To start off day 3, we took a boat ride to Tigre to talk with staff members and learn about the primary care hospital on the Island. We spoke with one of the captains who drives the ambulance boat there, about the responsibilities and challenges that comes with working at a hospital that is the only one within 200 km. We learned how transportation and weather conditions are major struggles, especially since they only have one boat available. Hearing from him proved how essential primary care is in isolated areas, especially when it serves as the first, and sometimes only point of contact for health services. It also showed how primary care plays a key role in helping reduce the need for hospital-based interventions by addressing problems early on.

We then had a wonderful lunch that was organized by IES and got to look around some of the stores in the area. Later in the day, we visited a public hospital in San Isidro, where we heard about the larger issues within the public system. Many of these hospitals struggle with outdated technology, limited equipment, and underpaid staff. It became clear that primary care can help relieve some of the pressure hospitals face by preventing illnesses before they become emergencies. However, funding continues to be directed more toward urgent hospital care than preventative care. There’s a disconnect between what would be most efficient long-term and what feels most pressing now, which is treating existing patients who need medical attention urgently. This creates a challenging cycle where hospitals and primary care facilities are both under strain, making it hard for either to fully succeed without more support from the government. More recent discussions are leading to people switching to primary care because it is cheaper and more accessible. Although this takes away from the inflow of money to public hospitals, it would free them up to deal with serious emergencies. If more people went to primary care hospitals for less serious/preventative illnesses, then it would free up the public hospital’s availability for residents who pay taxes to receive care.