Curacao Medical Center (CMC)
Hospital and emergency room in Curacao
In the event of a health emergency, it is reassuring to know that there is a modern hospital and emergency doctor nearby. With the Curacao Medical Center, Curacao has a super health center that just opened in 2019.
Important facts first
If you have an accident or need an ambulance for any other reason, dial 912 in Curacao (no area code or similar). We have summarized all emergency numbers and valuable tips in a separate article: “Emergency in Curacao? – First aid!“.
Where is the hospital?
The hospital is centrally located in Otrobanda, directly on the southern main road that leads from Piscadera via Zakito to the Queen Emma Bridge (on the Otrobanda side, Pater Euwensweg). On this side is the entrance for patients and visitors, as well as the entrance to the underground parking lot. The parking garage leads directly to the registration desk and the emergency room.
The back side of the Curacao Medical Center (CMC) – from Otrobanda
The official address according to Google Maps is J.H.J. Hamelbergweg. Your navigation system may direct you to the wrong side of the CMC. This is because the J. H. J. Hamelbergweg is the short access road to the clinic from the Pater Euwensweg on the south side of the CMC and at the same time the access road for ambulance cars on the north side of the CMC.
Curacao Medical Center (CMC)
As mentioned at the beginning, the Curacao Medical Center (CMC for short) was opened in 2019 and has since replaced the Sint-Elisabeth Hospital, which is located in the immediate vicinity. The Sint-Elisabeth Hospital was built in 1855 and did not meet today’s international standards.
The CMC has 300 beds and employs about 1,200 people. Particularly reassuring for vacationers: the hospital has a modern intensive care unit, which was significantly expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are now 9 Intensive Care Units (ICU) and 9 Medium Care Units (MCU), each with 3 isolation rooms.
You can see for yourself the range of services and equipment on the CMC’s YouTube channel.
Live instead of just writing about it 😉
You wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it can happen: an emergency! That’s what happened to me in September 2023 when I suddenly fainted and crashed to the tile floor of our accommodation. The result: a laceration above my eye, emergency medical intervention, stitched up by the doctor and ended up in the CMC for further clarification. I’ll write a separate article with video about the medical treatment. Now to my experience at the Curacao Medical Center:
Maike had driven us to the underground parking on the right side and from there we took the elevator and the escalator to the entrance hall. But no: we couldn’t go straight to the emergency room, which was immediately visible! First we had to sort out the paperwork. Sometimes the Caribbean is more German than Germany itself 😉 or as they say there: “The rules are the rules”.
After what seemed like an eternity (although it was probably only a few minutes), the lady at the reception (is that what they call it in a hospital?) asked me: “Do you have a photo?” When she finally got a look at me, with bandages on my face and tissues stuck in my bleeding nose, she relativized: “Well, this makes no sense, you can do without a photo.” The result: a small plastic card, my “Patient ID card,” with which I was finally allowed to enter the emergency room.
Without a plastic ID card nothing works in the CMC (Curacao Medical Center)
My request for an x-ray or CT scan (even though I have premium insurance and had to pay cash) was answered with “Already closed, no one here!”.
The Emergency Room
Just like in German hospitals, the emergency room was, you guess it: full! So we registered with the plastic card and sat down on one of the chairs. I was told to stretch my neck (with the tampons in my nose) and look up until it was my turn. No sooner said than done! After about 3 minutes, the fun from before repeated itself: I fainted again.
After Maike called for help, naturally very moved (to say the least, I didn’t notice it myself), I regained consciousness and was literally “pulled forward” in a wheelchair and taken to a treatment room.
Everything there was up to European standards: very clean, PC with monitor, ECG, pulse oximeter, …
The doctor who arrived a short time later (unimportant, but: a young and nice Dutchman) examined me thoroughly, but like a country doctor does: tapping my knees with a hammer, talking to me, holding a pen in front of my eyes, … This is how it must be during a police check after a DUI.
The “Golden Hour”
Having already been in a serious car accident, I know that the first hour after an accident is called the “golden hour”. In Germany, the emergency doctor will immediately set up an intravenous line and you will be taken to a shock room where a whole team of doctors will be waiting for you. They push you into the CT scanner and check every millimeter of your body. And rightly so! Internal injuries are no joke! What looks fine from the outside could be a blood clot in your head a few hours later, and if you don’t recognize it, it could mean your death.
