Dr. Redondo: we have the highest tourism potential related to medical travel
The Dominican Republic is internationally recognized as the country with the highest tourism potential related to medical travel.
The statement comes from Dr. José Natalio Redondo, president of Grupo Rescue and one of the tourism medicine and medical travel industry leaders in the Caribbean country, during his participation at the 5th International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress, in Santo Domingo.
Dr. Redondo emphasized that the only way to get the most out of this potential is through international accreditations. “We need more accreditations, more hospitals and health centers that fully comply with the accreditation process”, he said.
However, he mentioned that “accreditation begins with the commitment of the staff, it needs to be collective. At the end of the day, the accreditation certifies the mechanisms that you are going to implement. Two years after you need to show what you have done and the centers’ culture and sense of commitment is the key.
Accreditation Canada
In August 2019, the Punta Cana Medical Center, a member of Grupo Rescue, received the international accreditation certificate through the Qmentum International-Accreditation Canada program, becoming the first third-level hospital that obtains an international accreditation in the Dominican Republic, in recognition of excellence in the quality of care for users, with a high level of safety for patients, their collaborators, and the community.
The Accreditation Committee for Accreditation of Canada, an entity that has the endorsement of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQUA), congratulated the institution for having reached the required quality standards, making them worthy of the Gold Seal accreditation.
“We already have achieved and earn our respect for decades of hard work. The accreditation provides the country and the multimillion-dollar markets that we are a safe and quality destination. If the country and more actors are accredited, more people will come because the standards are set higher”, assured Dr. Redondo.
The specialist highlighted that “Accreditation Canada has a focus on safety for the patient, the hospital, the environment, and the community. Where all members of the institution behave as their own auditors and assume self-imposed goals”.
He ended his speaking time by saying that “under the tradition methodology, what we have done so far, is not possible to conquer these markets. We must transform it through accreditation because it shows that you are making a global effort to sustainability”.
About Grupo Rescue
Punta Cana Medical Center belongs to Grupo Rescue, the leading national private health network in the Dominican Republic, which has three of its own clinics: Punta Cana Medical Center, Bournigal Medical Center in Puerto Plata, and Canela Clinic in La Romana; three affiliated referral hospitals, three emergency clinics (urgent care) and a primary care center.
In addition, Grupo Rescue has 17 emergency medical units within hotels, a House Call service (a doctor at home), and a call center-triage available 24 hours a day.
About Dr. José Natalio Redondo
Dr. Redondo is an internist and cardiologist and served as president of the Association of Hotels, Restaurants, and Tourism Companies of the North (ASHONORTE).
Dr. Redondo is one of the main promoters of medical travel in the Dominican Republic through its national network of medical services Grupo Rescue, which has a presence in most of the country’s tourist areas.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of ASONAHORES and a member of the Advisory Board of the Dominican Association of Health Tourism.
He was one of the founding presidents of the Puerto Plata Destination Tourism Cluster, as well as a member of the Dominican Council of Tourism Competitiveness (CDCT).
At the 3rd Health and Wellness Tourism Congress, he was recognized as the leader of the tourist medicine of the country.