As someone new to Spain, I was completely in a fog about the healthcare system here. I recently went to a public hospital for a skin issue. After the consultation, the doctor prescribed some medication, casually said ‘come back for a follow-up in a month,’ handed me a slip, and sent me on my way. I naively assumed the hospital would schedule the next appointment for me, just like back home. But after waiting for over a month, there was no news at all… My medication was about to run out, and I was getting really anxious!
I later learned from some long-time expats that for follow-up appointments in Spanish public hospitals, you often have to be proactive and chase them up! When they say ‘wait for a notification,’ you might literally be waiting forever. The doctor enters the referral into the system, but the actual scheduling depends on the department’s workload and the administrative staff. If you just passively wait, you could be pushed back several months or even half a year. So, just like with [getting a blood test in a Spanish hospital], you must take the initiative
!
My Hands-On Experience Chasing My Follow-Up Appointment
After a bit of a struggle, I finally managed to get my follow-up appointment scheduled. I’m sharing my methods here, which are also relevant for situations like visiting [Spanish emergency rooms]
, hoping to help others facing the same problem:
1. Follow up by Phone
The most direct and effective method is to call. Find the phone number for the department’s secretariat (secretaría), which you can usually find on your appointment letter or the hospital’s official website. When you call, provide your personal information and explain the situation: “Hola, el doctor me pidió una cita de revisión hace un mes, pero todavía no he recibido ninguna notificación. ¿Podría comprobarlo, por favor?” Usually, the secretary will check the system for you. If the referral is in the system, which can be affected by general healthcare waiting times, they might schedule an appointment for you right then and there.
2. Check via Online System/APP
Many autonomous communities have their own health apps or websites, such as “Cita Sanitaria Madrid” in Madrid or “La Meva Salut” in Catalonia. Log in and check the “Citas Pendientes” (Pending Appointments) section. Sometimes, you might get lucky and find the appointment information has quietly appeared there, even if the system didn’t send you a text notification. So, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking it regularly.
| Contact Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|
| Phone Call | Direct, efficient, can potentially resolve the issue on the spot | Requires some spoken Spanish, phone lines can be hard to get through |
| Health APP/Website | Convenient, fast, available 24/7 | System isn’t always updated in real-time, information may be delayed |
| Email | Provides a written record, good for those who are shy or have social anxiety | Slow response, or possibly no response at all |
Finally, a little reminder: while you should be persistent, always be friendly. We all know how Spanish bureaucracy can be… it’s not always that they’re intentionally making things difficult for you, it’s just… slow. Be patient, try a few different methods, and the problem will eventually be solved. Have any of you experienced something similar? How did you handle it? Let’s talk about it!
