1. What is medical tourism? 
2. What services are included?
3. Why should I consider medical or surgical procedures outside the US?
4. Is cost the most important factor that I should consider?
5. What is the typical cost difference of medical procedures abroad?
6. Why is medical care so much cheaper in certain countries?
7. How can I trust the quality of the foreign doctors?
8. How can I correspond with a doctor in a foreign country?
9. Are the hospitals safe?
10. Why should I choose Panama as my medical tourism destination?
11. Can you select or advise which doctors and/or hospitals to visit?
12. What if I don’t find the procedure that I am interest in on you website?
13. What if my family doctor advises against a medical procedure abroad?
14. How can it be safe to travel so far after a surgical procedure?
15. How do I know Pana-Health is a legitimate, ethical company?

What is medical tourism? top

Medical Tourism is a concept that is rapidly expanding in many countries. It can be defined as a type of tourism in which people travel to other countries to improve their health by getting medical, dental, and surgical care while at the same time they can experience a vacation and totally come into contact with the attractions of the country they are visiting. This new type of tourism has been increasing in demand as people living in countries such as the United States , Canada , and Europe are already well traveled. Patients have an excellent opportunity to seek top quality procedures outside the US , where they can recover in anonymity and luxury at more affordable rates.

What services are included? top

There are a host of services offered by Pana-Health . We will walk you through the entire process. You need not be aware of anything about the medical tourism process other than your wish to receive a medical procedure. Just follow this link to receive more information http://www.pana-health.com/contact-us.html.

Why should I consider medical or surgical procedures outside the US ? top

The cost of the medical procedures in Panama is generally 50 percent less expensive than the same procedures in the US . This cost differential enables you the opportunity to have a vacation in an exotic country, recover in a 4 to 5 star resort in complete anonymity, and then return home having spent less than the procedure alone in the US. And most expenses can be tax deductible, according to the IRS website.

Is cost the most important factor that I should consider? top

Absolutely not, however, cost is always an important factor to consider when seeking medical care. If you work with Pana-Health , we will assist you in finding the doctors and facilities that will be much less expensive than in the US . However, you should not travel for surgical procedures because they are cheap.  We can inform you about where you will find the best doctors and hospitals to perform your surgical procedure and save money.

What is the typical cost difference of medical procedures in Panama ? top

The difference in price depends upon the medical procedure you choose. In reviewing the cost of many procedures in the US , versus the same ones performed in Panama , costs are typically 50 lower. The greatest cost savings in coming to panama, as compared to Asia , would be found in dental, plastic surgery, and orthopedics procedures.

Why is medical care so much cheaper in certain countries? top

Although Panama has imitated the American health care system in terms of quality and technology, it has not adopted their legal system completely. Liability is a big concern for some travelers. Under Panamanian laws the doctor is responsible for his/her professional outcome. What you will not find is the so called payment for “punitive damage” in the order of millions of dollars in the rare case of a malpractice issue. This reduces the costs of malpractice insurences and, therefore, the final cost of the procedure. In addition to this insurance, certain economies are at different stages of development than the US . This absolutely does not mean that their healthcare technologies and institutions are behind the US . In fact, most of the private hospitals in Panama use exactly the same, or better equipment and instruments as the most advanced hospitals in the US .

How can I trust the quality of the foreign doctors? top

To begin with, the most important service that Pana-Health provides is that its members have all being chosen by peer recommendation and gone under peer review, of their credentials and background, before been invited to become a part of our team. We will provide you with resumes of all our providers. If you are still not comfortable, we will work to provide you with the information about the doctors that is important to you.

Additionally, many of the doctors in our network were educated in the US . Some are even licensed to practice in  the US and/or are Board Certified in the US , by their respective specialty societies.

How can I correspond with a doctor in a foreign country? top

As part of our service, we will help facilitate the initial consultation between you and the doctor. Additional correspondence before traveling can be conducted via phone and/or email. For cosmetic surgery, the doctors will want to see images of the designated regions for surgery. For dental therapies, our doctors will need to see x-rays, photos and/or treatment plans that have already been given to you (they do not need to see the estimate cost that was given to you). These images can easily be sent via email through our secure system.

Are the hospitals safe? top

All our hospitals in Panama have accreditation from the Panamanian government and non-government entities. Most of them have affiliations to internationally recognized institutions such as Cleveland Clinic, Baptist Hospital of Miami, Miami Children’s Hospital, Tulane Medical Center , Johns Hopkins, amongst others. We will do all that we can to insure that you are comfortable with the hospitals that you review.

Why should I choose Panama as my medical tourism destination? top

That is an excellent question since there are many countries around the world that provide medical care at a fraction of the cost in the US . Panama is a country with the most established most experience and highest quality medical/dental services in the global medical tourism sector. Panama is a safe country, it is closer to your hometown than other destinations (2-5 hour flight), it is in the same time zone (or very close to it) as you are, English is widely spoken, the American Dollar is legal tender, it is culturally more similar to the US than most other destinations, and you do not need a visa to come to Panama. All these are important, but the most important part is that healthcare professionals in Panama are amongst the best in Latin America . Not to mention our natural beauties and the Panama Canal , wich you might want to visit during your stay.

Can you select or advise which doctors and/or hospitals to visit? top

Our sole purpose is to provide you with the necessary tools and information to make an informed and educated choice about medical tourism packages. We absolutely will not encourage, advise, advocate or underwrite any of the doctors or healthcare facilities in our network. We will facilitate your research and provide answers to multitude of questions that you may have.

What if I don’t find the procedure that I am interest in on you website? top

If you are interested in or require a certain procedure that is not listed on our website, please contact us so that we may assist you in your search. Our network covers a wide spectrum of medical procedures, from the least invasive procedures (as Spas and massages) to the most advanced procedures (such as cancer therapy and cardiovascular surgery).

What if my family doctor advises against a medical procedure abroad? top

Such advice is certainly to be expected. Rest assured that the US is not the only country that has rigorous healthcare standards and strong patient rights. Panamanian standards are very high, in some cases they are above those in the US . Please remember that your doctor might not know many things about Panama ’s private health system, (or other countries abroad), and some hesitation is to be expected. If your doctor wishes to speak with the doctor you choose to see, please do not hesitate to ask us. We are sure your doctor will have a pleasant communication and understanding with our doctors, since they all have received similar training.

How can it be safe to travel so far after a surgical procedure?top

Your travel plans will be entirely dictated by the surgical procedure you select. Many procedures that are non-invasive and will enable you fly out the same day as the procedure. Once you select a procedure, we inform you about the recommended recuperation time required before return travel. Please bear in mind that Panama is closer to your hometown than New York could be form San Francisco , and that there are daily flights to/from US mayor destinations, at least once a day!

How do I know Pana-Health is a legitimate, ethical company? top

Pana-Health has been in existence since 2003 and has had an international presence ever since. Our company is a member of the Panamanian American Chamber of Commerce (http://www.panamcham.com/), as well as an associate with most American Medical Tourism facilitating companies. We have worked closely with the Panamanian Bureau of Tourism (http://www.visitpanama.com/eng/page.php?page=medical) and are one of the pioneer companies in Latin America to facilitate patients a safe treatment and a fantastic tourist experience.