Success Story

Graduate Training in Health Management

USAID is sponsoring a graduate certificate program training doctors and administrators for the new health care system

Challenge

Mismanagement and inefficiency have long characterized the public health system in the Dominican Republic. The delivery of quality health services is hampered by poorly trained staff and internal corruption. A USAID and Population Council study on maternal mortality in the Dominican Republic attributed the high rate of maternal mortality, one of the highest in LAC, directly to serious mismanagement in the nation’s public hospitals. With approximately 70% of Dominicans accessing health care from these public facilities, change had become a necessity.  In 2001, the Dominican Congress passed two laws leading to the implementation of a new social security system, changing significantly the way health care services are organized, managed and financed. Translating policy to practice, however, is still a challenge for health care providers. 

Initiative

USAID is providing financial support and technical assistance to INTEC University for a post graduate training program in Health Services and Social Security Management. The post graduate program, which targets senior health service managers, is developing the needed knowledge and skills to operate the new health care system in the Dominican Republic. A total of 30 students were chosen for the first cohort, which began in August, 2003. Since then, the program has graduated more than 60 additional students. Students are given the opportunity to directly apply their classroom knowledge when they are required to carry out supervised tasks at their respective places of employment. 

Results

Graduates of this program have become change agents for the hospitals where they work. For example, at the Alejo Martinez Hospital in the San Pedro de Macorís province, five students have translated the INTEC program into health care change. They have contributed to overall improved performance in their hospital through self-initiated projects in patient flow analysis and developing a user satisfaction survey. As a result, patient wait time has decreased, and bottlenecks have been virtually eradicated.