Panama has become a popular haven for medical and dental treatments where expats can receive major and elective medical and dental surgery for a fraction of the cost at home. If you are looking for affordable and quality healthcare, Panama offers you good options. Clinics and hospitals are located in hubs across Panama, and, since the country is relatively small, it is unlikely one would be more than an hour from a modern facility no matter where you choose to live. Finding English-speaking doctors here is common, as many of them study abroad after completing their initial training in Panama.

The presence of English-speaking medical staff is related to the U.S presence in the country, which lasted from 1904 to the end of 1999. As a result, it created education and training opportunities for Panama citizens in U.S medical schools and famous clinics. Many U.S dentists and medical doctors who worked at the U.S controlled Panama Canal Zone and in U.S military hospitals remained in Panama after their employment, in order to acquire citizenship and practice their professions. Panama's health care stands out among all of the Central and Latin American countries because of the number of U.S trained doctors and dentists. For those who are hoping to relocate to Panama and worried about its healthcare system, you can go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief.

Typical medical costs in Panama area about one third to one half of their cost in the U.S.

Healthcare in public hospitals

There are a number of public hospitals in Panama, which are funded by the Ministry of Health and the Social Security System. It costs next to almost nothing to go to public hospitals. However, those who can afford private health care often choose to go there for several reasons.

The reason many expats don't find themselves seeking services from public hospitals is because their standard care is inferior, especially as compared to private hospitals. Patients usually have to wait a few weeks for an appointment and may not receive the specialized attention that one might get at a private facility. Patients may have to wait for hours to be admitted to an ER, only to be met with staff members who are tired, overworked, or impatient.

Then again, there are many public hospitals with modern technology and dedicated physicians who will patiently dedicate as much time as necessary. It is advisable that you check out Panama's public hospitals in advance to understand what you're getting into if choosing between public and private healthcare providers.

Healthcare in private hospitals

Panama is proud of various state-of-the-art private hospitals, many of which are associated with renowned facilities in the U.S. The best private hospitals in the country are in the capitol. The service is regarded as the highest levels of excellence in care and superior medical procedures, equipment, and technology. Among them, four affiliates with prominent U.S hospitals. They are Hospital Punta Pacifica, Centro Medico Paitilla, Hospital Nacional, and Clinica Hospital San Fernando.

1. Hospital Punta Pacifica

Hospital Punta Pacifica is the newest among the four and is considered the most technically advanced hospital in the whole Latin America. Located in a wealthy neighborhood in Panama City, the hospital has 101, beds with 52 private rooms and over 350 English speaking doctors and staff.

The hospital offers state-of-the-art diagnostics and advanced videoconferencing which facilitates authorized doctors around the world to watch operations, view and analyze patient data. Hospital Punta Pacifica is the only hospital and medical center in the Caribbean and Latin American region that affiliates with Johns Hopkins Medicine International. Johns Hopkins Medical Center is ranked the number 1st in the USA.

The following departments are included: cardiology, orthopedics, gastroenterology, dermatology, gynecology & obstetrics, chemotherapy, urology, endoscopy, pediatrics, neurology, physiotherapy, and oncology.

Website: www.hospitalpuntapacifica.com

E-mail: info@hpp.com.pa

2. Centro Medico Paitilla

This hospital boasts having the best-known Oncology Unit in Panama. It was founded in 1975 and has 166 beds. It was the only one out of two hospitals authorized to provide medical services for U.S military personnel and their families when the U.S military bases were operating in Panama.

Located near Avenida Balboa, Centro Medico Paitilla is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic where the two hospitals hold collaborative annual conferences in Panama for the past eight years.

The hospital has specialized attention for pediatrics, oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, neurology, and obstetrics & gynecology. They are renowned for open-heart surgery, cardiac catheterization, and orthopedic prostheses.

Website: www.centromedicopaitilla.com

E-mail: aclientes@cmpaitilla.com

3. Hospital Nacional

This hospital is run by the American Hospital Management Company. The company affiliates with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Kendall Medical Center in Florida. Hospital Nacional is located just 3 blocks from Balboa Avenue. It has 80 beds and is currently expanding to double its size.

The departments include: Medical Imaging (MRI, x-ray, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and fluoroscopy), mammography, bone densitometry, physical therapy, endoscopy, hemodialysis, angiography, and cardiologic exams (EKG, Holter monitor, echocardiography, and stress tests).

Website: www.hospitalnacional.com

E-mail: mercadeo@hospitalnacional.com

4. Clinica Hospital San Fernando

What stands out in this hospital is that they have an "international office" that helps expats who are unfamiliar with Spanish offering 24/7 bilingual service with assistance in hotel and airfare reservations as well as verifying benefits from insurance companies. The hospital even coordinates sightseeing tours through a local tour company. Established in 1949, this hospital has 159 beds.

Their specialties include orthopedics, hip and knee replacements, gastric bypass or LAP-BAND surgery, general surgery, LASIK eye surgery, and gallbladder removal.

The San Fernando Hospital affiliates with three prominent U.S hospitals: Miami Children's Hospital, Tulane University Health Services Center, and Baptist Health International of Miami. The hospital is located on Via España street.

The departments include: gynecology, obstetrics, oncology, urology, radiology and diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, respiratory medicine & allergies.

Website: www.hospitalsanfernando.com

E-mail: elewis@hospitalsanfernando.com

Hospital Plans

Many Panama expats find that Panama hospital membership plans are a better option than buying medical insurance. Panama hospital plans help limit the cost of diagnostic, hospital stays, surgery, and post-op therapy and treatments which puts expats at ease.

One popular hospital membership plan is provided by Hospital Chiriqui in David, a city of 100,000 in the interior. The membership benefits include a 50-70% discounts for most procedures. This is value added to the fact that the hospital is inexpensive to begin with. Hospital Chiriqui is a private, modern, and foreigner-friendly institute. It services expats living in the province of Chiriqui and as far away as Bocas del Toro.

Hospital San Fernando in Panama City also offers a similar membership plan.

Panama's Health Insurance

There are affordable health insurance options. There are HMO plans, which offer total reimbursements of services from providers within its local networks along with international plans which allow patients to obtain medical treatment from anywhere outside of Panama.

Note that many U.S health insurance plans are accepted in Panama.

Medical Tourism

Low costs of treatment and Panama's attractions make the country a hotspot for medical tourism. Many foreigners travel here to undergo expensive or even elective surgeries, since they can receive quality healthcare at a fraction of the cost, and many stay on to enjoy Panama's vacation destinations. For U.S citizens especially, the geographical proximity and ease of access is a bonus. Not to mention Panama's use of the U.S dollar as its currency and the fact that the medical procedures here can cost half of that in the U.S.

Panama as an international hub can be easily accessible from nearly anywhere of the world.

In addition to the high quality and low cost of Panama's health care, it is also a great place to recuperate. Panama has numerous spas and resorts which complement the recovery process, making it significantly easy to turn your medical procedure into the vacation you have been longing for.

Medical tourism companies make the process simple by arranging for essentially all aspect of the trip. The service includes booking everything from air travel to reserving accommodations to the medical procedure itself. As medical tourism industry continues to flourish, it only adds more positive effects to the quality of Panama's health care system as a whole.

If you are thinking about relocating to Panama, please contact us for personal consultation or call us at Panama: (507) 264-5302 or USA: (718) 407-0665