Well, the “golden hour” had already passed since my emergency in Curacao, and my cuts were already sutured (not in the CMC). So why should they start the CT for me and check for internal injuries? Especially since I had already collapsed for the second time in their own emergency room!
Now my comment “It was a Dutch doctor” makes sense! In the Caribbean, I don’t expect German care from a Caribbean doctor. But from an European guy I would expect European procedures? Why wasn’t I given a proper check-up?
My shock, your shock – lesson learned!
Maike and I were both in shock! You trust the judgment of a doctor (especially one from your home). Maike had asked if they wanted to keep me in the hospital at least overnight for observation. No! We were told to wait for the written report and I was wished “get well soon”.
This will never happen to me or us again!
We know Curacao and we know that you can get a “no” almost reflexively abroad and also on Curacao. Then you have to ask again and again … very nicely and at some point the “no” usually becomes a “yes”. But because we are in shock and thankful that we ended up in the hospital, we don’t made our normal demands. They would have been well paid. After all, we were European private insured patients!
In the future (and hopefully this will never happen to us again) we will vehemently demand the use of available technology! Whatever it takes (costs and effort)!
It went well for me. The broken nose was confirmed in Germany, a CT scan was done immediately and, thank God, no internal injuries were found. I was lucky!
Curacao Medical Center (CMC) at night – at the bottom the entrance to the underground parking lot
What did they charge?
While we were waiting for the report, we had to pay the bill: ANG 775,- (i.e. just over EUR 400,-). It was funny when a few months later we received a bill in our mailbox in which the CMC had charged us an additional amount of ANG 44 (about EUR 23) – unprofessional. Especially since the costs for a bank transfer from Germany would have exceeded the invoice amount by far. So (thanks to a nice e-mail exchange) I can go to the CMC on my next visit and pay my debt of almost EUR 20 on the spot.
Addendum: During our visit to Curacao in June 2024, we dutifully went to the CMC to pay our debt. No sooner said than done! And then, after 30 minutes of waiting, because the lady was still having a long chat, we were presented with another lab bill, which we also paid. Well, it’s probably no different for us if you have private insurance. We also had to pay a few guildis for parking (no, nobody was able to validate the ticket for us). What would you have done in my place? Voluntarily go back to the clinic on your next vacation to pay an additional 20 Euros? Let me know in the comments!
Dear Curacao Medical Center ❤️
Sometimes it is better not to take the proverbial German thoroughness as a model: when it comes to bureaucracy. Sometimes German thoroughness is very good, helpful and you should implement it: in the care of your patients! You have a great and mega modern hospital. No question about it! Be proud of it! But please also make use of your possibilities: a CT scan is valuable for clarifying internal injuries and can save lives in certain circumstances. It can’t be that an emergency patient doesn’t get a CT scan just because you say “already closed” with Caribbean ease, can it?
Conclusion
The Curacao Medical Center is a state of the art clinic with all the facilities of a European hospital. It is staffed by internationally experienced doctors with the appropriate expertise. In contrast to many holiday destinations around the world, you can expect top medical care.
Of course, there are limits to how much you can trust the doctors and their opinions at CMC. You or your traveling companion should be aware of any urgent examinations that may be required. You should request them while you are still in the clinic.
We wish you a wonderful vacation on our dream island – without emergencies, mishaps or environmental disasters! Enjoy it!
Official website of the CMC: https://www.cmc.cw
Do you know the answer? We collected 100+ entertaining questions about Curacao. Have fun!
Quiz Question
What is or means Moro?Answer
Moro is a side dish in the local cuisine of Curacao. It is cooked rice with a small amount of beans.
Mòro or Mòro Mòro is also used as a synonym for “Bon dia” as a greeting, mainly by older people. Both mean good morning/good day in Papiamentu and have their origins in Afrikaans, comparable to the North German “Moin”.
Do you like more? Here is another post you might be interested in:
If you enjoyed this article, we would be very happy if you share it with your friends on social media. Thank you very much!
Are you interested in more than just snorkeling and diving on Curacao’s dream beaches? Then take a look at our lifestyle and secrets sections. We’ll take care of your physical well-being in restaurants & bars and let you know where you can shop well and cheaply for food and souvenirs in our shopping category.
