January 14 to 16- My first visit to an Ecuadorian Doctor

Since I had left Arizona back in April 2011, I had not had a medical checkup nor had my blood work done. Even though I felt great with no problems and lots of energy, I thought I had better get a checkup now rather than wait until I actually had a problem.

So I set about finding a doctor in the Salinas area who at least spoke some English. My Spanish although getting marginally better was not up to medical terms etc.

I asked my local Expats on both Expat Exchange and those I hung out with personally. The same doctor was recommended by two different people so I set out to make an appointment.

The first difference from North America is that there is no Doctor’s office to call. You are given the doctor’s personal cell phone and email address. I emailed him about a date and called the day before to confirm.

Next big difference is that instead of me going to his office, he came to my home. He arrived early and came with a huge medical bag that he later explained to me was for those with medical emergencies. He was very nice, spoke passable English and wore a great tea shirt with cartoon dog characters with the headings ‘Bray’s Anatomy’. Ok, so far so good.

I gave him copies of my last blood work and he took my blood pressure. My concern was that that was all he did. No asking about my life style- did I smoke, drink, exercise- or my family history- nada! No listening to my heart, checking my ears etc. No checking my weight (and why did that upset me-LOL) or my eating habits. On the other hand, I’m at the advanced age of 66- maybe he figured whatever habits I had, by this time I should know better.

  Then he filled out the sheet for my blood tests plus a prescription for some high blood pressure pills and he was on his way. I was to get the blood work done at a local clinic in the next town, La Libertad, send them to him and he would discuss any concerns with me. Total bill for the call was $30.

The next morning, after fasting through breakfast- no food, no coffee! - we took a taxi to La Libertad. The clinic was very easy to find per his instructions. I went in, was taken immediately into an office, asked for some identification (I had a colour copy of my passport), had my doctor’s request input into a computer and given a bill of $45! Wow! My last blood work in the USA had cost $500 of which $79 was my co-pay. I then followed the nurse into a cubicle, he checked both arms deciding which had bigger veins I guess, had a pressure strap placed on the right arm, asked to make a fist, swabbed with disinfectant and my blood was drawn. I was then told that my results would be ready that afternoon.

Instead of going back that same day, we went back next morning and picked up the results. Three pages of tests all pretty clear showing my results and the healthy average much like back home. Mission accomplished!