Frequently asked questions

1. What is Via Med DR?

Via Med DR is an independent project — a source-backed directory of doctors who practice in the Dominican Republic. Each public profile we publish cites the public sources our team reviewed for that profile, so a visitor can see what we looked at and where we still have gaps.

It is a search tool, not a booking platform, not a payment processor, and not a clinic. We are not affiliated with the Ministerio de Salud Pública (MISPAS), the Colegio Médico Dominicano (CMD), or any clinic we cite.

2. Is this an official government site?

No. Via Med DR is an independent project. We are not a government agency, not a registry, and not affiliated with MISPAS, the CMD, the exequátur office, or any clinic. We cite public sources from those organizations — we do not speak for them.

For the authoritative government licensure data, consult MISPAS / the exequátur registry directly. Our profiles include links back to the original public sources where available so you can verify them at the source.

3. Are the doctors on this site verified?

Verification on Via Med DR is a per-profile, manual decision — not a default. Every doctor profile carries a verification status with one of these values: Verified, Partially Verified, Unable to Verify, Conflicting Records Found, or Needs Manual Review. The status is set by our team after looking at the cited sources, and it does not change automatically when new sources are linked.

A profile being source-backed (see the next question) is not the same as being verified. Source-backed means we cited at least one public source for that profile. Verified means a human reviewer concluded the cited evidence supports the verdict. Read each profile's status badge and “Sources reviewed” section before forming an opinion.

4. What does “source-backed” mean?

A profile is “source-backed” when at least one public source check on the profile has a status of Matched — meaning a reviewer looked at the named public source and found the doctor there. The green “Source-backed” badge on a profile tells you cited evidence exists; it does not tell you the provider is endorsed, recommended, or guaranteed safe.

We deliberately keep “source-backed”, “linked”, and “verified” separate. Source-backed = ≥ 1 matched public source. Linked = an internal admin connection exists. Verified = the verificationStatus field on that profile literally says so.

5. What public sources are reviewed?

We group every cited source into one of four categories:

• Government license — MISPAS open data, exequátur registry, Ministerio de Salud Pública, registro nacional de profesionales.
• Clinic / hospital directory — public staff-directory pages of clinics and hospitals (HOMS, Hospiten, CEDIMAT, Plaza de la Salud, etc.) as they are added.
• Specialty society — Colegio Médico Dominicano, sociedades de especialidad, professional associations with public directories.
• Other public sources — any cited source that doesn't fit the three categories above (e.g. an official conference roster, public speaker page).

Each source check on a profile shows which category it belongs to, its status (Matched / Needs manual review / Not yet found), and a link back to the public source where one is available.

6. Is anything on this site medical advice?

No. Nothing on Via Med DR is medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment guidance. We do not describe medical conditions, recommend procedures, endorse providers, or rank doctors. The site is purely a directory of public information about practitioners. Always consult a licensed clinician for any health decision.

7. Can I book appointments here?

No. Via Med DR does not book appointments, take payments, verify insurance coverage, or facilitate any clinical transaction. Each profile links you to the provider or clinic's public contact details so you can reach them directly.

Always confirm credentials, current practice address, schedule, and insurance plans directly with the provider or clinic before booking. Our data may be incomplete or out of date.

8. Are insurance and availability guaranteed?

No. When a profile lists insurance plans, it reflects what was publicly listed by the clinic at the time of review — not a guarantee that the doctor currently accepts that plan, that the plan covers the procedure you need, or that your specific policy is in network. The same applies to schedule and contact information.

Treat every listed plan, phone number, and availability window as a starting point that you confirm directly before relying on it.

9. How do corrections and removals work?

If you spot incorrect, out-of-date, or missing information — or if you are the provider and want a record updated or removed — visit our contact page and use one of the three pre-filled email templates (correction, verification request, or removal request).

Please include a citable public source where possible. We review corrections manually within 72 hours during beta. If you are the provider and your request concerns privacy or removal, we aim to respond the same day.

We do not auto-publish user submissions. Every change goes through a manual admin review against the cited sources before it appears on the public site.

10. What should I do in a medical emergency?

For a medical emergency in the Dominican Republic, call 911. Do not use Via Med DR to find emergency care. The site is intended for non-emergency research about non-urgent specialist care, and our review turnaround is best-effort.

11. What does “beta” mean here?

Beta means the dataset is small, the review depth is uneven, and information may be incomplete. We have not reviewed every clinic in the Dominican Republic, and the sources we have reviewed may have changed since our last check. The beta status is shown at the top of every page so visitors can calibrate accordingly.

During beta we run no tracking pixels, no Google Analytics, no Meta Pixel, no third-party analytics, and no advertising. We do not sell user data and we do not store accounts. The site is read-only — there is no login, no booking, no payment.

When the platform exits beta, we will publish a separate note explaining what changed. Until then, treat every profile as a starting point, not a verdict, and confirm credentials and availability directly with the provider before booking.