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The city of Merida has nearly one million residents, modern infrastructure, an international airport, a good transportation system and some of the best internet in all of Mexico. Its healthcare system and offerings are not lacking either. Many of the healthcare professionals you will meet in Merida are certified in the U.S. and speak English. The quality of the healthcare system is reflected in the choice of Merida by Americans as a medical holidays destination. Nearly twenty hospitals or clinics and many doctors and specialists can be found. Here, we outline some of the healthcare options in Merida.

Hospitals

La Clinica de Merida, located Av. Itzáes No. 242 Colonia García Ginerés is a “tercer nivel” hospital, meaning a third level hospital. Third level hospitals in Mexico are very good quality, if not the best quality you can find. They are full-service hospitals including emergency services and specialist care. They have all the necessary equipment and training to respond to any emergency or serious illness. They are usually university hospitals, where you can interact with medical students.

La Clinica de Merida has a physiotherapy and rehab center, a blood bank, centers for vaccination, osteoporosis, neurology department, cardio department, provides dialysis and a full service lab. For a full list of services, visit their website: https://clinicademerida.mx/servicios.php

In addition to this clinic, there are also a number of other public and private clinics like Star Medica, a private and modern hospital on the north side of the city. You can consult their list of services here: https://www.starmedica.com/home/es/micro-sitio/merida/servHospitalario-0

IMSS

If you are an IMSS member, IMMS T-1 Ignacio Garcia Tellez and IMSS Hospital Juarez are available. In all of these hospitals, you will find English-speaking staff.

If you’re wondering about IMSS, part of Mexico’s public healthcare system, read our article here to find out more. https://mexicoliving.com/find-high-quality-medical-care-mexico/

The IMSS provides access to certain doctors, clinics and hospitals in Mexico. Temporary and Permanent residents can qualify. This plan also covers some medications and the coverage costs depend on your age; restrictions and limitations apply. Like all publicly-funded healthcare systems, patient demand is usually higher than the supply of services, so you are probably going to have to wait for care. In lower population density areas, this is usually not the case. You will receive care without much wait especially when compared to wait times in Canada and the U.S.

In Mexico, both the federal government and states provide healthcare. States may provide healthcare options independent of the federal options.

Centro Médico de los Américas is a second level Hospital, meaning that they have everything it takes to treat you, but they do not have emergency services. This hospital in particular is associated with the Mercy Hospital in Miami. Welcoming mainly tourists, the Centro de Especialidades Médicas is also a second level hospital and has only 26 patient rooms. In addition, it has emergency service open 24 hours a day.

Doctors

There are many general doctors in Merida and a wide range of specialists. Some doctors make house calls if you are willing to pay a little more. There are also many Farmacia Similares and Farmacias YZA where many on site doctors consult for simple health concerns.  

The city of Merida also offers home consultations. More information here: merida.gob.mx/munipio/portal/salud/contenido/medicodomicilio.phpx

Specialists

Merida has a long list of specialists: cardiologists, neurologists, allergists, dermatologists, etc. You can consult a full list recommended by the U.S. Consulate here. https://photos.state.gov/libraries/merida/231771/PDFs/DoctorHospitalListJan2012.pdf

The above list also includes recommended hospitals and clinics.

Some specialized doctors such as dentists may not welcome you in sophisticated offices. Some have the strict minimum to guarantee fairly low prices. It doesn’t mean that the quality is inferior, and making an appointment is quite simple. However, other specialists such as ophthalmologists or physiotherapists tend to work in rehabilitation centers where specialists are grouped together. In these centers you will find all the specialists in the field, from orthopedic to rheumatology and respiratory physiotherapy.  

Many specialized physicians are also grouped in the clinics and hospitals presented earlier in the article. Don’t hesitate to ask the pharmacists for advice and even the locals. They know the capital better than anyone else. Your neighbors and other expats are likely to have good suggestions based on experience.

Lastly, as there are many possibilities, prices vary. While generally in Mexico healthcare remains quite affordable, before making any appointment, first inquire about pricing.