Medical Care for Tourists in the Dominican Republic (2026): Hospitals and Clinics by Region

Most travel content about medical care in the Dominican Republic falls into two categories: thin reassurance (“there are great hospitals”) or clinic marketing. Neither helps when you need care during a trip. This guide covers where to go, when to call which facility, what insurance does and does not cover, and what changes when you are outside the main tourist hubs.

The short answer depends on where you are. Punta Cana has four major facilities used to international patients, all bilingual or multilingual and priced well below equivalent US care. Santo Domingo has the country’s most advanced hospitals. Puerto Plata has a solid private hospital for the north coast. In Samaná, Miches, Bayahíbe, the south-west and Montecristi, the plan for anything serious is usually a transfer to one of those hubs, which is why insurance with evacuation cover matters more there.

The short version: For non-emergencies anywhere, start with your hotel doctor. In Punta Cana, Punta Cana Doctors offers English-speaking clinic visits and house calls, and for emergencies 1-809-4RESCUE dispatches ambulances to Hospiten Bávaro, Centro Médico Punta Cana or Hospital IMG. In Santo Domingo, use Hospiten Santo Domingo or CEDIMAT. On the north coast, Centro Médico Bournigal in Puerto Plata. The national emergency number is 911. In remote regions, plan on a transfer for anything serious.

Medical Care by Region

Region	Main facility we list	For serious cases
Punta Cana and Bávaro	Hospiten Bávaro, Centro Médico Punta Cana, Hospital IMG, Punta Cana Doctors	Treated locally; complex cases to Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, Boca Chica and Juan Dolio	Hospiten Santo Domingo, CEDIMAT	Treated in the capital
Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete	Centro Médico Bournigal, Centro Médico Cabarete	Puerto Plata or Santiago
La Romana and Bayahíbe	Hotel doctor and local clinics	Punta Cana or Santo Domingo, each about 1.5 hours from La Romana
Miches	Resort doctor	Punta Cana, about 1.5 hours
Samaná	Hotel doctor, local clinics, and the public Hospital Leopoldo Pou in Samaná town	Often Santo Domingo, 2 to 3.5 hours depending on base
Barahona and Pedernales	Public hospitals: Jaime Mota in Barahona, Elio Fiallo in Pedernales	Santo Domingo, 3 to 6 hours
Montecristi and Punta Rucia	Provincial public hospital in Montecristi	Santiago, about 2 hours

Santo Domingo

Hospiten Santo Domingo, the capital’s branch of the same Spanish group that runs Hospiten Bávaro, is on Avenida Alma Máter at Avenida Bolívar in La Esperilla, roughly 15 minutes by taxi from the Zona Colonial in normal traffic. It offers 24-hour emergency care, imaging and a laboratory, with 60 beds including 16 intensive care beds and more than 30 specialties. Phone: +1 809-541-3000.

CEDIMAT, in the Plaza de la Salud complex in Ensanche La Fe, is one of the country’s leading centers for cardiology and advanced diagnostics, with a 24-hour chest pain unit and stroke care. Phone: +1 809-565-9989.

From Boca Chica or Juan Dolio, allow 40 minutes to over an hour to reach either hospital, depending on traffic.

Puerto Plata and the North Coast

Centro Médico Bournigal, on Calle Antera Mota in Puerto Plata, is one of the main private hospitals on the north coast and the one many hotels and insurers in the area work with. It is part of Grupo Rescue and offers 24-hour emergency care, a 24-hour laboratory and specialties including orthopedics and traumatology, which covers the sprains, fractures and reef cuts that come with water sports in Cabarete and Sosúa. Phone: +1 809-586-2342.

Regions Without a Major Private Hospital

In Samaná, Miches, Bayahíbe, the south-west and Montecristi, local clinics and hotel doctors handle minor problems well, and the public hospitals in Samaná town, Barahona and Pedernales can stabilize emergencies. For anything serious:

• Call 911 or ask your hotel to arrange transport.
• Contact your insurer’s assistance line early. They can authorize a transfer and tell you which hospital they work with.
• Expect long road transfers: about 1.5 hours from Miches to Punta Cana, 2 to 3.5 hours from the Samaná Peninsula to Santo Domingo, 3 to 6 hours from Barahona or Pedernales, and about 2 hours from Montecristi to Santiago.
• Buy insurance with evacuation cover if you are spending most of your trip in these regions.

