.

I am replying to this thread just so people in the future who may come across this are prepared for a different experience and don’t go in thinking it’s all going to be easy peasy being a non-Spanish speaker. Last night in tiny Villafranca’s Centro de Salud and again today at the ER at the University Hospital here in Burgos we had an *extremely* difficult time. Not a single person spoke English. If they have a “translator” then that person wasn’t around. Absolutely no idea what we would have done if we and the nurses & doctor didn’t have access to Google Translate.

 

[henrythedog]

I am replying to this thread just so people in the future who may come across this are prepared for a different experience and don’t go in thinking it’s all going to be easy peasy being a non-Spanish speaker. Last night in tiny Villafranca’s Centro de Salud and again today at the ER at the University Hospital here in Burgos we had an *extremely* difficult time. Not a single person spoke English. If they have a “translator” then that person wasn’t around. Absolutely no idea what we would have done if we and the nurses & doctor didn’t have access to Google Translate.

I hope that the issue which caused you or your associate to need medical help has been addressed and that whoever it is makes a full recovery.

You make the entirely reasonable point that in Spain, the vast majority of people speak Spanish. It is wise to be prepared for that to be the case.

Fortunately there is virtually no need to speculate on how you might function without google translate, or similar. It’s unlikely that they’re going away.

 

[Wokabaut_Meri]

So many excellent and knowledgeable replies here already. I'll just add a very useful and lightweight tool that has travelled the world - and various non English speaking medical centres with me.

The Medical Visual Language Translator weighs 52gms is laminated and about the size of my hand. Wouldn’t leave home without it

 

[Robo]

I am replying to this thread just so people in the future who may come across this are prepared for a different experience and don’t go in thinking it’s all going to be easy peasy being a non-Spanish speaker. Last night in tiny Villafranca’s Centro de Salud and again today at the ER at the University Hospital here in Burgos we had an *extremely* difficult time. Not a single person spoke English. If they have a “translator” then that person wasn’t around. Absolutely no idea what we would have done if we and the nurses & doctor didn’t have access to Google Translate.

Good feedback. I think that's the point. We can 'get by' .
We had similar situations with no common language (our fault not theirs), but we coped.
It's not a reason 'not' to seek medical help.

 

[Robo]

I hope that the issue which caused you or your associate to need medical help has been addressed and that whoever it is makes a full recovery.

You make the entirely reasonable point that in Spain, the vast majority of people speak Spanish. It is wise to be prepared for that to be the case.

Fortunately there is virtually no need to speculate on how you might function without google translate, or similar. It’s unlikely that they’re going away.

Funny that, isn't it?

 

[AlwynWellington]

in big hospitals you will find somebody Who speaks English

You will have no troubles with the language barrier.

Regrettably, not my experience in early May 2016. At a major hospital, one doctor dragged off her other, more urgent, patient provided hesitant translations etc. From one x-ray shot of my right hip (and, I think, greater consideration of my age) the diagnosis was "osteo arthritis" and "rest".

A few weeks later in the UK, with x-ray shots in many positions, the result was no bone issues and advice to exercise. So I walked Thames Path and then Southwark to Canterbury.

 

[amancio]

Regrettably, not my experience in early May 2016. At a major hospital, one doctor dragged off her other, more urgent, patient provided hesitant translations etc. From one x-ray shot of my right hip (and, I think, greater consideration of my age) the diagnosis was "osteo arthritis" and "rest".

A few weeks later in the UK, with x-ray shots in many positions, the result was no bone issues and advice to exercise. So I walked Thames Path and then Southwark to Canterbury.

Sorry to hear your story, I hope your hip is doing better now! I can understand the situation in the Emergency ward, rather than a regular office, their main purpose is to rule out any condition that may require inmediate intervention, they will not necessarily provide an accurate diagnosis of each case, that is what specialists are meant to do.
All in all, the best of all is, you are doing good long walks again!
Buen camino!

 

[AlwynWellington]

I hope your hip is doing better now!

It was simply pulled muscles, from the descent down Alto del Perdon.

I went to the emergency department on the instructions of my travel insurer.

In the UK it was also the ED I was referred to for x-rays to offer a diagnosis. That is my understanding of what a major hospital is supposed to do And not make guesses based on age, as happened to me in Spain.

In all my work with professionals in many disciplines I have learnt to have an understanding of their motivation when providing advice and factor that in, when necessary, when considering that advice.

The right exercise for my condition came nearly three months later, on the last day walking to Canterbury. I came to a very high hedge with a high stile. Gingerly climbed up and over and felt good. 100 metres on, another style: repeat. And a third. By now any discomfort I had started that trip with was now completely gone.

And, as you will see below, I arrived at Santiago just over a year later. And another year later did 600 km from Canterbury towards Rome, as well as maintaining my training regime.

And all without any need for pain medication.

So, @amancio , kia kaha (take care, be strong)