Hospital Santo Tomas
Encyclopedia
Hospital Santo Tomás (HST) (Saint Thomas Hospital), is the largest Public hospital
that the Panama
nian Health Ministry has. Its long history goes as far as 1703.
of Panama City
to King Phillip V of Spain where he told him about a hospice he founded and that had been working since the day of Saint Thomas of Villanueva, September 22, 1702 to treat poor women who had nowhere to go and he begged him to bear to this hospice the title of hospital
.
In 1819, construction of new facilities to replace the HST were started. This new building was built on "B" Avenue. The new hospital began to treat also men when San Juan de Dios, the hospital for men, was closed by the government of the time.
On September 1, 1924, a new complex of buildings was built at the present location, on Balboa Avenue under the administration of President Belisario Porras who wanted to give the country a new, modern hospital. The hospital was built on 5 hectares of which 3 are buildings, streets, sidewalks and parkings and 2 hectares were gardens. The political opposition of President Porras criticized the proyect, calling it a white elephant
because they said it was too big for a small country. Time gave President Porras vindication, as 30 years later, when he was on his lasts moments he couldn't find a bed in this hospital, so he had to go to a Private hospital
where he died. The Hospital that people said was an exaggeration to this small country, couldn't handle the demand. Even today, the HST is called sometimes the white elephant
, but not in a disrespective form.
Also, former wards of HST evolved to become independent hospitals by themselves, the pediatric ward became Hospital del Niño (Children's Hospital) and the Oncologic ward became the Instituto Oncologico Nacional
(National Oncologic Institute). As a result, the HST takes care of people 15 years old and up, and refers cancer patients to the National Oncologic Institute.
In 2000 plans began to modernize the facilities by tearing down 5 buildings and replacing them with 4 bigger brand new buildings to bring many services closer. Some buildings were evacuated but maintained as they are considered historical landmarks and plans are in progress to renovate them as a museum or administrative offices for the hospital.
HST is one of the biggest teaching hospital
s of the country. It is considered a level I trauma center.
The hospital has the following teaching programs:
Public hospital
A public hospital or government hospital is a hospital which is owned by a government and receives government funding. This type of hospital provides medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives....
that the Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian Health Ministry has. Its long history goes as far as 1703.
History
The first written mention of HST was on April 11, 1703, in a letter by Juan de Argüeyes, the BishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
to King Phillip V of Spain where he told him about a hospice he founded and that had been working since the day of Saint Thomas of Villanueva, September 22, 1702 to treat poor women who had nowhere to go and he begged him to bear to this hospice the title of hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
.
In 1819, construction of new facilities to replace the HST were started. This new building was built on "B" Avenue. The new hospital began to treat also men when San Juan de Dios, the hospital for men, was closed by the government of the time.
On September 1, 1924, a new complex of buildings was built at the present location, on Balboa Avenue under the administration of President Belisario Porras who wanted to give the country a new, modern hospital. The hospital was built on 5 hectares of which 3 are buildings, streets, sidewalks and parkings and 2 hectares were gardens. The political opposition of President Porras criticized the proyect, calling it a white elephant
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
because they said it was too big for a small country. Time gave President Porras vindication, as 30 years later, when he was on his lasts moments he couldn't find a bed in this hospital, so he had to go to a Private hospital
Private hospital
A private hospital is a hospital owned by a profit company or a non-profit organisation and privately funded through payment for medical services by patients themselves, by insurers, or by foreign embassies. This practice is very common in the United States and Australia...
where he died. The Hospital that people said was an exaggeration to this small country, couldn't handle the demand. Even today, the HST is called sometimes the white elephant
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
, but not in a disrespective form.
Also, former wards of HST evolved to become independent hospitals by themselves, the pediatric ward became Hospital del Niño (Children's Hospital) and the Oncologic ward became the Instituto Oncologico Nacional
Instituto Oncologico Nacional
The National Oncologic Institute or ION is a specialized hospital for cancer treatment, located in Panama City, Panama.-History:...
(National Oncologic Institute). As a result, the HST takes care of people 15 years old and up, and refers cancer patients to the National Oncologic Institute.
