Guanacaste Positions itself as the New Hotspot for Medical Tourism in Costa Rica

22 August, 2013

Guanacaste Positions itself as the New Hotspot for Medical Tourism in Costa Rica

Medical tourism is one of the leading industries in the world’s economy, generating over $60 billion a year. Costa Rica is named one of the top 5 most important countries related to medical tourism due to its proximity to the United States and the highly qualified medical services of the country. In 2011 alone Costa Rica saw over 48,000 medical tourists, with most procedures taking place in the capital city of San José, the current leader for medical tourism in Central America.

However, a new leader for medical tourism in Costa Rica may be emerging. Recent developments have led to the growth of medical tourism in the region of Guanacaste and the region, mostly known for its secluded beaches, surfing and wide-spread cattle ranches, is positioning itself to gain its share of the booming market for medical tourism in Costa Rica and many industry leaders believe it’s possible.

In 2012 Costa Rica saw the opening of its second CIMA hospital. With the first located in San José, the new facility was opened in Liberia, Guanacaste. CIMA hospitals are international medical facilities built by Americans in other parts of the world. Here locals and foreigners are treated with state of the art medical equipment and U.S. trained doctors.

The opening of the CIMA hospital sparked the pillar of the development for medical tourism in Guanacaste. The first class hospital with cutting edge equipment, as part of the International Hospital Corporation, has agreements with the U.S. Veterans Administration and affiliations with Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX. The hospital is complete with a laboratory, pharmacy, radiology department, emergency and operating rooms. While boosting the economy by creating jobs, the hospital also provides the perfect spot for the expansion of medical tourism in Costa Rica. The facility has been called “the best medical option in the Northern Pacific.”

In addition to the new CIMA hospital in Guanacaste, San Rafael Arcángel Medical Center is another private medical solution in Guanacaste. Providing both in and out-patient services, this modern hospital was renovated in 2012 after undergoing its second phase of expansion in 2008. These two developments significantly improve the region’s coverage of private health care and open the doors to the expanding industry of medical tourism in Costa Rica.

So why Guanacaste? As opposed to San José, the region of Guanacaste is pristine and remote. It has a charm and hospitality not found in the large city of San José and the opening of the Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia, which continues to expand on its direct flights to the U.S., is bringing an influx of tourist and making transportation to and from the beach increasingly more convenient. With access to exclusive and private resorts, like Hacienda Pinilla, Guanacaste has been called a “much better place to live and recover than San Jose.”

As the new home to premium medical services, convenient access to Costa Rica’s best beaches and world-class resorts for ideal recovery, Guanacaste is making moves to become the new leader of medical tourism in Costa Rica.