I love the doctors here in Panama. They are so efficient and so good. My husband and I have been, for four years, amazed by how the doctors in Panama treat patients.
A few years ago, I went to a dermatologist in the United States because I had a melanoma on my leg. They cut it out, which left a little hole on my leg. Then a few years later, I found another one below my eye and I got so worried that I will have a big indentation on my face. Our dermatologist here in Panama did not remove it the way the US doctor did. My dermatologist here in Panama is also a plastic surgeon. He cut the melanoma below my eye and when the Band-Aid came off after a few days, I cannot even find a mark on my face!
Our dear friend moved here in Panama permanently almost 2 years ago and she had suffered with migraines and fibromyalgia for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 25 years. She was referred to a naturalist who is also an internist here in Panama. This doctor was a regular MD internist who does not believe in all the medications they give out in the United States. Right now, our friend is off any medications and does not have any more migraines. For 25 years, she has suffered with these illnesses and the doctors in the US could only give her more prescriptions, which are extremely expensive. When she came here, they took her off all the prescriptions. She only takes some natural prescriptions now and has no more migraines. We have gone places and done things together. She is a vibrant, wonderful person.
Here in Panama, the doctors are with you for one full hour. Commonly, they spend 15 to 30 minutes on the checkup and the next 30 minutes are spent connecting with the patients. You and your doctor will be sitting back, talking about restaurants, family, and how you are doing. They do not rush the patients through like a bunch of cattle.
In addition, every doctor here in Panama saves his or her patients' phone numbers on his cell phone. So, if you were sick at one time, they will call you in a day or two and ask how you are feeling. Since they also give out their phone numbers to their patients, you could call a doctor at any time and ask him a question. You do not have to wait several days for a return phone call from a doctor like you do in the US; here in Panama they will actually call you to check how you are feeling.
These doctors rotate their clinic times in different areas of Panama, too. They have clinics in Clinica Hospital San Fernando. They also go to the upscale areas of Coronado (1 hour away from Panama City by car), and Arraijan, Panama (less than 30 minutes away from the heart of Panama City by car). They do so in order to help other expat communities. Therefore, expats know that the same doctor will attend to them every Thursday (for example), once that doctor does his clinic hours in that area.
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