Curacao Medical Center (CMC)
Hospital and emergency room in Curacao
In the event of a health emergency, it is reassuring to know that there is a modern hospital and emergency doctor nearby. With the Curacao Medical Center, Curacao has a super health center that just opened in 2019.
Important facts first
If you have an accident or need an ambulance for any other reason, dial 912 in Curacao (no area code or similar). We have summarized all emergency numbers and valuable tips in a separate article: “Emergency in Curacao? – First aid!“.
Where is the hospital?
The hospital is centrally located in Otrobanda, directly on the southern main road that leads from Piscadera via Zakito to the Queen Emma Bridge (on the Otrobanda side, Pater Euwensweg). On this side is the entrance for patients and visitors, as well as the entrance to the underground parking lot. The parking garage leads directly to the registration desk and the emergency room.
The back side of the Curacao Medical Center (CMC) – from Otrobanda
The official address according to Google Maps is J.H.J. Hamelbergweg. Your navigation system may direct you to the wrong side of the CMC. This is because the J. H. J. Hamelbergweg is the short access road to the clinic from the Pater Euwensweg on the south side of the CMC and at the same time the access road for ambulance cars on the north side of the CMC.
Curacao Medical Center (CMC)
As mentioned at the beginning, the Curacao Medical Center (CMC for short) was opened in 2019 and has since replaced the Sint-Elisabeth Hospital, which is located in the immediate vicinity. The Sint-Elisabeth Hospital was built in 1855 and did not meet today’s international standards.
The CMC has 300 beds and employs about 1,200 people. Particularly reassuring for vacationers: the hospital has a modern intensive care unit, which was significantly expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are now 9 Intensive Care Units (ICU) and 9 Medium Care Units (MCU), each with 3 isolation rooms.
You can see for yourself the range of services and equipment on the CMC’s YouTube channel.
Live instead of just writing about it 😉
You wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it can happen: an emergency! That’s what happened to me in September 2023 when I suddenly fainted and crashed to the tile floor of our accommodation. The result: a laceration above my eye, emergency medical intervention, stitched up by the doctor and ended up in the CMC for further clarification. I’ll write a separate article with video about the medical treatment. Now to my experience at the Curacao Medical Center:
Maike had driven us to the underground parking on the right side and from there we took the elevator and the escalator to the entrance hall. But no: we couldn’t go straight to the emergency room, which was immediately visible! First we had to sort out the paperwork. Sometimes the Caribbean is more German than Germany itself 😉 or as they say there: “The rules are the rules”.
After what seemed like an eternity (although it was probably only a few minutes), the lady at the reception (is that what they call it in a hospital?) asked me: “Do you have a photo?” When she finally got a look at me, with bandages on my face and tissues stuck in my bleeding nose, she relativized: “Well, this makes no sense, you can do without a photo.” The result: a small plastic card, my “Patient ID card,” with which I was finally allowed to enter the emergency room.
Without a plastic ID card nothing works in the CMC (Curacao Medical Center)
My request for an x-ray or CT scan (even though I have premium insurance and had to pay cash) was answered with “Already closed, no one here!”.
The Emergency Room
Just like in German hospitals, the emergency room was, you guess it: full! So we registered with the plastic card and sat down on one of the chairs. I was told to stretch my neck (with the tampons in my nose) and look up until it was my turn. No sooner said than done! After about 3 minutes, the fun from before repeated itself: I fainted again.
After Maike called for help, naturally very moved (to say the least, I didn’t notice it myself), I regained consciousness and was literally “pulled forward” in a wheelchair and taken to a treatment room.
Everything there was up to European standards: very clean, PC with monitor, ECG, pulse oximeter, …
The doctor who arrived a short time later (unimportant, but: a young and nice Dutchman) examined me thoroughly, but like a country doctor does: tapping my knees with a hammer, talking to me, holding a pen in front of my eyes, … This is how it must be during a police check after a DUI.
