A hospital in Spain has opened for patients stuck on long waiting lists in Ireland.
As part of a major new healthcare agreement, the hospital is specifically dedicated to treating patients on long public waiting lists in Ireland. Patients will be treated under the EU Cross Border Directive, whereby the HSE covers the price of treatment up to the cost it would be in Ireland.
Hospital HCB Denia in Costa Blanca, Alicante has 64 beds and it offers Irish food and other familiar comforts. Up to 1,500 Irish patients can get surgeries each year at the facility. Almost every treatment available on the Irish public system will be provided at the new hospital.
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The hospital is expected to perform a number of hip replacements, knee operations, spinal procedures, cataract procedures, weight-loss surgeries and other treatments.
Catherine Donohue, General manager of the HSE commercial unit described these new opportunities for accessing funding as “exciting” for patients. She said: “In an ideal world we wouldn’t have patients waiting, but there are patients waiting. It is a lucrative and very valid market for private providers, and public patients benefit enormously from it.”
Under the directive, patients pay for their treatment in the EU and are then reimbursed by the HSE. But patients do not get a refund for the flights or accommodation costs. Irish credit unions are offering patients low-cost loans and flexible repayment plans to help them access healthcare abroad.
Paul Byrne, Chief Operations Officer, Healthcare Abroad believes that this will transform the lives of many Irish people.
He said: “Our strategic partnership with one of Spain’s premier hospital groups will transform the lives of many Irish patients, facilitating a faster pathway to access important healthcare treatments which will have an immediate impact on their quality of life.
"We support patients through the entire process, from liaising with Irish GP’s and the medical staff at the hospital as well as organising flights, accommodation, post-operative care, and financial supports if required."
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Their mission to get people back to good health as quickly as possible and enable them to return to living full, healthy and active lives, free from pain and discomfort.
Mr Byrne continued: "We have worked closely with the team at the hospital to create an Irish ‘home from home’ atmosphere complete with bespoke Irish menus for patients to enjoy as they recuperate.
"We are working with the Irish Credit Union Network to support patients with access to finance. We look forward to supporting many Irish patients achieve a brighter future as they return to good health.”
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