Spain boasts a highly regarded healthcare system, frequently ranking among the top in the world for efficiency and patient outcomes. The system is split between public and private sectors, with the public sector, the **Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS)**, providing universal coverage for residents.
* **Public Hospitals:** Renowned institutions include *Hospital Universitario La Paz* and *Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón* in Madrid, as well as *Hospital Clínic* and *Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau* in Barcelona. * **Private Healthcare:** A robust private sector exists alongside the SNS, with providers like Sanitas, Adeslas, and Quirónsalud operating extensive networks of clinics and hospitals. * **Pharmacies:** Pharmacies (*farmacias*) are ubiquitous and easily identified by an illuminated green cross. They serve as the first point of contact for minor ailments, as pharmacists in Spain are highly trained and authorized to offer medical advice. * **Urgent Care & Mental Health:** Primary care centers (*Centros de Salud*) handle non-life-threatening urgent care, while larger hospitals feature comprehensive emergency rooms (*Urgencias*). Mental health services are integrated into the public system, though long wait times have led to an increase in private psychological and psychiatric care.