TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Medical Care on Island - Where to go?

Hello,
Getting ready for 3 weeks at the end of the month and staying in Grand Case.
Where does one recommend for say:
1) a doctor for antibiotics
2) an ER for broken bone or worse?
3) Is it better to go to one side of the island over the other?

Thank You!
Liliana

For antibiotics, there's a pharmacy at the top of the hill heading towards Cul-de-Sac on the right. Some antibiotics the pharmacist can fill w/o a script. If you need a doctors script for stronger stuff, there's a doctor right next door, or at least, there was when we needed him. His charge was $50 for the exam.

I can't answer your other 2 questions.

I assume you know that medical care on island is not going to be up to US standards. Hopefully you purchased some trip insurance which covers medical issues.

cruzer answered your question regarding antibiotics. I think that's the same way, both sides, a pharmacist can fille some things without a scrip, that would require one in the US.

The French side hospital is Louis Constant Fleming Hospital, and it is in Marigot, although I have no idea where.
The Dutch side hospital is close to Belair and P'burg.

I only have had experience with the Dutch side hospital and wasn't impressed with their ER department, although it was several years ago.

I have heard from some locals that some folks on the Dutch side use the French side hospital, as they consider the French side hospital better, but I personally wouldn't know.

Hopefully you won't have any need for such things on island!

When I had a medical emergency a few years back I recieved excellent care at the Hospital on Dutch side. Very cheap and got fully reimbersed from insurance back home.

Cruzer............the pharmacy and doctors' office on the road to Cul de Sac has closed. We were there in February and the place was deserted.

There is however a nice pharmacy in Hope Estate right next door to the Super U.

I believe it was 2016 when my wife came down with an ear infection while we were on vacation. A local recommended Dr Chico, who had an office on the 2nd story of the pharmacy in Grand Case. My wife received excellent care! The doctors visit and the cost of three scrips totaled around $75. We were absolutely amazed! I have no idea
if Dr Chico is still on the island...

According to this page, he is still there. My wife saw a doctor in that office too.

I ditto SXMSubaman. Dutch side reasonable, efficient. When we returned home we were able to send the $50 ER bill to our insurance and it was covered. RX's were very reasonable.

While I have no experience with Fleming hospital in Concordia on the French side, I've heard that you must hire a translator whether or not you speak French or they speak English. I guess it's to cover their azzes should something go wrong.

I had not heard that with regard to the French side hospital, but it is a potential consideration, if one doesn't speak fluent French.

Thanks all for the information, hoping not to need it of course.
Liliana

Yes, that pharmacy is the same one that used to be in Cul de Sac. They moved...

You can go to the pharmacy, located at Cul de Sac on the right, but I'm not sure if antibiotics can be sold there without a rep. Anyway, you can at least find out.

I have been to the hospital on the French side. You do not need a translator as everyone we delt with spoke English. Treatment was good but different. They prescribed a tetanus shot for me, I had to take the prescription to a pharmacy to get the shot, then a nurse came to the hotel to administer it. Then the nurse came back everyday for a week to check on me. And very cheap.

And if you need dental care there is dentist in building beside the pharmacy in Grand case. Her name is Dr Chantal Dietrich Verdier. Lovely lady, very accommodating reasonable, state of the art dental office! And if you break a piece off your front tooth she will say no baguettes. Lol. French St Martin right!!!

I've gotten excellent care from the Dutch doctor at the Maho clinic. There's also a pharmacy right there to fill any prescriptions you may need filled

We’ve used the Maho Clinic for years and have always been more than satisfied with their service. Dr. Dekepf or something remotely sounding like that - I’m terrible with names among other things! I wouldn’t hesitate to refer him but if I were staying in Grand Case I think I’d try someone closer jic an emergency should arise.

Dr Hidde Deketh

Thank you, Elaine. He is a very good doctor and I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending him. 🙂🙂

Asking the stupid or obvious. Is there care from the fledgling student doctors from the American Med school on the Dutch side just west of Maho?

I ask since, as med students in NYC, we gave the most comprehensive care as interns and externs..

I suspect not but not absolutely certain about that. We were once speaking to a Med school student and she actually recommended Dr. Deketh at the Maho Clinic.

While I do see a student shadowing Dr Deketh in his office from time to time, these kids are for the most part in their first year of schooling and don't tend to patients. . One young man was shown the proper way to use a stethoscope during my visit. Usually, there are no students.

Interesting side note. Our doctor here at home is a graduate of the school. We like her a lot and she has provided excellent care.

I did too! They did a great job at the Dutch side.
I was trying to quote Scuba's post about getting great care at the Dutch Side ER.

I have used both Dr. Deketh in Maho AND the Dutch side hospital, and received great care from both places. Reasonable cost and fully reimbursed by my insurance upon arrival home. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend both to you.