Affordable Healthcare: One of the main concerns of anyone relocating abroad is health care. There is an antiquated perception that the healthcare system in Central America is archaic. Thankfully, leeches and bloodletting are as alien to Panamanians as using turn signals on a car.
While state-run hospitals in Panama can offer subpar care, private hospitals in the country offer some of the best medical care available worldwide.
In addition, a large number of doctors are fluent in English because they received their education and training in Canada or the US.
You can get the necessary medical care here, regardless of your needs. The time and care that doctors spend with you are very different from the hectic atmosphere of the United States, and the prices are extremely competitive.
Here are your best options in-country if you need to be close to top-tier medical facilities. The one disadvantage of health care in Panama is the lack of options in rural areas.
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1. Herrera Province’s Chitré
The capital of the province of Herrera, Chitré, is growing quickly. Just a short drive from the city center are several private and public clinics, as well as first-rate public hospitals.
Clínica Dr. Venancio Villareal and Clínica San Juan Bautista are the two best private clinics.
Two public hospitals provide excellent care at no cost (or very low cost).
2. Chitré Hospitals
All patients receiving care at Hospital General Cecilio A. Castillero are not charged for their treatment.
Free medical care is offered to locals and citizens with Panamanian Social Security at Hospital Gustavo Nelson Collado. The cost is $1 for a consultation and $15 per day without Social Security. There is an ICU there as well.
Public Hospital Hospital Regional de Azuero in La Villa de Los Santos is affiliated with Johns Hopkins.
With or without insurance, all treatment is provided for free, with a focus on heart attacks and heart disease. Some of the doctors speak English, and they are all very good.
Clínica DentiAzuero, Clínica de Odontologia José Villalaz, and Clínica Dental Cambara Calderon are some of your dentistry and orthodontics options.
There are also available massage therapists, physical therapists, and optometrists.
3. Panama City and San Francisco
The greatest place in Panama to live a calm, suburban, urban lifestyle is San Francisco. With a mix of single-family homes and high-rise apartments, this neighborhood is quickly becoming middle-, upper-middle-, and upper-class.
The two best private hospitals in Panama are located in San Francisco’s corregimiento.
Reliability to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States, Hospital Punta Pacífica provides exceptional care in urology, cardiology, orthopedics, physical therapy, gynecology and obstetrics, nephrology, endocrinology, and other specialties.
Another top-notch medical facility is Hospital Paitilla, which houses numerous departments including cardiology, plastic surgery, dermatology, endocrinology, speech therapy, gastroenterology, geriatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology.
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In addition, both locations provide general surgery, internal medicine, and specialty surgery, such as heart and brain surgeries. You’ll be in excellent hands at Hospital Paitilla or Hospital Punta Pacífica for any health concerns you may have. They have doctors who speak English and state-of-the-art equipment.
Reputably ranked among the top medical facilities in Latin America is Hospital Punta Pacífica.
San Francisco is home to numerous private clinics that employ both general practitioners and specialists. You won’t have to travel outside of San Francisco to obtain the care you require if you’re looking for a chiropractor, physical therapist, allergist, dentist, orthodontist, reproductive specialist, mental health professional, or another type of Affordable Healthcare provider.
The neighborhood is filled with pharmacies if you need prescription drugs.
San Francisco provides medical care for all age groups and conditions.
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The Panamanian Medical Care Cost
In general, medical care in Panama is inexpensive.
Like everything else in the nation, medical expenses are higher in Panama City; however, even in the capital, a visit to the doctor should not cost more than $50.
In Panama City, clinics provide high-quality, full-service care at a reasonable $30 per consultation.
Panama has both public and private Affordable Healthcare systems. Panama guarantees access to medical facilities for both its citizens and any visiting foreigners who may require them.
Panama’s Public and Private Healthcare Systems
The Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health) or the Caja de Seguro Social (Social Security System) is in charge of the public institutions.
Within the Social Security system, hospitals and clinics provide free medical care and prescription drugs to working Panamanians.
The Ministry of Health provides Affordable Healthcare or even free healthcare to unemployed Panamanians. Foreigners and the majority of wealthy Panamanians typically favor private hospitals.
If you can afford it, going private will provide you with very high-quality medical care. The facilities are excellent, and waiting times are very short (surgery can often be scheduled within a day or two).
Additionally, costs are far lower than in the United States; according to numerous reports, the cost of treatment in Panama was about 10% of that of the United States.
