Today we visited several public healthcare facilities in the Tigres and San Isidro neighborhoods. To get to the clinic in Tigres, we had to take a boat from the mainland through several island communities we various levels of income. When we arrived at the clinic we talked to several nurses and paramedics who worked on the island. They shared with us some of the challenges and focuses of their clinic and emphasized the role that primary care played in the Argentinian public healthcare system.

After the visit to the Tigres clinic, we visited and toured a hospital in San Isidro which is a wealthier and more economically stable community. While at the hospital we talked with public sector officials who also emphasized some of the issues that the public healthcare sector is facing. These challenges include funding issues, insurance reimbursement issues, and staffing issues. San Isidro is also expanding into primary care facilities so we discussed the role and dynamic of hospitals and primary care clinics within the Argentinian public healthcare system.

Primary care is a crucial part of any healthcare system as it is preemptive in nature with a focus on education and prevention. In Argentina the public healthcare system is constantly working through funding issues, so the addition of relatively cheap and effective preventative care is a big step. The culture around medicine in Argentina however is very hospital centered so you have large amounts of patients who are going to hospitals for treatments that don’t require hospital visits which has really impacted the effectiveness of the delivery of health. Even with the inclusion of primary care facilities, there is a lack of trust between the communities and the primary care clinics. While also being cheaper, primary care has greatly improved healthcare access across the neighborhoods. While hospitals are expensive to build, staff, and maintain, primary care facilities can be place everywhere for a fraction of the cost while greatly improving healthcare outcomes.