On the island of the Dominican Republic, a story of compassion, dedication, and medical excellence unfolded during a medical mission earlier this year.

The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation with an estimated population of 10 million. The country has struggled with unemployment, income inequality, and limited access to health care.

Ernesto Rivera, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center, joined the CardioStart International mission to provide free life-saving congenital heart disease surgeries to children whose families otherwise could not afford them. The mission also helped reduce the extended list of patients waiting for the surgeries.

The mission, supported in part by Kaiser Permanente with supplies and medications, brought hope and healing to many, showcasing the power of global health initiatives. A stark contrast exists between the tourist destinations of the Dominican Republic and its rural areas, where its most vulnerable are often without access to timely medical interventions.

Beacon of hope

Dr. Rivera’s mission last May aimed to bridge this gap, offering a beacon of hope to many families. The procedures were performed at the Clinica Corazones Unidos in Santo Domingo. Dr. Rivera and the CardioStart team worked side-by-side with the local hospital team.

“We were able to work with the local cardiac care teams to help them hone their skills in performing the more complex congenital heart procedures,” said Dr. Rivera. “The days were long, but the spirit of the team never wavered.”

Dr. Rivera used his expertise in transesophageal echocardiography to evaluate patients and assist during surgeries. Some of the patients do not have pediatric cardiologists where they live and are not always able to return to Santo Domingo for follow-up on a regular basis or at all.

Addressing ongoing cardiac needs

Dr. Rivera was able to see and evaluate many of these patients for follow-up care, the vast majority of whom had cardiac surgery or catheter-based interventions during previous missions. Some of these patients had developed post-surgical changes that needed to be addressed.

Team members who had previously volunteered with CardioStart in Santo Domingo were able to see and connect with these children again. Even children who will require additional surgical or interventional procedures are growing and thriving.

Rich Florio, MD, physician-in-chief at Roseville Medical Center, commended Dr. Rivera’s work.

“Dr. Rivera’s dedication to serving the underserved is not just commendable, it is inspirational,” said Dr. Florio. “We are incredibly proud of his efforts and the positive impact he and his team made.”

Dr. Rivera said he will continue providing this life-saving care to pediatric patients in Santo Domingo. He plans to return to the Dominican Republic for another mission with CardioStart in October. 

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