Orlando Health adds new hospital in Puerto Rico, helps improve health care

DORADO, Puerto Rico — A hospital system in Central Florida is branching out.

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Orlando Health has built a brand-new hospital in Puerto Rico, which is still trying to rebuild after recent hurricanes.

Channel 9′s Alexa Lorenzo spoke with hospital leaders on how this ambitious addition will help people in Central Florida.

Doctors’ Center Hospital Orlando Health in Dorado, Puerto Rico has started a new chapter for health care in Puerto Rico.

“We’re committed to making health care better in Puerto Rico,” said Dr. Luis Herrera of Orlando Health.

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Herrera went to medical school on the island and is now the director of the Thoracic Care Center at Orlando Health.

Leaders sought his expertise to explore health care opportunities in Puerto Rico.

“It’s the right time for us to diversify and align better culturally with the community we serve,” Herrera said.

With the Puerto Rico location, Orlando Health plans to provide interconnected health care to the thousands who travel between Orlando and Puerto Rico constantly.

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But the hospital is also looking at attracting a different group to Orlando Health in Central Florida.

Herrera said Puerto Ricans who leave the island to come to the United States for higher levels of health care will often choose sites other than in Orlando.

“We want to be the partner for Puerto Ricans looking for health care outside (of) the island, so recognizable brand and a convenient place to receive care,” he said.

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This move will add another strong tie for Central Florida to Puerto Rico and build the economy.

More than 1 million Puerto Ricans call Florida their home and there are people on the island who need advanced care.

Channel 9 visited Puerto Rico over the summer and saw residents grappling with crumbling infrastructure. A lack of technology and staffing shortages are just some of the issues residents are facing, but Orlando Health is hoping to provide solutions.

Orlando Health and Doctors’ Center Hospital have agreed to partner on four additional hospitals on the island: San Juan, Bayamón, Doctors’ Center Hospital Manati and Carolina Puerto Rico.

“It makes me proud that our administrators decided to take this brave journey and this endeavor to tackle this need in Puerto Rico,” Herrera said.

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