Cost of Medical Tests

believer

New member
Oct 12, 2005
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Hi Everyone,
I am headed down for the winter and hoping to do a battery of blood tests, scans ultrasounds as the health care system here is so tediously long that I run out of gas money before I get any results. Then when I do, my doctor, having lost his natural curiosity decades ago, does not persue the subtle problems that could actually be something serious. All I know is I am definitely not feeling too well.

Wondering how much a doctor's visit costs, a blood test and or a ultrasound etc.....

I am talking about the international med clinic in POP.

Any idea would be most appreciated so I can anticipate the costs.

Thanks
 

La Mariposa

Bronze
Jun 4, 2004
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Hi Everyone,
I am headed down for the winter and hoping to do a battery of blood tests, scans ultrasounds as the health care system here is so tediously long that I run out of gas money before I get any results. Then when I do, my doctor, having lost his natural curiosity decades ago, does not persue the subtle problems that could actually be something serious. All I know is I am definitely not feeling too well.

Wondering how much a doctor's visit costs, a blood test and or a ultrasound etc.....

I am talking about the international med clinic in POP.

Any idea would be most appreciated so I can anticipate the costs.

Thanks

You are not feeling too well and you want to move from Canada to the D.R. on a 800$ to 1000$ monthly budget as you said in another post ??? You're kidding, are you not?? Doctor's visit cost, well do you plan to go to a clinica or a public hospital. It will cost you a lot more in the D.R. than in Canada. Are you sure you know everything you have to know about the D.R. ???

Ay Dios mio caramba, ayudale(la)
 

cuas

New member
May 29, 2006
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My brother sells health plan here in USA to Dominicans for their family members in DR. but I do not know if it covers non-dominicans. I can ask him if you are interested.
 

La Mariposa

Bronze
Jun 4, 2004
1,843
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I see that the "free health care" plan in Canada has a few disadvantages?

I think the poster is referring to Bournigal Clinic. Last I heard a doctors visit without insurance is about 500 pesos. It would certainly be best to contact them directly regarding costs for ultrasounds, and various blood tests since none of us are likely to have that information.

Clinica Bournigal

Address

Antera Mota Street
Puerto Plata
Dominican Republic
PO BOX #25
Tel.: (809) 586-2342
(809) 586-4140
Fax: (809) 586-6104
info@bournigal-hospital.com

Much more advantages than disadvantages though.
 
Last edited:

La Mariposa

Bronze
Jun 4, 2004
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"Beliver"- You should resolve all of your problems before you come down here, economical and others.
Problems multiply a thousand times when you are here.


Dont do anything you will regret later.

Very good advise. Hope believer will listen to you.
 

believer

New member
Oct 12, 2005
90
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Canadian Free Medical?

To answer everyone at once.....

As I always say, as a Canadian I have a right to free medical, but that doesn't mean I can actually get any. 1/3rd of Canadians don't have a family doctor and the clinic doctors are not allowed to order certain tests. Each time you go back to the clinicyou are in the hands of a different doctor. The doctor I did have had as much curiosity as a stone and told me specifically I should just FORGET about it!!! Unless you are very very sick they are not interested in your problems. Subtle shifts of wellness that grow chronic over long periods of time are of no interest to them.....anyway this is not about Canadian Medical Care Quality.

Some months I live on $1200. Some months $600 and some months $2500

such is the nature of self employment.

I just expect that if I pay for some medical attention, I might actually get some.
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
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I just expect that if I pay for some medical attention, I might actually get some.

Yes you'll get some in the DR but...........you need to do your homework about standards. There are places which are state of the art, there are surgeons who are first rate both in places which are state of the art and in places which are not. Standards are erratic. Nursing care even more so.

If Windeguy is right & you mean Clinica Bournigal, yes you can get tests done there (& also at the nearby North Coast Laboratory) & it is one of the 2 places in Puerto Plata where expats tend to go, but it isn't an international medical clinic in the accepted sense of the word. Having had your tests done, you'll presumably need them to be interpreted to you as to the significance of the findings? This is where you could experience the gringo 'run-around' (sent for more & more tests because some medics here tend to do that when they don't know what the result signifies).

All I can advise is that if I thought I had an ailment which was very common I would go for diagnosis here in PP. If I thought I had something which required a level of sophistication of diagnosis I would probably head for Santiago or SD and if those didn't come good, I'd be flying back to the UK.

In a sense here in the DR, it doesn't matter how much you pay. It comes down to the ability of the doctor and those abilities vary enormously. I consult a US doctor licenced to practice here & I take his advise on who else to consult.
 

slug

New member
Oct 13, 2005
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I just had a "consultario" at a small hospital in S D by a respiratory specialist. I was in and out quickly. She knew exactly what the problem was, prescribed the prescriptions, and I was on my way. The next day I had an MRI which confirmed her diagnosis (results in one day). I return Monday for a follow up.
The point here is that this could never happen in the US. They would not have treated me at all until I had gone through a series of tests costing literally thousands of dollars. Thus the medical industrial complex.
The cost of the "consultario" was about 40US, the meds (stste of the art) were about 180US, and the MRI about 200US. That amount is less than what I would pay for medical insurance for a month in the US, if I could get it.
It took three days here and I'm 100% better. In the states I would still be hassling with clinics, tests, referrals, appointments, and mounds of paperwork. And I would still be sick, or even worse.
 

believer

New member
Oct 12, 2005
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thanks so much

Yes you'll get some in the DR but...........you need to do your homework about standards. There are places which are state of the art, there are surgeons who are first rate both in places which are state of the art and in places which are not. Standards are erratic. Nursing care even more so.