Punta Cana: The Four Main Facilities

Punta Cana has four major private medical facilities serving tourists. Each has a specific niche and the right one depends on your situation, your insurance, and where you’re staying.

Facility	Type	Best For
Hospiten Bávaro	Private hospital	Guests at Hospiten-affiliated resorts; established tourist relationships
Centro Médico Punta Cana	Private hospital	Largest facility; best multilingual support (8 languages); ambulance dispatch
Hospital IMG	Private hospital	Newest, ACHC-accredited, 80+ international insurers, house-call service
Punta Cana Doctors	Outpatient clinic	English-speaking clinic and house calls for non-emergency tourist care

Hospiten Bávaro

Hospiten Bávaro is the most established private hospital in Punta Cana and the one most all-inclusive resorts have direct relationships with through outpatient clinics located inside the resort property. If you’re staying at a Hospiten-affiliated resort and need medical attention, the Hospiten clinic on-site is your starting point and will escalate you to the main hospital if needed.

• 70 inpatient beds, 4 operating theaters, ICU, 24/7 emergency department
• Languages: Spanish, English, French, Italian, Russian
• Phone: +1 809-686-1414
• International insurance accepted
• Located on Carretera Verón–Punta Cana 106

Bottom line: If your resort has a Hospiten clinic on property, this is the path of least resistance. The international department handles insurance and language well, and the relationship with your resort doctor smooths everything.

Centro Médico Punta Cana

Centro Médico Punta Cana is the largest medical facility in the area, occupying roughly 26,000 square meters and operating as part of the Grupo Rescue network. Their international department supports 8 languages (Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish), which is the broadest in the area. Grupo Rescue also runs the 1-809-4RESCUE ambulance dispatch service, which is often the right first call for serious emergencies.

• 45 hospital wards, ICU, multiple operating theaters, ER, maternity, on-site pharmacy
• Languages: 8 languages including all major European languages
• Phone: +1 809-552-1506; emergency +1 809-473-7283 / 1-809-4RESCUE
• WhatsApp: +1 809-284-9999
• Largest facility footprint in Punta Cana

Bottom line: Best choice for non-English-speaking European travelers, anyone needing a complex case managed in their native language, and the right number to call for ambulance dispatch (1-809-4RESCUE) regardless of which hospital you eventually go to.

Hospital IMG

Hospital IMG is the newest of the four major facilities and the only tertiary hospital in the Dominican Republic with North American (ACHC) accreditation, granted in 2022. For travelers from the US, Canada, and Europe who care about formal accreditation as a quality signal, IMG offers something the older Punta Cana hospitals don’t currently match.

• 40 inpatient beds, ICU, modern operating theaters, ER
• Two locations: main facility on Boulevard Turístico del Este (Cocotal), branch in Punta Cana Village
• Languages: Spanish, English, multilingual support
• Phone: +1 809-285-6116
• House-call doctor service: WhatsApp +1 829-576-5206
• Direct billing with 80+ international insurance providers
• ACHC accreditation (Accreditation Commission for Health Care, US-recognized)

Bottom line: If you have major US, Canadian, or European insurance and care about direct billing, IMG is likely the easiest facility to work with. Also the right pick if you specifically value the North American accreditation standard.

Punta Cana Doctors

Punta Cana Doctors is a clinic operation rather than a hospital, focused on outpatient care and house calls for English-speaking tourists. For non-emergency medical needs (the vast majority of what tourists actually encounter), the clinic format is often better than going to a hospital ER: shorter wait times, English throughout, and transparent pricing for cash-pay.

• Outpatient clinic + house-call service
• 24/7 availability
• Languages: English, Spanish
• Phone: +1 809-902-6746
• Email: info@puntacanadoctors.com
• Located in Bávaro

Bottom line: Best first call for stomach problems, ear infections, fever, sunburn complications, jellyfish stings, minor injuries, and prescription needs that don’t warrant a hospital visit. House-call service means you don’t have to leave your resort.

