Things Some People Find Surprising about Healthcare in Mexico

Many patients prefer the way they're treated in Mexico

Visiting a Mexican doctor, even at a high-rated hospital, is somewhat different from visiting a doctor abroad. Here are some of the differences you'll find.

a) The doctor will spend at least 30 minutes with you, more if it needs to.

b) A doctor will make small talk with you. If you're a regular patient, he may even have a small conversation about a topic with you.

c) A doctor will give you his cellphone number and answer it.

d) If you're a regular patient, a doctor will give you his home phone and prescribe for you over the phone when possible.

e) A doctor will not require as many tests as they do in the US, just to make sure you wouldn't sue him later. On the same vein, a doctor will not typically have an expensive lawsuit-protection insurance that will raise his prices.

f) A doctor will expect you to keep your own medical records and bring them with you when necessary (it is advised to foreigners to get them translated to Spanish).

g) Some doctors still make house calls.

Do you want to know something in specific about a procedure or life in Mexico? Tell me about it.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to  get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works.