Healthcare and Health Insurance in Panama City, Panama

Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Panama City, Panama

Last updated on May 18, 2023

Summary: There are several hospitals and clinics in Panama City, Panama, including Hospital Punta Pacifica, Hospital Nacional, Hospital San Fernando, and Hospital Santa Fe. Emergency services in Panama City are generally reliable and ambulances can be called by dialing 911. The quality of medical care in Panama City is generally comparable to that of the United States, with many of the same treatments and technologies available.

How are healthcare services Panama City?

When we asked expats and global nomads about the quality of medical care in Panama City, they replied:

"Healthcare services in Panama City are provided by both public and private institutions. The public healthcare system is managed by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, and provides free or low-cost services to citizens. Private healthcare services are also available, and are generally of a higher quality than public services. These services are provided by a variety of hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. In addition, there are a number of specialized medical centers that offer specialized treatments and services. The city also has a number of pharmacies, which provide medications and other medical supplies," said one expat.

"Private hospital will do it like Pacificasalud or San Fernando. I had a Spontaneous Pneumothorax and my surgeon (an open heart surgeon) did the surgery by removing a "bulla" from my right lung so yes they have the same expertise as the USA. San Fernando is cheaper than Pacificasalud and my surgeon work at both hospitals. They also offer the surgery in Public (Santo Tomas) but I had to wait three weeks and could not wait that long so my surgery was done in San Fernando. Surgery went A1 with great follow-up," remarked one expat in Panama City.

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What are medical services in Panama City like?

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About the Author

Joshua Wood, LPC joined Expat Exchange in 2000 and serves as one of its Co-Presidents. He is also one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist.

Some of Joshua's articles include Pros and Cons of Living in Portugal, 10 Best Places to Live in Ireland and Pros and Cons of Living in Uruguay. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.