Doctor's Visit

 For the past two weeks or so, my stomach has been really strange: a range of symptoms that come and go at random, becoming really bad and then suddenly clear up as if nothing were wrong. I tried all the normal remedies: over-the-counter meds, mint and ginger tea, and bland food, but my stomach was having none of it. The roller coaster of recovering and feeling bad all over again combined with two weeks of flavorless food has been pretty maddening, so finally I decided it was time to visit the doctor.

Clinics here in Peru are all walk-in and are extremely affordable. Health insurance doesn't enter the picture unless you have to be hospitalized. I went to an affordable but very reputable clinic, the Hospital de la Solidaridad, which despite the name is a clinic and not a hospital. 

The waiting area for the fourth floor clinics at the Hospital de la Solidaridad

Upon entering, I had to first stop at the information desk and tell them which specialty I wanted to see. Then the attendant gave me a slip with 'gastro' written on it and directed me to the caja to pay 9 soles (about $3.50) for the consultation. Then we walked up four flights of narrow stairs to reach the gastroenterology area. We were told to come back in two hours, as the doctor would not be arriving until then. 

When we came back at around 5, the common waiting room on the fourth floor was considerably emptier. The psychology, ophthalmology, and lung clinics are on the same floor, and I assume their doctors were in attendance while we were waiting. 

A tired patient waits for his turn in the now-empty waiting room

Finally, we were called in to the room. The doctor asked the routine questions, felt around my stomach, ordered tests, and prescribed medicine in record time. I was in and out in under five minutes. Jorge came with me for support and in case I didn't know a term, but my Spanish was up to the task. Diagnosis: most likely parasites, go down to the lab, and take these meds in the meantime to feel better.

The next stop was back to the caja on the first floor to pay for the tests. A total of three tests came to 20 soles, or around $8. I went to the lab (a closed-off cubicle right next to the street entrance) to ask about the details and get any supplies. Finally, to the attached pharmacy to pick up the medicine for another 20 soles. All in all, the entire visit cost me a little over $20. Of course, there are 'fancier' clinics that have fewer patients, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and a less grim overall look, but these cost much more.

I can't say I'd fancy the thought of having to undergo any serious procedure here, but I think the clinic system works really well. This same visit in the US without health insurance would be astronomically expensive and out of the reach of most Americans. The downside is that doctors do not make much money here. In fact, there is a strike happening right now (in the middle of an H1N1 epidemic) to address the fact.

Overall, Peru for the win. Minus the fact that I probably got parasites from eating something down here.