ER

I had a recent experience with the Bonaire medical system.  For a little island it has an excellent hospital.  But things work a little different than in the States.

You start with your "Home" Doctor (read "GP"). You pick your home doctor at the insurance office and use that medical practice exclusively.  I think you can change doctors once a year. 

My Home Doctor, ordered a blood test, chest x-ray, fecal sample test and ultrasound after I told her of my stomach and breathing issues.

I walked to the various labs and offices at the hospital to get all the tests needed without appointments.  Even an x-ray is possible without an appointment but an ultrasound is done by a radiologist and requires an appointment.

Getting blood out of me is no small feat.  No less than 8 times did they try to get an IV in me. They finally called in "The Mesquito".  He is an anesthesiologist and the expert in finding veins.  He completed his mission quickly.  His only barrier was trying to find a place that hadn't previously been tried. My blood test was processed in an hour!  It showed an infection....this got my home doctor pretty excited and not in a good way. She said things like pulmonary edema, gallstones, blood clots (pulmonary embolisms), liver function, and pancreas infections. Holy cow, this didn't sound good!

This is when she send me to the ER.  The doctors and nurses get things done fast in the ER.  I had a CT scan, ultrasound,  and x-ray in a matter of a few hours.  All the modern equipment was housed at our little hospital.  Doctors visiting for a three month assignment from the Netherlands did the tests, read the results and discuss their findings through the ER doctor. 

They eliminated all of the ugly things my Home Doctor said could be an issue. They sent me home with antibiotics, painkillers and antacids.

This all happened a week before we are to leave on our grand European Adventure.  The doctors were happy to move things along to make sure they could solve this issue before I left. I am better now and ready to travel. This is thanks to the little, well equipped and fully staffed with medical experts hospital on Bonaire. The medical systems works pretty well here and it is a benefit of residency.