Published On:Friday, July 23, 2010

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Business Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

THE JOINT Commission International (JCI) Accreditation received this week by Doctor's Hospital has already prompted calls from five international institutions inquiring about opportunities in the Bahamas for medical tourism, the hospital's chief executive told Tribune Business yesterday.

Charles Sealy said Doctor's Hospital had been engaged in medical tourism even before the JCI accreditation, but added that this will substantially validate the BISX-listed institution as one that meets international standards and follows the latest US clinical guidelines.

Doctors Hospital is the first institution to receive JCI accreditation in the Caribbean region, and with this "joins an elite group of few hospitals worldwide which have passed JCI's stringent clinical quality standards".

According to Mr Sealy, the accreditation gives Doctors Hospital an opportunity to expand its medical tourism explorations, which currently focuses primarily on outpatient surgical procedures.

And he believes Doctors Hospital can offer those services at competitive rates with comparable accommodations, while leveraging the allure of the Bahamas as a destination.

"Within this time we have heard from five institutions, who called to inquire about the opportunities for medical tourism, and so we are looking at other opportunities where we can invite people to our shores to be able to receive good health care in our country," said Mr Sealy.

"The procedures are offered either at reduced rates than what they would receive in their country, or certainly in a better domicile so they can enjoy the beauty of the Bahamas."

He added that expansion plans for the hospital continue to be looked at, as the country, if it is to facilitate medical tourism, will need more patient beds.

"So, it's not just Doctor's Hospital. We believe that there are going to be more beds required to meet this need," Mr Sealy said.

"And so this is one of the reasons we are going after it (expansion), but there are also some other services we want to strengthen and introduce here in the Bahamas."

Mr Sealy said the hospital's business decreased last year due to the poor economy. However, they forecasted the dip and took steps to become more prudent while continuing "to meet the needs of the population of the Bahamas".

He added that Doctors Hospital continues to lobby the Government to implement lower rates in the health care system of the Bahamas, and to make this medical tourism more competitive.

"It behoves us to continuously work with government to reduce the cost of health care, so we can package these particular opportunities to bring about medical tourism," Mr Sealy said.

"We are competitive when it comes to the pricing and we have a fantastic array of physicians here. We know we can stand toe to toe with any other physician."

Minister of Health, Dr Hubert Minnis, said the hospital worked for 10 years to earn the JCI accreditation, and as such is supported by the Government and Ministry of Tourism.

"Medical tourism is a new frontier, and we think with the international accreditation it will be known worldwide that this institution delivers the safest quality care. Located in the Bahamas, this would be excellent for medical tourism," said Dr Minnis. "They would be able to offer care at standards that would be comparable to any institution in the States, and this accreditation would confirm that."