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Major upgrades needed for Guyana to seriously compete in medical tourism

Oct 26, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please allow me to offer my comments on the article, “Specialty Hospital may suffer same fate as Skeldon and Amaila”(Kaieteur News, Monday, October 21, 2013). I do so coming from a background as a former Professional Engineer and Healthcare Facilities Engineering director in the USA.
Preliminary estimates for the design/construction of healthcare facilities (term used interchangeably here for hospitals) can be calculated using either the per square foot approach or the per bed approach. Using the per bed approach, in the USA the design/construction cost per bed is in the range US$1.1M to US$1.3M.
A healthcare facility to cater for medical tourism is being designed/constructed at a cost of US$1.0M per bed. In Trinidad, a healthcare facility is being designed/constructed at a cost of about US$0.6M per bed. In Guyana, the Specialty hospital is estimated to cost about US$0.25M per bed, taking into account local costs and possibly cost overruns.
The USA-based Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and its international arm (JCAHOI) are the worldwide leaders in setting standards for healthcare facilities design/construction and operation. The costs quoted for the USA are for design/construction using JCAHO, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other applicable standards.
This class design/construction qualifies for the equivalent rating of a 5-star hotel. The news media reported that the Jamaica design/construction also qualifies for the equivalent rating of a 5-star hotel. The cost per bed of the Guyana Specialty Hospital puts it in a class below that of a 5-star rating.
However, at this stage let me caution that a healthcare facility with a lower design/construction rating can, for the most part, deliver comparable quality of patient care than that of a facility with a 5-star rating. So much depends on the administration, medical, and clinical personnel. The staffing, service image, patient care, national/international accreditation, and the catchment areas of the patients are all very important factors in the service delivery.
Outside of the foregoing it is my considered opinion that Guyana needs major upgrades in its healthcare facilities and services for us to seriously compete with countries like Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Panama in the area of medical tourism. In this regard, the JCAHO Environment of Care Standards which addresses statements of design/construction, utilities, and environmental concerns will be a useful guide.
Healthcare facility design and construction have indeed become specialised fields. It will be in Guyana’s best interests to engage companies which are proven in these fields for, eventually, Guyana will have to seek international accreditation as a means of boosting the acceptance and recognition of its Specialty Hospital.
Finally, in times of disaster a hospital should be a sure place of refuge. The present location of the Specialty Hospital is prone to floods from the Atlantic Ocean and heavy rainfall. The salt air will bring about accelerated corrosion of the medical equipment and appurtenances. Also, a hospital should be in a quiet zone. To situate the Specialty Hospital along Guyana’s busiest carriageway does not address this concern.
Abraham David

 

 

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