Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has entered into a new collaboration with the Health Service Medical Center (HSMC) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The partnership aims to enhance pediatric healthcare services by providing expert second opinions. This agreement was signed in June 2025 by Ruth Frey, Vice President of Global Medicine at CHOP, and Dr. Mario Lama, CEO of HSMC.
The collaboration will enable HSMC to use CHOP’s advanced telemedicine platform for remote expert second opinions from CHOP physicians across various service lines. Initial efforts will focus on utilizing the expertise of CHOP’s Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment (CFDT) and Fetal Heart Program. This initiative is expected to support prenatal intervention, ensure more accurate diagnoses, and improve neonatal outcomes for patients with complex medical conditions.
“This partnership reflects a deep commitment to improving prenatal care and pediatric outcomes by creating direct access to CHOP’s expertise,” said Ruth Frey. “We’re honored to support our colleagues in the Dominican Republic and work together toward the shared goal of advancing care for children and their families.”
Founded in 1855, CHOP is recognized as the first pediatric hospital in the United States and is known globally for its leadership in pediatric care, research, and education. The CFDT at CHOP is noted as the world’s largest comprehensive fetal program specializing in treating birth defects. The Fetal Heart Program at CHOP offers advanced treatments with some of the best outcomes worldwide.
HSMC is an acute care hospital focused on delivering quality healthcare services in the Dominican Republic.
