Source: https://panamamedicalhub.com/guides/en/hospitals-directory-panama/
Language: English
Source edition: 2026-10-22. Original source review pending. Reader editorial update: 2026-10-22; this does not imply a new owner review or medical/legal review. Source checks are dated separately.

## Key points and your next step

Explore the hospital directory, regional options, and questions to ask before an appointment.

- Use this guide to prepare a conversation; confirm the requirements that apply to you.
- Figures and contacts in the source document are not current quotes or independent site verification.
- Record the date, who answered, and written confirmation before acting.

### Coverage clarification

CMS requires Medicare Advantage members to live in their plan’s service area. Overseas emergency benefits do not establish eligibility for someone living permanently in Panama. Confirm your situation with the plan. [CMS eligibility guidance](https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/managed-care-eligibility-enrollment). Source check for this clarification: 2026-10-14.

# Private Hospitals in Panama: A Directory for Senior Expats

*Source’s stated verification: October 2026. Phones and programs change — always call before you travel.*

This directory covers the hospitals senior expats actually use, city by city. Two warnings apply to **every** hospital on this list, so we put them first.

## ⚠️ Warning 1: Emergency rooms ask for money BEFORE treatment

Panama's private hospitals typically require a **payment guarantee or deposit before starting treatment — even in emergencies** — if you don't have insurance they can verify. Deposits reported by expats run into five figures: one relocation-company founder paid **$15,000 upfront** for a 9-day COVID hospitalization, and emergency cases with $20,000–$40,000 prepaid are cited. Panamanian law does require hospitals not to turn away emergencies regardless of ability to pay, but for anything non-emergency expect upfront payment or confirmed insurance pre-authorization.

**Practical advice:** carry a high-limit credit card, and if you have US Medicare Advantage, pre-register with the direct-billing programs described below — that is exactly the workaround for the deposit wall at participating hospitals.

## ⚠️ Warning 2: Medicare Advantage direct billing changes fast

Since 2025, several Panamanian hospitals work with billing companies (Lakeside Medical Group, Amexcare) that verify your Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and issue a **Guarantee of Payment (GOP)** to the hospital — so you don't prepay for covered emergencies. Current status (October 2026):

| Hospital | MA direct billing status |
|---|---|
| Centro Médico Mae Lewis (David) | **Active** — Amexcare guarantee of payment, no upfront cost for qualified patients; the site owner reports more flexible ER visits (October 2026) |
| Hospital Chiriquí (David) | **Active** — rated most reliable; most patients pay only the ~$115–130 deductible |
| MiniMed Hospital (Panama City) | **Active** — pre-register free at lakemedicalgroup.com |
| The Panama Clinic (Panama City) | **Active but restricted** — only if you have lived in Panama **less than 6 months**; some arbitrary refusals reported |
| Pacífica Salud (Punta Pacífica / Costa del Este) | **SUSPENDED (March 2026)** |
| Hospital Santa Fe (Panama City) | **CANCELLED** after third-party facilitator problems |

⚠️ **Re-check quarterly.** Hospital participation is volatile — two hospitals exited within the past year. MA abroad covers **emergency and urgent care only**, not routine care; PPO plans with worldwide-emergency riders are the reliable path (HMO members must verify their Evidence of Coverage). Pre-registration is free and strongly advised *before* any emergency.

---

## Panama City hospitals

### Pacífica Salud — Hospital Punta Pacífica & Hospital Costa del Este

Panama's flagship private hospital. Punta Pacífica campus opened 2006; Costa del Este campus (Town Center) opened February 2022. JCI-accredited since 2011 (fourth consecutive Gold Seal in 2021) and Central America's first JCI-certified stroke program. Affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International since 2006 — note this is a **knowledge-transfer affiliation; Johns Hopkins does not own or run the hospital**. ~300 beds, 14 operating rooms, 24-hour ER with on-site emergency specialists (a claim no other Panamanian hospital makes), robotics division, ECMO. About 90% of specialists trained in the US or Europe; English throughout. **Phone: 204-8000; ER: 204-8185.** ⚠️ Its Medicare Advantage direct-billing program was **suspended in March 2026** — pay-and-claim only for now.

