The Dominican Health Tourism Association (ADTS) is working with a number of other ministries and associations to improve healthcare quality in the Dominican Republic medical travel sector.
The Dominican Health Tourism Association (ADTS) is working with the National Competitiveness Council, the ministries of health and tourism and the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants in the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES), on the regulation, incentive, and promotion of Dominican medical tourism.
An ADTS study of health tourism in the Dominican Republic, says that medical and health tourism in the Dominican Republic in 2018 generated revenue of US$265 million compared to US$231 million in 2017.
ADTS seeks to promote compliance with quality standards and safety of services as essential factors for this market.
The Espaillat Cabral Institute, an ophthalmology clinic in Santa Domingo, has become the first Dominican health centre and the first outside of the USA to receive the HFAP international quality accreditation in health. Chicago based Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Programme (HFAP) is one of only four accreditation systems approved by the Centres for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to survey hospitals and surgery centres for compliance with Medicare in the USA.
Punta Cana Medical Centre has been accredited to Qmentum International standards by Accreditation Canada.
ADTS says that 2019 was a year of great progress, but that there are challenges such as cosmetic surgery clinics performing procedures that are too complicated for their knowledge and expertise, infections from medical care, and other mishaps.
ADTS says there is an urgent need to make a serious commitment to reduce infections associated with medical care, establish and comply with protocols, strengthen inspections and be vigilant on quality and safety.
A national medical and health tourism council may be launched to implement a quality seal, as well as ensuring the achievement of international accreditations of cosmetic and dental clinics, the two reasons most international patients seek.
For an independent assessment of the medical travel sector in the Dominican Republic, subscribe to the IMTJ Country Profiles.
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