Hospital Universitario La Paz

Hospital Universitario La Paz, founded in 1964, stands as one of the largest and most prestigious public university hospitals in Spain and across Europe. Located in the northern district of Madrid along Paseo de la Castellana, this sprawling medical complex encompasses 1,328 beds, making it one of the highest-capacity hospitals on the Iberian Peninsula. La Paz serves as a tertiary referral center for the entire Spanish national health system, attracting the most complex cases from across the country and increasingly from international patients seeking world-class medical care at competitive European pricing. The hospital's Cardiac Sciences Department is nationally recognized for performing over 1,200 cardiac procedures annually, including complex open-heart surgeries, transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR), minimally invasive mitral valve repairs, and advanced electrophysiology interventions. The department utilizes state-of-the-art hybrid operating rooms equipped with biplane angiography systems and intraoperative echocardiography, enabling precise, image-guided cardiac interventions that reduce recovery times and improve patient outcomes. La Paz's Oncology Department operates as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, offering multidisciplinary tumor boards that bring together medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, pathologists, and radiologists to develop individualized treatment plans. The department provides access to the latest immunotherapy protocols, targeted molecular therapies, CAR-T cell therapy for hematological malignancies, and precision radiation therapy including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Clinical trials partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies give patients access to cutting-edge experimental treatments. The Organ Transplant Program at La Paz is one of Spain's most prolific, benefiting from Spain's position as the global leader in organ donation rates. The hospital performs kidney, liver, heart, lung, and pancreas transplantations, with survival rates that consistently exceed European averages. The pediatric transplant program is particularly distinguished, having performed hundreds of pediatric liver and kidney transplants with exceptional outcomes. Neurosciences at La Paz encompass a full spectrum of neurological and neurosurgical services, including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease, epilepsy surgery with advanced neurophysiological monitoring, endoscopic skull base surgery, and comprehensive stroke management with a dedicated Stroke Unit providing 24/7 thrombectomy capabilities. The department's neuroimaging suite features 3-Tesla MRI with functional MRI capabilities and advanced tractography for surgical planning. The Orthopedics Department specializes in complex joint replacement surgery, including revision arthroplasty, sports medicine interventions, and spine surgery utilizing robotic-assisted navigation systems. The hospital's Pediatrics Department is one of the largest in Europe, with specialized units for pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric oncology, neonatal intensive care with over 40 NICU beds, and rare disease management. Fertility services at La Paz include in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), preimplantation genetic testing, egg and sperm donation programs, and fertility preservation for oncology patients. The Gastroenterology Department offers advanced endoscopic procedures including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The Nephrology Department manages one of Spain's largest dialysis programs and provides comprehensive pre- and post-transplant care. Robotic Surgery capabilities span urology, gynecology, and general surgery departments, utilizing the latest da Vinci surgical systems for minimally invasive procedures that reduce hospital stays and accelerate recovery. International patients benefit from La Paz's dedicated International Patient Office, which provides multilingual coordination in English, French, Arabic, and Russian, visa assistance, appointment scheduling, medical record translation, and accommodation recommendations. Treatment costs at La Paz are typically 40-60% lower than comparable procedures in the United States and 20-30% lower than Northern European hospitals, making it an attractive destination for medical tourism without compromising on quality. The hospital is ISO certified and holds CSN (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear) accreditation for its nuclear medicine and radiation therapy facilities, ensuring the highest safety standards in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear procedures.