The first time I walked into a Spanish doctor’s office was intimidating—like walking into the first day of school in a new state.
Although I’d done a lot of reading and research about the private Spanish healthcare system, I had no idea how it worked in practice.
One of the best ways to soothe your fears is by knowing what happens when you walk in the door. That’s what I’m here for.
Booking an Appointment
From apps to WhatsApp, there are multiple ways to book an appointment with a private physician. If the doctor is at a hospital, it’s often as easy as booking through the hospital app. Occasionally, you’ll need to call, and large hospital systems will frequently offer customer service in English.
Standalone practices typically use website contact forms, email, phone calls, or WhatsApp as first-contact options. Personally, I prefer the WhatsApp method. I can send any relevant test results, information, or translate messages directly within the app.
So, how soon can you get an appointment?
In my experience, I can get an appointment anywhere from the same day to a few weeks out. There’s always the option to make the appointment as far out as you’d like (follow-ups, for instance), but if you need to be seen? You can see someone relatively quickly.
What to Bring
Bring the essentials you’d take to any doctor’s appointment.
Identification (passport or TIE card)
Insurance card (if you’re using private insurance)
Test results, medical records, or imaging related to the issue you’re being seen for
Any referrals required by insurance (Note: I’ve never needed a referral to see a doctor, but I have needed a referral for a particular test.)
Walking In
The provider’s office—or clinic, in a hospital setting—looks basically like every other medical office you’ve ever been into. You’ll see a reception desk, waiting areas, and—if you’re in a hospital setting—a kiosk where you can check in for your visit.
In the outpatient clinic, you’ll step up to the kiosk, type in your NIE or passport number, and receive a ticket with a number. In the waiting area, you’ll see a monitor filled with numbers. This is where you’ll look for your number, and you’ll hear it called as well. You’ll go to the reception desk, present your identification and insurance (if applicable), be offered another ticket with a number, and be sent to the appropriate waiting area.
A private clinic’s process is slightly different. There’s no kiosk, but there will be a reception desk. You’ll offer your identification and insurance card, and reception may give you some forms to fill out while you wait.
Being Called Back
At an outpatient clinic, listen for your number to be called or watch for it on the monitor. The monitor will tell you what room number to go to. Doctors are usually working with a nurse, who will call your name if they aren’t sure you heard or saw your number called. If no nurse is present, you can go directly to the room.
The exam room is small, with enough space for a doctor, nurse, and patient (plus perhaps one patient companion) to comfortably work together. You’ll see an exam table covered with clean paper, medical tools, chairs, and all the typical accoutrements you’d expect.
I’ve never had vitals taken at any standard doctor’s visit. You can request the doctor take them, but in my experience, it isn’t protocol unless they suspect the vitals would help make a diagnosis. (You can check your blood pressure at almost any farmacia.)
During the Visit
Every doctor’s visit I’ve had in Spain begins at the doctor’s desk in a room or section adjacent to the exam room. The doctor will consult their computer for any notes or records pertaining to your visit, and they’ll ask you what you’re there to see them for.
Don’t expect a lot of small talk, and unless you’ve specifically sought out a physician who speaks English, expect most—if not all—of the interaction to be in Spanish. (This is where Google Translate can come in handy if your grasp on the language is tenuous.)
The provider will pay attention to you—not their screen. And when you’re finished with intake, you’ll be invited to the exam table if needed. (Sometimes, it’s just a conversation at the desk if it’s a follow-up appointment.)
Most of the visit will be “strictly business,” especially if your provider isn’t a fluent English speaker and you need English. It can take time for the doctor to get to know you. Over time, as your relationship forms, you’ll probably notice that conversations become warmer and more personal and less, “Let’s get this done.”
Tests, Imaging, and Labs
If your physician orders any kind of testing, you’ll receive a prescription, either written or as an order in the hospital’s computer system. If you have private insurance, you can take it to any lab where your insurance is accepted.
In my experience, labs are typically scheduled separately, while some imaging like ultrasounds may be done the same day if there’s availability.
Visiting an outpatient clinic at a hospital can make any tests you need easy to obtain. They’re often in the same building or just down the street. And if you’ve opted for a private clinic, most testing you’ll need can be obtained at a hospital.
For labs, you’ll typically take your order to the lab during walk-in hours and check in at the kiosk or desk with your ID and insurance. Other testing or imaging typically requires an appointment, which you can schedule for a later date. The physician will likely want a follow-up appointment with you once testing is complete to review the results, which you can schedule before you leave the clinic.
Prescriptions
Receiving a prescription from your provider is pretty easy-peasy. They’ll hand you a printout with a stamp or handwritten prescription from a prescription pad, which you can take to your preferred farmacia to be filled. You can pay with cash or card. Prescription coverage varies by insurance policy. Our policy does not cover prescription medications, but in general, they’re more affordable than those in the U.S.
If your medication isn’t in stock at your farmacia, you can check others, but chances are good your pharmacist can have that prescription to you later that same day or no later than the next morning.
You’ll pay for your meds when you pick them up. Prices tend to be similar no matter which farmacia you use.
Note: If you use an online provider, they can email your prescription with a QR code, which your pharmacist will scan when you order it and again when you pick it up.
Checkout
When you leave your appointment, if you have insurance with no co-pay, you’re done. You can walk directly out the door without stopping by the reception desk. If you’re paying out of pocket, you’ll be asked for payment before you leave, and if you have a co-pay, you’ll be asked to pay that. Your doctor may provide instructions for you to follow at home, and those will be printed out or emailed to you. You’ll also receive an invoice for your visit.
I’ve never received a surprise bill later. Our insurance plan has no co-pay. Every visit to a doctor, lab, test, or treatment within that system has been covered in full.
Final Thoughts
The Spanish system felt a bit cold to me at first. It was efficient and thorough, but it felt brisk. Over time, as I’ve grown more accustomed to how healthcare operates here, I’ve come to see that the efficiency is part of the design.
Like anywhere, familiarity changes the tone. I’ve found the same to be true of doctors’ offices. When I first began showing up as a patient, the staff barely cracked a smile at me. Now they offer warm smiles, ask how I’m doing, and even indulge the small talk I appreciate when I’m nervous. (It distracts me. What can I say?)
If you’re walking into your first medical appointment in Spain, I hope this makes it feel just a little less unknown.
I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.
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If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.
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