The Caribbean

Patients from Puerto Rico, Grenada, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and islands across the Caribbean travel to Miami to see Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz.

Miami is the main gateway between the Caribbean and the United States, and Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz sees patients from many islands, including Grenada and smaller islands where complex weight-loss, revisional and reflux surgery may not be available locally. Patients from the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands have their own pages. This page covers the rest of the region.

Why Caribbean patients come to Miami

Specialized surgery. Many islands do not have local programs for complex revisional bariatric surgery, redo and revisional foregut surgery or advanced anti-reflux surgery.
A full range of operations. Sleeve, bypass, SADI-S and duodenal switch (bariatric and metabolic surgery), anti-reflux surgery, hiatal and paraesophageal hernia repair, gallbladder surgery and hernia repair.
Spanish-speaking care. Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz is fluent in Spanish and our office team speaks English and Spanish, which helps patients from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Experience. More than 25 years in practice, more than 9,000 bariatric operations and over 15,000 minimally invasive procedures.

Islands covered by this page

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. territories, so U.S. citizens travel without a passport. San Juan to Miami is about 2½ hours; St. Thomas and St. Croix have nonstop and connecting flights. If you have a local plan, check its out-of-network benefits before you plan surgery.
Dominican Republic. Many daily nonstop flights from Santo Domingo, Punta Cana and Santiago, about 2 hours, and care in Spanish.
Haiti. Commercial flights to the United States have been limited; check current availability with your airline.
Jamaica. Kingston and Montego Bay are about 1½ to 2 hours from Miami, with several flights a day.
Grenada and the Eastern Caribbean. Grenada has nonstop service to Miami, a little under 4 hours. This page also covers St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Sint Maarten/St. Martin, with nonstop flights from the larger islands and connections from the smaller ones.
Trinidad and Tobago. Nonstop flights from Port of Spain, roughly 4 hours.
Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. About 2½ to 3 hours from Miami.
Turks and Caicos, the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda. Providenciales has short nonstop flights to Miami; from Tortola and Bermuda, patients usually connect.
Guadeloupe and Martinique. Usually by connection.

Flight times are approximate and schedules change, so check current options with your airline.

How care works from the islands

Video consultation. Send any prior operative reports and meet Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz from home.
Testing at home. Labs, imaging and clearances are done with your local doctors when possible; our team sends the orders and reviews the results. If a test is not available on your island, it can be done in Miami before surgery.
Travel documents. Except for U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, you need a valid passport and, depending on your nationality, a U.S. visa or travel authorization. The B-2 visitor visa covers travel for medical treatment, so allow time for the appointment.
7 to 9 days in Miami. Arrive the day before surgery, spend one night in the hospital, and plan on 7 to 9 days in Miami in total (3 to 5 days for a shorter procedure), with a follow-up visit before flying home once cleared. Bring a companion for the first 24 to 48 hours.
Follow-up from home. Video visits at about 1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and then yearly, with labs coordinated through your local doctor.

If something comes up after you return home, go to the nearest hospital and ask them to contact our team. See the out-of-town patient guide and the Miami Bariatric Destination Program.

Insurance and payment

Puerto Rico and USVI: coverage depends on your plan; local plans may be out of network in Florida, so ask about out-of-network benefits and prior authorization. Our office verifies benefits before you travel.

Other islands: most patients pay directly (self-pay), and our team provides a quote before you travel. If your local, international or employer plan covers treatment abroad, check whether it needs pre-approval; we provide the documentation for reimbursement. Contact our office about payment options.

Contact our office

Start with a video consultation from your island. Our office team speaks Spanish, and Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz is fluent in Spanish, so you can call and write in whichever language you prefer.