Medical Emergency Resources for Expats in Puerto Vallarta

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
• For a Cruz Roja (Red Cross) ambulance, call 911.
• Ambulances take longer to reach outlying areas such as Boca de Tomatlán or Mismaloya. If you can safely get there yourself, driving 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.
• Jalisco did not join the federal IMSS-Bienestar system, so public care here still runs through the Jalisco state health service and IMSS.

Emergency Numbers

• 911 — police, fire, ambulance
• Cruz Roja (Red Cross) ambulances are dispatched through 911
• Hospital CMQ Premiere: (322) 226-6500
• Fire and police: call 911
• Canadian consular agency, Puerto Vallarta: 55-5724-9799. 24/7 emergencies: 001-800-514-0129 (toll-free from Mexico)

Hospitals & Clinics

In Puerto Vallarta

• Hospital San Javier Marina — Blvd. Francisco Medina Ascencio 2760, Zona Hotelera, Marina Vallarta. Private hospital with 24/7 emergency services and English-speaking staff.
• Hospital CMQ Premiere — Av. Francisco Villa 1749, Col. Vallarta Villas. CMQ's full private hospital, with a 24/7 emergency room, intensive care and cardiac surgery. Tel. (322) 226-6500.
• CMQ City Center — Basilio Badillo 365, Zona Romántica. Emergency and walk-in service, popular with the Zona Romántica expat community. Call ahead to confirm hours.
• Amerimed Puerto Vallarta — Blvd. Francisco Medina Ascencio 3970, Marina. Private hospital. Call ahead to confirm emergency hours.
• IMSS Hospital General de Zona No. 42 — emergency care for IMSS affiliates. Others may be stabilized and charged. Spanish only, longer waits.

Guadalajara

For the most complex cases you may be transferred to Guadalajara, several hours away by road:

• Hospital Civil Fray Antonio Alcalde — large public hospital. Lower cost, longer waits, mostly Spanish.
• Hospital Country 2000 — private hospital
• Hospital Real San José — private hospital

English-Speaking Doctors

Doctors in Vallarta change as people move or retire, so ask for current recommendations:

• The International Friendship Club (IFC), tel. (322) 222-5466, is a good place to start
• Recent residents in the Puerto Vallarta expat Facebook groups are the other good source

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

Medical Translation

If you end up in a Spanish-only hospital, a translator helps a lot:

• Ask in the expat groups for someone who can come 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: "Soy alérgico a…" (I'm allergic to…), "Tengo dolor aquí" (I have pain here), "Necesito un médico" (I need a doctor)

In-Home Care

For recovery after a hospital stay or ongoing medical needs:

• Pharmacies (farmacias) can often refer a nurse; this is common practice in Mexico. Ask for current rates when you book.
• Your discharging hospital can usually recommend nurses too

Air Evacuation

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

• Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR), Carretera a Tepic Km 7.5, handles medical flights
• SkyMed and MedjetAssist are the evacuation memberships most used by expats. Individual annual memberships start around $300 USD (more for families or over-75s).
• Some travel insurance policies include evacuation, but read the fine print: it often needs pre-authorization. Check yours before you need it.

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
• Save your preferred hospital's number in your phone
• Know the fastest route to your preferred hospital
• Save this guide to your phone for offline access