### Clínica Hospital San Fernando

Founded 1949 — Panama's first private hospital — and the **first hospital in Panama to earn JCI accreditation (August 3, 2011)**. Strong orthopedics and surgery; historically US-affiliated (Tulane, Baptist Health South Florida); slightly cheaper than Punta Pacífica. **Phone: 305-6300 (dial #2 for English); ER: 305-6305; international insurance liaison: 305-6408.**

**The Coronado satellite — read this carefully if you live on the beach corridor:** Clínica San Fernando Coronado (Av. Roberto Eisenmann, Coronado; WA 6379-2321) offers urgent care, lab, X-ray/bone densitometry and ambulatory surgery. ⚠️ It is a **clinic, not a hospital**: official lab/radiology hours are roughly business hours (Mon–Sat, ~7–8 a.m. to 3–4 p.m. — marketing claims of "24/7" conflict with the official site), there is **no ICU**, and anything serious means a 60–75 minute transfer to Panama City. Treat it as a good urgent-care and diagnostics stop, not an emergency backstop. The announced **Hospital Costa Verde** would change this equation, but its opening was unverified as of October 2026.

### The Panama Clinic

Modern high-complexity hospital in the Pacific Center complex (Torre B, Punta Pacífica/Obarrio edge; opened ~2021). 60+ rooms, 12 ICU beds, 610+ affiliated specialists, 3-Tesla MRI, PET-CT, Da Vinci Xi surgical robot; attached Marriott Residence Inn for medical travelers. TEMOS and Planetree accredited (not JCI — reportedly in process). First private hospital in Panama accredited for bone-marrow transplants (2025). **Phone: 310-1111; ER: 310-1121.** MA direct billing **only for residents of less than 6 months**.

### Hospital Paitilla (Centro Médico Paitilla / Hospiten)

Founded 1975; part of Spain's Hospiten Group since 2018. **The oncology anchor** of Panama City — surgical oncology, chemo, immunotherapy, radiotherapy — plus strong cardiology, neurosurgery and a respected ICU; historical Cleveland Clinic affiliation. Not JCI-accredited. ⚠️ Recent reviews complain of unanswered phones and appointment slippage. Calle 53 Este, Marbella. **Phone: 265-8800; ER: 265-8888.**

### Hospital Nacional

Founded 1973; current building on Av. Cuba (Calles 38–39) opened 1998, integrated with the 110-office Centro Médico Nacional. ~78–80 beds; ISO 15189-accredited lab; dedicated International Insurances Department; bilingual team with English medical reports; **generally cheaper than Punta Pacífica for equivalent services**. **Phone: 207-8100; international office: 207-8354.**

### Hospital Santa Fe

Founded 1980; Av. Frangipani y Simón Bolívar. 24/7 ER, ICU, cardiac catheterization unit, rehabilitation. Home of the famous **Plan Médico de la Tercera Edad** — hospital-only insurance with no age cap (see our insurance article). Accepts Tricare, Kaiser Permanente, Cigna. ⚠️ Its MA direct-billing program was **cancelled** in 2026 after facilitator problems. **Phone: 360-7400.**

### MiniMed network

Panama's largest private health network: **14 clinics plus a full-service hospital** on Tumba Muerto Avenue (24/7 ER, MRI/CT, ICU, surgery), 45,000+ patients a month, plus 27 national correspondents from Bocas to Chiriquí; new clinics announced for Costa Verde, Chitré and David, and a second hospital under construction. The **$22/month Expat Health Membership** (no age limits, no pre-existing exclusions) covers unlimited GP visits, labs and imaging — but **not hospitalization**. Since August 2025, MiniMed offers **direct billing for Medicare Advantage, Kaiser, GEHA, BCBS Federal, and veteran insurances** via Lakeside Medical Group at all locations; free pre-registration at lakemedicalgroup.com (you cannot register at the clinics). **Phone: 263-6464; WhatsApp: 6927-9912.**

