One of the worries often expressed posters contemplating moving to the DR is what do you do when you have a medical emergency. It is something to think about, since we don't have the same sort of service that is seen each week on Third Watch.
A medical emergency in which a few minutes delay in getting to a hospital is a justified concern that you live with on the north coast. But other than that, most medical situations can be dealt with. We just experienced one in our house, and I thought our experience might be of interest to recent arrivals who are still getting oriented to the area. (We live in Sosua)
Friday morning, Barbara tripped over a pile of ceramic tile left in a very unexpected location by the workmen replacing the bathroom tile and landed hard on her hip. She was in a lot of pain and thought she had broken something. We called Servi-Med in Cabarete and they said a doctor would be at our apartment in 15 minutes. He arrived in about 15 minutes (though it seemed longer at the time), checked her over and said she should go to Puerto Plata for xrays and evaluation. From our apartment he called an ambulance and an orthpedic doctor at Centro Medico Bournigal and explained the situation. He also gave Barbara an injection for the pain. His charge was RD$1500
The ambulance crew carried her on a stretcher down the two flights to the street and took her to Bournigal. The ambulance charge was RD$1000
At Bournigal, she was e xamined, xrayed and evaluated by the orthopedic doctor. He said the hip was broken and that an operation was required. Because most of our doctors are in Santo Domingo, we decided to go there to Clinica Abreu. The doctor at Bournigal prescribed something for the pain, some other meds, and an IV was started. I called the office of our primary doctor in Santo Domingo and they assured us they would have everything lined up and waiting for Barbara when we arrived. Bournigal charged us RD$2,300
Because we anticipated going to SD if the hip was broken, we had asked the ambulance to wait. The wait charge was RD$500.
Barbara was put back on the ambulance and taken to Clinica Abreu in Santo Domingo. The ambulance charge was RD$7000 for the trip from POP to SD, about 4 hours, since we arrived in SD at the 5pm traffic rush hour on a Friday afternoon.
When we got to SD, they were expecting us and the surgeon came as soon as he called. Our primary doctor assured me we were in good hands with him since he had been the one the primary doctor asked to operate on his mother.
Barbara was put in a semi-private room, which is really like two private rooms in a big room. The bathroom separates the two alcoves, so one patient doesn't see another. The charge for a semi-private room at this time is RD$1,250 a night. Private rooms are available for RD$2,300. In the semi-private room, each patient has his own cable tv and AC unit with individual controls.
The doctor is operating tomorrow and replacing her hip. I'll report that cost when I know it.
Hope this info is helpful.
A medical emergency in which a few minutes delay in getting to a hospital is a justified concern that you live with on the north coast. But other than that, most medical situations can be dealt with. We just experienced one in our house, and I thought our experience might be of interest to recent arrivals who are still getting oriented to the area. (We live in Sosua)
Friday morning, Barbara tripped over a pile of ceramic tile left in a very unexpected location by the workmen replacing the bathroom tile and landed hard on her hip. She was in a lot of pain and thought she had broken something. We called Servi-Med in Cabarete and they said a doctor would be at our apartment in 15 minutes. He arrived in about 15 minutes (though it seemed longer at the time), checked her over and said she should go to Puerto Plata for xrays and evaluation. From our apartment he called an ambulance and an orthpedic doctor at Centro Medico Bournigal and explained the situation. He also gave Barbara an injection for the pain. His charge was RD$1500
The ambulance crew carried her on a stretcher down the two flights to the street and took her to Bournigal. The ambulance charge was RD$1000
At Bournigal, she was e xamined, xrayed and evaluated by the orthopedic doctor. He said the hip was broken and that an operation was required. Because most of our doctors are in Santo Domingo, we decided to go there to Clinica Abreu. The doctor at Bournigal prescribed something for the pain, some other meds, and an IV was started. I called the office of our primary doctor in Santo Domingo and they assured us they would have everything lined up and waiting for Barbara when we arrived. Bournigal charged us RD$2,300
Because we anticipated going to SD if the hip was broken, we had asked the ambulance to wait. The wait charge was RD$500.
Barbara was put back on the ambulance and taken to Clinica Abreu in Santo Domingo. The ambulance charge was RD$7000 for the trip from POP to SD, about 4 hours, since we arrived in SD at the 5pm traffic rush hour on a Friday afternoon.
When we got to SD, they were expecting us and the surgeon came as soon as he called. Our primary doctor assured me we were in good hands with him since he had been the one the primary doctor asked to operate on his mother.
Barbara was put in a semi-private room, which is really like two private rooms in a big room. The bathroom separates the two alcoves, so one patient doesn't see another. The charge for a semi-private room at this time is RD$1,250 a night. Private rooms are available for RD$2,300. In the semi-private room, each patient has his own cable tv and AC unit with individual controls.
The doctor is operating tomorrow and replacing her hip. I'll report that cost when I know it.
Hope this info is helpful.