What are the quality of hospitals & medical services in David & Boquete?

[GARY F.]

What are the quality of the hospitals, medical services in David, Boquete and Volcan? What is the drive time from Boquete to David?

[COUNTRY EXPERT – LINDA CARD]

Hi there- thanks for posting your questions.

To answer the last one first, the drive between David and Boquete is 35 to 45 minutes, depending on your exact destination. The 4-lane highway makes it a very easy trip. For comparison, the drive between David and Volcan is about 60 to 75 minutes, and though it’s only a 2-lane road it’s a lovely drive.

The quality of medical services in David is generally very good. There are two full-service private hospitals (Hospital Chiriquí and Hospital Mae Lewis), as well as clinics, diagnostic services, specialists and MD offices. The private hospitals do all types of surgeries and the hospitals are well staffed. My husband was an in-patient at Hospital Chiriquí for two weeks and he received good care, equal to the US. I have friends who have had back, hip, shoulder and wrist surgeries, all with good results.

In Boquete and Volcan you will find a few MD offices and clinics, but no hospitals at present. There is a new facility in Volcan, and one under construction near Boquete, but they are not yet open for service to the public. Most folks come to David for their medical care. Also, Boquete has become a nexus for alternative medicine and healing arts recently, and you’ll find some interesting practitioners there.

For more unusual or delicate procedures it may be necessary or advisable to go to a hospital in Panama City. There are daily flights between David and the capital, or you can make the drive in about 6 or 7 hours.

I hope this information is helpful to you. Please post again if have more inquiries.

Best regards, Linda

[TIMOTHY A.]

I have a couple of additional questions along the same lines. What is the best area for someone who is wheelchair bound with limited mobility and is pain management one of the medical specialties provided? Thanks, Gayle

[COUNTRY EXPERT – LINDA CARD]

Hi Gayle- thanks for posting. While there is some awareness of and accommodation for handicap access in Panama, it is limited. Many shopping centers and stores have handicap access parking spaces, and urban areas have sidewalk ramps. Larger stores and shopping centers may have elevators, and most hotels have elevators. Wheelchair mobility may be a challenge due to curbs, steps and narrow doorways.

Panama City is probably the most accessible area of the country because it has more new buildings and there’s a greater awareness of the need. Public areas, such as the Cinta Costera, are more likely to have ramps and sidewalks are in better condition.

The medical facilities in Panama City are the most advanced in the country as well and you will find pain management specialists at the hospitals and affiliated clinics.

You can find more information about medical specialists and services in Panama at this site: http://www.healthpanama.com/
If you scroll down the page you’ll see the Panamanian Institute for Pain Treatment, for example.

I hope this helps and good luck with your research. Linda

[MOLLIANN STOCKS]

I have not seen any discussion regarding emergency services available, either in close proximity to a hospital, or in an area like Boquete, some distance from services. What does someone do in case of an emergency?? Are there any emergency response vehicles, EMT services, or anything similar?

Thanks for the information

[COUNTRY EXPERT – LINDA CARD]

Hi Molliann- thanks for posting your question here on the forum.

Panama does have emergency response services including EMT, fire and police units. We have a 911 system you can call, but the operators speak Spanish so it may be a challenge to non-Spanish speakers. Still, it is available and will respond to emergencies.

There are private ambulance companies and my next-door neighbor is an EMT who works for a local ambulance company. I know that both Hospital Chiriquí and Mae Lewis Hospital here in David have ambulances.

What I suggest to people who move here is to become established with a doctor, clinic or hospital where you live. Most doctors will give you their cell phone number, and you can get other numbers as well, for the hospital’s ambulance service, for example. If you ever have an emergency you’ll have the numbers to call. Your doctor will certainly know what to do in an emergency.

In Boquete there is a volunteer group called Alto al Crimen, or Stop the Crime. They formed to help the police more effectively solve local crimes (such as home break-ins) and have been very effective. They also saw the need for help with emergency services and created a hotline that anyone may call in an emergency. The hotline is managed by a bi-lingual young man and he is very capable of handling emergencies and getting help to people.

Here’s their website if you want to know more: http://www.altoalcrimen.org/

So we certainly do have emergency services, and as in any place you might live, it’s best to be as prepared as possible for any emergency by knowing who to call.

Hope this helps, Linda

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