The “Golden Hour”
Having already been in a serious car accident, I know that the first hour after an accident is called the “golden hour”. In Germany, the emergency doctor will immediately set up an intravenous line and you will be taken to a shock room where a whole team of doctors will be waiting for you. They push you into the CT scanner and check every millimeter of your body. And rightly so! Internal injuries are no joke! What looks fine from the outside could be a blood clot in your head a few hours later, and if you don’t recognize it, it could mean your death.
Well, the “golden hour” had already passed since my emergency in Curacao, and my cuts were already sutured (not in the CMC). So why should they start the CT for me and check for internal injuries? Especially since I had already collapsed for the second time in their own emergency room!
Now my comment “It was a Dutch doctor” makes sense! In the Caribbean, I don’t expect German care from a Caribbean doctor. But from an European guy I would expect European procedures? Why wasn’t I given a proper check-up?
My shock, your shock – lesson learned!
Maike and I were both in shock! You trust the judgment of a doctor (especially one from your home). Maike had asked if they wanted to keep me in the hospital at least overnight for observation. No! We were told to wait for the written report and I was wished “get well soon”.
This will never happen to me or us again!
We know Curacao and we know that you can get a “no” almost reflexively abroad and also on Curacao. Then you have to ask again and again … very nicely and at some point the “no” usually becomes a “yes”. But because we are in shock and thankful that we ended up in the hospital, we don’t made our normal demands. They would have been well paid. After all, we were European private insured patients!
In the future (and hopefully this will never happen to us again) we will vehemently demand the use of available technology! Whatever it takes (costs and effort)!
It went well for me. The broken nose was confirmed in Germany, a CT scan was done immediately and, thank God, no internal injuries were found. I was lucky!
Curacao Medical Center (CMC) at night – at the bottom the entrance to the underground parking lot
What did they charge?
While we were waiting for the report, we had to pay the bill: ANG 775,- (i.e. just over EUR 400,-). It was funny when a few months later we received a bill in our mailbox in which the CMC had charged us an additional amount of ANG 44 (about EUR 23) – unprofessional. Especially since the costs for a bank transfer from Germany would have exceeded the invoice amount by far. So (thanks to a nice e-mail exchange) I can go to the CMC on my next visit and pay my debt of almost EUR 20 on the spot.
Addendum: During our visit to Curacao in June 2024, we dutifully went to the CMC to pay our debt. No sooner said than done! And then, after 30 minutes of waiting, because the lady was still having a long chat, we were presented with another lab bill, which we also paid. Well, it’s probably no different for us if you have private insurance. We also had to pay a few guildis for parking (no, nobody was able to validate the ticket for us). What would you have done in my place? Voluntarily go back to the clinic on your next vacation to pay an additional 20 Euros? Let me know in the comments!
Dear Curacao Medical Center ❤️
Sometimes it is better not to take the proverbial German thoroughness as a model: when it comes to bureaucracy. Sometimes German thoroughness is very good, helpful and you should implement it: in the care of your patients! You have a great and mega modern hospital. No question about it! Be proud of it! But please also make use of your possibilities: a CT scan is valuable for clarifying internal injuries and can save lives in certain circumstances. It can’t be that an emergency patient doesn’t get a CT scan just because you say “already closed” with Caribbean ease, can it?
Conclusion
The Curacao Medical Center is a state of the art clinic with all the facilities of a European hospital. It is staffed by internationally experienced doctors with the appropriate expertise. In contrast to many holiday destinations around the world, you can expect top medical care.
Of course, there are limits to how much you can trust the doctors and their opinions at CMC. You or your traveling companion should be aware of any urgent examinations that may be required. You should request them while you are still in the clinic.
We wish you a wonderful vacation on our dream island – without emergencies, mishaps or environmental disasters! Enjoy it!
Official website of the CMC: https://www.cmc.cw
Other articles from the “Relaxed Travelling” category that might interest you:
If you enjoyed this article, we would be very happy if you share it with your friends on social media. Thank you very much!
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Recommended readings from other categories:
Quiz Question
What is or means Moro?Answer
Moro is a side dish in the local cuisine of Curacao. It is cooked rice with a small amount of beans.
Mòro or Mòro Mòro is also used as a synonym for “Bon dia” as a greeting, mainly by older people. Both mean good morning/good day in Papiamentu and have their origins in Afrikaans, comparable to the North German “Moin”.
#withus - our articles at your fingertips on a common map - try it!
