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Dominican Republic
Quick Facts
- JCI hospitals
- 0
- Clinics in registry
- 0
- Regulatory body
- Ministerio de Salud Pública (Dominican Republic)
- Visa
- Reference page scaffold; editorial sourcing pending
- Timezone
- AST (UTC-4)
- Currency
- Dominican Peso
Practical information
Emergency numbers
- Police / Ambulance / Fire (unified)911
Language
Spanish
Local authorities
Sources CIA World Factbook — Dominican Republic (accessed 2026-07-05)
Regulation, recourse and logistics
Regulatory bodies
- Ministerio de Salud Pública (Dominican Republic)(medical)Verify
- Dominican Medical College (Colegio Médico Dominicano)(medical)Verify
- Health Facility Licensing (Habilitación de Establecimientos y Servicios de Salud — Dirección de Habilitación y Acreditación, MSP)(health regulator)Verify
- Ministry of Public Health (Ministerio de Salud Pública, MISPAS)(health ministry)Verify
Medical visa
Tourist card (short-stay visitor) · up to 30 days
Recourse mechanisms
- Complaint to the Ministerio de Salud Pública
Patients may file a complaint with the Ministerio de Salud Pública, the national public-health authority that oversees healthcare in the Dominican Republic.
- Ministry of Public Health patient-rights information
The ministry publishes official patient-rights information (derechos del paciente) on its website.
The Dominican Republic is an island country on the eastern part of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and a land border with Haiti to the west, occupying the eastern five-eighths of Hispaniola which, along with Saint Martin, is one of only two islands in the Caribbean shared by two sovereign states. In the Antilles, the country is the second-largest country by area after Cuba at 48,671 square kilometers (18,792 sq mi) and the second most populous country after Haiti with approximately 11.4 million people in 2024, of whom 3.6 million reside in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo, the capital city.
*Reference text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.*
The CIA World Factbook records a physician density of 2.43 per 1,000 population (2023), around 1.4 hospital beds per 1,000 (2020 est.) and current health expenditure of 4.9% of GDP (2021).
- Regulatory Body
- Ministerio de Salud Pública (Dominican Republic)
- JCI-Accredited Facilities
- 0
- Visa Notes
- Reference page scaffold; editorial sourcing pending.
- Patient Rights
- Official resource
Malpractice Framework
Reference page scaffold; editorial sourcing pending.
Healthcare System
Health is the state of overall emotional and bodily wellbeing. Healthcare exists to provide healthiness to people and maintain their ideal conditions. In the Dominican Republic, health haphazardness has resulted in economic disgrace. It was because of the rising of infectious health disparities. Healthcare institutions work extensively toward understanding contagious diseases that influence the Dominican economy.
*Reference text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.*
Practical Information
Travellers to the Dominican Republic must complete an eTicket, the required digital form for each entry and exit, and passports must be valid for six months from arrival. The US State Department advises that a tourist card, whose fee is included in airline charges, allows stays of up to 30 days; a visa is required for longer visits, and overstays attract fines payable on departure. The US embassy strongly recommends travel insurance covering medical emergencies, because most private hospitals require payment in advance and do not accept US insurance. The currency is the Dominican peso (DOP); amounts of USD 10,000 or more must be declared on entry and exit. Spanish is the national language, with English also used in medical settings. Dial 911 for police, ambulance or fire. The State Department advises increased caution due to crime; a professional tourist police force (POLITUR) is among the resources available to tourists.
Common Procedures
Dominican Republic — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to visit the Dominican Republic?
According to the US State Department, a tourist card — its USD 10 fee is included in airline charges — allows stays of up to 30 days, and a visa is required for visits longer than 30 days. Extensions can be requested from the Migration Department in Santo Domingo; failure to request an extension results in a fine on departure, ranging from approximately USD 56 for one month to more than USD 1,660. An eTicket must be completed for each entry and exit.
How do hospitals handle payment and insurance?
The US embassy advises that travel insurance covering medical emergencies is strongly recommended, because most private hospitals in the Dominican Republic require payment in advance and do not accept US insurance. The UK Foreign Office likewise advises travellers to arrange insurance covering their itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. The national currency is the Dominican peso (DOP).
Who regulates healthcare in the Dominican Republic?
Healthcare is overseen by the Ministerio de Salud Pública, the country's Ministry of Public Health, which also publishes patient-rights information (derechos del paciente) on its official website. Patients with concerns about their care may direct a complaint to the ministry as the national health authority.
What number do I call in an emergency?
The Dominican Republic uses a single unified emergency number: dial 911 for police, ambulance or fire. The US State Department lists the 911 emergency response system, a professional tourist police force (POLITUR) and private security personnel in resorts among the resources available to tourists.
Is the Dominican Republic safe for a medical trip?
The US State Department advises increased caution due to crime, noting that violent crime — including robbery, homicide and sexual assault — is a concern throughout the country despite more police presence in areas often visited by tourists. It advises travellers not to display wealth, to pay attention to their surroundings, not to leave food or drinks unattended, and to travel with a partner or group if possible. Tropical storms and hurricanes with heavy rain and wind are common.