Boquete Long Stay Guide
Daily life
Health care in Boquete
Boquete is a small town, so everyday medical needs are covered locally and anything bigger means a trip down the mountain to David. Knowing which place does what saves time when you need it.
Information as of October 2026. Names, doctors and prices change; check before you go.
Who to go to: at a glance
| A cold, a stomach upset, a small injury, a prescription | A general practitioner in Boquete or the pharmacy. Many common medicines are sold without a prescription. |
|---|---|
| Blood tests and routine lab work | Private laboratories in Bajo Boquete. |
| Dentist, eye test | A few private dental and vision offices in town. |
| A specialist, a scan, an operation | David, 40 to 60 minutes by car from Boquete, depending on where you start and the traffic. |
| A sick child, pregnancy | Hospital Obaldía in David (see below). |
| An emergency | Call 911, or go to the emergency service of the Centro de Salud in Boquete. For serious cases you will be sent on to David. |
In Boquete
Private clinics and doctors
Boquete has several general practitioners and internists, a number of them trained abroad and comfortable in English. Some that people use regularly:
- Clínica Especializada de Boquete, in Bajo Boquete, with general practitioners and a laboratory. Directions on Google Maps
- Consultorios Médicos Alfa in Alto Boquete, a primary-care centre with an internist, Dra. Digna Díaz. Directions on Google Maps
- Dra. Shannon, a general practitioner who speaks English, now has her own practice. Contact and location on her Facebook page.
Private consultations are inexpensive compared with the US or Europe: expect roughly $40 to $60 for a specialist. You pay at the time of the visit.
The public health centre
The Centro de Salud de Boquete belongs to the Ministry of Health (MINSA). It offers basic public care and an emergency service, and has an ambulance. Public care is cheap but busy, and Spanish is essential. Directions on Google Maps
Pharmacies
There are several pharmacies in Bajo Boquete. Pharmacists will advise on minor problems, and many medicines that need a prescription elsewhere are sold over the counter. Bring the name of the active ingredient if you take regular medication, since brand names differ.
The hospitals in David
David, the capital of Chiriquí province, has the best medical infrastructure in Panama outside Panama City. There are two kinds of hospitals: private ones, where you pay (or your insurer pays) directly, and public ones, which are much cheaper but have longer waits.
Private hospitals
- Hospital Chiriquí: a large private hospital with many specialists, imaging (CT, MRI), laboratory and surgery. Many doctors speak English. Directions
- Hospital Mae Lewis: smaller, with general care, maternity and trauma. Directions
Public hospitals: two different ones
David has two big public hospitals, and visitors often confuse them. Locals call them simply Hospital Regional and Hospital Obaldía.
| Hospital Regional Dr. Rafael Hernández commonly "Hospital Regional" | Hospital Materno Infantil José Domingo de Obaldía commonly "Hospital Obaldía" | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | General adult care and complex specialties | Pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics |
| Patients | Adults: the general population and people insured with the CSS | Children and pregnant women |
| Run by | Caja de Seguro Social (CSS), the national social-security system | Ministerio de Salud (MINSA) |
| Key services | Oncology, adult intensive care, cardiology, specialized surgery | Neonatal care, pediatric surgery, maternity, pediatrics |
| Directions | Google Maps | Google Maps |
For a visitor, a private hospital is usually the practical choice, since the public hospitals work in Spanish and waiting times can be long.
Emergency numbers
| 911 | General emergency and ambulance |
|---|---|
| 311 | Citizen service line of the government, free, 24 hours. Not for emergencies. Use it for problems such as water leaks, garbage, broken street lights, complaints about public services, or questions about official procedures. You must give your ID or passport number, as reports cannot be anonymous. If you speak only English, ask right away for an English-speaking agent. You can also use the 311 website, which is in Spanish only but easy to use with a translation app. |
| 104 | Police. Boquete police station: 720-1222 |
| 103 | Fire brigade. Boquete fire station: 720-1224, which also provides a free ambulance, 24 hours |
| 720-2480 | Ministry of Health (MINSA) in Boquete |
| 777-8400 | Hospital Regional Dr. Rafael Hernández, David (public) |
| 774-0128 | Hospital Chiriquí, David (private) |
| 775-4616 | Centro Médico Mae Lewis, David (private) |
Operators usually speak only Spanish, so have your location ready in Spanish. Numbers change, so confirm them before you rely on them.
Paying, insurance and costs
- Private care is paid at the time of treatment. Keep the receipts and claim from your insurer afterwards.
- For a stay of several months, travel or international health insurance with medical evacuation cover is sensible. Ask the insurer whether the private hospitals in David bill them directly.
- Rough prices: a specialist consultation $40 to $60; an MRI $350 to $600 depending on the procedure. Hospital stays and surgery vary widely: ask for a written estimate first.
Practical tips
- Save 911 and the address of your accommodation in Spanish in your phone.
- Bring your regular medication with the generic names, and enough for the first weeks.
- Keep a copy of your passport and insurance details with you.
- Many doctors speak English, but hospital staff and pharmacists often don't, and forms in public institutions are generally in Spanish only. A translation app helps.
- If you are pregnant or have a serious or chronic condition, find a doctor in David before you need one.
More detail: the main site of the people behind this guide has a longer page on Healthcare in Boquete, with the specialists available in David and examples of what common operations cost. If you want to try Boquete before you decide, you are welcome at Aparthotel Boquete, a quiet serviced apartment hotel about 15 minutes' walk from the centre.
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Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules and prices in Panama change; please check official sources before you act on anything here.