The Puerto Rico Oversight Board and the Department of Health are collaborating on four major initiatives to address healthcare workforce shortages and improve access to care across the island. A study commissioned by these agencies and the Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority identified workforce gaps and specialties lacking adequate provider coverage.
The first initiative involves creating Centers of Excellence that specialize in managing chronic diseases. A pilot program could help establish these centers with a focus on high-need populations, including the elderly and rural residents. Puerto Rico faces a growing crisis with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. Successful management of these conditions through the current healthcare system is challenged by limitations in healthcare access, delays in receiving care, and lack of early intervention. Centers of Excellence would allow patients, including Medicaid beneficiaries, to receive comprehensive and continuous care in a more effective and cost-efficient way.
The second initiative aims to develop fiscally responsible incentive programs. Doctors are concentrated mainly in the San Juan metro region, with shortages in other areas. For example, diabetes prevalence in Puerto Rico is 15.1% and is projected to increase to almost 18% by 2050, yet there aren’t enough endocrinologists, particularly in Mayagüez, Arecibo, and Ponce. The Oversight Board and PRDOH are gathering information from Puerto Rican physicians practicing outside the island to explore opportunities for their return.
Additional initiatives include increasing available medical residencies and expanding telehealth services. A survey by the Association of American Medical Colleges found that medical doctors who complete residencies in Puerto Rico are 74% more likely to practice medicine in Puerto Rico. Rural residents, particularly the elderly, often cannot access healthcare due to long travel distances and transportation barriers.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://oversightboard.pr.gov/four-initiatives-to-improve-healthcare-in-puerto-rico/