Health June 22, 2025 - 8:21 pm

Reinventing patient experience: Plaza de la Salud’s new management study model

After years of observing and moving through the halls of Plaza de la Salud Hospital in Santo Domingo, I have arrived at several conclusions that may prove useful to enhance healthcare services for our population. Founded by former President Joaquín Balaguer by decree in 1996—and opened its doors in 1997—this institution addressed critical gaps in our national health system. Over the decades, it has become both an oasis and a lifeline for Dominicans, operating under a public–private, self-sustaining model that grants it a measure of operational freedom.

A recent three-day hospital stay for surgery allowed me to study in depth the pre-operative, operative and inpatient phases. Since 2010, I have applied my hospitality-sector expertise to hospital operations, refining concepts, tools and methods that may translate into meaningful improvements here and at other Dominican institutions—always mindful of our country’s specific context and resource constraints.

During my stay, I noted four key priorities:

1. Reliable clinical protocols
   Every step of care—from post-surgical treatment plans and medication administration to vital signs checks, diagnostic tests, regular physician rounds and specialist consultations—must follow standardized procedures. Consistency in these processes underpins patient safety and trust.
2. Staff professionalism and training
   The competence of nurses, physicians and support personnel shapes patients’ morale and engagement. When staff demonstrate expertise and clear communication, patients feel secure in their recovery journey.
3. Appropriate medical technology
   Modern diagnostic equipment and information systems must support rapid, accurate evaluations. Access to advanced imaging and laboratory tools reduces delays and increases confidence in treatment decisions.
4. Comfort and usability in patient rooms
   Quality beds, furniture, climate control, lighting, entertainment systems and bathroom facilities all contribute to a healing environment. Simple adjustments—adjustable lighting, supportive mattresses and easy-to-use call buttons—deliver tangible benefits to those in care.

I also identified core service roles that directly influence patient satisfaction:

• Shift nurses
  Their interactions shape patients’ perceptions of kindness and responsiveness.
• Routine-care physicians
  Regular check-ups and clear updates reassure patients and create a sense of security.
• Specialist teams
  Their thoroughness and expertise inspire trust in complex treatments.
• Food-service staff
  Attention to meal quality and timing provides comfort during lengthy stays.
• Housekeeping
  Spotless rooms and equipment reinforce a sense of safety.
• Support equipment and supplies
  Ergonomic furniture, durable linens and quality utensils attend to the basic needs of each patient.

To drive measurable improvements, I propose adapting proven service-industry models to healthcare:

• Patient-centric experience
  Borrowing from Customer Experience (CX) principles, hospitals should treat each patient interaction as an opportunity to deliver personalized, respectful service.
• Human-centered care
  Beyond clinical protocols, staff should recognize the emotional, financial and family stresses that accompany illness, offering empathy alongside medical treatment.
• Service-delivery evaluation
  In hospitality and retail, satisfaction metrics guide service standards. Hospitals must define seven essential “public-health servant” skills—courtesy, empathy, responsiveness, reliability, safety, efficiency and tangible support—and measure performance against them.
• Strategic staff training
  A tailored development plan should reach every team member—clinical, technical and support—accounting for the hospital’s unique systems and the nation’s healthcare realities. Imported training modules may require adaptation to our infrastructure, funding levels and patient demographics.

Plaza de la Salud stands as a beacon in Dominican healthcare. Yet, meeting rising expectations demands a deliberate shift toward service excellence alongside clinical quality. Our patients deserve care that restores not only their bodies but also their sense of dignity. By applying these service-management insights, we can forge a new model of patient experience—one rooted in reliability, compassion and efficiency—tailored to the Dominican Republic’s evolving health landscape.

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By Roxanna Marte
Literary Agent, Cultural Manager, Writer.
Autores del Caribe Literary Agency.
Cultural Director of the CuentaRD Literary Project.