How good are the medical centers, hospitals and health clinics in the Pedasi, Azuero, Panama area, and how close are they?
Gal Orbach - Dekel Development / ANDROMEDA OCEAN ESTATES / BLUE PLAYA VENAO / BELLAMAR
In addition to our local clinic right here
in Pedasi center, we have a new Class A hospital, about to open in 6 months, just outside town.
in Pedasi center, we have a new Class A hospital, about to open in 6 months, just outside town. In addition to our local clinic right here in Pedasi center, we have a new Class A hospital, about to open in 6 months, just outside town.
in Pedasi center, we have a new Class A hospital, about to open in 6 months, just outside town. Posted January 14, 2014
Nelson Vega
Although Pedasi has gained attention in recent 
years as a tourist destination and place to retire, the town is still very small, with the result that health centers and medical facilities are not quite developed yet.
years as a tourist destination and place to retire, the town is still very small, with the result that health centers and medical facilities are not quite developed yet. The map top the right shows the location of Pedasi on the Azuero Peninsula.
However, Las Tablas (the capital city of Los Santos province) is just 20 minutes from Pedasi by road. In Las Tablas for sure you will find good...
Although Pedasi has gained attention in recent years as a tourist destination and place to retire, the town is still very small, with the result that health centers and medical facilities are not quite developed yet.
years as a tourist destination and place to retire, the town is still very small, with the result that health centers and medical facilities are not quite developed yet. The map top the right shows the location of Pedasi on the Azuero Peninsula.
However, Las Tablas (the capital city of Los Santos province) is just 20 minutes from Pedasi by road. In Las Tablas for sure you will find good doctors both in public or private clinics either for emergency or consultations. Chitre (the capital city of Herrera province) is only 20 minutes after Las Tablas. whatever you do not find in Las Tablas relative to healthcare, you will most likely find in Chitre, which is a slightly bigger city yet.
The entire area is growing rapidly, which for sure will bring in the near term more development of healthcare availability to this region.
Posted January 28, 2014
Col Davis Stevenson RET
One will find that the medical care in the Pedasi area is not really that great. Pedasi is a small town with some medical facilities. If one has a major problem the nearest hospitals will be in Las Tablas or in Chitre. These facilities usually are under the Panama Social Security System. If one has a real major medical problem he or she would be evacuated to Panama City where there are several excellent hospitals. Within the last couple of years one of the major private hospitals has...
One will find that the medical care in the Pedasi area is not really that great. Pedasi is a small town with some medical facilities. If one has a major problem the nearest hospitals will be in Las Tablas or in Chitre. These facilities usually are under the Panama Social Security System. If one has a real major medical problem he or she would be evacuated to Panama City where there are several excellent hospitals. Within the last couple of years one of the major private hospitals has opened a facility in Coronado which is within a couple of hours of Pedasi.
Posted February 11, 2014
James Thomas - Ponchalos Restaurant
Health care is very affordable and decent in Pedasi, Panama. Just recently, a new medium-sized medical center was built in Pedasi, which is great for the community. It can treat any medical problem and has emergency room capabilities.
Las Tablas (which is where I live) is the closest larger city to Pedasi, about 40 minutes away by car. In Las Tablas, we have a full hospital with specialists in every medical field.
Health care is very affordable and decent in Pedasi, Panama. Just recently, a new medium-sized medical center was built in Pedasi, which is great for the community. It can treat any medical problem and has emergency room capabilities.
Las Tablas (which is where I live) is the closest larger city to Pedasi, about 40 minutes away by car. In Las Tablas, we have a full hospital with specialists in every medical field.
Posted June 23, 2014
Manuel Baruco
There is a Center of Primary Attention in the center of Pedasi, provided by the Ministry of Health. The emergency room has a lot of equipment and they are well trained.
Because of the amount of people who now live in Pedasi and the amount of people who are projected to move to Pedasi, the government started building a new US $6 million hospital that is almost finished.
If an emergency happens, you would go first to the local facility, and if you need to...
Because of the amount of people who now live in Pedasi and the amount of people who are projected to move to Pedasi, the government started building a new US $6 million hospital that is almost finished.
If an emergency happens, you would go first to the local facility, and if you need to...
There is a Center of Primary Attention in the center of Pedasi, provided by the Ministry of Health. The emergency room has a lot of equipment and they are well trained.
Because of the amount of people who now live in Pedasi and the amount of people who are projected to move to Pedasi, the government started building a new US $6 million hospital that is almost finished.
If an emergency happens, you would go first to the local facility, and if you need to be transferred, they will take you to the new hospital that they are building in Chitre, 50 minutes to an hour away from Pedasi, called Anita Moreno Hospital. Anita Moreno Hospital will be one of the largest hospitals of its kind in all of Central America, I believe, and will have everything.
Because of the amount of people who now live in Pedasi and the amount of people who are projected to move to Pedasi, the government started building a new US $6 million hospital that is almost finished.
If an emergency happens, you would go first to the local facility, and if you need to be transferred, they will take you to the new hospital that they are building in Chitre, 50 minutes to an hour away from Pedasi, called Anita Moreno Hospital. Anita Moreno Hospital will be one of the largest hospitals of its kind in all of Central America, I believe, and will have everything.
Posted July 31, 2014
Jose Enriques Flores S. - Panama Discover Expeditions
There is a hospital that is being built right now in Pedasi. They are still waiting for some equipment to be brought here. There is a government-run hospital called Centro de Salud (health center) where you can go for any kind of emergency. They have doctors over there who are available 24 hours a day. Even expats can use the services of this hospital. They care for anybody who needs medical attention. The only difference of the Centro de Salud from other hospitals in big cities is...
