City life
Panama City
A city full of possibilities.
Ask which specialists, appointment languages, and payment arrangements fit your needs.
Explore the region Open the hospital reference guide01 / Finding care
New surroundings.
A familiar kind of care.
Finding your first clinic is easier when you know what to ask. Use these conversation starters to put your own needs at the center.
A LITTLE PREPARATION.
A BETTER CONVERSATION.
A BETTER CONVERSATION.
A little perspective
Put your care plans
on the map.
Choose a place. Prepare the right questions.
↔ Move across the map, or choose a place below.
Pacific coast
Coronado
Make room for sea air.
Confirm nearby services and how a referral or transfer would be arranged.
Explore the region Open the hospital reference guide
Chiriquí highlands
Boquete
Find your mountain rhythm.
Discuss ongoing appointments and travel between your home and your chosen provider.
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Chiriquí city life
David
An everyday base in the west.
Confirm provider services, appointment access, and arrangements for specialist referrals.
Explore the region Open the hospital reference guideAzuero peninsula
Chitré · Azuero
A different pace of life.
Ask about services in your exact town and the plan for care beyond the local area.
Explore the region Open the hospital reference guide
Mountain town
El Valle
A greener kind of everyday.
Check access to your regular medicines, appointments, and onward transport.
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Caribbean islands
Bocas del Toro
Life with a little more blue.
Discuss how transport, weather, and transfers would affect your personal care plan.
Explore the region Open the hospital reference guideTown markers are for orientation. Confirm routes and services locally.
Map sources
Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain). Town centers: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Selected and styled for this map. Region illustrations are conceptual.
Start with your priorities
What would make care
feel accessible to you?
Think about location, communication, your usual appointments, and the people you’d like involved. Take these questions to a clinic or hospital you’re considering.
- Care that fits your needsWhich services are available here, and who should I contact about my regular care?
- Language and communicationCan we discuss my care in my preferred language? Is interpretation available?
- Location and accessHow do I get there? Can the clinic accommodate my mobility or accessibility needs?
- Appointments and paymentHow do I book? What documents should I bring, and how can I confirm fees and payment arrangements?
Before the first appointment
Give your conversation
a little structure.
Make a question list
Write down what you want to understand and what matters most to you.
Ask about records
Check with the clinic about which records, prescriptions, and identification to bring.
Plan the follow-up
Ask how to get in touch afterward and how follow-up appointments are arranged.
From the field guide
Explore the guides.
How healthcare works
Find your bearings with CSS, MINSA, and private care in Panama.
Editorial review pendingHospitals, region by region
Explore the hospital directory, regional options, and questions to ask before an appointment.
Editorial review pending