When to Go Where: A Practical Decision Tree

In Punta Cana, the decision flow is simpler than the four-facility list suggests:

Situation	First call
Mild illness (fever, ear infection, stomach bug)	Resort doctor or Punta Cana Doctors
Moderate issue (suspected fracture, severe allergic reaction, dehydration requiring IV)	Hospital ER (Hospiten, Centro Médico, or IMG)
Serious emergency (chest pain, severe trauma, suspected stroke, dive accident)	1-809-4RESCUE (ambulance dispatch)
Need a doctor at the resort	Punta Cana Doctors house call or IMG house call
International insurance with major US carrier	Hospital IMG (best direct billing)
Speak only French, German, Italian, Russian, etc.	Centro Médico Punta Cana (8 languages)
Staying at a Hospiten-affiliated resort	Hospiten Bávaro via your resort clinic

The Resort Doctor: Your Default First Call

Almost every all-inclusive resort in the country, from Punta Cana to Bayahíbe, Miches, Samaná and Playa Dorada, has either an in-house medical clinic or a doctor on-call, often through a partnership with one of the major hospitals (Hospiten resort clinics are particularly common). For most tourist medical issues, this is the right starting point:

• The resort doctor knows the local infrastructure and can navigate referrals
• The visit is convenient (you don’t leave the property)
• Pricing is reasonable and clear; insurance can usually be processed
• The doctor can prescribe medications dispensed by a nearby pharmacy
• For situations beyond outpatient care, the doctor coordinates the hospital handoff

The resort doctor is not included in your all-inclusive rate. The visit is a separate charge, paid in cash or through insurance; in 2026, a typical consultation was around $80 to $200 USD depending on the resort tier.

What About Emergencies?

For real emergencies (chest pain, severe trauma, suspected stroke, severe allergic reaction with breathing difficulty, major dive accident), three rules:

1. Call 911, or in Punta Cana 1-809-4RESCUE. 911 is the national emergency number. 1-809-4RESCUE is Grupo Rescue’s 24-hour ambulance dispatch in Punta Cana. They will dispatch transport, advise on which hospital, and coordinate the early response. Faster than navigating a hospital ER yourself.
2. Have your travel insurance card and policy number accessible. The receiving hospital will need it. If you don’t have specific travel insurance, your home health insurance card and a credit card.
3. Don’t drive yourself or take an Uber for serious emergencies. Ambulance evacuation is the right call; the speed and the medical coordination during transport matter.

For situations that aren’t emergencies but feel urgent (severe pain, persistent vomiting, unexplained fever in kids), the major hospital ERs accept walk-ins 24/7. The ER triage will see you on arrival.

Insurance Reality

The four major Punta Cana facilities all accept international insurance, but the experience varies. Hospiten Santo Domingo and Centro Médico Bournigal also have international patient services; confirm with your insurer before you need them.

Facility	Direct Billing Strength
Hospital IMG	Strongest. 80+ international providers with direct billing
Centro Médico Punta Cana	Strong. Major US, Canadian, European plans accepted directly
Hospiten Bávaro	Strong, especially for European insurance. Hospiten brand has international relationships
Punta Cana Doctors	Variable. Direct billing with most majors; cash-pay common

Practical advice:

• Call your insurance company before traveling. Confirm what’s covered for international care; get an international assistance line phone number.
• Bring your insurance card. Photo on your phone backed up by a paper copy.
• Travel insurance with medical coverage is worth buying for trips longer than 5 nights, and for any trip to a remote region. A week-long policy was typically around $30 to $80 in 2026. The cost is trivial compared to the potential exposure.
• Cash-pay is affordable. In Punta Cana in 2026, a typical ER visit was around $100 to $300 and a hospital admission for a few days around $1,000 to $3,000, far below US prices.
• Bring a credit card with no foreign transaction fees for medical emergencies. Some procedures may require deposit before treatment.

Common Tourist Medical Situations

Here is what people actually see a doctor for during Dominican beach trips:

Sunburn and heat-related issues

The most common single complaint. Severe sunburn (blistering, fever) warrants a doctor visit for prescription-strength topical care. Heat exhaustion (severe dehydration with confusion or fainting) is an actual medical emergency requiring IV fluids; go to a hospital ER.

Gastroenteritis (stomach bugs)

The second most common issue. Mild cases (24-48 hours of GI symptoms) usually resolve with hydration and Imodium. Severe cases (sustained vomiting, blood in stool, high fever) need a doctor for IV fluids and stool analysis. The clinic format (Punta Cana Doctors or your resort doctor) is the right starting point.

Ear infections

Common after long pool and ocean days, especially for kids, and for surfers and kiters in Cabarete and Las Terrenas. Outpatient clinic visit, antibiotic ear drops, resolved in 2 to 5 days.

