Arbona system reengineered in the Garcia-Ariz Model: a national health reform plan from an orthopedics program perspective.

During the 1950's the healthcare system of Puerto Rico was maintained exclusively by the local government. The Arbona system, as it came to be known, although it provided health care professionals on the island with multiple educational experiences, presented substantial costs for the government. In the early 1990's a program of privatization known as "La Reforma" was implemented with the ultimate goal of providing a universal coverage system for the poor and the needy. At present this program has brought other issues regarding the quality of medical services and loss of academic centers. This is a preliminary report that analyzes various aspects of both systems through the search and analysis of background resources and literature, interviews, and physician/patient satisfaction surveys (on working conditions and quality of services). The main purpose of this report is to create a model that proves to be efficient and coherent with the island's idiosyncrasies.