Curacao Medical Center (CMC)
Hospital and emergency room in Curacao
In the event of a health emergency, it is reassuring to know that there is a modern hospital and emergency doctor nearby. With the Curacao Medical Center, Curacao has a super health center that just opened in 2019.
Important facts first
If you have an accident or need an ambulance for any other reason, dial 912 in Curacao (no area code or similar). We have summarized all emergency numbers and valuable tips in a separate article: “Emergency in Curacao? – First aid!“.
Where is the hospital?
The hospital is centrally located in Otrobanda, directly on the southern main road that leads from Piscadera via Zakito to the Queen Emma Bridge (on the Otrobanda side, Pater Euwensweg). On this side is the entrance for patients and visitors, as well as the entrance to the underground parking lot. The parking garage leads directly to the registration desk and the emergency room.
The back side of the Curacao Medical Center (CMC) – from Otrobanda
The official address according to Google Maps is J.H.J. Hamelbergweg. Your navigation system may direct you to the wrong side of the CMC. This is because the J. H. J. Hamelbergweg is the short access road to the clinic from the Pater Euwensweg on the south side of the CMC and at the same time the access road for ambulance cars on the north side of the CMC.
Curacao Medical Center (CMC)
As mentioned at the beginning, the Curacao Medical Center (CMC for short) was opened in 2019 and has since replaced the Sint-Elisabeth Hospital, which is located in the immediate vicinity. The Sint-Elisabeth Hospital was built in 1855 and did not meet today’s international standards.
The CMC has 300 beds and employs about 1,200 people. Particularly reassuring for vacationers: the hospital has a modern intensive care unit, which was significantly expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are now 9 Intensive Care Units (ICU) and 9 Medium Care Units (MCU), each with 3 isolation rooms.
You can see for yourself the range of services and equipment on the CMC’s YouTube channel.
Live instead of just writing about it 😉
You wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it can happen: an emergency! That’s what happened to me in September 2023 when I suddenly fainted and crashed to the tile floor of our accommodation. The result: a laceration above my eye, emergency medical intervention, stitched up by the doctor and ended up in the CMC for further clarification. I’ll write a separate article with video about the medical treatment. Now to my experience at the Curacao Medical Center:
Maike had driven us to the underground parking on the right side and from there we took the elevator and the escalator to the entrance hall. But no: we couldn’t go straight to the emergency room, which was immediately visible! First we had to sort out the paperwork. Sometimes the Caribbean is more German than Germany itself 😉 or as they say there: “The rules are the rules”.
After what seemed like an eternity (although it was probably only a few minutes), the lady at the reception (is that what they call it in a hospital?) asked me: “Do you have a photo?” When she finally got a look at me, with bandages on my face and tissues stuck in my bleeding nose, she relativized: “Well, this makes no sense, you can do without a photo.” The result: a small plastic card, my “Patient ID card,” with which I was finally allowed to enter the emergency room.
Without a plastic ID card nothing works in the CMC (Curacao Medical Center)
My request for an x-ray or CT scan (even though I have premium insurance and had to pay cash) was answered with “Already closed, no one here!”.
The Emergency Room
Just like in German hospitals, the emergency room was, you guess it: full! So we registered with the plastic card and sat down on one of the chairs. I was told to stretch my neck (with the tampons in my nose) and look up until it was my turn. No sooner said than done! After about 3 minutes, the fun from before repeated itself: I fainted again.
After Maike called for help, naturally very moved (to say the least, I didn’t notice it myself), I regained consciousness and was literally “pulled forward” in a wheelchair and taken to a treatment room.
Everything there was up to European standards: very clean, PC with monitor, ECG, pulse oximeter, …
The doctor who arrived a short time later (unimportant, but: a young and nice Dutchman) examined me thoroughly, but like a country doctor does: tapping my knees with a hammer, talking to me, holding a pen in front of my eyes, … This is how it must be during a police check after a DUI.
The “Golden Hour”
Having already been in a serious car accident, I know that the first hour after an accident is called the “golden hour”. In Germany, the emergency doctor will immediately set up an intravenous line and you will be taken to a shock room where a whole team of doctors will be waiting for you. They push you into the CT scanner and check every millimeter of your body. And rightly so! Internal injuries are no joke! What looks fine from the outside could be a blood clot in your head a few hours later, and if you don’t recognize it, it could mean your death.