There is a hospital that is being built right now in Pedasi. They are still waiting for some equipment to be brought here. There is a government-run hospital called Centro de Salud (health center) where you can go for any kind of emergency. They have doctors over there who are available 24 hours a day. Even expats can use the services of this hospital. They care for anybody who needs medical attention. The only difference of the Centro de Salud from other hospitals in big cities is that we only have general doctors over there so if you need care from a specialist, you will have to go to Las Tablas or Chitre which are about 40-45minutes away from Pedasi by car.
Generally, you can go to Centro de Salud for emergencies and get checked by a general doctor. The general doctor will stabilize you depending on your condition and will refer you to a specialist if special attention is needed. The general doctors can also send you to the bigger hospitals in an ambulance, depending on the situation.
It’s extremely cheap to go to the Centro de Salud. About a month ago, a surfer had an accident in the beach. He got on a big wave but he hit some rocks towards the shore. He cut his lip after hitting the rocks and he was bleeding profusely so we gave him a towel to put over his mouth and took him to Centro de Salud. The doctors gave him first aid to stabilize his condition and sent him in an ambulance to Las Tablas. The doctors in Las Tablas fixed his lip and gave him medications. He was then sent to the billing station. This guy doesn’t speak any Spanish so I went on to ask how much the bill was. The cashier said it is US $5. So I translated and told him the charge was $5. He asked to clarify if they meant $50 or $500. I told him, “No. It’s just $5.” He couldn’t believe it! According to him, in America, a doctor may charge you $300 just for checking your eyes.
That $5 already included everything; from being seen first in Centro de Salud in Pedasi, being seen by a specialist in Las Tablas, and for the stitches, which is the procedure they had to do to fix his lip. There was no charge for the ambulance ride from Pedasi to Las Tablas. So that guy was really surprised when I told him that $5 was all he had to pay, but it’s true. That’s the charge.
I explained to him that this is the benefit of going to the public hospital. The government pays about 70% of the charges and you’ll only have to pay the remaining 30%, so it becomes extremely affordable for people to go to these hospitals.
Retirees in Pedasi who need medicine prescriptions go to the Centro de Salud to see a doctor and they pay $2. Even expats also go to Centro de Salud.
There are private doctors in Pedasi such as dentists, cardiologists and the like but they charge higher. Sometimes doctors from Las Tablas drive to Pedasi to do a house call. They charge about $100 per hour. But if it is not that urgent, it is better for people to drive to Las Tablas and go to a clinic and only pay $30 for the doctor’s fees.
Posted September 9, 2014
Connie Moller - Animals Advocates Pedasi
Although a small hospital has been built just outside of town in Pedasi, it has not opened as of yet. There is a health center (Centro Salud) in town that anyone can go to. They provide urgent care, emergency services, health education, referrals, checkups, etc. at a very low cost (average $2 to see the doctor). There is also Farmacia Edith, a small pharmacy nearby that will fill prescriptions and sells a little bit of everything that larger chain pharmacies sell.
...
Although a small hospital has been built just outside of town in Pedasi, it has not opened as of yet. There is a health center (Centro Salud) in town that anyone can go to. They provide urgent care, emergency services, health education, referrals, checkups, etc. at a very low cost (average $2 to see the doctor). There is also Farmacia Edith, a small pharmacy nearby that will fill prescriptions and sells a little bit of everything that larger chain pharmacies sell.
Most prescriptions, unless controlled substance narcotic, are over-the-counter and can be purchased as a single pill or by the box with 20% discount for jubilados (seniors).
Posted February 27, 2015
Robert Shapland
Some of the answers I'm seeing here are outdated our outright incorrect. I'd like to update, clarify, or correct some. 1. Several mention the new hospital in Pedasi. As of May 2016, it is still not in operation. It was completed some time (more than a year) ago, but my understanding is that it was one of former President Martinelli's infrastructure projects and funding for equipping and staffing the hospital was not put in place. My hopes are...
Some of the answers I'm seeing here are outdated our outright incorrect. I'd like to update, clarify, or correct some. 1. Several mention the new hospital in Pedasi. As of May 2016, it is still not in operation. It was completed some time (more than a year) ago, but my understanding is that it was one of former President Martinelli's infrastructure projects and funding for equipping and staffing the hospital was not put in place. My hopes are that current President Varela will do something about that, but that's just a hope. I have no information as to whether it is even being considered. In the meantime, we do have the public clinic, open 24 hours a day, which we have been to one time for an earache. The female physician my wife saw spoke a little English and was very nice. Cost was $2! Another hard to believe item is that our local pharmacy is open until 11 p.m. most days.
2. One post said Coronado is only two hours from Pedasi. I'd say it is at least 3 and that would require exceeding posted speed limits.
3. Another post said Las Tablas is onlly 20 minutes from Pedasi. More like 40, again breaking the speed limit.
Posted May 27, 2016
Robert Shapland
A brief update: Since my last post, Pedasi's local clinic has moved into the hospital building that was constructed a couple of years ago. I haven't been there, so I can't say what it is like, but suspect that it is still a basic clinic and not a true hospital facility at this point.
A brief update: Since my last post, Pedasi's local clinic has moved into the hospital building that was constructed a couple of years ago. I haven't been there, so I can't say what it is like, but suspect that it is still a basic clinic and not a true hospital facility at this point.
Posted September 5, 2016