How long will I have to wait for a doctor’s appointment in Belize?
Nikki Muschamp
Belize has a small population, which puts you at an advantage; generally you can walk into a doctor’s office in the morning to make an appointment and see him/her a couple hours later or in the early afternoon. Each hospital and major private clinics have an emergency room. If you are in a rural area in the country an emergency helicopter, a boat or an ambulance will pick you up.
My advice to be on the safe side is to call a day ahead before visiting the...
My advice to be on the safe side is to call a day ahead before visiting the...
Belize has a small population, which puts you at an advantage; generally you can walk into a doctor’s office in the morning to make an appointment and see him/her a couple hours later or in the early afternoon. Each hospital and major private clinics have an emergency room. If you are in a rural area in the country an emergency helicopter, a boat or an ambulance will pick you up.
My advice to be on the safe side is to call a day ahead before visiting the doctor’s office. That way, you can save some time waiting by leaving home at your convenience and be there in time for your appointment. For any major surgeries some are done right away or within the said week as long as you meet all requirements.
My advice to be on the safe side is to call a day ahead before visiting the doctor’s office. That way, you can save some time waiting by leaving home at your convenience and be there in time for your appointment. For any major surgeries some are done right away or within the said week as long as you meet all requirements.
Posted December 1, 2014
Phil Hahn - Carmelita Gardens
In Belize, you can pretty much walk in or make an appointment, but of course it depends on what you need done. Whether it’s dentistry or some other medical procedure that you need,you usually get an appointment within 24 hours. Emergencies of course are taken care of immediately. Getting access to healthcare locally is very easy and readily available. There is a clinic that opened up in Cayo a couple of years ago. The population of Cayo is...
In Belize, you can pretty much walk in or make an appointment, but of course it depends on what you need done. Whether it’s dentistry or some other medical procedure that you need,you usually get an appointment within 24 hours. Emergencies of course are taken care of immediately. Getting access to healthcare locally is very easy and readily available. There is a clinic that opened up in Cayo a couple of years ago. The population of Cayo is growing and so I have noticed now that there is a longer line at that clinic. You will be seen by a doctor. If it’s not an emergency and you just went there to see a doctor, you could just show up but you might have to wait in line a while.
There are other alternatives. There is a Seventh Day Adventist hospital out here as well. You can go to that hospital or to the local clinic.
(La Loma Luz, the Seventh- Day Adventist Hospital and Clinic in San ignacio, Belize, pictured.)
Posted May 11, 2015
Irma Quiroz-Yuque - Belize Vacation Homes
There is no wait for a doctor’s appointment in Belize. You just walk right in. However, if you make an appointment at the public clinic, they will tell you to be at the clinic at 8AM. When this happens, it is a good to get there at 7AM. The reason is that they tell everybody that their appointment is at 8 AM. So they generally have something like 10 people who show up for their 8 AM appointment, and it’s first come first serve. So, if you...
There is no wait for a doctor’s appointment in Belize. You just walk right in. However, if you make an appointment at the public clinic, they will tell you to be at the clinic at 8AM. When this happens, it is a good to get there at 7AM. The reason is that they tell everybody that their appointment is at 8 AM. So they generally have something like 10 people who show up for their 8 AM appointment, and it’s first come first serve. So, if you get there at 7 AM, you’ll be the first one in at 8 AM, rather than waiting along with everyone else who showed up at 8 AM. If you’re the 10th person to show up with everyone else at 8 AM, you’re probably looking at the afternoon as your appointment time so then you are there all the day long.
If you go to private hospitals, like the very good one in Belize City, then they are right on time. So if your appointment’s at 8 AM, then you will be seen at 8 AM. If your appointment’s at 10 AM, you’re seen at 10 AM.
The other thing that I like here in Belize comparing it with the States is that, in the States, I belonged to Kaiser health insurance. At Kaiser when you have your appointment, you had to wait sometimes; they weren’t always on time. And when you see the doctor at Kaiser, maybe you will have like a maximum of 5 minutes with the doctor. Here, the doctor will take his time, and explain things to you. If your treatment is needed right away, he can spend a half hour with you, 1 hour with you, whatever it takes. They take their time to deal with you and then move on to the next patient.
(Dr. Ernie Bodai of the Breast Health Center at Kaiser Permanente Sacramento raises money for breast cancer through the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, in which Belize is also participates, pictured.)
Posted October 20, 2015