Q COSTA RICA – Three private hospitals operating on Costa Rican are in the midst of carrying out investment plans in the amount of US$55 million over five years (from 2016 to 2020).
The Clinica Biblica, Hospital Metropolitano and La Católica Hospital are seeking to expand their coverage in the country and renovate their current infrastructure.
The first of the three ended 2016 with a US$10 million investment involving the renovation of its headquarters in San José; The opening of a complex at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos and Cabo Velas de Santa Cruz, and the acquisition of the Cancer Center in La Uruca.
In addition, in January of this year, a specialized clinic in mental treatments with services in psychiatry, psychology, language therapy and psychopedagogy, among others, was added
That pace of growth will be maintained according to the medical director of the Hospital Metropolitano, Roberto Herrera, who told the weekly El Financiero, last September, that they have as goal to be in each of the seven provinces in the next five years.
The investment plan by the Hospital Metropolitano includes the opening of new headquarters in four provinces in the next five years, which will require an investment of more than $13 million.
In the case of Hospital Clínica Biblica, plans are underway for the building of hospital complexes in Santa Ana, Heredia and Tres Ríos in the next five years. The investment exceeds US$40 million.
“The hospital began planning its expansion strategy in 2013 when it began to acquire land and develop the master plan of each locality. As part of this expansion strategy is the construction and operation of three specialty clinics,” explained, Roberto Vargas, head of expansion projects for the Clinica Biblica.
The Santa Ana, currently under construction will comprise in its first stage 7,000 square meters (75,000 square feet) in its clinical building and 8,000 m² i(86,000 sq ft) in the parking facilities.
The medical center located on the Ruta 27 at the Santa Ana intersection, (only 6 kilometers from the CIMA hospital in Escazú) will provide specialist consultation and emergency care 24 hours a day. It will also have a clinical laboratory, pharmacy, ambulatory surgery rooms and heliport. In the future, they hope to develop a special area for the care of the elderly.
The Heredia medical center will be similar in size and operation as the Santa Ana, with both medical centers expected to open in the second half of 2018.
The investment in the two medical centers is US$23 million. The third, to be located in Tres Rios, is expected to get underway once the Heredia and Santa Ana projects are completed.
La Católica Hospital has spent more than US$2 million on the purchase of surgical equipment and the remodeling of spaces that is currently underway. Besides this, in the second half of the year, it will be carrying out minor new remodeling jobs and upgrading more equipment.
La Nacion, in its report, said it tried to know the plans of investment of the Hospital Cima; However, the medical center indicated that it is their policy not to disclose their investments for confidentiality.
