Source: Pacific Plaza

More than a year after a mostly modest and unassuming inauguration in Costa Rica, the CIMA Hospital in Guanacaste is one of the few medical centers hiring in a region that is experiencing a dilemma with regard to unemployment. The current job vacancies at this fine hospital are for professionals in the fields of microbiology and direct patient care assistance, and they are consistent with the ongoing revival of medical tourism in Costa Rica.

The two job postings in question were recently listed on elempleo.co.cr, one of the most popular job boards in Costa Rica. The patient assistant vacancy requires a high school diploma and work experience; it does not require certification, although such medical training is available at several technical education centers in Costa Rica. The microbiology posting requires candidates to be in good standing with the Board of Microbiology and Chemistry Professionals of Costa Rica, which in turn requires a degree from an accredited university in this country.

The Guanacaste province is currently suffering from a bout of unemployment, which has been mostly blamed on inadequate education and training opportunities in the region. As previously reported by the Costa Rica Star, the tourism industry in Guanacaste employs foreigners and workers from out of town due to deficient English instruction at the local technical and vocational high schools. There is also a great focus on farming and the agricultural sciences, which are fields that Guanacaste is regrettably losing.

Guanacaste is gearing up for a renaissance of medical tourism in Costa Rica, which saw its heyday in the early 21^st century and suffered a slump at the height of the global financial crisis in late 2008. The medical tourism industry began heating up again in mid-2012, which is when the CIMA Hospital in Guanacaste opened its doors. The problem with the industry is that it became too fragmented during the downturn, which is why the Guanacaste Health and Travel Initiative and branding program were created.

The CIMA Hospital Guanacaste is located in the ritzy Pacific Plaza, described as follows:

Pacific Plaza, the first “Integrated Community Health Services and Residential Solutions” in the region, designed exclusively for those people who want to retire and live comfortably and quietly in a place that meets all your needs.

CIMA Hospital is located in the southeast corner of the complex which gives excellent access and visibility.

The towers of offices and shopping area are located a short distance from the Hospital CIMA roofed sidewalks for the convenience of pedestrians. The two commercial buildings provide over 2400 square feet of space for shops.

Pacific Plaza counts on its premises with a hotel of 100 rooms and amenities for visitors to the Hospital CIMA, where you can relax and enjoy the nature surrounding the resort.

The services offered at CIMA Hospital Guanacaste are the same you would find at its sister hospital in Escazu, albeit in a more relaxed setting:

• Adult medicine
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Emergency and Acute Care
• Endoscopy
• Family Medicine
• Full Diagnostics, including Advanced Radiology and Imaging
• Geriatrics
• Gynecology
• Immunology
• Intensive Care Unit
• Luxury inpatient care
• Neonatology
• Obstetrics
• Pediatrics
• Physical Therapy
• Psychiatry
• Respiratory Medicine

Many of the services above are coordinated with the CIMA Hospital in San Jose and its network of specialists in Costa Rica, and thus it is important for medical tourists to check with their travel consultants in this regard. The combination of health care and tourism in Costa Rica is attracting many new residents to Playas del Coco and other beach communities that are experiencing healthy growth. More information on Medical and Dental Services in Costa Rica