My wife, Connie, awoke with a fever of 104 last week, and decided an antibiotic was in order and therefore, a trip to the local hospital. We're Canadian and used to long waits, largely due to our socialized (i.e."free") medical system. We arrived at 7:30 a.m. and, after plunking down $90 on a Visa Gold Preferred (more about that to follow) she was immediately seen by: a triage nurse, the on-call emerg. M.D. and a lab tech who drew blood. By 8:10 an internist was there who wheeled in an ultrasound machine and performed the test himself while I watched. At 8:35 the lab results were in, and Connie was diagnosed with a severe bladder infection and immediately admitted! All within an hour or so.
It did take a while to get a room, due to overcrowding, and the food was lousy compared to our standards, but the care was excellent.
Re. the costs: I had to give a $1780 deposit on my Visa. She was in 3 days, and the hospital bill was around $1650 and I had to pay the doctor $600 in cash. Upon my return to Canada, I contacted Visa; they said we'd get a full refund as long as we provided appropriate receipts and paper work. Make sure your credit card has out of state coverage!

I'm sorry your wife got sick but thanks for sharing your story with us. It's certainly nice to know that Aruba is well equipped to handle unforeseen contingencies. Your wife's total bill for a three day hospital stay would have just about covered the ultrasound testing in the States.

__________________
Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

thank goodness connie is ok now!

we found the same wonderful care at the hospital on a few trips we have made. since you are used to a socialized medical system, you don't realize what a 'bargain' you got. we in the states are always amazed at their prices and speed.

__________________
help us help aruba's kittens and cats

http://www.arubakitten.org/






vote now!!!!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/N...uba/index.html

My husband spent hours being checked on in the ER years ago, after a car accident. Total bill, including X-Rays and meds: $400!

__________________

I broke my arm in Aruba about 8 years ago & had the best ER care I've ever had in my life! There were a couple locals in the waiting room that related a couple "horror stories" about medical care in Aruba, but they paled compared to some of the completely substandard care my family has recieved in the US. Granted, we had to pay "up front" with a credit card but our insurance covered nearly everything when we got home.

__________________
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.
Mark Twain

That is great news for fellow travelers! The Island should tell more people about the quality of the hospital!!!

I too had experiences at the hospital and are very pleased with the level of care and service received. I have a heart problem and now have my own cardiologist in Aruba as well as the one at home. I went to the hospital twice (separate trips) with congestive heart failure, was admitted once and taken care of in the emergency room the second time and have only good things to say. I was given all of my test results and xrays to bring home and again cannot say enough about the care and professionalism received. Regarding the food, my husband was kind enough to bring me what I wanted, but I really have nothing to complain about. When we return to the island next month I go with the knowledge that if I have another problem I will be more than well taken care of.

The one problem we found lacking in the arubian and dutch situation when my mom had some many problems last oct - dec is when we flew her to miami -
we got the doctors notes. Seems that the doctors don't even have to notate they were there. Only basic notes from the nurses. My BIL is dutch and
told me they do the same in holland and they are working to get that better.

__________________
___________________________
Beautiful House in Arashi for sale!!!
Significant price reduction!
www.arashibeachhouse.com

Aruba Kitten Rescue
www.arubakitten.org

Hi Liz - your experience with the hospital surprised me because after two stays in the hospital on the island, I came home with all of the notes, tests, xrays, etc., from the hospital and Dr. Lacle the cardiologist. I gave them to my doctor here at home and he couldn't believe how complete every report was and he even said that the infirmaton provided helped him with my care. I also saw Dr. Lacle in his office and he gave me lots of info about my case to bring home to my cardiologist. Hopefully you will n ever have this experience again. As we prepare to return to the island for the month of November I can say that I have no fear of getting sick once again, because I know they are very reliable.

I have been to Dr Lacle. He's a good guy. I think the doctors thought due to my mom's age and condition that we wouldn't spend the 17K to fly her to the states. I have pictures of her severe diaper rash which she got in the hospital that they didn't address as well as her feet which had gangrene.
They were totally against letting her go and uncooperative. They also have the socialized medical plan here.

In your case - the doctor knew you were going to the states so he prepared everything that your doctor would need. I have to wonder if you lived here and were under the state plan how good the notes would be.

__________________
___________________________
Beautiful House in Arashi for sale!!!
Significant price reduction!
www.arashibeachhouse.com

Aruba Kitten Rescue
www.arubakitten.org

I have read the above posts with interest.

In late September, our guest and friend (age 73) had to be hospitalized in Aruba.
He spent about 24 hours in the Oduber hospital and had to be airlifted to Miami with a variety of problems...not treatable in Aruba. He had a massive infection, pneumonia, pulmonary edema...he stopped breathing about 90 minutes after admission through the ER. The diagnosis finally said that he needed aortic valve surgery.

We do have good things to say about the care...a few less than positive things to say about the process. We were all friends with no authority for medical decisions and the finances. After 24 hours of stress, hospital billing people refused to call the US when there was a problem in approving the Aruba hospital bill of $4500. The air ambulance cost of over $19,000 had been approved by our friend's daughter who was en route to meet her father in Miami.

Our experience with Dr. Lacle was also positive. He facilitated the air transfer to the US and helped with contacting our friend's family. His charges were included in Aruba hospital bill.

Without rambling on too much longer, it is our opinion that we will NOT travel outside the US unless we are sure we have foreign medical coverage. Dr. Lacle said that the majority of Europeans travel with this coverage; Americans rarely do.

Alas, our friend is still in the hospital in Miami. After a month, they were trying to transfer him to a rehab hospital, but he had another relapse over the weekend.

Hi John - if you read my previous posts on this thread I had two similar experiences and was very pleased with the care received at the hospital and especially with Dr. Lacle. We always carry insurance and even tho we had to pay the bill on the island, just today I get a check for the entire amount of my bill for Dr. Lacle and the hospital and meds, because Medicare doesn't cover you out of the country. Hope your friend gets better soon. Regards to Sandy!

We've had excellent experiences with Dr Ponson. There are some good doctors out there - just need to find out who they are just like in the US.

I will tell you that I had filed for a LTD claim w/ my US insurance company
it was denied 2x because all my doctors would not talk to the US insurance company or it's claim doctors for an independant audit. There is a big
problem I have come across.

When my mom went to Miami - got all the records from the hospital - which
had no real info because they wanted her to stay in Aruba - they didn't
know that we would fly her to the US. I think with tourists - at least the
doctors will take care to make good notes esp. if they know this is something they can't handle on island.

__________________
___________________________
Beautiful House in Arashi for sale!!!
Significant price reduction!
www.arashibeachhouse.com

Aruba Kitten Rescue
www.arubakitten.org

Just a little update.
Our friend died in Miami on 10/30.
We cannot find any fault with the care in Aruba...except they could not treat major heart health problems (aortic valve surgery in his case).
We have not talked to his daughters since the funeral, but we hope that they know and believe that all that was possible was done by us, by the doctors, by the hospital in Aruba.
I have been in a blue mood about the whole trip, but I think the Aruba medical care was very good...and we tried to do all that we could for our friend. It was a bad situation with a poor outcome, but we did our best.

John ~ sad news, and so sorry to hear this.

__________________

john, no doubt in our minds that you did whatever you could and so did the hospital in aruba. some things are just meant to have a sad outcome no matter how hard we try to stop it.

our hearts and prayers are with you and your friend's family.

__________________
help us help aruba's kittens and cats

http://www.arubakitten.org/






vote now!!!!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/N...uba/index.html