If Windeguy is right & you mean Clinica Bournigal, yes you can get tests done there (& also at the nearby North Coast Laboratory) & it is one of the 2 places in Puerto Plata where expats tend to go, but it isn't an international medical clinic in the accepted sense of the word. Having had your tests done, you'll presumably need them to be interpreted to you as to the significance of the findings? This is where you could experience the gringo 'run-around' (sent for more & more tests because some medics here tend to do that when they don't know what the result signifies).

All I can advise is that if I thought I had an ailment which was very common I would go for diagnosis here in PP. If I thought I had something which required a level of sophistication of diagnosis I would probably head for Santiago or SD and if those didn't come good, I'd be flying back to the UK.

In a sense here in the DR, it doesn't matter how much you pay. It comes down to the ability of the doctor and those abilities vary enormously. I consult a US doctor licenced to practice here & I take his advise on who else to consult.

That is the kind of info I was needing.....as I do alot of research of my own I have an idea of what tests I am after, I expect to just get some information that will assist in diagnosing a few things (or ruling them out) ...nothing serious or complicated. and Yes Bournigal is the clinic I meant.....wondering tho...... I've been seeing an ad for an clinic promoting international medical travel who was looking for staff, and I thought that was in Sosua-maybe not

Also wondering can you just walk into a lab and get a test if you know what you need or is it like here where you have to convince a Dr you need it first?

(IE; getting your blood sugar tested or cholesterol checked)

When I worked with Danilo for Puerto Plata News in 89 I remember writing an article about the medical clinic and ambulance service which was new to Sosua then.....wow, long long ago! Its probably improved somewhat!

I remember him giving me hell for describing it as......uh I don;t remember the word I used but it was less than flattering! Ha ha good times~
 

believer

New member
Oct 12, 2005
90
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0
I just had a "consultario" at a small hospital in S D by a respiratory specialist. I was in and out quickly. She knew exactly what the problem was, prescribed the prescriptions, and I was on my way. The next day I had an MRI which confirmed her diagnosis (results in one day). I return Monday for a follow up.
The point here is that this could never happen in the US. They would not have treated me at all until I had gone through a series of tests costing literally thousands of dollars. Thus the medical industrial complex.
The cost of the "consultario" was about 40US, the meds (stste of the art) were about 180US, and the MRI about 200US. That amount is less than what I would pay for medical insurance for a month in the US, if I could get it.
It took three days here and I'm 100% better. In the states I would still be hassling with clinics, tests, referrals, appointments, and mounds of paperwork. And I would still be sick, or even worse.


My point exactly!
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Also wondering can you just walk into a lab and get a test if you know what you need or is it like here where you have to convince a Dr you need it first?

(IE; getting your blood sugar tested or cholesterol checked)

When I worked with Danilo for Puerto Plata News in 89 I remember writing an article about the medical clinic and ambulance service which was new to Sosua then.....wow, long long ago! Its probably improved somewhat!

I remember him giving me hell for describing it as......uh I don;t remember the word I used but it was less than flattering! Ha ha good times~

Yes you can just walk in to a lab for things like cholesterol checks, PCR etc. I go to Laboratorio Costa Norte, the one very near Bournigal (the blood taker manages not to bruise you :). Details are address: El Morro, Esq. Virginia Ortea tel. 809-970-2171.) I went first to enquire if she required a 12 hour fast before sampling & then just walked in & was attended to straight away. That Laboratorio is run by the wife of Dr. Castillo, the gastroenterologist from Bournigal. Tests in the morning, results by 5pm. When I had complete bloodwork done Dr. Jim wrote me a script (eliminating the parts I didn't need) but you can tell them what you want tested as well. My cholesterol is now under control so it's been a while since it was all tested here but I think last time cost 300 pesos (less then US$10).

If you're only needing tests as backup statistical data to your own research, diagnosis & elimination of causative factors you'll be fine.

Yes Bournigal has moved on somewhat since those days, particularly specialists but............there are aspects which haven't, for example nursing can still be luck of the draw :ermm:. Btw you pre-dated me by 4 years working for PP News. These days Danilo is doing great things in senior swimming (you can ask his sister who is one of the owners of DR1 ;)). Small world, eh?
 

believer

New member
Oct 12, 2005
90
6
0
thanks for the info

Thank you for the specific information that was exactly the kind of info I was after.

Blessings

Yes you can just walk in to a lab for things like cholesterol checks, PCR etc. I go to Laboratorio Costa Norte, the one very near Bournigal (the blood taker manages not to bruise you :). Details are address: El Morro, Esq. Virginia Ortea tel. 809-970-2171.) I went first to enquire if she required a 12 hour fast before sampling & then just walked in & was attended to straight away. That Laboratorio is run by the wife of Dr. Castillo, the gastroenterologist from Bournigal. Tests in the morning, results by 5pm. When I had complete bloodwork done Dr. Jim wrote me a script (eliminating the parts I didn't need) but you can tell them what you want tested as well. My cholesterol is now under control so it's been a while since it was all tested here but I think last time cost 300 pesos (less then US$10).

If you're only needing tests as backup statistical data to your own research, diagnosis & elimination of causative factors you'll be fine.

Yes Bournigal has moved on somewhat since those days, particularly specialists but............there are aspects which haven't, for example nursing can still be luck of the draw :ermm:. Btw you pre-dated me by 4 years working for PP News. These days Danilo is doing great things in senior swimming (you can ask his sister who is one of the owners of DR1 ;)). Small world, eh?