What Happened
A group of public hospitals in Panama is concentrating the main delays in payments to resident and intern doctors because of backlogs in processing payroll forms for shifts already worked, according to the National Federation of Resident and Intern Doctors.
After meeting with human resources and training authorities in the health sector, the federation said the problem is not with doctors submitting their paperwork. The bottleneck is inside the hospitals, where administrative offices are holding up the forms before they can move to the units responsible for making payments.
Hospitals with the Biggest Delays
The Complex Hospital Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid in Panama City is the most affected facility, with the highest retention of payroll forms and the largest administrative bottleneck in the process.
Other hospitals identified as having major delays are the Rafael Estévez Regional Hospital in Aguadulce, Coclé; the Rafael Hernández Hospital in Chiriquí; and the Raúl Dávila Hospital in Changuinola. The federation also pointed to training centers in the Azuero peninsula that are facing similar problems with retention and slow processing.
Why It Matters
Resident and intern doctors work long hours in Panama’s public health system while completing their medical training. Delays in payment can disrupt their income and add pressure to professionals who depend on those salaries during specialization.
According to the federation, after three months of follow-up, residents and interns have improved how they fill out and deliver their forms. The remaining problem is now concentrated in the internal administrative phase of the hospitals, where documents are being stalled before payment can be processed.
Next Steps
The federation advised its members to always request proof of receipt when turning in payroll forms, as a safeguard in case delays arise inside the institutions. It also said it will keep taking part in dialogue tables with health authorities to push for solutions to the administrative bottlenecks and to clear outstanding labor commitments.
The dispute adds pressure on public health administration at a time when efficient payroll handling is essential for keeping young doctors financially stable and ensuring the system functions smoothly across the country.