---

## Western Panama (David / Boquete)

### Centro Médico Mae Lewis (David)

Founded 1993; western Panama's reference private hospital for more than 30 years: 24/7 ER, ICU, surgery, imaging, 24-hour pharmacy. Since **March 2025** it belongs to Costa Rica's **Grupo Montecristo**, owner of Costa Rica's Hospital Metropolitano, which is investing in new equipment and a new doctors' tower. Allied with billing firm **Amexcare** (July 2025) for Medicare Advantage, US private, and many Canadian and European policies — emergencies and urgent care, with no upfront cost for qualified patients; pre-register by emailing your insurance card and ID to **vob@amexcare.com** (renew the verification each calendar year). **Veterans:** accepts **TRICARE** and the **VA Foreign Medical Program (FMP)** (confirmed by phone with the hospital by the site owner, October 2026); see guide 23. The site owner also reports more flexible ER visits as of October 2026. In **September 2026** the hospital held a free health expo for expats in Boquete with its international billing partners. **Phone: 775-4616; WhatsApp: 6550-3420.**

### Hospital Chiriquí (David)

The leading private hospital of western Panama and the hospital of choice for Boquete and Volcán expats (30–45 min from Boquete). 140+ doctors, 24/7 ER, ICU, cardiac cath lab, CT imaging, dialysis; recently expanded operating theaters and ICU. **Currently the gold standard for MA direct billing in Panama** — a local Medicare agent's 2026 audit rated it #1, with most clients paying only the ~$115–130 deductible. Many bilingual specialists. **Phone: 774-0127/774-0128; WhatsApp: 6780-0950.**

---

## The interior: Azuero, Santiago, Colón

### Clínica Especializada de Azuero (Chitré)

The official clinic website lists PH Medical Plaza, Chitré, telephone +507 915-0500, and a 24-hour emergency department. [Clínica Especializada de Azuero](https://clinicadeazuero.com/) — webpage checked 2026-10-22. Confirm language assistance, accessibility and payment directly. This replaces the conflicting address/phone warning in the original research.

### Santiago (Veraguas)

Anchored by the public **Hospital Regional Dr. Luis "Chicho" Fábrega** (MINSA, 24-hr ER, tel 958-2300) plus basic private clinic-hospitals (Jesús Nazareno, San Juan de Dios). Verdict from expat sources: **adequate for emergencies; complex cases are transferred to Panama City.** ⚠️ The public hospital has only one ophthalmologist and one ENT for the entire non-insured population — expect long specialist waits.

### Colón — the new Hospital Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero

The big Caribbean-corridor development: a **new 474-bed public hospital** (13 operating rooms, 87 consultorios, 30 hemodialysis stations, MRI) opened to patients in **December 2025** after a decade of stalled construction, and is now run by MINSA as a showcase of CSS–MINSA integration. It materially upgrades emergency care for the region — though Colón itself remains a security caution zone for expats.

---

## Quick-reference contact table

| Facility | City | Phone (+507) | One-line note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacífica Salud Punta Pacífica | Panama City | 204-8000 / ER 204-8185 | JCI; top tier; MA billing suspended |
| Pacífica Salud Costa del Este | Costa del Este | via 204-8000 | Opened 2022; full-service campus |
| San Fernando | Panama City | 305-6300 (#2 English) | First JCI in Panama |
| San Fernando Coronado | Coronado | 240-1646 | Clinic — no ICU; limited hours |
| The Panama Clinic | Panama City | 310-1111 / ER 310-1121 | MA billing <6-mo residents only |
| Hospital Paitilla | Panama City | 265-8800 | Oncology anchor |
| Hospital Nacional | Panama City | 207-8100 | Good value; EN reports |
| Hospital Santa Fe | Panama City | 360-7400 | Senior plan, no age cap |
| MiniMed Hospital | Panama City | 263-6464 | MA billing; $22/mo membership |
| Mae Lewis | David | 775-4616 | Amexcare billing; TRICARE + VA FMP; Montecristo-owned |
| Hospital Chiriquí | David | 774-0127 | MA billing gold standard |
| Clínica Especializada de Azuero | Chitré | 915-0500 | New 2024; ICU |
| Hospital Chicho Fábrega | Santiago | 958-2300 | Public regional referral |
| Hospital Amador Guerrero | Colón | 475-2311 | New 474-bed public hospital |

