Tourism

Panama to compete for "medical tourists"

BLOOMBERG

healthy:Panama is seeking to promote its health care system to potential tourists looking for a cheaper alternative to the U.S.1002366

Panama is trying to open its doors to a new class of tourists, those seeking a check up when they check in.

According to Jaime Cornejo, director of the master planning process for the Instituto Panameño de Turismo (Ipat), medical tourism is expected to be a significant part of the document.

Robin Elsham, director of Patients With Passports, a company that offers package tours for medical tourists, said he has recently visited Panama to finalize agreements with local hospitals which would include Panama within its range of destinations. For Elsham, one of the advantages of Panama is the large number of doctors and surgeons who speak English and have been trained in the United States. Other factors are the proximity to the United States and the use of the U.S. dollar.

"Panama has hospitals, such as Punta Pacifica, which have the best and most modern diagnostic equipment and medical treatment," he said.

According to health statistics, a typical surgical procedure can cost almost half of what it does in the United States.

While Panama is not the cheapest country in the world for health care, its proximity to the United States gives it a big advantage.

"You must take into account the costs of travel and accommodation. Taken as a whole, to an American, Panama can be a more attractive destination economically," Elsham said.