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The Costa del Sol takes good care of your heart

The Costa del Sol is working hard to become one of Europe’s leading destinations for heart treatment, thanks, in part, to a new training initiative for hotel staff that aims to complement existing facilities.

Photo: Jon Cifrani

The agreement was signed between Malaga Doctors’ College (Commálaga), the University of Malaga, and the Costa del Sol’s hotel association (Aehcos) late last month. Through the scheme, more than 10,000 hotel workers will learn how to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), an emergency proceedure that aims to preserve brain function during heart attacks.

Staff in 318 establishments on the Costa del Sol – including hotels, apartments, and hostals – will receive training, benefitting those with heart problems among the nearly 87,000 tourists who stay in them each year.

The Costa del Sol is building a reputation for high-quality heart care. A number of hospitals have specialised units and there are also private hospitals and clinics, such as Xanit Internacional Hospital in Benalmádena, that use state-of-the-art technology and the latest techniques to carry out cardiac surgery. In addition, medical hotels in the area are particularly attractive to patients with heart problems.

Medical hotels provide luxury accommodation and personalised service to guests who wish to improve their health and well-being. The centres specialise in programmes such as weight loss, stress reduction, or cosmetic surgery and feature on-site medical clinics, spa facilities, and even operating theatres. Staff are highly trained and include both resident employees and specialists who fly in from prestigious clinics across Spain and abroad.

A typical service offered by a medical hotel for a heart patient may include a full cardiological exam, provided in the relaxing setting of a five-star hotel and spa. Such an experience can do wonders to encourage the learning and lifestyle changes needed to manage heart conditions, and improve patients’ quality of life.

By Eloise Horsfield | Property News | June 23rd, 2014