Going to the Doctor

As you know if you've been reading Guate Buzz lately, I've been sick with first, what we suspect was the flu in all its varied permutations. Once it was under control, I found myself stuck with a terrible case of bronchitis, with a hacking, persistent cough. We tried over the counter cough medicine with no effect and, fortunately, after buying a thermometer, discovered that my temperature was 37 degrees Celsius, which converts to 98.6 degree Farenheit.

Finally, a friend in Houston had pity on me and offered to contact the In Country Director for Faith In Practice, who could recommend a local doctor. We finally connected by email to discover that she has been sick with the same bug for the past two weeks. She gave me the name and full contact information for the Guatemalan doctor their volunteers use and I decided to make use of him. His office didn't open until 2:00 p.m. (although he didn't arrive until 3:00 p.m.), so I went home for lunch so that Linda could go with me. I wanted her to know who he was and where he was, in case she ever needed to make use of his services when I was out of town.

Here's our experience and what it cost:

We traveled to his office by tuk tuk, since it was on the far northwest corner of Antigua. - Q20 ($2.58)

Once there, we learned that I was patient number five. As I mentioned, he arrived around 3:00 p.m. I have no idea if he was just late or if he had been at the hospital. He began seeing patients. He got to me at 4:00 p.m., which should tell you that he's not one of those 5 minute specials. He began by taking my medical history in Spanish. Even though he had little English and I have little Spanish, with Linda's help we made it work. The then took me into his adjacent examining room, had me sit down and examined my throat (enflamed), ears (fine), and nose (irritated). He had me lie down and took my temperature (normal) and my blood pressure (normal). He then began to listen to my chest with his stethoscope. He next beat (exaggerating) on my forehead with a rubber hammer to see if I had any pain (none). He ended by checking my lung capacity with a pre-wrapped tester (great lung capacity). We then went back to his desk and he told me that I didn't have an infection, so thus I didn't need any antibiotics. I did have upper respiratory issues, however, so he prescribed an inhaler for me. He also gave me, to Linda's undying gratitude, a cough suppressant with codeine. She'll looking forward to a good nights sleep for the first time in days. The examination completed (about 30 minutes), we went back downstairs (his office is on the second floor, even for the elderly, of which there were several) to settle up. His only employee, his office manager, informed me that I owed Q150 for the examination or $19.36. I was wondering how I would submit the bill to Blue Cross Blue Shield, but don't think I'll bother, since my copay is $20.00.

Leaving the office, we began looking for a tuk tuk back to the Alameda (main drag) in Antigua, near where the Bodegona, Pollo Campero and the Despensa Familiar are located. I think I got taken, but only for Q20 ($2.58).

Once there, we headed to a pharmacy to get my medication. Both of them cost a grant total of Q215 ($27.75). Now, it's hard to make comparisons, but checking with Medco (our pharmacy insurance), the same exact inhaler would cost me $49.93 and a similar codeine medication (generic) would add another $10.00 to my tab, since I'd need to get it from a local pharmacy. Thus, here I got for $27.75, what would have cost me $59.93 back home.

After grabbing a quick supper, we took another tuk tuk home for Q15 ($1.94).

Here's the grand total for my medical adventure: Q420 ($54.22). Back home, not counting gas costs, since we don't have tuk tuks, I would have been out at least $79.93. Add in your $4.00 gas and the cost increases. It also doesn't include the $118.00 that Medco pays for the medication mentioned above or what ever Blue Cross Blue Shield end up paying on my behalf for an office visit.

Not, to put the icing on the cake, before we left his office, the doctor gave me his personal cell phone number and told me to call him if I had any problems that needed his attention. That never happened at Family Practice Clinic!