Panama's Ambulatory Surgery Center Streamlines Procedures for Same-Day Discharge

The Ministry of Health's Ambulatory Surgery Center in Panama's Metropolitan Region is enhancing surgical care by enabling patients to return home the same day of their procedure. This specialized facility, located in Juan Díaz, operates as the country's sole extra-hospital surgical unit under the Ministry of Health (Minsa), focusing on patients suitable for outpatient recovery.

Dr. Jorge Benítez, the center's director, emphasized its unique position, stating, "We are the only surgical unit of the Ministry of Health located outside a hospital, dedicated to outpatient procedures with high safety standards." The center offers a range of specialties, including general surgery, gynecology, urology, and ophthalmology. A high-demand procedure in gynecology is salpingectomy, a permanent family planning method, which has specific eligibility criteria for patients.

Accessing salpingectomy requires patients to be over 23, have at least two children, and complete necessary pre-operative exams. The center has significantly reduced waiting times for this and other procedures, with some surgeries potentially scheduled within three weeks. Other gynecological services include IUD removal, cervical dysplasia treatments, and contraceptive implant procedures.

Ophthalmology services address conditions such as pterygium, chalazion, and eyelid cysts. Urology procedures include vasectomies, circumcisions, and treatments for hydrocele, varicocele, phimosis, scrotal cysts, and genital warts, alongside cystoscopies. General surgery handles a variety of cases, including hernias, lipomas, breast nodules, gynecomastia, sebaceous cysts, keloids, skin tags, and other soft tissue lesions.