What about the hospital in Volcan?

[SunsetSteve]

I will be exploring Volcan as a possible alternative to the higher costs of accoms in Boquete. Several comments (somewhere) have referred to an as-yet unopened new hospital building in Volcan. Does anyone have info as to the status of that facility?

[Dottie Atwater]

The hospital is open but with limited services. As far as I know, they are still lacking equipment and people to operate it. The emergency room is open part time.

[Jim Bondoux]

I believe the new Volcan facility is part of the Ministry of Health program to create 20 "First Care" centers in the interior of Panama. There is also a new one in Los Algarobbos that has just opened on the Boquete-David highway. These centers are intended to bring medical services to local, underserved communities. They consist of a first-aid emergency care room, imaging diagnostics, physical therapy and pharmacy. The examination rooms are mainly for interviewing and providing remote care via internet. To my knowledge, there are no beds, so they can't be considered true hospitals. The facilities are brand-new and staffing up seems to be slow and sputtering. Even when (or if) up and running as intended, it will be no more than a way station on the path to a real hospital.

[Gordon Bakke]

"Even when (or if) up and running as intended, it will be no more than a way station on the path to a real hospital."

I tend to agree with this. The "hospital" is, as of now, only open during daytime hours. Waiting rooms filled with young women & their babies.

Doctors are on a rotating basis, so you will never be certain which doctors are available.

Lab work, such as urine samples, needed for a diagnosis can only be submitted sometime before 8 A.M.

On the other hand, if emergencies that require a certain level of stabilization are required (fluids, for example) this can be offered, as can pharmaceuticals at a reduced price. The cost of seeing a doctor here is almost nothing.

[Brundageba]

Need a band aide during the day?...go to one.  Otherwise  services in the public hospitals big or small are very limited for emergencies.   They can treat common stuff like a cold.  They can diagnose a fracture but can't set it...that kind of thing.  Cheap however.  Cost me $1.00 for an xray of my knee and doctor to look at it to tell me he couldn't aspirate the blood out of it.  That was beyond his level of expertise.