Medical Tourism in Panama How a Surgical Trip Works
How a medical trip to Panama actually works: choosing the specialist, sending records ahead, what to plan around surgery and how follow-up is handled.
Panama receives patients from across the region for procedures that would cost several times more at home. The savings are real. What decides whether the trip is a good experience is planning, not price.
Before you fly
- Send your records first. Recent X rays, scans and your medical history, by WhatsApp or email. A serious clinic will not quote surgery without seeing them.
- Get the plan in writing: procedures, number of sessions, type of anesthesia, total cost and what is not included.
- Ask who operates and what their specialty is. Not every clinic that quotes surgery performs it.
- Check the setting. Ambulatory surgery in an office is not the same as surgery with hospital support.
Building the trip
The common mistake is booking a return flight for the day after the procedure. Build the itinerary backwards from recovery: arrive one day before for the consultation and imaging, have the surgery, then leave two to three days before travelling. For jaw surgery, considerably more.
While you are here
Panama City is compact and the private hospitals are concentrated in the modern districts. Pharmacies are plentiful and prescriptions are filled quickly. The dollar is the currency, and rideshare apps work normally.
Follow up at home
Before leaving, ask for three things: the surgical report, copies of your imaging, and a written list of what to watch for. With those, a professional in your city can manage the routine follow up and knows when to call.
Where we fit
Centro Quirurgico Facial works inside the Consultorios of Hospital Punta Pacifica, with 3D imaging, sedation and hospital support in the same complex. Send your case by WhatsApp and you will get an assessment before you book anything.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should I plan?
Four to six weeks is comfortable: enough to send records, agree a plan and book flights with a recovery buffer.
Can I combine it with a holiday?
Before surgery, yes. After surgery, plan rest, not excursions.
What if I need care once I am home?
Ask for the surgical report and the imaging files before you leave. A local professional can act on them.
Centro Quirurgico Facial
Oral and maxillofacial surgery with Dr. Anabela Herrera, board certified specialist with more than 15 years of practice. Consultorios Hospital Punta Pacifica, Suite 419, Panama City. Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday by appointment. Phone +507 399-3117 · WhatsApp +507 6273-9001.