Travel and Tourism in Slovakia

Medical Facilities and Care

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Medical facilities are available in Slovakia, although the quality and availability varies within the country. For any emergency, including a medical emergency, call 112 within Slovakia free of charge. An English-speaking dispatcher should be available. According to the level of the medical emergency, the dispatcher may send an ambulance, which may be medically equipped and staffed by paramedics or a physician if the patient’s condition warrants it. Only a limited number of doctors speak English. Doctors and hospitals expect cash payment for health services unless the patient can present an insurance number from the Slovak National Insurance Company. This includes ambulance service, for which the cost begins at 120 euro for those without local Slovak health insurance. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more. Medical prescriptions issued in the United States are not valid in Slovakia. If a prescription is needed, a local doctor must issue it. Medicines are generally available locally at pharmacies, where customers ask the pharmacist for every product including over-the-counter medicines; if they are not available under the U.S. drug name, you should consult the pharmacist or a local doctor for a local substitute. The Ministry of Health administers the use of medicines, and medicine brought into Slovakia for personal use may be subject to comparison against the list of those authorized for use in Slovakia.

Accessibility

In Slovakia, accessibility and accommodation for individuals with disabilities are different from the United States. Slovak law requires that public areas be accessible for persons with disabilities, although these regulations have only been in force in the last decade, and many older buildings and areas have not yet been retrofitted. Getting around in Slovak cities and towns may be difficult at times, since many sidewalks are narrow and uneven, and small towns may lack sidewalks altogether. Public transportation and the railroads provide fairly good methods of traveling throughout the cities and throughout the country, but most stations lack elevators and do not provide easy accessibility for people with disabilities. Although there are plans to upgrade municipal bus fleets, currently only some buses and no trams are equipped with lowering platforms for travelers with disabilities. Taxis are a good means of transportation, although many are unlicensed and may seek to charge unreasonable fares to tourists.