VCOM 2017 Annual Report

inspired by caring

Dominican Republic

inspired by a growing need for care

V COM faculty began caring for patients in the Dominican Republic in 2005, providing an opportunity for students to benefit from hands-on clinical experience with patients and improve cultural awareness. The following year, the initiative grew to develop a sustainable clinic that operates year-round and is managed by VCOM faculty, students, and local physicians. In partnership with the government of the Dominican Republic, VCOM provides sustainable healthcare through the Verón Primary Care Clinic, where faculty, students and local physicians now care for over 200 patients a day. When VCOM faculty and students first arrived in Verón, the population of the region was approximately 6,000, with 60% uninsured and without

Care Center was established to provide preventative and acute care specifically for the large number of children in the area. Mr. de la Renta was a member of the Punta Cana Foundation Board, and his generosity will be remembered through the clinic and its services for children in the years to come. Current board member Frank Rainieri continues to lead the partnership between VCOM and the Punta Cana Foundation. Our collaborative partnership with the Appalachian School of Pharmacy has been an excellent resource for VCOM international outreach in the Dominican Republic, as well as our Appalachian Outreach programs in Southwest Virginia and beyond.

medical care. Today, the region has grown due to the expansion of the tourist industry in nearby Punta Cana, and the population now exceeds 30,000. Today, the number of uninsured is at approximately 40%. The Verón Clinic now offers primary care, emergency care, and prenatal care services for the community. In 2015, VCOM partnered with the Punta Cana Foundation and the government of the Dominican Republic to improve the clinic by adding an emergency room and expanding the laboratory, waiting area, and pharmacy. In 2017, a gift from the family of the late Oscar de la Renta provided the opportunity for the Punta Cana Foundation and VCOM to build a new pediatric clinic in Verón. The Oscar de la Renta Pediatric

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