Country Article / Postcards

A Visit to a Third-World Hospital

Date: 12/14/2006

During spring break (I’m retired from the U.S. Postal Service, and have been pursuing a degree from East Tennessee State University) I headed south to Panama, to verify my retirement research. I immediately fell in love with this country and what it has to offer (fishing, golfing, and island-hopping…I may even visit the nude beach on Contadora.)

My favorite food is seafood. Yes, the food in Panama is great, but I recommend you don’t eat the warm raw oysters (as I did) at a restaurant near Santa Clara right off the Pan-American Highway.

At first, I thought I could wait out the warm oyster’s disastrous affect to my stomach, but I was wrong. I didn’t want to receive medical care in Panama--after all, this is Latin America.

But my friend Edwin assured me that going to the hospital was no big deal. He came with me to act as translator. (Edwin’s mother also came along to make sure nothing bad happened to her guest.)

When we got to the hospital, I started to get worried again, maybe I could wait out the oysters and avoid what was certain to be a horrible Third World hospital? But it was too late to turn away. And thank goodness--after entering the front door, it was as if I had entered an American clinic.

It was early morning and three patients were ahead of me. The nurse called my name after about 25 minutes. My vitals were taken by the nurse, and she sent me to a small room just like you would expect in America. I now wished I came here sooner instead of trying to suffer it out. Everyone except the doctor was dressed in white uniforms, which made him easy to identify when he called in.

After a few questions, the doctor examined the skin on my chest and stomach, and asked about medical allergies. Then the nurse brought me to another room where I got three shots. After about 20 minutes I started to feel better, just in time to worry about how much all this was going to cost.

At the reception desk, I figured if the bill was $200, it was worth it for the relief from the terrible discomfort and pain. I was in shock to receive a bill for only $7.46.

Needless to say, this dumb American will never again suffer when a routine trip to the hospital will cure all.

William Cutshall
For International Living

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P.S. It was only after leaving the hospital, I realized I could have used my 10% pensionado visa discount. What the heck, a 75 cent tip was well worth it.

Editor’s note: It's never been hotter in this tiny Central American country: 107 building projects under construction...Donald Trump's $220 million luxury oceanfront tower...the "YES" vote to expand the Panama Canal (and the 7,000 new jobs it will create)...and that's just the beginning. You can either get in now, or wish you did five years from today. Join us this January, and we'll show you how to get in on the "Latin American Boom" in Panama--before it's too late. Click here for more info.