## Sources

- U.S. Embassy Panama — Medical Assistance page (verified contacts) — https://pa.usembassy.gov/services/medical-assistance/ — 2026-08-06
- Pacífica Salud — About Us — https://www.pacificasalud.com/en/about-us/ — updated 2026-05-22
- Hospital San Fernando — Accreditation & Coronado pages — https://www.hospitalsanfernando.com/en/accreditation/ — accessed 2026-10
- Panama Relocation Tours — "Why You Should Get Medicare Advantage When You Move To Panama" — https://panamarelocationtours.com/why-you-should-keep-medicare-when-you-move-to-panama — 2026-09-14
- Newsroom Panama — "Real-world emergency Medicare hospitalization in Panama" (Guy Craig audit) — https://newsroompanama.com/2026/03/24/real-world-emergency-medicare-hospitalization-in-panama/ — 2026-03-24
- Newsroom Panama — "MiniMed partners with Lakeside Medical Group" — https://newsroompanama.com/2025/07/20/minimed-partners-with-lakeside-medical-group-to-offer-direct-billing-for-u-s-insurance-plans-in-panama/ — 2025-07-20
- Newsroom Panama — "Hospital Mae Lewis forms alliance with Amexcare" — https://newsroompanama.com/2025/07/04/hospital-mae-lewis-forms-alliance-with-amexcare-to-accept-u-s-canadian-and-european-international-health-insurance-no-upfront-costs-for-qualified-patients/ — 2025-07-04
- Newsroom Panama — "Mae Lewis Health Expo for the Expat Community Coming to Boquete" — https://newsroompanama.com/2026/09/09/mae-lewis-health-expo-for-the-expat-community-coming-to-boquete/ — 2026-09-09
- Site owner — phone call to Centro Médico Mae Lewis confirming TRICARE and VA FMP — 2026-10-22
- Hospital Chiriquí official — https://hospitalchiriqui.com/ — accessed 2026-10
- La Nación (CR) — "Grupo Montecristo compra hospital en Panamá" — https://www.nacion.com/economia/grupo-montecristo-compra-hospital-en-panama/UW45EZAITVFCJGPZHEHMW3ICNI/story/ — 2025-03-15
- Live and Invest Overseas — Azuero / Chitré pages — https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/country-hub/panama/azuero-peninsula-panama/ — 2026-09-01
- Presidencia de Panamá — "Colonenses ya se benefician de los servicios del nuevo hospital Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero" — https://www.presidencia.gob.pa/publicacion/colonenses-ya-se-benefician-de-los-servicios-del-nuevo-hospital-dr-manuel-amador-guerrero — 2025-12-11
- American Visitor Insurance — "Travel Insurance for Seniors Visiting Panama" (ER deposit practice) — https://www.americanvisitorinsurance.com/travel-insurance/usa/travel-insurance-for-seniors-visiting-panama.asp — 2026
- ExpatDen — "The Panama Healthcare System Explained" — https://www.expatden.com/panama/panama-healthcare-system/ — 2026-06-17

### Official links to confirm details

These links supplement the original references; they do not independently verify every statement in the source document.

- [MINSA](https://www.minsa.gob.pa/)
- [Caja de Seguro Social](https://www.css.gob.pa/)