Medical Emergency Resources for Expats in Mexico City

Before an Emergency

Keep this page saved on your phone. Knowing who to call and where to go saves critical time.

Key things to know:

• 911 works everywhere in Mexico and connects to police, fire and ambulance dispatch. Ask for Cruz Roja if you want a Red Cross ambulance.
• Mexico City traffic can slow an ambulance badly. If the person is conscious and stable and you can get there safely, going straight to the nearest emergency room is often faster.
• Emergency rooms must stabilize you, but private hospitals will usually ask for a deposit, a credit card or an insurance guarantee before admitting you. Carry a card and your policy number.
• Keep your insurance card, a copy of your passport and your emergency contacts with you. A small card in Spanish with your blood type, allergies and medications helps.

Emergency Numbers

• 911 — police, fire, ambulance
• Cruz Roja (Red Cross) ambulances are dispatched through 911
• Hospital Médica Sur emergencies: 800-999-8743
• US Embassy: 55-5080-2000. After hours, dial 0 and ask for the duty officer.
• Canadian Embassy: 55-5724-7900. 24/7 emergencies: 001-800-514-0129 (toll-free from Mexico)

Hospitals & Clinics

Private Hospitals

• Hospital ABC (American British Cowdray) — two campuses, both with 24/7 emergency departments and English-speaking staff. Accepts many US insurance plans.
  • Observatorio: Sur 136 No. 116, Col. Las Américas. Tel. 55-5230-8000.
  • Santa Fe: Av. Carlos Graef Fernández 154, Santa Fe. Tel. 55-1103-1600.
• Hospital Ángeles Pedregal — Camino a Santa Teresa 1055. Full private hospital with a 24/7 emergency room and surgery. Tel. 55-5449-5500.
• Hospital Médica Sur — Puente de Piedra 150, Tlalpan. Large private hospital with a 24/7 emergency room and full surgery. Emergencies 800-999-8743; switchboard 55-5424-7200.

Public Hospitals

Mexico City's public hospitals are large and capable, with long waits and little English. Since July 2024, free public hospital care for people without social security has been provided by IMSS-Bienestar. The IMSS hospitals (such as Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI) are for IMSS affiliates; they will stabilize anyone in an emergency, but non-affiliates may be billed afterwards.

• Instituto Nacional de Cardiología — the national public heart hospital
• Hospital General de México — major public hospital for severe trauma and emergencies

Mexico City has good emergency care for almost everything. You should not need to leave the city for a medical emergency.

English-Speaking Doctors

Doctors change practices often, so ask for current recommendations:

• Hospital ABC can refer you to English-speaking specialists. Call the campus switchboard.
• The Mexico City expat Facebook groups regularly share doctor recommendations. Search recent posts for "doctor" or "médico".

Always confirm a doctor's English and availability when you book.

Medical Translation

• Larger private hospitals such as ABC and Médica Sur have staff who speak English. Ask at admissions.
• Expat Facebook groups often have volunteers who will come to the hospital with you.
• Download Google Translate's Spanish pack for offline use BEFORE you need it. The camera mode reads forms and medicine labels.
• Useful phrases: "Necesito ayuda" (I need help), "No hablo español" (I don't speak Spanish), "¿Habla inglés?" (Do you speak English?), "Tengo dolor aquí" (I have pain here)

In-Home Care

For recovery after a hospital stay or ongoing medical needs:

• Home nurses (enfermeras a domicilio) are common in Mexico City. Ask for current rates when you book.
• Pharmacies (farmacias) can often refer a nurse. Ask at the counter: "¿Conocen enfermeras a domicilio?"
• Your discharging hospital can usually recommend nurses too.

Air Evacuation

For expats with insurance or a membership that covers medical evacuation:

• SkyMed and MedjetAssist are the evacuation memberships most used by expats. Individual annual memberships start around $300 USD.
• Mexico City International Airport (MEX) handles medical flights
• Some travel insurance policies include evacuation, but read the fine print: it often needs pre-authorization. Check yours before you need it.

Because Mexico City has strong hospitals, evacuation is usually for going home or for a specialized procedure, not for emergency care.

Prevention

• Register with your country's embassy: US citizens use STEP (mytravel.state.gov/s/step), Canadians use ROCA
• Keep a card in your wallet with emergency contacts, blood type, allergies, medications and insurance details, in Spanish
• Keep physical and digital copies of your insurance cards
• Save your preferred hospital's emergency number in your phone
• Save this guide to your phone for offline access