The fourth Hospital
At the end of the 20th century, it was obvious the HST was in need of a major renovation, the fourth of its long history. The hospital complex was built with the building standards of the time, with various separate buildings that housed Residents, a Maternity Ward, ER, administration, outpatient clinic, etc.In 2000 plans began to modernize the facilities by tearing down 5 buildings and replacing them with 4 bigger brand new buildings to bring many services closer. Some buildings were evacuated but maintained as they are considered historical landmarks and plans are in progress to renovate them as a museum or administrative offices for the hospital.
Teaching hospital
Teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital that provides clinical education and training to future and current doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, in addition to delivering medical care to patients...
s of the country. It is considered a level I trauma center.
The hospital has the following teaching programs:
- Medical internMedical internA medical intern is a term used in the United States for a physician in training who has completed medical school. An intern has a medical degree, but does not have a full license to practice medicine unsupervised...
ship, that lasts 2 year and it consists on a traditional rotational internship.
- Medical ResidenciesResidency (medicine)Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
on the following medical specialties: OB/GYNObstetrics and gynaecologyObstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
, Internal medicineInternal medicineInternal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
, Anesthesiology, SurgerySurgerySurgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, Orthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
, NeurosurgeryNeurosurgeryNeurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
, UrologyUrologyUrology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...
, Otorhinolaryngology, RadiologyRadiologyRadiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, Pneumology, PathologyPathologyPathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, OphthalmologyOphthalmologyOphthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, DermatologyDermatologyDermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases, a unique specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist takes care of diseases, in the widest sense, and some cosmetic problems of the skin, scalp, hair, and nails....
, Emergency MedicineEmergency medicineEmergency medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency medicine physicians diagnose a variety of illnesses and undertake acute...
, Intensive care medicineIntensive care medicineIntensive-care medicine or critical-care medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and management of life threatening conditions requiring sophisticated organ support and invasive monitoring.- Overview :...
and Vascular surgeryVascular surgeryVascular surgery is a specialty of surgery in which diseases of the vascular system, or arteries and veins, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures, and surgical reconstruction. The specialty evolved from general and cardiac surgery...
.
- Also medicalMedical StudentMedical Student may refer to:*Someone studying at medical school*Medical Student Newspaper, a UK publication...
, nursingNursing schoolA nursing school is a type of educational institution, or part thereof, providing education and training to become a fully qualified nurse. The nature of nursing education and nursing qualifications varies considerably across the world.-United Kingdom:...
, physiotherapy and odontologyDentistryDentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
students have rotational programs as part of their education.
Medical Specialties available
- General SurgeryGeneral surgeryGeneral surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland . They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft...
- Plastic surgeryPlastic surgeryPlastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
- Thoracic surgeryThoracic surgeryThoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in the surgical treatment of diseases affecting organs inside the thorax . Generally treatment of conditions of the lungs, chest wall, and diaphragm....
- Internal medicineInternal medicineInternal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
- GastroenterologyGastroenterologyGastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. The name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gaster , enteron , and logos...
- RadiologyRadiologyRadiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
- Orthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
- DermatologyDermatologyDermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases, a unique specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist takes care of diseases, in the widest sense, and some cosmetic problems of the skin, scalp, hair, and nails....
- Cardiovascular surgery
- UrologyUrologyUrology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...
- NeurosurgeryNeurosurgeryNeurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
- Otorhinolaryngology
- NephologyNephologyNephology is the study of clouds and cloud formation. British meteorologist Luke Howard was a major researcher within this field, establishing a cloud classification system....
- CardiologyCardiologyCardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
- Infectology
- OB/GYNObstetrics and gynaecologyObstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
- EndocrinologyEndocrinologyEndocrinology is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones, the integration of developmental events such as proliferation, growth, and differentiation and the coordination of...
- NeurologyNeurologyNeurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
- OphthalmologyOphthalmologyOphthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
- Maxillofacial surgery
- Pneumology
- HematologyHematologyHematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
- PsychiatryPsychiatryPsychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
- Nuclear MedicineNuclear medicineIn nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
- Physiotherapy
- Anesthesiology
- Critical care medicineCritical Care MedicineCritical Care Medicine is a peer-reviewed medical journal in the field of intensive care medicine. It is the official publication of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. The editor-in-chief is Joseph E. Parrillo....