# Clinica Biblica > Citation bundle for Clinica Biblica on The Treatment Registry. > URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/clinics/clinica-biblica-san-jose > Bundle URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/api/citations/clinics/clinica-biblica-san-jose - City: San Jose - Country: costa-rica - Type: clinic - Founded: 1929 - Website: https://www.clinicabiblica.com - Verification status: partial - Verification tier: 2 - Last verified: 2024-02-14 - Next review due: 2025-02-14 ## Summary One of Costa Rica's oldest and most established private hospitals, founded in 1929. JCI-accredited since 2008. The hospital serves both domestic and international patients and operates a dedicated international patient department with English-speaking coordinators. ## Detail Clinica Biblica is a private hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica, founded in 1929 as the country's first private hospital. With approximately 400 staff, it operates as a full-service multi-specialty facility covering surgery, diagnostics, emergency care, and outpatient services. The hospital received JCI accreditation in 2008, becoming one of the first hospitals in Central America to achieve that designation, and has maintained it through subsequent renewal cycles. The hospital is particularly well known to international patients in the context of Costa Rica's medical tourism sector, which draws significant numbers of North American patients seeking lower-cost access to cosmetic surgery and dental procedures. Rhinoplasty, abdominoplasty, and dental implant placement are among the most frequently requested procedures by international visitors. Its longevity and accreditation profile give it a distinctive institutional standing in the Costa Rican private healthcare market. The international patient department employs English-speaking coordinators who assist with pre-operative planning, documentation, airport logistics, and hotel arrangements in San Jose. Given that Costa Rica does not require a medical visa for most nationalities, the logistical complexity of treatment travel is lower than in some other destinations. Procedure pricing is not published publicly; individual estimates are provided through the international department. Clinical facilities include operating theatres equipped for both general and cosmetic surgery, a dental suite, diagnostic imaging including MRI and CT, and a clinical laboratory. The hospital's governance and quality management systems are maintained in alignment with JCI accreditation requirements. ## Accreditations held - **JCI** [verified on 2024-02-14] — https://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/who-we-are/accredited-organizations/ ## FAQs ### How can I verify that Clinica Biblica's physicians and surgeons hold valid Costa Rican licences? All physicians and surgeons practising at Clinica Biblica must be registered with the Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos de Costa Rica, the mandatory professional chamber for doctors and surgeons in Costa Rica, which maintains a public member register searchable at medicos.cr. Dental practitioners working within the hospital's dental suite must hold registration with the Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas de Costa Rica, whose member directory is available at colegiodentistas.org. Patients may request each practitioner's registration number and verify it against the relevant professional body's records before consenting to treatment. ### What accreditations does Clinica Biblica hold, and where can I verify them? Clinica Biblica holds JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation, which was first awarded in 2008 and has been maintained through subsequent renewal cycles. JCI accreditation can be verified through the accredited organisations directory at jointcommissioninternational.org. JCI confirms that the hospital's clinical governance, patient safety protocols, and quality management systems meet international standards; it does not guarantee individual clinical outcomes. The hospital's operating status in Costa Rica is also subject to oversight by the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud), which licenses healthcare facilities nationally. ### Who administers anaesthesia for surgical procedures, and how are they qualified? Anaesthesia at Clinica Biblica is administered by specialist anaesthesiologists who hold individual registration with the Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos de Costa Rica (medicos.cr). The hospital employs staff anaesthesiologists for elective surgical lists. Before a scheduled procedure, patients receive a pre-anaesthetic assessment covering medical history, current medications, known allergies, and anaesthetic risk factors. For cosmetic procedures performed as day cases, local anaesthesia combined with intravenous sedation is used in appropriate cases; general anaesthesia is available for procedures requiring it. Patients may request the name and professional registration of the anaesthesiologist assigned to their procedure. ### What facilities are available if a complication arises during or after treatment? Clinica Biblica is a full-service hospital with an accident and emergency department, intensive care unit, surgical theatres, and diagnostic imaging on-site. Complications arising from elective cosmetic or dental procedures can be managed within the hospital without requiring transfer for most foreseeable scenarios. The hospital's JCI accreditation requires documented escalation pathways for clinical deterioration. For post-operative complications that develop after a patient has left the hospital and returned to accommodation in San Jose, the emergency department is accessible at all hours. For complications that arise after a patient has returned home, the international patient department provides a clinical contact channel. ### What revision or correction policy applies to cosmetic surgical procedures? Revision policies for rhinoplasty and abdominoplasty at Clinica Biblica are specified in pre-operative consent documentation. Minor post-operative adjustments attributable to clinical findings — such as localised wound complications or minor asymmetry — are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Major revisions arising from a documented clinical complication are managed within the hospital's clinical governance framework. Aesthetic revisions requested for subjective reasons not related to a clinical complication are generally chargeable. Patients should obtain the written revision and guarantee terms before signing consent documentation, and should understand that cosmetic procedures carry a risk of results that differ from pre-operative photographic simulations. ### Does the hospital publish procedure pricing, and how should I obtain an estimate? Clinica Biblica does not publish procedure pricing publicly. Individual cost estimates are provided through the international patient department following submission of a clinical enquiry specifying the procedure and any relevant medical history. Estimates cover the surgeon's fee, anaesthetic fee, theatre charges, and inpatient accommodation where required. Additional costs may include pre-operative laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, post-operative medications, and specialised implant materials. Patients are advised to request a fully itemised written estimate and to confirm whether the quoted figure includes all anticipated clinical components before booking travel to San Jose. ### What deposit and cancellation terms apply to international patients? International patients at Clinica Biblica are required to provide a deposit to confirm elective surgical admissions. The deposit amount and cancellation terms are communicated in writing by the international patient department as part of the pre-admission process. Cancellations made outside the defined period may be eligible for a full or partial refund; cancellations within fourteen to thirty days of admission typically result in partial or full forfeiture of the deposit, as surgical time and pre-operative preparation will have been allocated. Patients are advised to hold travel insurance that includes cover for medical appointment cancellation arising from illness or unforeseen travel disruption. ### What logistical support does the international patient department provide? Clinica Biblica's international patient department assists with airport transfer coordination from Juan Santamaría International Airport, which is located approximately twenty to thirty minutes from the hospital in central San Jose. Hotel recommendations near the hospital are provided for accompanying family members and for patients recovering post-operatively before returning home. The department helps with appointment scheduling, pre-operative investigation, insurance correspondence, and the preparation of medical documentation in English. Costa Rica does not require a medical visa for visitors from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, or most European countries, simplifying the entry process for medical travellers. ### What language support is available for North American patients? English is the principal international patient language at Clinica Biblica's international department, reflecting the hospital's large North American patient base. Clinical consultations, consent documentation, medical reports, and discharge summaries are provided in English for international patients. The majority of physicians in the hospital's cosmetic and dental departments have working English proficiency. For Spanish-speaking patients, consultations and documentation are conducted in Spanish. Interpretation for other languages is not routinely available in-house; patients who require interpretation in a language other than English or Spanish should notify the international department in advance. ### What follow-up care is provided for patients returning to the United States or Canada? On discharge, Clinica Biblica provides patients with a comprehensive clinical summary in English, including operative details, post-operative care instructions, prescribed medications, and a schedule of recommended follow-up appointments. The minimum recommended stay in Costa Rica before flying varies by procedure: for rhinoplasty and abdominoplasty, patients are typically advised to remain in San Jose for seven to ten days post-operatively. The international patient department can confirm the specific post-operative timeline for each procedure. Post-discharge remote consultations are available by video for patients who have returned home and require clinical guidance.