Well, the “golden hour” had already passed since my emergency in Curacao, and my cuts were already sutured (not in the CMC). So why should they start the CT for me and check for internal injuries? Especially since I had already collapsed for the second time in their own emergency room!
Now my comment “It was a Dutch doctor” makes sense! In the Caribbean, I don’t expect German care from a Caribbean doctor. But from an European guy I would expect European procedures? Why wasn’t I given a proper check-up?
My shock, your shock – lesson learned!
Maike and I were both in shock! You trust the judgment of a doctor (especially one from your home). Maike had asked if they wanted to keep me in the hospital at least overnight for observation. No! We were told to wait for the written report and I was wished “get well soon”.
This will never happen to me or us again!
We know Curacao and we know that you can get a “no” almost reflexively abroad and also on Curacao. Then you have to ask again and again … very nicely and at some point the “no” usually becomes a “yes”. But because we are in shock and thankful that we ended up in the hospital, we don’t made our normal demands. They would have been well paid. After all, we were European private insured patients!
In the future (and hopefully this will never happen to us again) we will vehemently demand the use of available technology! Whatever it takes (costs and effort)!
It went well for me. The broken nose was confirmed in Germany, a CT scan was done immediately and, thank God, no internal injuries were found. I was lucky!
Curacao Medical Center (CMC) at night – at the bottom the entrance to the underground parking lot
What did they charge?
While we were waiting for the report, we had to pay the bill: ANG 775,- (i.e. just over EUR 400,-). It was funny when a few months later we received a bill in our mailbox in which the CMC had charged us an additional amount of ANG 44 (about EUR 23) – unprofessional. Especially since the costs for a bank transfer from Germany would have exceeded the invoice amount by far. So (thanks to a nice e-mail exchange) I can go to the CMC on my next visit and pay my debt of almost EUR 20 on the spot.
Addendum: During our visit to Curacao in June 2024, we dutifully went to the CMC to pay our debt. No sooner said than done! And then, after 30 minutes of waiting, because the lady was still having a long chat, we were presented with another lab bill, which we also paid. Well, it’s probably no different for us if you have private insurance. We also had to pay a few guildis for parking (no, nobody was able to validate the ticket for us). What would you have done in my place? Voluntarily go back to the clinic on your next vacation to pay an additional 20 Euros? Let me know in the comments!
Dear Curacao Medical Center ❤️
Sometimes it is better not to take the proverbial German thoroughness as a model: when it comes to bureaucracy. Sometimes German thoroughness is very good, helpful and you should implement it: in the care of your patients! You have a great and mega modern hospital. No question about it! Be proud of it! But please also make use of your possibilities: a CT scan is valuable for clarifying internal injuries and can save lives in certain circumstances. It can’t be that an emergency patient doesn’t get a CT scan just because you say “already closed” with Caribbean ease, can it?
Conclusion
The Curacao Medical Center is a state of the art clinic with all the facilities of a European hospital. It is staffed by internationally experienced doctors with the appropriate expertise. In contrast to many holiday destinations around the world, you can expect top medical care.
Of course, there are limits to how much you can trust the doctors and their opinions at CMC. You or your traveling companion should be aware of any urgent examinations that may be required. You should request them while you are still in the clinic.
We wish you a wonderful vacation on our dream island – without emergencies, mishaps or environmental disasters! Enjoy it!
Official website of the CMC: https://www.cmc.cw
Other posts you might be interested in:
Curacao is alive and things are always changing. What has changed since our last visit? How is your experience? Would you please share your personal experiences with us? Feel free to write your comment under this article and follow us on our social media channels. There you can spontaneously share your personal impressions with us and our community - "sharing is caring". We look forward to your contribution and every new follower!
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Quiz Question
What is or means Moro?Answer
Moro is a side dish in the local cuisine of Curacao. It is cooked rice with a small amount of beans.
Mòro or Mòro Mòro is also used as a synonym for “Bon dia” as a greeting, mainly by older people. Both mean good morning/good day in Papiamentu and have their origins in Afrikaans, comparable to the North German “Moin”.
#withus - our articles at your fingertips on a common map - try it!
