Puerto Rico Initiative: Expanding Access, Strengthening Resilience
In the mountainous regions of central Puerto Rico, communities face some of the most significant barriers to healthcare access in the United States. In certain areas, poverty rates approach 60% (compared to ~10% nationally), with high rates of disability and limited local medical infrastructure. For many, accessing even basic care requires traveling long distances across difficult terrain—delays that can turn treatable conditions into life-threatening emergencies. These same communities have also been among the most vulnerable to natural disasters, where fragile infrastructure and geographic isolation compound the impact when storms strike.
EP is working alongside local partners in these remote regions to build a sustainable model of care focused on access, continuity, and quality. Through recurring clinical missions and longitudinal engagement, we are supporting underserved populations while helping strengthen the systems that care depends on. This includes the implementation of telehealth, electronic medical records, and point-of-care diagnostics such as ultrasound and EKG, while connecting local providers with U.S.-based emergency clinicians for real-time support, education, and collaboration.
In parallel, we are developing a disaster-ready healthcare framework designed to support these communities before, during, and after future events. By integrating preparedness planning with an on-call network of emergency providers and technology-enabled coordination, this initiative is built not only to deliver care—but to endure. Together, this work represents a long-term commitment to improving health access and resilience for some of the most underserved communities in the United States.
