By concept of health tourism In the Dominican Republic, more than 13 billion pesos a year are billed, according to the president of the Dominican Association of Health tourism (ADTS), Alejandro Cambiaso.
“117,000 international patients are seen in the country, including 47,725 for medical tourism; around 69,000 for tourist medicine,” he reported.
He explained that the health tourism it has a “very important” transversal effect because it generates well-paid jobs, attracts Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and local investments, but also foreign currencies and the transfer of technology and knowledge, and strengthens medicine for all the Dominicans and the tourists they come to the country.
Also, he revealed that in the Dominican Republic they do investments in the health tourism sector of approximately 500 million dollars.
“Significant new investments are underway in hospitals, with hotels including, as is the case with Homs in Santiago; a new project between Santiago and La Vega; new projects in Santo Domingo; new outpatient projects , with investments of around 500 million dollars, which is great news,” he said.
“In the United States, there are over 40 million people who don’t have medical insurance, over 120 million people who don’t have dental insurance, and the costs of treatment are very high and can be provided in the Dominican Republic with quality care and at reasonable prices. more attractive”President of the Dominican Health Tourism Association
The most requested services in health tourism
The president of the Dominican Association of Health tourism reported that the procedures most sought after by tourists in the Dominican Republic are dentistry, especially those involving dental implants. Also, cosmetic dentistry and other dental services.
“Secondly, it’s the plastic surgery. Thirdly (there are) also other surgeries that range from orthopedics, the cardiovascular part, fertility,” explained Cambiaso. “We are starting to significantly strengthen the ophthalmology niche, among others.
He explained that when they seek health services, they now see a greater number of patients, especially absent Dominicans who come from New York, but also from the Caribbean islands, in particular the Turks and Caicos Islands, from Saint Martin and other destinations, and also from North Americans and Canadians, but for different reasons.
“In the United States, there are over 40 million people who don’t have medical insurance, over 120 million people who don’t have dental insurance, and the costs of treatment are very high and can be provided in the Dominican Republic with quality care and at reasonable, more attractive prices,” he said.
He said something different is happening in Canada because there is social security and people have access to it, however, the waiting lists are very long for elective procedures. So he indicated that sometimes for orthopedic problems they have to wait a year and even a year and a half for elective surgery. Instead, they can come to the Dominican Republic to undergo this process and recuperate in a hot climate and see the tourist attractions.
Destination Dominican Republic
The first destination for health tourism is Santo Domingo. Cambiaso pointed out that the city has “an excellent health infrastructure”. In the same way, he mentioned Santiago, because it has a “quite important” health infrastructure.
“And also”, he added, “because of the great flow of tourists that there is, there is the region of Bávaro, Punta Cana, but we see a lot more tourist medicine there, it is that is, attention to tourists more than medical tourism, which is seen more in Santo Domingo and Santiago.
He added that the staff they have is made up of specialized Dominicans.
“To talk about international standards, we must first respect local standards and that health centers are approved by the Ministry of Public Health and also venture into international certification and accreditation processes,” said Cambiaso.
In addition, that they develop international departments that allow them to develop experience, not only in technical and logistical terms, but also in terms of patient language, international insurance management, medical coding and continuity of care, among other things. “which are of great importance to be able to carry out this activity”.
Guide to health and wellness tourism
Cambiaso recalled that in June last year they launched the third edition of the Guide to Health tourism and Wellness of the Country, where the main centers are located that provide services and explain in plain language to tourists who wish to seek health services in the Dominican Republic how they can do so.
“This is a document that comes from the Association of Medical Tourism, the main global entity for medical tourism, and the Dominican Association of Health tourismbut also with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and (the Ministry) of Health of the Dominican Republic”, he underlined.
The difference between medical tourism and tourist medicine is that the former involves those who travel, fly to come for treatment. On the other hand, tourist medicine concerns citizens who come to the country to visit the beaches, enjoy the culture, the gastronomy and the different offers and, during their stay in the territory, may require medical attention.
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