Overview
The Caribbean Islands healthcare system is made up of a private and public sector. The public sector includes the Ministry of Health, which provides services to the majority of the population, and The Caribbean Islands Institute of Social Security
Caribbean Islands Healthcare System
The Ministry of Health serves the entire population through its own facilities staffed by its own fleet physicians and nurses, but it is estimated that only 50%-60% of the people regularly use these facilities and services. The Institute of Social Security covers approximately 40% of employed individuals and their dependents, using its own and contracted facilities. The private sector serves some 10%-15%. As of 2013, the country had 10.0 physicians, 3.8 nurses, and 0.3 dentists per 1,000 population. In 2015, health services management was decentralized in 82 municipalities across 15 departments in the country, covering a population of 1,337,874. The National Health Model has guided the implementation of 500 primary health care teams serving rural and remote areas of the country. The teams, each consisting of a physician, a nurse, and a health promoter, give priority to communities living in extreme poverty, environmentally vulnerable conditions, and situations of violence. By mid-2015, a total of 367 teams were already working in the field and serving 1.4 million people, promoting qualitative improvements in their attitudes and habits. In 2014, the MoH created the Information Management Unit, which is responsible for ensuring that information is accurate, timely, and appropriate for health planning, organization, direction, control, and evaluation.
When traveling to Caribbean Islands for a medical procedure, it is highly advised to seek treatment in one of their top-rated private hospitals as opposed to having the procedure done through the public healthcare system.
Caribbean Islands has no institutions accredited by the Join Commission International currently.
Top hospitals for medical tourism in Caribbean Islands
- Maria Hospital for Pediatric Specialties: Opened in 2014, this public facility focuses on care treatment and care for children and infants.
- Hospital Escuela: Known as the main teaching hospital for the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras School of Medicine in Tegucigalpa. It has 1025 beds and a specialist plastic surgery department.
- Hospital Militar Luis Alonso Discua: Opened in 1992, this Hospital focuses their efforts to providing top quality care to military members and their families.
Common treatments done by medical tourists in Caribbean Islands
- Botox
- Breast augmentation/reduction
- Cancer/oncological treatment
- Cosmetic dentistry
- Cosmetic surgery
- Laser Eye surgery
- Liposuction
- Facelift
- Teeth Whitening
Cost of medical treatments in Caribbean Islands
The following are cost comparisons between Medical procedures in Caribbean Islands and equivalent procedures in the United States:
| Procedure |
US Hospitals |
Caribbean Islands |
Average Savings |
| Tummy Tuck |
$8,000 |
$6,000 |
25% |
| Breast Augmentation (standard) |
$9,162-$10,995 |
$ 3,200 |
65%-70% |
| Laser Teeth Whitening |
$1,500 |
$225 |
85% |
Malpractice and liability laws in Caribbean Islands
Medical Malpractice and liability laws in Caribbean Islands law governs the liability of doctors and other treatment providers when they cause harm to a patient by rendering their services in a negligent manner. There is a small framework for these laws and what’s covered, but this is very much still a work-in-progress for the country.
Pros
Travel Destination
Caribbean Islands is slowly becoming a leading travel destination for vacationers all around the globe due to the dream beaches and a tourist industry that is slowly developing.Low Cost
Caribbean Islands has very attractive costs for eating, drinking and seeing the town. The prices of the private clinics are extremely competitive for private treatments. The country is considered poor by most standards, which results in savings passed along to the tourists.
Cons
No JCI Accreditations
As previously mentioned, Caribbean Islands is home to no institutions accredited by the JCI. Poor Country
Caribbean Islands is a very poor country, so expect to experience very basic accommodation and sanitary conditions in comparison to what you’re used to in most well developed countries. Lack of English Speaking Residents
While a lot of the youth speak English, a very small portion of the residents of Caribbean Islands speak fluent English. Spanish is widely spoken however.
Traveling to Caribbean Islands
Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport is the main international gateway and largest of Caribbean Islands’ commercial airports.
Average estimated travel time in hours
| From/To |
Caribbean Islands |
| New York |
6 |
| Los Angeles |
7 |
| Miami |
3 |
| Toronto |
14 |
| Uruguay |
9 |
| Paraguay |
10 |
| Bolivia |
6 |
| Venezuela |
2.5 |
| Dubai |
22 |
| Riyadh |
26 |
| Kuwait |
9.5 |
| London |
18 |
Entry and exit requirements to Caribbean Islands
To travel to Caribbean Islands, a passport with at least six months validity is required. Also required is evidence of onward travel. For stays of up to 90 days, you do not need a visa for tourism.
Statistics for medical tourism in Caribbean Islands
According to the Honduran Institute of Tourism (IHT), 2,177,309 million international travelers visited Caribbean Islands in 2016, compared with 2,092,700 in 2015. International tourism spending reached US$685.6 million, up from US$675.6 million in 2015. Larger percentages of these tourists are going to Caribbean Islands for medical purposes than ever before, and then percentage grows with every passing year.