Jellyfish and marine stings

Jellyfish stings happen seasonally on Caribbean beaches. Resort lifeguards usually have vinegar on hand. Severe reactions or stings to the face require medical attention. Sea urchin spines embedded in the foot require removal at a clinic.

Minor injuries

Cuts that need stitches, sprained ankles, mild fractures. Reef cuts and sprains are common at the north coast’s surf and kite beaches. Hospital ER for imaging; clinic for sutures only.

Allergic reactions

Mild reactions (hives, itching) treated with antihistamines. Severe reactions (anaphylaxis, breathing difficulty) are emergencies; call Rescue immediately.

Dive accidents

Decompression sickness, ear barotrauma, lung overpressure injuries. Even minor symptoms warrant immediate hospital evaluation. There is no decompression chamber in Punta Cana itself; serious cases from Punta Cana, Bayahíbe, Sosúa or Samaná require transfer to Santo Domingo. Ask your dive operator about its evacuation plan before you dive. Always carry DAN dive insurance if you dive frequently.

Pharmacies

Every town in the country has pharmacies, and many deliver. In smaller places like Las Galeras, Punta Rucia or Pedernales, the choice is limited, so bring a basic kit and enough of any regular medication. In Punta Cana, the major chains are:

Chain	Notes
Farmacia Carol	The most established; multiple locations across Bávaro, Punta Cana Village, and Cap Cana
Farmacia Magnolia	Reliable chain, locations in Cabeza de Toro and Bávaro
Plaza-area pharmacies	Various, including 24-hour options near major plazas

Practical notes:

• Many medications that require prescriptions in the US are over-the-counter in DR. Most common antibiotics, certain stronger painkillers, and some cardiovascular medications are sold without prescription. The pharmacist can advise on basic medication questions, often in English.
• Bring any prescription medications you take regularly in their original containers with a copy of the prescription. Don’t rely on local pharmacies for specialty or controlled medications.
• Generic versions of major drugs are widely available and significantly cheaper than US prices.
• Most pharmacies are open until late evening daily. Some 24-hour locations exist near major shopping plazas.

Decompression Chamber and Air Evacuation

For very serious medical situations (cardiac surgery, organ failure, major trauma) that exceed local capacity, evacuation to Santo Domingo or back to your home country becomes the path. Two practical notes:

1. Air evacuation insurance is worth the additional cost for trips longer than 7 days or for travelers with significant pre-existing conditions. Companies like Medjet Assist and Global Rescue offer dedicated air evacuation policies separately from standard travel insurance.
2. Decompression chamber treatment for dive accidents requires transfer to Santo Domingo, where Centro de Medicina Hiperbárica y Tratamiento de Heridas operates. Local hospitals can evaluate and stabilize but cannot administer hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The standard protocol is local hospital evaluation, then ambulance or air transfer.

Practical Habits That Reduce Medical Issues

Most tourist medical issues are preventable with basic precautions:

• Reef-safe sunscreen, SPF 50+, reapplied every 2 hours. The most effective prevention for the most common issue, sunburn.
• Bottled or filtered water only. Tap water in DR is not reliably safe even at resorts.
• Imodium and electrolyte packets in your travel kit. These handle most stomach issues without a doctor visit.
• Travel insurance with medical coverage. Especially for trips 5+ nights.
• DAN dive insurance if you dive at all, in Bayahíbe, Punta Cana, Sosúa or anywhere else.
• Respect the ocean. Rip currents on Atlantic beaches like Playa Grande, Playa El Valle and Macao cause more serious incidents than anything you eat. See the safety guide.
• Photocopies of insurance cards, prescriptions, and your passport kept separately from the originals.

Final Verdict

Medical care for tourists in the Dominican Republic is good where most tourists are. Punta Cana has four private facilities used to international patients, Santo Domingo has the country’s most advanced hospitals in Hospiten Santo Domingo and CEDIMAT, and Puerto Plata has Centro Médico Bournigal. Costs are far lower than in the US. Start with your hotel doctor or Punta Cana Doctors for non-emergencies, call 911 for emergencies, and if you are heading somewhere remote, carry insurance that covers evacuation.

For broader trip planning context, see our safety guide for the full safety picture, the getting there guide for arrival logistics, and the first-timer’s guide for general trip preparation.